News & Media

September 2003
Director's Corner: The Neuro on University

Next month marks the 70th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone for the Neuro, The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital. On October 6, 1933, McGill Principal Arthur Currie, Dr. Wilder Penfield, and a host of dignitaries attended the cornerstone ceremony on University Street, and thus began one of the greatest scientific and medical experiments in the history of Western medicine. Penfield's Great Experiment was conceptualized as follows:

Let us create an open research "corridor" from the patient's bedside to the scientist's lab bench. We will study the disease process with the most advanced methods, and using the new knowledge we acquire, return to the clinic with innovative diagnostic tools and therapies. Let us integrate, in a single physical location, the finest in patient care with state of the art neuroscience.

Dr. Penfield knew that this would be no short-term experiment; he understood that the Neuro would evolve, grow, and build momentum over the long-term as our understanding of these diseases expanded and deepened. His design of the original Rockefeller hospital and laboratories, ensconced within "a perfect little building," he wrote, is still used by others as a template for the seamless integration of clinical and basic science.

The Neuro on University Street is now an internationally recognized landmark of Quebec and Canada. The McConnell, Molson, Webster and Kresge Foundations along with other foundations, individuals, government and corporations have contributed millions of dollars to the growth and development of the Neuro. Since the early 1990’s alone over $42 million has been invested in new and renovated research and clinical facilities, equipment and infrastructure. Thus the Neuro, still the “perfect building” that made Dr Penfield so proud, is not so little anymore. The Neuro has grown to 5 times its original size, from 66,000 square feet to 300,000 square feet today. Over 900 students, scientists, physicians, nurses, fellows in training and others are engaged in the work of the Neuro, serving patients and advancing knowledge.

Recognizing the status of the Neuro in 1999, then Principal Bernard Shapiro wrote to the Minister of Education of many promising projects that had been launched at McGill, including “the spectacular expansion and revitalization (both academic and material) of the Montreal Neurological Institute”. Since that time, the Neuro has added the Brain Tumour Research Centre, renovated clinical space and has plans for a $35 million expansion of the Brain Imaging Centre, animal care facility and Clinical Research Unit. The Neuro on University proudly carries on Dr. Penfield’s original vision as an integrated institute. Dr. Penfield would be amazed at how much we have come to understand about how the brain works, and how much more we can do for our patients now than he could 70 years ago.….more on this next month.

Please send any comments about the Director's Corner to David Colman

Reaching for talent

Recruiting new talent is ongoing with new students and fellows joining the research labs and clinical groups at the Neuro this year. We also expect to hire two new faculty members who will be supported by the Canada Research Chair (CRC) program and the Canada Foundation for Innovation. The federal government, through CRC, will support 2000 new university researchers in order to build research excellence. While Canada is 7th of the G8 countries in public R&D investment, there is growing awareness that university research is an important economic driver. The Health Research Advocacy Network highlights the impact of research on health care outcomes, training of valuable specialists, growth and development of a knowledge-based economy, and international recognition of Canada as a leader in health and health research. We are reminded that knowledge generated in other countries, while globally applicable, does not translate into economic benefits for Canada. Life science research builds talent, jobs, industries and, best of all, better health.

International collaborations

The MNI will soon partner with sister institutions for academic programming and recruitment of students. Relationships are developing in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Japan and Sweden, based on existing scientific collaborations that will provide access to an excellent pool of well trained young scientists who are motivated to continue their careers in North America. We are pleased to offer them an opportunity to advance their training and to succeed at the MNI.

Media attention

MNI scientists appeared prominently in the media this summer, beginning with a press conference announcing the first Canadian use of a new coil to treat aneurysms by Neuro staff, neuroradiologist Dr. Donatella Tampieri and neurosurgeons Drs. Denis Sirhan and David Sinclair. This news received extensive coverage in print, radio and TV media. The work of Dr. Robert Zatorre was featured in The National Post (July 7, 2003) article, “Why we can't get that song out of our heads”; the research of Dr. Tomas Paus was presented by The Globe and Mail (August 27, 2003) in a front page article, “Scientists want to peer inside teenagers”; The Globe and Mail (August 2, 2003) also explored memory research at the MNI through interviews with Drs. Angel Alonso, Wayne Sossin, Michael Petrides and Brenda Milner in "A Moment to remember”; and an interview with Dr. David Colman, MNI Director, was presented in a Revue Commerce article, "R&D : la grande séduction - Le retour des cerveaux".

International Meetings at the MNI

The MNI hosted four international scientific meetings last year. These were The Second International Symposium on Rasmussen's Syndrome, Mechanism, Management and Long-Term Outcome; Focus on Epilepsy VII Amygdala, seizure and epileptogenesis; The XVth annual PET Pharmacokinetic course; and the Glioma Invasion Forum with a focus on brain tumours.

Congratulations to …

Dr. Angel Alonso, the newly elected Vice President, Montreal chapter of Society for Neuroscience.

Dr. William Feindel on his induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

Dr. George Karpati, awarded the 2004 Prize for Excellence in Clinical Neuromuscular Research by The Geatano Conte Academy, Naples, Italy.

Dr. Beth Kofron, taking an expanded new role as MNI Associate Director, Corporate Affairs and Special Projects.

Dr. Valerie Legendre-Guillemin, a post doc with Dr. Peter McPherson, was co-awarded the NIMHA July 15th “Brain Star” for her papers in the Journal of Biological Chemistry on HIP1 and HIP12.