Laying the foundation for success at PERFORM Centre
Axel Bergman is no stranger when it comes to cutting-edge health-related research. The PERFORM Centre’s new research coordinator comes to Concordia from France, where he set up a master’s program in space health and physiology for the European Space Agency.
Prior to France, Bergman helped establish and coordinate the proteomics section of a large organ-transplant program funded by Genome Canada in Vancouver. He also spent five years in Toronto as a research scientist with the global pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly Canada.
Bergman has a master’s degree from the International Space University and has been an executive of a non-profit organization providing basic health and educational needs in the developing world.
Now he is bringing his considerable experience and passion for health sciences to Concordia’s PERFORM Centre, which is dedicated to improving health through prevention.
“What attracted me to the position was the opportunity to be part of something that will have a positive impact on society and drive innovation,” Bergman says. “The potential here is amazing.”
Since arriving in January, he has been working with PERFORM’s administrative team to establish the operational foundation to attract and properly conduct research projects. This includes obtaining the necessary accreditation and licences for the centre’s numerous laboratories and functional assessment suites, as well as establishing the protocols and procedures for research application and ethics approval.
“If we’re going to create the type of shared research facility that will identify Concordia as the collaborator of choice in preventive health research, then we have to make sure that we adhere to the highest standards possible,” explains Bergman.
“This type of centre is not only unique to Concordia, but is also a new concept on Canada’s academic landscape,” he adds. “A lot of work has to be done on the back end to ensure that we can adequately support both Concordia and external researchers when they come to the PERFORM Centre to work.”
The PERFORM Centre accepted its first round of research applications for review in May 2012. Bergman and PERFORM’s interim research committee were very pleased with the quality and diversity of submissions.
“The first round of applications demonstrates that Concordia researchers are already asking important questions in the fields of exercise physiology, rehabilitation and overall preventive health,” Bergman notes. “By capitalizing on PERFORM’s state-of-the-art facilities and Concordia’s close ties with the community, these projects will be the catalyst for a whole new realm of research at the university.”
Bergman says Concordia is well placed to be a leader in preventive health because it is a comprehensive university with a strong foundation in research excellence across multiple fields.
“At PERFORM, we want to propose new ways of thinking about prevention,” Bergman says. “We can do this by bringing together expertise from different fields of study to truly make this a multidisciplinary facility.
“There are obvious links among exercise science, biology and psychology, but we’re planning to expand our thinking by bringing fine arts, communication studies, business and engineering into the mix,” he adds enthusiastically.
Research activities at the PERFORM Centre are on track to begin this summer.
Related links:
• PERFORM Centre
• “How Did David PERFORM?” – NOW, May 17, 2012
• “New Season at Le Centre Begins” – NOW, April 24, 2012
• “PERFORM Centre Officially Opens” – NOW, November 9, 2011