SPARC Ignite Grants
SPARC Ignite Grants are a unique platform for supporting collaboration between clinicians and scientists - fueling innovations that address real-world challenges in bone and joint health. By engaging in focused discussions at our SPARC event, participants form interdisciplinary teams that work together on novel research proposals, competing for seed funding.
Launched in 2016, this initiative has significantly amplified scientific research and discovery, despite a temporary pause due to COVID. Overall, 42 projects have been enriched through a total funding of $640,000. A testament to the effectiveness of our seed grants, an examination of the first 13 funded projects revealed an almost eightfold increase in external funding, contributing to numerous publications and larger research studies.
2025 Grant Supporters
Arthur J.E. Child Chair in Rheumatology Research
Bob and Nola Rintoul Chair in Bone and Joint Research
Department of Clinical Neuroscience
Department of Medicine
Department of Pediatrics
Division of Rheumatology
Faculty of Kinesiology
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Grace Glaum Professorship in Arthritis Research
McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health
O'Brien Institute for Public Health
Schulich School of Engineering
Section of Orthopaedic Surgery
Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases
Workers’ Compensation Board - Alberta
2024 Seed Grant Recipients
Sarah Manske & Alex Meldrum
Uncovering the origins of bone marrow lesions in knee osteoarthritis using spatial transcriptomics
Matt Jordan & Prism Schneider
Building blocks for pediatric knee health: A catalyst for specialized care
Roman Krawetz & Holly Sparks
Investigation of Proteoglycan 4 to mitigate the negative side effects of steroid treatment on equine joint derived cells
May Choi & Mina Aminghafari
Decoding “healthy” from “pathogenic” antinuclear antibody patterns using Artificial Intelligence
Emily Rogers-Bradley, Joe Kendal & Koren Roach
Biomechanical impact of an actuated knee orthosis on patients undergoing proximal tibial reconstruction
Koren Roach & Neil White
Identifying optimal treatment strategies for distal biceps brachii tendon ruptures: Surgical or conservative treatment?
Prism Schneider & Matt Jordan
Evaluation of postoperative hypercoagulability and increased blood clotting risk in patients with surgically repaired knee injuries
Joe Kendal & John Holash
ACTIVATION: Activity Capture To Investigate Voluntary AcTivity in Oncology and Normal populations
Fred Nicholls & Dave Hart
Effects of Childbearing On Spinopelvic Alignment (EChOS)
2024 Grant Supporters
- Arthur J.E. Child Chair in Rheumatology Research
- Celltrion Healthcare Canada Ltd
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary
- Department of Medicine, University of Calgary
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Calgary
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health
- Section of Orthopaedics, University of Calgary
- Workers’ Compensation Board - Alberta
2023 Seed Grant Recipients
Dr. Ejaife Agbani & Dr. May Choi
Role of Platelets in the Thromboembolism Associated with Janus kinase Inhibitors in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Dr. Michael Monument & Dr. Brent Edwards
Quantifying the Response of Bone Metastases to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Using Clinical CT
Dr. Ranita Manocha & Dr. David Hart
Menstrual cycle effects on knee laxity and structure in females with Hypermobile Spectrum Disorders and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Dr. May Choi & Dr. Jeff Biernaskie
Anti-KIF20B Antibodies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Peripheral Nervous System Disease
Dr. Leigh Gabel & Dr. Emma Billington
Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention During Early Menopause (STOP-EM): a Pilot Study
Dr. Koren Roach & Dr. Andrew Dodd
Longitudinal dual fluoroscopy analysis of altered ankle and hindfoot kinematics following ankle arthrodesis and total ankle arthroplasty
Dr. Prism Schneider & Dr. Sarah Manske
WBCT for Syndesmosis Injuries
2023 Grant Supporters
- Arthur J.E. Child Chair in Rheumatology Research
- AstraZeneca Canada
- Celltrion Healthcare Canada Ltd
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary
- Department of Medicine, University of Calgary
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary
- McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health
- Section of Orthopaedics, University of Calgary
- Workers’ Compensation Board - Alberta