News & Media

Director's Corner

Where is Quebec?

Recently, I spent a day as one member of a selection committee for a prestigious new prize – The Premier’s Summit Award – that over the next few years will recognize and reward 10 or so outstanding, world-famous scientists who do innovative work at institutions in the Province of Ontario.

And how will these scientists be recognized by the province? The Summit Award recipients will each receive five million dollars over a five-year period. The winners just have to continue doing what they do best – terrifically exciting biomedical research at their home institutions in Ontario. I should note that I have rarely had as much fun on a committee as I had on this one. Although it was a very difficult decision to select just a few individuals from a pool of truly brilliant and accomplished applicants, in the end the process was a celebration of the great scientific research that is being carried out in Ontario. I went home to Quebec from that meeting more upbeat about the future of science in Canada than I have been since I arrived here in 2002.

Similarly, there is the Polaris Award - a ten-year multimillion dollar prize designed to attract superstar researchers to relocate to Alberta.

Although it may be argued that the Polaris Award might be better used to recognize accomplished scientists already working in Alberta, it is clear that the two provincial governments understand the current power and future potential of the health research community in this country. Their Premiers do not have to be sold on why biomedical research is important to Canada’s future. They know that health research is a major economic driver. Government investment in research attracts additional millions from corporations, health charities, and the private sector. Health research investments (such as the new Ontario and Alberta awards) attract brilliant immigrants, train a powerful workforce of valuable professionals, create high paying jobs and new companies, and facilitate the education of our students who become physicians, therapists, nurses and health policy makers.

And well-informed citizens know that there are no medical advances without basic biomedical research, and no new clinicians without researchers who also act as teachers. Across Quebec and Canada, there are tens of thousands of health scientists, trainees, technicians and staff who are supported by the health research community. These professionals vote, buy homes, make purchases for their families and for their laboratories. Their money is spent in Quebec and in Canada, while their talent and dedication builds the strong, vibrant knowledge-based economy we all want.

Ontario and Alberta understand all this. But someone should tell the Quebec government that our province is a big player in the global health research community; in fact, the biggest player in some ways…

Yes, you read that correctly – the biggest player. The federal Canadian Institutes of Health Research spends more dollars per capita on health research in Quebec than in any other province.

So I ask you – Jean, André, Mario – is there no room in your tired party platforms for a Quebec with some vision – one that recognizes the unequivocally outstanding biomedical research that Quebec scientists like Drs. Brenda Milner, Guy Rouleau, Eric Shoubridge, Paul and Yves De Koninck, Jean-Pierre Julien, Peter McPherson, Stephane Richard, Sam David, Serge Rossignol, Michel Tremblay, Albert Aguayo, André Veillette, Robert Zatorre, Nahum Sonnenberg, Jean Gotman, Rafick-Pierre Sékaly, Andrea LeBlanc, Nabil Seidah, Jocelyn Dupuis, Jean-Claude Lacaille, Régen Drouin, Isabelle Peretz, and hundreds of others, have been doing at Quebec universities and hospitals for decades?

How about million-dollar Quebec Premier’s Health Research Awards to a few of our top scientists?

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

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Recent News & Events

Action on research funding crunch

Despite significant investment by the federal government to recruit new scientists and to develop scientific infrastructure, health science researchers in Canada are finding it harder and harder to do their job. Operating grants, which keep research labs running, are increasingly difficult to get from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the federal granting agency that is the main source of these funds. In the last two years, the average national funding rate from CIHR fell from 28% to 16% due to insufficient increases in its budget. Even scientists whose grants are funded face a daunting challenge. In the most recent competition, CIHR made an administrative cut of 26% to every grant. While the Neuro’s scientists continue to be funded at better than double the national average, succeeding with 40% of their grant requests in the last round, each grant is smaller than needed, which means every scientist may do less research, train fewer students, and leverage fewer dollars from other sources.

With increasing fervor, Dave Colman has focused attention on this funding crisis by highlighting the critical link between research and advances in health care, the central role of training and science in a thriving economy, and the folly of failing to capitalize on recent science investment by restricting operating funds. The story of Chris Pack, the Neuro’s newest recruit, shows the impact of this funding crunch.
(Articles published in The Globe and Mail and The Gazette)

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Upcoming Events

Doctor-ology

Reminder that the Neurology episode will air on the Discovery Channel on Friday March 2 at 9:30 pm. Please tune in to see Leslie Neilson and some of your favourite Neuro - scientists and clinicians.

