Bermudian scientist Professor Mary Jane DeSouza has good cause to celebrate this Christmas. She is one of just ten University of Toronto researchers to earn a coveted New Opportunities Fund grant from the Canadian Foundation for Innovations (CFI), which is reputedly worth $500,000.

CFI is an independent, not-for-profit corporation established by the Canadian government in 1997. It administers two funds to strengthen the capacity for innovation in Canadian universities and research institutions. One of them, the New Opportunities Fund, assists in launching careers of newly recruited faculty members.

While Professor DeSouza joined the Faculty of Physical Education and Health last year, and therefore qualified as a new researcher, in fact she was already a highly accomplished scientist with an impressive background in women's health initiatives.

A former Mount St. Agnes Academy student, who also graduated from Springfield College and the University of Connecticut, she was a founding director of the Osteoporosis Center as well as director of the clinical research centre at New Britain General Hospital in New Britain, Connecticut before joining the University of Toronto.

At the University of Toronto's faculty of Physical Education and Health, its magazine, ‘Pursuit', describes Professor DeSouza as excited about the funding, not only because it is an important recognition of her research work but also because it will allow her to conduct a multi-dimensional, cross-functional research project in women's health.

“I came to the University of Toronto because of the possibilities of working with superior scientists who were interested in moving women's health and health issues forward,” the Bermudian scientist told Pursuit.

CFI funding has allowed Professor DeSouza to establish a fully-functional laboratory programme at the University of Toronto which will focus on furthering the understanding of exercise and energy intake effect on menstrual function and bone health.

“This is a big study that will focus on the interplay of eating behaviours, stress and other psychological parameters on menstrual function and bone health,” she said.

Previous research by Professor DeSouza showed how physical activity may impact upon reproductive function and alter hormone levels that affect the bone health of young women. It also seemed to indicate that girls who are only slightly active are at greater risk of possible health problems late in life, of experience earlier onset of bone loss because of a failure to reach maximum bone density. Professor DeSouza and her colleagues at the University of Toronto plan to examine this issue in a sample group of sedentary, moderately active and highly active women aged 18 to 36.

In addition to her research, the Bermudian scientist maintains an active teaching portfolio which includes the University of Toronto's only physical education course for Arts and Science majors.

“My research makes me a better teacher because it adds a lot to the course work that is taught,” she told Pursuit. “We can discuss our research findings and make the text book information come to life for the students.”