News & Media

Director's Corner

Health Science Research and the Conservative Budget

The Neuro received some stunning, welcome news in March with the publication of the new federal budget. In that document, the Neuro, along with six other Institutes, is recognized as a Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research, and will receive $15 million. This budget has passed the House so we can make plans to use these funds. Our first goal is to top-up funding for those investigators whose work will not be fully supported by the CIHR because of budget constraints. In addition, we have a host of new and innovative programs that are brimming with promise and are ready to bring to fruition – NeuroEngineering, Neurological Palliative Care, Experimental Therapeutics for Neurological Diseases, and several others.

In my microcosmic world, what is important is that this is the first time in the Neuro’s seventy-three year history that we have been so singled out and recognized nationally as an incubator of outstanding science and medicine, and a source of Canadian pride.

But in a much larger sense, the Conservatives have done something interesting with this budget. I have found that the representatives of this government are remarkably good listeners. They did not reject out-of-hand the universal plea from Canada’s scientists to augment the CIHR budget; instead, they provided this agency, so vitally important to all of our scientific activities a modest supplement ($37 million) – more than double the 2006 - 2007 increase, although far short of the $100 million requested to fund health research across Canada. At the same time, as the Cabinet Ministers toured science facilities around the country, they identified Canadian institutions that they felt needed some direct support, and I am glad that the Neuro was seen to be one of these. In aggregate, this government will be putting substantial funds into science in 2007, albeit in a “targeted,” somewhat cautious way.

So the budget reflects in its undercurrent the tensions that are inherent in grappling with the uncertainties of “curiosity-driven,” as opposed to more predictable “applied” or “outcome-driven” research. This government allocated new funds to both, but with a clear predilection for research that may eventually generate a commercializable product. Understandable now with a new government, but scientists and government are just beginning a long dialogue, and we must address how we proportionalize the investment. Those of us who have been working scientists for many decades know that it is the curiosity-driven science that always yields the truly spectacular practical discoveries – antibiotics, x-rays, radio, television, lasers of all sorts, recombinant DNA technologies that are the underpinnings of the biotechnology industry, magnetic resonance imaging technologies, and the transistor.

But for us, a great start - one that holds much promise for augmenting the relationship in the future between the federal government and the scientific establishment. What we need now is to create a federally-empowered working group of scientists, clinicians and public health policy makers that will generate a thoughtful, long-range agenda for health research – just health research – in this country. The recommendations of such a commission could provide an international model for how health research should be conducted and funded in all prosperous countries that recognize the value of innovative and creative medical science. The entire world is badly in need in of guidance on this…and Canada under Conservative leadership could point the way.

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

Recent News & Events

MNI welcomes David Culver, new Board member
David Culver, a well-known and highly respected member of the Canadian business community, will join the MNI’s Advisory Board. Mr. Culver, formerly Chairman and CEO of Alcan Aluminium Ltd., recently completed his mandate as Chairman of the Board of the McGill University Health Centre. Born in Winnipeg, Mr. Culver received a Bachelor of Science from McGill and MBA from Harvard University. He was Chairman of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, served on the Board of Directors of American Express Company, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., American Cyanamid Company and The Seagram Company, Ltd. and many other companies, and on the International Council of J.P. Morgan & Co. More recently, Culver co-founded the private equity firm CAI.

Mr. Culver is a Companion of the Order of Canada, an Officer of the Order of Québec, and was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Grand Cordon, of Japan. He is also a Laureate of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.

Eva Andermann Honoured
Eva Andermann will receive the Ambassador for Epilepsy Award from the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) at the annual summer meeting in Singapore. This award recognizes Eva’s outstanding contributions to activities advancing the cause of epilepsy worldwide. ILAE is the preeminent association of physicians and health professionals working to reduce the impact of epilepsy. IBE works with ILAE on the medical and non-medical issues of living epilepsy.

Upcoming Events

Please see the MNI calendar for the schedule of lectures and events.

Penfield lecture, April 26 by Scott Johnson of the Myelin Repair Foundation On April 26, Scott Johnson, founder of the Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) will deliver the Penfield lecture. Named by Scientific American as one of the top 50 leaders in business, science and policy in 2006, Johnson founded the MRF to blend the best practices in business with those in scientific discovery. By establishing a new model for research, Johnson planned to accelerate the rate of discovery leading to treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurological disease he has had for more than 30 years. To this end, MRF chose five outstanding scientists in North America to participate in a unique collaboration and create a virtual, cross-continental research group. MNI Director Dave Colman contributes to this effort by studying myelin, a critically important covering on nerve fibres that is damaged by MS.

Johnson’s talk, Breaking Down Barriers to Advance Health and Medicine, will be at 4:30 pm on April 26 in the Jeanne Timmins Amphitheatre. Everyone is invited to hear about his innovative approach to finding treatments through research, and to attend the reception following the lecture.

How can we improve health within chronic illness? Workshop for Health Care Professionals and Clinical Leaders On April 25, the MUHC will host a workshop for healthcare professionals on the benefits of self-management for patients with chronic health conditions. The session will be conducted by Patrick McGowan, one of Canada’s leading experts on patient self-management and Director of the Centre on Aging, University of Victoria. For more information, please contact Shirley Cera at (514) 398-1965 or Shirley Cera.

Support for Brain Tumour Research
On May 9, the third annual English Montreal School Board Brain Waves Gala featuring the talents of students from 6 Montreal high schools will be held at the Leonardo Da Vinci Center, 8350 Lacordaire Blvd, St. Leonard. Proceeds will support brain tumour research at the Neuro. For more information call Vince Lacroce at 514-483-7200 ext. 5365.

Congratulations to …

Alain Beaudet, FRSQ President and CEO, and former MNI Professor, who was named co-chair of the National Alliance of Provincial Health Research Organizations. This alliance of nine provincial health research funding agencies, created in 2003, promotes dialogue and partnerships to foster health research.

Tony Hakim , former MNI professor, who received the Thomas Willis Award from the American Stroke Association for outstanding lifetime achievement in research. Tony, now at the Ottawa Hospital and Ottawa Health Research Institute, is president of the Canadian Stroke Network and active in stroke prevention.

Line Jacques , Director of the Neurosurgical Training Program, for her leadership in guiding the neurosurgical residents who all passed different levels of the neurosurgical board exams this year.

Diane Lowden , who was awarded the Eureka! Fellow in Nursing Research. Diane, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Multiple Sclerosis at the Neuro and President of the International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses, will focus on patients' decision making about treatment for multiple sclerosis. This fellowship is funded by Richard and Satoko Ingram of the Newton Foundation, and the Foundations of the Montreal General, Royal Victoria and Montreal Children’s Hospitals.

Thanks to …

Ken Hastings for organizing the CIHR postcard campaign to seek increased funding for health research. McGill shipped more than 4000 postcards to federal government officials with this important message.

Rosanne Aleong and Penelope Kostopoulos who organized the Brain Awareness Open House for elementary and high school students, and to their colleagues who demonstrated lab experiments for these visitors. The students had fun with a lunchtime quiz that included electronic voting set up by Neuro Media Services.

Director - David R. Colman, PhD
Senior Management - Mark Angle, MD; Tom Gevas; Marilyn Kaplow; Elizabeth Kofron, PhD; Patricia O'Connor; John Robson, PhD; Catherine Rowe
MNI Bulletin Editors: Elizabeth Kofron, PhD & Sandra McPherson, PhD

Please send any items for the MNI Bulletin to Sandra McPherson or Beth Kofron.