Subventions financées

RNA medicines—short strands of nucleic acids that can turn genes “up” or “down”—have changed how we treat brain diseases. For example, nusinersen for spinal muscular atrophy and tofersen for ALS are given by spinal injection to reach the brain and spinal cord. These breakthroughs show that RNA drugs work in the nervous system. However, before these treatments can reach patients, they must be tested in living systems to ensure safety and effectiveness.

The Centre for Neurotechnological Innovation to Application (CRANIA) transforms routine neurosurgical procedures into valuable research opportunities to advance brain science and treatment. Currently, when patients undergo procedures like deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease or surgery for epilepsy, the unique brain data captured during these interventions often remains isolated in specialized hospitals, limiting scientific discovery.

Innovative methods that enable brain-derived proteins to be measured in blood samples are transforming the field of neurology. For example, it is now possible to use a blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease and to monitor treatment in Multiple Sclerosis. This project will establish The University of British Columbia (UBC) Platform for Neurology Biomarker Innovation (PNBI).

Research studies help us understand neurological health and develop better treatments; however, traditional research is often too slow, too expensive, and excludes people who live far from cities or face systemic barriers. ResearchAlly is changing that.

The Neuro’s Virtual Integrated Patient Platform (NeuroVIP) is an innovative initiative designed to accelerate the discovery of new treatments for brain and nervous system disorders. Many neurological conditions such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, and ALS, remain poorly understood and lack effective therapies. NeuroVIP addresses this challenge by bringing together patient data, biological samples, and powerful research tools into a single, open science platform that is accessible to scientists in Canada and worldwide.

Brain-based disabilities, such as autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, and rare genetic conditions, affect one in five children and often lead to lifelong challenges. These conditions are complex and vary widely from child to child, making it difficult to find treatments that work for everyone. Despite years of research, we still lack the tools to understand this diversity and provide personalized care. To address this, we propose WONDER (Whole-Child Open Neuroscience Data for Empowering Research), a new national research platform that will securely connect and analyze data from across Canada.

Chronic pain affects millions of Canadians and is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Neurological and psychiatric conditions more broadly represent an immense burden, affecting one in three people and costing billions each year. Yet progress in developing new treatments has been slow.

Therapeutic breakthroughs in Huntington Disease (HD), Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Parkinson Disease (PD), and other neurodegenerative disorders have been accelerated by access to generously donated human samples. The HD Biobank at the University of British Columbia focuses on neurodegenerative disorders and is a leader in the collection of HD samples globally.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are devastating diseases in which a protein called TDP-43 ends up in the wrong part of the cell, disrupting its normal role in managing RNA.

Contribution of stress-associated neurovascular alterations in Parkinson’s disease and high rates of depression