Two assistant professors at the University of Regina have been awarded more than $1.2 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) - an achievement the university's vice-president of research equates to winning a major championship sports trophy.

Dennis Fitzpatrick said Mohan Babu, assistant professor of biochemistry, and Nick Carleton, assistant professor of psychology, demonstrated they had some of the best research ideas, not only in Saskatchewan but Canada.

Babu ranked first of 25 applicants in his category.

"Anyone who gets funded by organizations such as CIHR is really a very solid researcher, but more than anything else I think the reason Mohan told us about (his ranking) was that he was just so thrilled," Fitzpatrick said. "It's kind of like winning the Stanley Cup of Science."

Babu has been awarded $785,135 over five years to do further research on mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell.

Fitzpatrick compares mitochondria to operations at SaskPower.

"Mitochondria is a structure that really allows all of the enzymes in the body to be oriented in the right way to break down food, which is the equivalent of coal and turn it to useful energy which is the equivalent of electricity," he said.

A defect in mitochondria changes the energy dynamics of the cell and results in disease.

Carleton will receive $467,499 from CIHR over five years to use computer software to assist people deal with chronic pain.

"If you're diagnosed with chronic pain, the doctors do what they can for you and then they say, 'You should see a clinical psychologist to help develop pain management techniques,' and you find out there is a huge waiting list," Fitzpatrick said.

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U of R researchers win 'Stanley Cup of Science'