Project Overview

The MIND Platform is a groundbreaking initiative that will revolutionize brain research by allowing scientists to capture and analyze unprecedented detailed images of the brain at both large and small scales. This advanced technology combines ultra-powerful MRI and lightsheet microscopy, which enables researchers to see the brain’s structure and activity in unprecedented detail. By linking images of living brains with detailed microscopy of brain tissue, scientists can gain deeper insights into how diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s progress, affect brain circuits, and can be treated.

The MIND Platform is based at Western University, where it builds on two well-established core facilities: the Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping and the Advanced Microscopy Core. The platform brings together expert staff, sophisticated imaging tools, and cutting-edge software to create standardized and easy-to-access brain imaging data. Researchers around the world will be able to send brain tissue for imaging, gaining access to high-quality data without the need for advanced equipment.

A key aspect of the MIND Platform is its commitment to open science. The platform will adopt global data standards, allowing researchers to easily share and analyze large datasets using the latest tools. An online portal will make these data accessible to researchers everywhere, promoting collaboration and speeding up discoveries.

This platform will not only enhance brain research locally at Western University but also foster collaborations across Canada and globally. By providing powerful imaging tools while making data accessible, the MIND Platform will help scientists better understand brain health and disease, leading to new treatments and therapies.

Principal Investigator

Ali Kahn , Western University

Team Members

Marco Prado, University of Western Ontario

Corey Baron, Western University

Ravi Menon, University of Western Ontario

Taylor Schmitz, Western University

Stefan Everling, University of Western Ontario

Lisa Saksida, University of Western Ontario

Vania Prado, University of Western Ontario

Timothy Bussey, Western University

Robyn Klein, Western University

Partners and Donors

Western University