The ROI of Research

Hospital-based research improves health care, creates jobs and contributes to a sustainable knowledge economy

Why Invest?

Lawson Health Research Institute is one of the top ten hospital-based research institutes in Canada, ranked eighth in the country according to the 2018 edition of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospital list by Research Infosource.

This ranking also places London as one of the top five health research hubs in Ontario. People in this region are the first to benefit when discoveries are made.

As the research institute of London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London, Lawson oversees the research mandate of both organizations. Our world-class scientists are conducting leading-edge research in dedicated labs within hospital sites or alongside care providers in clinical areas, and also in partnership with research patients. Many are health care professionals themselves.

Our research questions are formulated at the point of care, uniquely positioning us to tackle the most pressing issues in health care.

  • What frustrations need to be addressed to better serve patients and health care providers?
  • How can we improve treatment or fill in an existing gap?
  • How do we implement tested solutions to have the best possible outcomes for patients, in the most efficient way for the system?
  • Where can we find savings and reduce the cost of health care delivery?

TremorTek

Wearable sensor technology, TremorTek, was developed by Dr. Mandar Jog and his team using commercially available sensor technology.

At the London Movement Disorders Centre, operated by Dr. Jog, TremorTek has treated hundreds of research patients suffering from tremors in their upper limbs. Current treatment of tremors involves the use of localized neurotoxin injections. An injection in the wrong place or of the wrong dose can result in negative side effects for the patient. TremorTek allows Dr. Jog and his team to match the dose and location for injection to isolated muscle activity pinpointed by the technology.

Spinoff company MDDT Inc. is currently working with numerous stakeholders interested in various other applications.

WORLDiscoveries®

Learn more at worldiscoveries.ca

WORLDiscoveries®, the business development arm of Lawson and a joint venture with Robarts Research Institute and Western University, supports researchers and local inventors to commercialize their discoveries through licensing and new company spin-offs.

Hospital-based research = 3:1 return on investment

MONEY

  • Lawson attracts over $123 million annually in research income
  • $13 million annually from partnerships with private industry
  • $616,300 spent per researcher ranking first among large tier institutes for research intensity

JOBS

  • 60% of Lawson's annual research income is spent on research staff salaries
  • Over 2,400 researchers, staff, volunteers, students and fellows

COMMERCIALIZATION

  • 6th among hospital patent leaders in Canada with 13 patents in five years
  • Over 200 business and industry partners in more than 25 countries
  • $2.5 million annually from commercialization of discoveries

Lawson Commercialization

  • Dr. Matthew Hebb is partnering with STEMCELL Technologies for commercialization of tools for Parkinson’s disease research.
  • Yabao Pharmaceutical Group in China entered into an exclusive license agreement with Lawson to develop and test a new life-saving drug to treat sepsis, based on a discovery by Dr. Qingping Feng.
  • Novare Pharmaceuticals and Lawson were issued a U.S. patent for the composition-of-matter and use of RHAMM-binding peptides with a wide range of potential therapeutic uses. The patent also has claims for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer, and for prescribing a course of treatment for the diagnosed cancer.

CT Perfusion Software

Dr. Ting-Yim Lee

Director of PET/CT Imaging Research at Lawson, Dr. Ting-Yim Lee, invented the use of Computed Tomography (CT) scans to measure blood flow in the body, known as CT perfusion. Dr. Lee’s software can be installed on existing CT scanners resulting in fast and easy interpretation of a typically complex algorithm.

A product now fully approved for clinical use began as an idea in need of exploration.

Through public and private support, Dr. Lee’s research has transformed into an economic win. In partnership with GE Healthcare, his software is now installed on 70 per cent of the company’s new CT scanners, and is being used in more than 8,000 hospital imaging departments worldwide. Royalties earned through this licensing agreement have enabled Lawson to install Canada’s first PET/CT scanner.