School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition opens new clinical research facility
How is the human body using the energy of fats found in butter? What are the effects of weight loss on the metabolism of human cholesterol? What are the dietary actions of plant sterols and kefir as lipid lowering agents? Questions such as these have been the focus of clinical trials with outpatients at the Mary Emily Clinical Nutrition Research Unit. In operation since January 1995, thanks to the generous support of Mr. G. Stewart Brown, the Unit has been named in memory of his wife.
Tuesday, May 26, 1998, at 11:30 a.m.
Media representatives are cordially invited to attend the official opening of the Mary Emily Clinical Nutrition Research Unit of the McGill School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition which is located in the entirely revamped and refurbished Walter and May Stewart House at 7 Maple Avenue in Ste. Anne de Bellevue.The ceremony will be presided by Vice-Principal (Research) Pierre Bélanger, Dr Deborah J. Buszard, Dean of the McGill Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Mrs. David M.Stewart, President of the Macdonald Stewart Foundation, Mr. G. Stewart Brown who funded the new clinic, Dr Peter Jones, Director of the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition and Mr. Tazdin Esmail, President of Forbes Medi-Tech Inc one of the Schools industrial sponsors, in presence of the federal and provincial members of parliament, Mr. Clifford Lincoln and Mr. Russell William. Following the inauguration, a light gourmet lunch, prepared on the premises, will be served.
Dr Peter Jones is particularly happy with the fact that the four-storey Walter and May Stewart House can accommodate human volunteers in a controlled environment for 24 hours or eight months. "The approach to scientific research is changing," says Jones. "In the past we relied on animal models; we would feed laboratory rats higher concentrations of fat to see how it would affect their metabolism. Now nutritional research is more sophisticated and allows us to look at the human being itself."
"At present, about one half of the Schools professors are involved in studies using or planning to use the facilities," specified Dean Buszard. "It is anticipated that creation of this unit should have a major bearing on the direction of research of School professors over the medium term future."
"McGill can be proud to say that it now possesses a truly unique research facility, " says Vice-Principal (Research) Pierre Bélanger. "The Mary Emily Clinical Nutrition Research Unit is one of a kind in Canada and will increase the activities and profile of the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, as well as the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, into the 21st century."
