$2.1M in CIHR grants to support research in cannabis, obesity treatments

Three pediatric research teams have been awarded over $2.1 million in funding for the next five years from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). With experts from across clinical disciplines at McMaster University, the newly funded studies focus on cannabis use, weight loss, and behavioural therapy.   

Cannabis exposure in utero: impact on the developmental programming of the gut-brain axis   

Elyanne Ratcliffe, an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics, will lead a study examining cannabis use for the relief of pregnancy symptoms, such as morning sickness.  

In North America, up to one third of women believe that cannabis is safe to use in pregnancy, with some women turning to cannabis to relieve pregnancy symptoms.  

Ratcliffe and her expert team, including PhD scientist Sandeep Raha, will explore if a mother’s use of cannabis can affect the digestive system of her baby and lead to problems with feeding, heartburn, abdominal discomfort, and constipation. This study will help provide high-quality information so that pregnant women can make informed decisions regarding cannabis use.  

For the next five years, CIHR granted Ratcliffe $765,000 for this project.  

Mechanisms of weight loss due to dual GIP GLP-1 receptor agonism with tirzepatide compared to semaglutide 

Katherine Morrison and Zubin Punthakee are co-leading a study on Tirzepatide, a medication used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes. The medicine works on cell sensors called GIP and GLP-1 and is considered a two-target therapy in that it lowers glucose and supports weight loss. However, researchers still do not fully understand how exactly the drug works. 

This new research will study the effect of the therapy in participants with obesity but who do not have diabetes.  One group will take the new drug weekly, and the other group will take a different GLP-1 drug, Semaglutide. Participants will be monitored for 24 hours to measure and track changes in their energy.  Researchers will also measure food intake, hunger, gut bacteria, and a special kind of fat called brown fat. By conducting this research, scientists will better understand how people lose weight with this group of drugs and advance the science of treating obesity.  

CIHR granted Morrison and Punthakee $648,397 over five years to support this project.

Dialectal Behavioural Therapy to Enhance Health Behaviour Change for Adolescents living with Obesity 

Research shows emotional regulation is sometimes compromised in teens living with obesity, making it challenging for them to maintain healthy lifestyle behaviours. Unfortunately, obesity treatments that incorporate skills to help regulate emotions and support mental health are limited.

Katherine Morrison is co-leading a study with Jonathan McGavock (University of Manitoba) that will examine if emotional skills training in teens living with obesity will enhance their ability to regulate their emotional responses and support their mental health. 

This study will determine if it is feasible to deliver treatment for teens, including emotional skills training, that will enhance their ability to be mindful, tolerate and manage distress, build and maintain positive relationships, and increase their family’s ability to communicate effectively with one another. The research team expects results will inform future studies in adolescent obesity and reshape the way teens are supported through their social, emotional and psychological needs, in addition to changing their lifestyle behaviours.  

CIHR granted Morrison and McGavock $734,400 to conduct this study for four years.