MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

As I write this message it is spring (finally!), the season of change, new beginnings and renewed hope. The past few months at NeuroScience Canada have appropriately foreshadowed the arrival of this season. At the end of January, our Chair, Michael J. L. Kirby, left NeuroScience Canada in order to focus his full attention on chairing the Mental Health Commission of Canada. We wish him well with the challenges ahead as the Commission takes shape and begins its important work. Immediately following Mr. Kirby’s departure, the Board of Directors was delighted that a much-valued and long-standing Director, J. Anthony Boeckh, President of Boeckh Capital Company Limited, stepped forward to serve as Chair. Mr. Boeckh will bring dedicated leadership to this role as we prepare to launch our next major fundraising campaign, and expand our research program and public awareness activities.

Some of you already know that I left my full-time position as President of NeuroScience Canada at the end of last year, in order to pursue some major projects—still in the neurosciences—with a private family foundation and investment office, and to make more time for my own volunteer activities. I remain passionate about NeuroScience Canada’s mission, its staff and volunteers, and believe in its future—which is why I continue to be involved with the organization during the search period for a successor. I am confident that this person will bring new ideas, new energy, new contacts—and work closely with the Chair, Board of Directors, and network of supporters, to take NeuroScience Canada to the next level of success.

2007/2008 is the 10-year anniversary of NeuroScience Canada, and I have been thinking a great deal about all that we have accomplished—and our potential for the coming years. Leaving an organization that has come to mean so much to me has proven to be more difficult than I could have anticipated, because as NeuroScience Canada has grown, so too have I. But as the season changes, I look forward with great hope—and I wish for all of you, that this spring proves to be as wonderful for you.

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

The Brain Repair Program

NeuroScience Canada’s Brain Repair Program is funding teams of world-class Canadian researchers who are exploring means of enhancing the brain’s ability to be repaired or to repair itself. The program links scientists across the country with the goal of discovering treatments and cures for the range of diseases, disorders and injuries of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system.

Three teams have already been funded through the Brain Repair Program, and each has had a breakthrough discovery published in a major, peer-reviewed science journal. These teams have now completed their three-year grants.

Through a second Brain Repair Program competition we selected two additional projects for funding: Mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal demise: insights provided by Parkinson’s disease genes, led by Dr. Louis-Eric Trudeau, Université de Montréal; Harnessing beneficial aspects of neuroinflammation for regenerating the central nervous system, led by Dr. V. Wee Yong, Hotchkiss Centre Brain Institute, University of Calgary. These teams commenced October 1st, 2007. As with the first teams, they will receive $1.5 million over three years, plus up to $60,000 over the same period for networking.

For more information about the Brain Repair Program and the grant recipients, please visit www.neurosciencecanada.ca/en/National_Brain_Repair_Program.

BRAIN AWARENESS WEEK

NeuroScience Canada collaborated with the Canadian Space Agency and astronaut Dr. Dave Williams to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the space shuttle Neurolab. This flight was dedicated to the advancement of neuroscience research and focused on the effects of microgravity on the brain. Dr. Williams spoke at McMaster University, University of Toronto and at his former high school, Beaconsfield High, to raise awareness about the important research that can be accomplished on a space shuttle mission, while highlighting neuroscience research and its relevance to all Canadians.

Dr. Williams' speaking tour commenced March 11, 2008 with a talk at McMaster University titled “Neuroscience Research in Space from Plasticity to Performance”. This presentation reviewed the results of the 26 scientific experiments conducted during the NeuroLab spaceflight. Ranging from studies on neuronal plasticity, perception, sensory and motor function as well as developmental neurobiology to clinical issues related to human adaptation to space, the experimental results have tremendous application to clinical neuroscience. Organized in partnership with the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, the event was attended by more than 100 members of the neuroscience community.

Dr. Williams then went on to give a presentation on March 26 at the University of Toronto titled “My Brain in Space”. Dr. Williams discussed the many neurological changes that take place in astronauts working in space and after their return to Earth. The similarities and differences between the changes seen in astronauts compared with clinical conditions observed in patients with neurological disorders were also discussed.

Finally, Dr. Williams ended his speaking tour at his former high school, Beaconsfield High, on March 31. He spoke to students of grades 9 and 10 about his experience in space and his research on NeuroLab. His talk generated great enthusiasm amongst the students. This was confirmed by the very interesting question and answer period that followed his presentation.

PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY

Summit of neuroscience groups

Following the release of the Public Policy Forum (PPF) roundtable report, NeuroScience Canada and its partners organized a national neuroscience summit on December 12, 2007, at the MaRS Centre in Toronto. The meeting was divided into three parts: 1. Following opening remarks from NeuroScience Canada, an overview of the PPF report findings and recommendations was presented for discussion and additional feedback/comments. 2. A draft document (distributed in advance) outlining the proposed mission, goals, actions, funding, etc. of the coalition was discussed. With agreement to move forward, the different models for the structure and leadership of the coalition were discussed. 3. Finally, Canadian astronaut Dr. Dave Williams (a supporter of the coalition) gave a special presentation on the space-related aspects of neuroscience research.

