Alzheimer’s Disease research at the University of British Columbia has received a significant boost from a private family donation. A gift totalling $7.5 million from the David Townsend family is to honour Angelika Townsend, who suffers from early onset Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
The gift, announced today, will establish the Townsend Family Laboratories under the direction of Weihong Song, UBC Professor of Psychiatry. Song and his team are dedicated to finding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of AD and developing therapies to treat the disease. The donation will also support the establishment of the new Centre for Brain Health.
“This generous gift from the Townsend family will benefit Alzheimer patients and their families for generations to come,” said UBC President Stephen Toope. “We are determined to make the most of this contribution and ensure it is a lasting legacy.”
“This funding will allow our team to clearly define the underlying mechanisms AD uses which will allow us to properly treat the disease,” said Song, who is a Canada Research Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease. “Our approach is to integrate basic and clinical research to develop novel diagnostic markers and new drug therapies.”
Dr. Howard Feldman, head of the Div. of Neurology in UBC’s Faculty of Medicine and Director of the Clinic for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders at Vancouver Coastal Health, will also receive funding to further clinical studies in AD.
AD is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration and is the most common form of dementia. The Alzheimer Society of Canada estimates that AD affects close to 300,000 Canadians and accounts for two-thirds of all cases of dementia. By 2031, about 750,000 Canadians will suffer from AD and related dementias.
Approximately $5.5 billion per year is spent caring for persons with AD and related dementias in Canada. The Alzheimer’s Association in the U.S. estimates there are approximately 500,000 Americans younger than 65 with Alzheimer’s or other dementia.
The Centre for Brain Health will be a patient-focused facility, combining patient care with clinical and basic research in both psychiatric and neurological disorders. Patients will benefit from this direct collaboration between research and clinical services to patients. The new centre will build on the success of the Brain Research Centre, a world-renowned research facility representing a partnership between the Province, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and the Faculty of Medicine at UBC.
– 30 –