Brain Awareness Week

Hundreds of students will learn about the brain during Brain Awareness Week, March 12-18. Trainees from Montreal universities will visit schools to explain the nervous system and the benefits of neuroscience research. In a public lecture at 7 pm on March 12, Dr. Luchino Cohen, Program Scientist at the Canadian Space Agency, will present “Functioning with a Floating Brain" at the Montreal Planetarium. For more information and the full schedule of events, visit www.sfn-montreal.ca/baw/main.htm

Epilepsy

Detecting Causes
Andrea Bernasconi has developed a computer program to identify previously undetectable brain lesions in people with epilepsy. This approach allows neurosurgeons to treat these patients by removing seizure-causing lesions. Dr. Bernasconi’s research is featured in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Media E-newsletter (March 1 edition). http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/29663.html

Awareness Open House

On March 14, the Epilepsy Awareness Open House will be from 10 am to 3 pm in the Neuro’s Jeanne Timmins Foyer. Information will be provided about epilepsy, its treatment and community resources. Tours of the epilepsy monitoring unit and EEG department will be at 10 am and at 2:30 pm. This event is held annually in partnership with Epilepsie Montreal Metropolitain. For more information contact Sheila Koutsogiannopoulos at Sheila Koutsogiannopoulos or 398-5797.

Brain Tumours

Canadian Tumour Registry
Pam Del Maestro, co-chairman of the North American Brain Tumor Coalition, volunteer with Friends of the Neuro and wife of neurosurgeon Rolando Del Maestro, helped secure recent passage of a bill in Parliament to establish a Canadian brain tumour registry. Data collected in the registry will be an important source of information for researchers and health care providers worldwide.

Fundraising Dinner Dance
On March 24, the Franco Di Giovanni Foundation will host its 3rd Annual Social Night Fundraiser to benefit the Neuro’s Brain Tumour Research Centre. The party, with cocktails, seven course dinner, dancing and midnight supper, will be at Prima Luna Reception Hall at 7301 Henri Bourassa Blvd. East. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call Lina Di Giovanni at 514-494-6831 or Mike Talevi at 514-352-6730.

New self-management program for patients

The Neuro’s Patients’ Committee, with funds from the MUHC’s innovation program, will implement the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. During the week of April 23, Patrick McGowan, the Canadian expert on this program, will offer a 4 day workshop to train community-based volunteer leaders who are themselves living with chronic disease. On Wednesday, April 25, a workshop for health care professionals will be offered from 1 to 4 pm in the Neuro’s de Grandpré Centre. For more information or to reserve a spot, please inquire at 514.398.1923 or E-mail

Website developments

The new Neuro-Patient Resource Centre website has lots of information for staff and patients on clinics and on neurological and neurosurgical topics. Please visit infoneuro.mcgill.ca

A new MNI Podcast tells the story of our historic and current relationship with the Tianjin Neurological Institute.

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Congratulations to …

Jean Gotman, Andre Olivier, Francois Dubeau and their trainees whose recent paper (Jirsch et al, Brain, 2006) was included in Lancet Neurology’s 2006 Highlights of Epilepsy Research.

Tony Hakim, former MNI professor trained by Hanna Pappius, who was named Officer of the Order of Canada.

Rémi Quirion, Director of CIHR Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction, who was named Officer of the Order of Canada.

Robert Zatorre and Isabel Peretz (Université de Montréal) who are co-directors of the Brain Music and Sound (BRAMS) initiative on the biological foundations of music that was featured in Science.

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Thanks to …

Colleen and Mirko Wicha who introduced their friends to the work of the Neuro by hosting a cocktail reception where Amit Bar-Or discussed his research on multiple sclerosis.

Franca Monti, Annual Fund committee member, and her husband Egidio Pizzingrilli for hosting a luncheon where Edith Hamel talked about her research on Alzheimer’s disease and migraine headaches.

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.

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