BrainsCAN News
A recent BrainsCAN study at Western could change medical treatments for those living with Alzheimer’s
July 11, 2018 - CTV News
New BrainsCAN study rules out major potential target for Alzheimer's disease drugs
June 29, 2018 - Western News
In a recent study from BrainsCAN, Western’s $66 million Canada First Research Excellence Fund program in cognitive neuroscience, Stefan Everling and his collaborators Susheel Vijayraghavan and Alex Major found that overstimulation of muscarinic M1 receptors actually disrupts and even blocks working memory activity, which contradicts long-held beliefs about the function of these receptors found in the brain.
Grants back Western medical innovation efforts
June 29, 2018 - Western News
Western’s efforts to support a brighter future for medical innovation in Canada got an exciting shot in the arm, thanks to a Burroughs Wellcome Fund grant.
The Medical Innovation Fellowship at Western immerses young scientists, engineers and clinicians in a program that serves as a platform for starting/licencing a commercially viable product or service. The fellowship’s fourth cohort starts its work this month – its numbers doubled to six this year because of the additional funding support.
Special Canada Day dawns for neuroscientist
June 29, 2018 - Western News
The sheer, glorious space of the country. Beaches in summer; snow sports in winter. The research opportunities and academic atmosphere. For years, Western neuroscientist Adrian Owen has set his heart on making Canada his home and adopted land. This year, he will celebrate Canada Day, for the first time, as a permanent resident of Canada.
Opening the doors to coming together
April 16, 2018 - Western News
University officials celebrated the opening of the Western Interdisciplinary Research Building (WIRB) on April 13. The $47-million facility houses the Brain and Mind Institute, BrainsCAN and the Rotman Institute of Philosophy, as well as five general-use classroom and study spaces. Certified LEED Gold, the seven-storey, state-of-the-art building contains dry laboratories, teaching and research space, classrooms and a public plaza within its 118,000 square feet.
After an accident that left her dead, a second life as an artist
April 13, 2018 - CBC News
Three of Vanderidder's paintings—Driving Home, White Out and Black Submarine—hang in the BrainsCAN department of Western University's new $47-million dollar interdisciplinary research building, which opens Friday.
BrainsCAN is working with a $66-million dollar grant from the Canadian government to better diagnose and treat brain disorders.
Three of Vanderidder's paintings are on display at Western University's new interdisciplinary research building.(Paula Duhatschek/CBC)
Vanderidder's work was a perfect fit, said BrainsCAN executive director Fay Harrison.
"She's an artist and she's a survivor," said Harrison. "Those are really important messages for us to stand behind and advocate to communities that we hope we will impact with our research."
Grant looks to bring brain researchers closer together
April 12, 2018 - Western News
The McGill-Western Collaboration Grant program supports neuroscience and neuro-informatics research from new and/or established collaborative teams working on projects of all types and sizes. To qualify, each project must be co-led by one McGill University and one Western University faculty member.
The program arises from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) combined investment of $150 million in McGill’s Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives and Western’s BrainsCAN initiatives in 2016. That outlay set the groundwork for a pan-Canadian network of researchers working together to uncover new ways to treat, prevent and cure brain disorders, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injury and schizophrenia.
Artist’s work a reminder of work to be done
April 12, 2018 - Western News
Vanderidder’s works will hang among Western’s BrainsCAN group, located on the sixth floor of the Western Interdisciplinary Research Building. The $47-million facility houses the Brain and Mind Institute, BrainsCAN and the Rotman Institute of Philosophy, as well as five general-use classroom and study spaces.
In total, three of Vanderidder’s painting will hang in the space – Driving Home, White Out and Black Submarine.
When the idea was first broached, it did not take long to see how BrainsCAN and Vanderidder were a perfect match.
Federal budget signals commitment to science
March 15, 2018 - Western News
Western researchers are better positioned to undertake cutting-edge work, thanks to the largest investment ever in fundamental science research, tabled late last month as part of the 2018 federal budget.
“It’s tremendous news for Canada. This was long awaited and we are thankful for the government for having the foresight to inject strategic funds into the research ecosystem,” said John Capone, Vice-President (Research). “The impact on Western will be significant.”
Women encouraged to pursue STEM careers, but not many staying
March 8, 2018 - CBC News
Lisa Saksida, a cognitive neuroscientist and the scientific director at Western University's BrainsCAN in London, Ont., recently spoke at the school's Inspiring Young Women in STEM conference. She said that although she feels overt sexism has declined, implicit bias still exists.
"People often don't think about women," Saksida said. "It's not intentional necessarily, but the first people who come to mind are often the men."
STEM conference engages, empowers young women
March 7, 2018 - Western News
Approximately 250 undergraduate students, researchers and volunteers attended the one-day conference, organized by the Western Women in Neuroscience graduate student group, in partnership with Western’s BrainsCAN initiative and the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. The agenda provided students with opportunities to learn from academic and industry leaders, connect with graduate programs and company representatives, and showcase their own research through an undergraduate student poster competition.