The meeting was very positive. The following are some of the main points on which the participants agreed:

• The coalition should bring together the neurological and psychiatric “communities,” as well as spinal cord injury, chronic pain;
• The coalition should be as inclusive as possible and include scientists, practitioners and Voluntary Health Organizations;
• With regard to structure and leadership, the coalition should evaluate other models such as the Society for Neuroscience, the European Brain Council and the Canadian Cancer Society and learn from their successes;
• In terms of branding, the coalition should be called the brain coalition as opposed to the neuroscience coalition, as “brain” is more readily understood by the general public; and
• The coalition should begin by educating the public about brain disorders by developing and launching an awareness campaign. There was strong support by the disease-focused organizations and other umbrella groups to take part in such a campaign.

This meeting was a major step forward, indicating that there is a willingness to work as a coalition, with a common goal. Dr. William’s presentation reinforced NeuroScience Canada’s message about the value of collaboration in the neuroscience community and the need to educate the public about neuroscience research.

SCIENTIST PROFILE

Dr. V. Wee Yong

Meet Dr. V. Wee Yong, a Professor in the Departments of Oncology and Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary, and the team leader of a Brain Repair Program research project titled Harnessing beneficial aspects of neuroinflammation for regenerating the central nervous system.

1. What influenced you to pursue a career in science?

I have always had an interest in making discoveries since an early age. I was one of those who quietly hoped that not all inventions would have been made so that there would be opportunities for me to make discoveries when I was grown up.

2. What do you like most about your work?

There is tremendous flexibility in my ability to pursue research themes that are related to multiple sclerosis or other neurological conditions that I study. In this regard, there are no hindrances for me to move from one line of research to another when guided by the results that I have just accumulated. The flexibility of the research environment in order to understand an end point is quite refreshing.

3. What are some of your other interests?

I like to play squash although I injured my aging body a few months ago and I have had to take some time off the sport. I do not play the game that well (I certainly lose badly to my three daughters who are all nationally ranked in the junior squash Canadian program) but I do like the sport. I also like to take time to relax – to stop and smell the roses – although I do have to remind myself to do that every now and then!

4. What contemporary scientific issues are you most concerned about?

I am most concerned about preserving the nervous system from further injury in multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury and I am also very keen on trying to make discoveries to regenerate the injured nervous system.

5. What are some possible applications of your research?

I hope that my research can be meaningful in reducing further disability in multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury. Another possible application is the regenerative aspect where it is hoped that some lost functions can be recovered.

6. There are some ethical issues surrounding neuroscience research – one example being embryonic stem cell research. Have there been any other ethical issues that have arisen with regards to your research and if so, how did you address them?

Working with animal models of disease has always been a contentious issue in my research. I have addressed that issue by ensuring that my laboratory staff are extremely humane to the animal subjects. I have also made apologies to the lay public in my presentations for the need to work with animals but I also do emphasize that there are no alternatives when one is trying to move a potential treatment from the laboratory to the clinic without having first tested proof of concept in animal studies.

7. What has NeuroScience Canada’s grant enabled you to do that would not have been possible otherwise? How is this grant different from other types of funding opportunities?

The NeuroScience Canada grant has enabled me to interact with a team of basic scientists and clinicians in a concerted effort to help regenerate the nervous system. Moreover, it has allowed us to bring about risky, but potentially high yield, projects and to apply various techniques in collaboration to tackle the issue of repair of the nervous system. This grant is different from other types of funding opportunities because it encourages team collaboration and it seeks transformative outcomes.

CONGRATULATIONS

2007 Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100

NeuroScience Canada's President, Inez Jabalpurwala (fourth from the right), was named one of the 2007 Canada's Most Powerful Women Top 100 by the Women's Executive Network. The award recognizes Canada’s most accomplished women leaders from across the country and in all sectors. Ms. Jabalpurwala was honored in the Trailblazers & Trendsetters category; she received her award in Toronto on November 21, 2007. Our congratulations to Inez on getting this most deserved recognition.

IN MEMORY

Dr. Alaa El-Husseini

Everyone associated with NeuroScience Canada was deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Dr. Alaa El-Husseini on December 23, 2007. Dr. Husseini was a much-valued member of a NeuroScience Canada-funded research team, led by Dr. Yu Tian Wang at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Husseini will be remembered by all of us in the neuroscience community for his tremendous contributions and his impact on the quality of neuroscience research in Canada.

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