Feb. 27, 2015
Hotchkiss Brain Institute to lead Brain and Mental Health strategy
Ed McCauley, Samuel Weiss, Brenda Mackie, Megan Lewis, and Jon Meddings.
The transformational research taking place in the Cumming School of Medicine鈥檚 Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI) has already earned the 荔枝视频 a reputation for neurological and mental health research excellence. With today鈥檚 announcement that the HBI will lead the 荔枝视频鈥檚 Brain and Mental Health research strategy, the university鈥檚 ability to lead on the research frontier of the healthy human brain will be made even stronger.
The Brain and Mental Health research strategy will be launched on March 26, and is a key part of the roadmap for achieving the 荔枝视频鈥檚 Eye鈥檚 High vision. The HBI has been a critical part of the Brain and Mental Health research theme since 2013 when its director, Samuel Weiss, was named theme leader. With HBI now also leading the Brain and Mental Health research strategy, the university will take an even stronger leadership role in bringing together scholars from across the campus community.
鈥淭he highly complex domain of brain health is an area of research in need of both depth and broad expertise,鈥 says Ed McCauley, vice-president (research). 鈥淕iven that the brain remains one of the least understood organs in the human body, and that one in three Canadians will be affected by a brain or nervous system disorder or injury in their lifetime, our current strengths and our strategic research focus fortifies our leadership nationally and internationally.鈥
The 荔枝视频 joins an international movement to address the vast gaps in knowledge needed to deliver better care in the domain of brain and mental health, including efforts like President Obama鈥檚 BRAIN Initiative and the European Commission鈥檚 . These efforts target the millions of people afflicted with brain and mental health disorders arising as a natural consequence of an aging population, as well as from traumatic brain injury and illnesses like schizophrenia, autism and epilepsy.
The 荔枝视频鈥檚 Brain and Mental Health research strategy puts the university on the forefront of research and clinical applications, while also attracting competitive provincial and national funding. This growth allows the Brain and Mental Health team to deliver neuro-scientific breakthrough successes like the recent internationally acclaimed , led by HBI researchers that demonstrated a clot retrieval procedure, known as endovascular treatment, can significantly improve patient outcomes after an acute ischemic stroke.
鈥淭he Brain and Mental Health Research Scholars committee with representation from institutes and faculties, along with the executive leadership team at the 荔枝视频, recognized that the HBI鈥檚 success and dedication to brain and mental health research puts our university at a distinct advantage,鈥 said McCauley. 鈥淲ith the HBI鈥檚 demonstrated excellence in collaborative brain and mental health research, the Institute鈥檚 new role as Brain and Mental Health research strategy leaders will help to unite researchers from across campus in multidisciplinary approaches to solving major challenges in the brain and mental health field.鈥
HBI鈥檚 new strategy launched
The more than 200 HBI members, fellows, students and staff, along with key collaborators and leaders from the Cumming School of Medicine and 荔枝视频 community gathered to celebrate the launch of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute鈥檚 new strategic plan on February 25. Built on broad consultations with senior leaders and brain and mental health researchers across the Cumming School of Medicine and 荔枝视频, the new strategy was launched by Samuel Weiss, director of the HBI. He was joined by speakers Jon Meddings, dean of the Cumming School of Medicine; Ed McCauley, vice-president (research); Brenda Mackie, chair of the HBI鈥檚 Strategic Advisory Board; and Megan Lewis, president of the HBI Trainee Organization.
鈥淭he HBI鈥檚 new strategy launches our renewed mission 鈥 to inspire discovery and apply knowledge towards innovative solutions for neurological and mental health disorders,鈥 said Weiss. 鈥淭he plan builds on our considerable foundation of strengths 鈥 excellence, collaboration, integrity, impact, creativity and relevance 鈥 that have guided our work and contributed to our past successes.鈥
The strategy aligns HBI research within a forward-looking framework of NeuroDiscovery, guided by three themes: Brain & Behaviour; Neural Injury & Repair; and Healthy Brain Aging. Under the new themes, scientists and clinicians will work within nine new NeuroTeams that represent a translational continuum of basic to clinical to population health research excellence.
The comprehensive plan also includes concrete goals to direct the HBI鈥檚 educational, community and partnership activities. 鈥淭ogether, these goals culminate in the HBI鈥檚 new vision: healthy brains for better lives,鈥 says Weiss.
The new HBI strategy will integrate its research goals with the 荔枝视频鈥檚 Brain and Mental Health research strategy that will be launched by Vice-President (Research) Ed McCauley and the Confederation of Brain and Mental Health Scholars on March 26.
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BOLD RESEARCH VISION: The 荔枝视频 is uniquely positioned to find solutions to global challenges in health, energy innovation, earth-space technologies, and meeting the complex needs of growing cities. The Strategic Research Plan harnesses the university鈥檚 exceptional capacity in these areas by focusing on six priority research themes: Brain and Mental Health; Energy Innovation for Today and Tomorrow; Engineering Solutions for Health: Biomedical Engineering; Infections: Inflammation and Chronic Diseases in the Changing Environment; New Earth-Space Technologies; and Human Dynamics in a Changing World: Smart and Secure Cities, Societies and Cultures. about how the 荔枝视频, under the aligns it research resources for the benefit of communities at home and around the world.
The 荔枝视频 is leading a Provincial Post-Secondary Mental Health & Addictions Framework. This will help connect post-secondary institutions, government and community partners in a collaborative environment to establish a vision and action plan for supporting students on the collective issue of student mental health. The university is also developing a comprehensive mental health strategy for the entire campus community, focused on the well-being of students, faculty and staff. The U荔枝视频Strong initiative is one of the most comprehensive programs of its kind at a Canadian university, integrating elements of student personal wellness, leadership and engagement, with an aim to welcome students into the campus community, reduce loneliness, foster resiliency and ultimately support personal and academic success.