Federal budget makes huge investment in scientific research
March 3, 2018 - Western Gazette
Lisa Saksida, a professor and researcher at Western University, is confident that things are headed in the right direction.
“The need for more funding of fundamental scientific research is something that scientists across Canada have been voicing concerns about for some time,” Saksida said. “The government’s decision to invest shows that they listened and that they recognize the importance of fundamental scientific research both to innovation and the community more generally.”
Top scientists headline conference with goal of inspiring young women in STEM
February 27, 2018 - Western News
IYWSTEM runs throughout the day until 5 p.m. in Western’s Great Hall and includes an industry fair, a STEM Graduate Program Expo and an Undergraduate Poster Competition. Registration for the event closes today at midnight: www.inspiringyoungwomeninstem2018.eventbrite.ca. The event is organized by the Western Women in Neuroscience graduate student group in partnership with Western’s BrainsCAN initiative and the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.
Minister of Science explores ‘amazing work’
January 10, 2018 - Western News
Minister of Science Kirsty Duncan stopped by Western Tuesday to learn about what she calls the “amazing work” being done across the university. Duncan spoke with researchers and students at the Translational Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, as well as stopped by the Western Interdisciplinary Research Building/Brain and Mind Institute, where she met with the team involved in the Women in STEM conference. Duncan, along with London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos, also visited with BrainsCan Co-Scientific Director Ravi Menon at the Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping at the Robarts Research Institute.
Four scholars named among nation's elite
September 7, 2017 - Western News
The overarching goal of Lisa Saksida’s work is to provide this essential missing component. She has invented a touchscreen-based technology allowing researchers to test rodent models on the same tests used to assess patients. By combining this technology, Saksida will answer critical questions about the molecular and circuit basis of high-level cognition. She looks to improve treatment outcomes by identifying novel therapeutic targets for cognitive abnormalities in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease.
Menon tapped as BrainsCAN Co-Scientific Director
July 11, 2017 - Western News
Menon knows he and his fellow BrainsCAN researchers are on the clock. “Seven years sounds like a long ... was recently named Co-Scientific Director of BrainsCAN. Sharing the leadership responsibility with fellow Western researcher ... running out already.” In September 2016, Western’s BrainsCAN: Brain Health For Life initiative received a $66-million investment ...
Strengthening Partnerships: Develop sustainable partnerships, networks and global initiatives
2016-2017 - Schulich Achievement Report
With a goal to reduce the burden of brain disorders affecting nearly 3.6-million Canadians and radically transform humankind’s understanding of brain disorders, BrainsCAN brings together researchers from across Western University, including Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, Social Science, Science, Health Sciences, Engineering, Arts & Humanities and the Ivey Business School. It also includes the University’s Brain & Mind Institute, as well as the Centre for Functional & Metabolic Mapping housed at Robarts Research Institute. Further, the University will be building on an existing collaboration and partnering with researchers at McGill University to leverage complementary expertise.
Newsmakers: Western looks back on 2016
December 8, 2016 - Western News
It was quite the celebration earlier this year as the largest research grant in the university’s history – a $66-million Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) grant – supported the much-anticipated work of the BrainsCAN: Brain Health For Life initiative. BrainsCAN will bring together researchers from across campus under one unifying initiative, through a partnership with researchers at McGill University – who received $88 million for its Healthy Brains for Healthy Lives initiative – to leverage both institutions’ complementary expertise to better understand disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injury and schizophrenia.
Feds applaud BrainsCAN potential to lead the world
September 15, 2016 - Western News
... grant in the university’s history – supporting the BrainsCAN: Brain Health For Life initiative. Already ranked among the best ... for understanding and intervening in brain function. BrainsCAN will bring together researchers from across campus under one unifying ...
Feds back brain research with record-breaking investment
September 8, 2016 - Western News
... of brain disorders. On Tuesday, Western’s BrainsCAN: Brain Health For Life initiative received a $66-million investment ... for understanding and intervening in brain function. BrainsCAN will bring together researchers from across campus under one unifying ...
Ottawa unveils research fund winners
September 6, 2016 - The Globe and Mail
Thirteen large-scale initiatives led by universities across Canada are the winners in a high-stakes federal competition aimed at helping the country's top scientists make a mark in the global research arena...
Western scientists' 66M win goes to their heads
September 6, 2016 - The London Free Press
It took a writing team of 10 Western University scientists locked in a room together for several weeks just to put together the grant application. The effort paid off big time. The researchers learned Tuesday they had scored the largest research grant in the university’s history — $66 million. ”I’m absolutely delighted,” said Adrian Owen, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging at Western and co-scientific director for BrainsCAN.
