Researchers who study diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia are applauding yesterday’s 2007 Federal Budget announcement that included a $15-million allocation for brain research at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH).
The Hon. James M. Flaherty, Minister of Finance, announced that the Government of Canada has allocated $15 million to the Brain Research Centre (BRC) at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. The capital funds will be used to develop new facilities and purchase equipment to support research at the Centre and to help translate research discoveries into better diagnoses and treatments for patients.
“Brain diseases are a looming epidemic as our population ages,” said Max Cynader, director of the Centre and Canada Research Chair in Brain Development. “The Brain Research Centre is one of Canada’s leading neuroscience research institutes, and I am excited that the Federal Government has recognized our great translational research strengths by providing us with these funds.”
The BRC was one of seven research centres that received funding totaling $105 million. The budget must be passed before the funds are finalized.
“The Brain Research Centre has built a formidable team of investigators with enormous strengths in basic and clinical research,” said Bernie Bressler, Vice-president, Research at VCH and director, VCH
Research Institute. “Their scientific discoveries are accelerating our knowledge of brain diseases, bringing several new therapies from bench to bedside and creating successful new biotech ventures in the process. We are grateful for this support, which keeps Canada at the forefront of neuroscience research and continues to position the BRC as a world
leader in this area.”
With more than 190 investigators, the BRC, located at the UBC Hospital site of Vancouver Coastal Health, has combined forces with broad,
multi-disciplinary research expertise to advance knowledge of the brain
and to explore new discoveries and technologies which have the potential to reduce the suffering and cost associated with disease and injuries of the brain.
This recent allocation of federal funds builds on the Centre’s successes earlier this year in obtaining $17 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to help advance lab research towards improved therapeutics for patients.
UBC ranks in the top 10 of North American universities in creation of spin-off companies, has particular strengths in biotechnology, and its research generates more U.S. Patent applications than any other Canadian institution. Researchers attracted more than $485.6 million in funding in 2005/06.
Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) is the research body of Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, which includes BC’s largest academic and teaching health sciences centres: Vancouver General Hospital, UBC Hospital, and GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre.
In academic partnership with the University of British Columbia, VCHRI brings innovation and discovery to patient care, advancing healthier lives in healthy communities across British Columbia, Canada, and beyond.
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