KITE senior scientist Prof. Sherry Grace and scientist Dr. Kristin Musselman will share the annual award
KITE senior scientist Prof. Sherry Grace and scientist Dr. Kristin Musselman have been selected winners of the 2023 KITE Innovation and Impact Award for outstanding contributions to their respective fields.
The award is bestowed annually on one senior scientist and one scientist whose research and activities demonstrate a significant impact in their area of expertise. These contributions include changes to policies, standards, best practice guidelines, or the dissemination of resources to the research community.
Winners are chosen by the institute’s Annual Activity Report Committee based on reviews of the annual activity reports of more than 40 scientists.
Prof. Grace is recognized for her global impact in the field of cardiac rehabilitation. She is the most cited cardiac rehabilitation researcher in the world and is in the top three per cent of most cited researchers in any field globally, according to the University of Stanford’s list of the most cited scientists in world.
“As scientists we often have our heads down, working away on our next study, so we don’t slow down to look at the big picture,” said Prof. Grace, who is Director of Research in Cardiac Rehabilitation at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and a professor with the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University.
“This recognition will serve as a reminder of the positive impact of my work and the incredible environment at KITE, which allowed it to flourish,” She said.
Dr. Musselman was selected in large part because of her strong leadership in the spinal cord injury (SCI) community in Canada. With support from the Praxis Spinal. Cord Institute, Dr. Musselman leads the Canadian Activity-Based Therapy Community of Practice and the Canadian SCI Standing and Walking Module Group, which has developed and implemented a standardized approach to the assessment of walking ability during inpatient SCI rehab.
This standardized approach has now been adopted by 13 of the 15 rehabilitation facilities that have designated SCI beds in Canada.
The Praxis Spinal Cord Institute is a Canadian-based not-for-profit organization that leads global collaboration in spinal cord injury research, innovation and care. Their mission is to accelerate the translation of discoveries and best practices into improved treatments for people with spinal cord injuries.
“I’m honoured to be recognized by my peers at KITE, and to have the great work of these national groups acknowledged,” said Dr. Musselman, an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto.
“Our outputs are truly team efforts and I’m thankful to work with such talented clinicians, researchers, persons living with SCI, and the team at the Praxis Spinal. Cord Institute.”