Dr. James C. Jeng of Washington Hospital Center receives US$40,000 from Westaim Biomedical

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA, U.S.A. - Westaim Biomedical Corp., a subsidiary of The Westaim Corporation, announced that Dr. James C. Jeng from the Washington Hospital Center in D.C. is the recipient of the Westaim Biomedical Research Fellowship Award. The announcement was made yesterday in Lake Buena Vista, Florida at the 31st Annual Meeting of the American Burn Association (ABA).

The US$40,000 grant was established in March 1998 to support advanced studies in infection control and wound healing for burn patients. Candidates were required to submit a detailed one-year research plan and proposed budget as well as a statement of career objectives to the Research Committee of the American Burn Association, which selects the winner on Westaim Biomedical’s behalf.

“We are honored to make this contribution to burn-treatment research,” said Dr. Michael Raymont, president of Westaim Biomedical. “Together with the ABA, the Fellowship Award furthers the pursuit of new treatment methods and advances in both wound and burn-patient care.”

A graduate of Columbia University P&S, Dr. Jeng will use the Fellowship Award to fund his study of bacterial translocation through burn wounds and its effect on burn wound thickness. He is a Lieutenant-Commander in the Navy Reserve Medical Corps, and holds appointments as associate director of The Burn Center, Washington, D.C. and assistant professor of surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland and The George Washington University, Washington D.C.

In addition to the Fellowship Award, Westaim Biomedical is also sponsoring a symposium at the Annual Meeting titled “Recent Advances in Wound Healing.” Moderated by Dr. William Monafo, ABA’s past president, the symposium features presentations on advances in wound treatments, graft and donor sites, partial thickness burn care and TENS patients.

Westaim Biomedical is the maker of Acticoat® dressings. Layered with nanocrystalline silver, Acticoat® dressings provide a sustained release of silver that has long been recognized for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. As silver ions are consumed, additional silver is released from the dressing to produce a long-lasting, effective antimicrobial barrier. As well as burns, the dressing can be used on graft and donor sites, chronic wounds (including pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers, etc.) and post-surgical wounds.

The Westaim Corporation specializes in launching high-potential technologies into the marketplace. In addition to Westaim Biomedical, its other technology businesses include: Surface Engineered Products Corp., which has developed surface engineering technologies and materials for severe applications in the petrochemical industry, and Westaim Advanced Display Technologies Inc., which is developing a revolutionary low-cost flat panel display. Westaim also operates three industrial businesses that produce aerospace materials, coin blanks and chemical products. A TSE 300 company, Westaim’s common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange, The Alberta Stock Exchange and The Montreal Exchange under the trading symbol WED.


For more information, please contact:

Tony Johnston
Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs
(403) 234-3103
tjohnsto@westaim.com

website: www.westaim.com
e-mail: info@westaim.com