THE MonTrEal nEurological insTiTuTE oF Mcgill uniVErsiTY

centre of excellence in commercialization and research

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1 MEssagE FroM THE proVosT, Mcgill uniVErsiTY

2 MEssagE FroM THE dirEcTor oF THE nEuro

3 THE nEuro

4 global sTraTEgY For THE cEnTrE oF ExcEllEncE

in coMMErcializaTion and rEsEarcH award

6 Mni cEcr corporaTE plan 2008-2009

7 FirsT YEar rEsulTs

8 FundEd projEcTs 2008-2009

30 public ouTrEacH and EngagEMEnT acTiViTiEs

32 coMMErcializaTion and businEss dEVElopMEnT

•industrypartners

•patentsobtainedorinprogress

•revenuesgeneratedfromcommercialactivitiesin2008-2009

33 Mni cEcr corporaTE plan 2009-2010

34 Financial sTaTEMEnTs

36 cEcr iniTiaTiVEs and Funding

38 goVErnancE

•centreofexcellenceadvisoryboard

•cecrinternalreviewcommittee

•cecrcommercialiZationcommittee

40 cEcr inVEsTigaTors, sTudEnTs and posTdocToral FEllows

As Provost of McGill University, I am pleased to present the Montreal Neurological Institute’s first CECR Annual Report detailing the activi-ties and progress achieved over the course of the first year of support as is required by the Funding Agreement (Article VIII) between ourselves and the Government of Canada, in which the MNI is recognized as a Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research.

McGill is extremely proud of the MNI’s many accomplish-ments and we are honored to have received this prestigious award that recognizes the Institute’s contributions to a variety of fields in neuroscience and to advances in health care. As you will read in the following pages, the CECR funding has allowed MNI faculty members and their colleagues to harness their ideas in a highly focused way and to advance in the discoveries and treatments that will benefit the health care of Canadians. The reports within reflect the innovations in research and clinical practise that are the hallmark of the MNI and confirm its global standing of excellence. Indeed, it is the tight link between bench research and bedside care that distin-guish the MNI’s now 75 years of quality as measured against the highest international standards. I am confident that the success of the MNI in the first year of the CECR award will continue to contribute to an integrative scientific and clinical approach to understanding and treating neurological disorders.

Anthony C. Masi Provost McGill University

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The production of this report was made possible by the support of the Montreal neurological institute centre of Excellence in commercialization and research award from the government of canada.

We have completed our first year of the CECR Award and a comprehensive report of our activities under its auspices is presented in the following pages. You will see that our CECR funding has produced many successes and we believe that our unique approach to using these funds will continue to prove highly successful.

The CECR funds could not have come at a better time for us. The Neuro, which is a fusion of the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, is marking its 75th Anniversary this Fall, and we have much to celebrate. The Neuro is at the forefront of research in neuroscience and state-of-the-art treatment of patients with neurological conditions. As such, we are constantly looking to develop new technologies and new operational systems to tackle the most pressing problems in neuroscience, neurology and neurosur-gery. The CECR Award has allowed us to catapult our most interesting, high-risk programs to the forefront of our current efforts and to jumpstart programs that we would not have been able to otherwise. The CECR funding will have significant impact and this investment will have lasting value. I am proud and delighted to present this first annual report to you. I thank Dr. Philip Barker and his Internal Review Committee for the time-consuming and thoughtful evaluation of each proposal that was submitted for funding under this Award. We at The Neuro are grateful for the support we have received over the years from the Governments of Canada and Quebec, from foundations, and from dedicated private citizens. All have contributed to the overwhelming success of The Neuro over these last 75 years.

David Colman, PhD Director of the Neuro

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Disorders of the nervous system are among the most serious health problems in developed societies, and account for more hospitalizations, long-term care, and chronic suffering than nearly all other medical conditions combined. Almost 50% of all Canadians, or 15 million people, will experience the devastation of a neurological disorder.

A teaching and research institute dedicated to advances in neuroscienceThe Montreal Neurological Institute’s mission is as true today as it was in 1934 when it first opened its doors: to generate fundamental information about the nervous system and to apply that knowledge to understanding and treating neurological diseases. With 12 research units integrated with the clinical care activities of the Montreal Neurological Hospital, The Neuro, as the Institute and Hospital are known as, is recognized in the international community as an outstanding neuroscience research institute and tertiary care hospital and clinical facility. Our strengths include: molecular and cellular biology research programs in the Centre for Neuronal Survival and the Cell Biology of Excitable Tissues Group, Epilepsy Research and Treatment, Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroimmunology, Complex Neural Systems, Neuromuscular Diseases and the McConnell Brain Imaging Centre.As a teaching and research institute of McGill University, the MNI is the centerpiece not only of McGill’s strategic plan in the neurosciences but also of research and training in this field. The MNI maintains key collaborations with neuroscientists across the McGill network, as well as scientists in other universities and centres across Quebec and Canada, and around the world. About 50 faculty members lead international research teams that generate research and transla-tional support from grants and contracts of approximately $27M per year. Close to 120 Masters and Doctoral students and 45 postdoctoral Fellows from around the world pursue their studies and scientific training at the MNI each year.

A centre for state-of-the-art treatment of neurological diseases

The founder of the MNI, Dr. Wilder Penfield, established a centre that integrates scientific activities and clinical care, an innovative approach in 1934 that has proved to be highly suc-cessful. Throughout its 75 year history and through its numerous accomplishments, the MNI has demonstrated its capacity to engage in the full spectrum of neuroscience research and to create an ideal environment for translational research. The close interaction among scientists and clinicians brings tangible results for patients afflicted with a neurological disorder: our Clinical Research Unit enables patients to participate in studies of the newest treatments for Parkinson’s, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, migraine, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); researchers in the Brain Tumour Research Centre work closely with the Neurosurgical Research Group; and patients also benefit directly from the MNI’s technological resources and expertise in brain imaging, neuro-radiology, neuro-navigation and neuro-stimulation.

A centre of excellence that positions Canada for global science leadershipThe MNI’s goal is to provide an environment that allows neuroscientists and clinicians to identify the cellular basis of neurological disease and to translate these findings to innovations in clinical practise. We strongly believe that these innovations are best driven by the researchers and clinicians who are experts in their respective areas. The MNI’s status as a premier neuroscience institute attracts leading investigators, accomplished clinicians and promising students. Current MNI personnel come from more than 60 countries, and over 1350 former MNI trainees have established careers at universities and hospitals around the world. The numerous awards received by MNI investigators, our outstanding success rate in obtaining grants and the wealth of publi-cations in leading scientific journals attest to our standing as a world-class institute with an extremely strong international reputation.

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The MNI was among the first seven recipients of the Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research Award issued by the Government of Canada in 2007. Traditional funding sources do not allow for development of dedicated, innovation-driven multidisciplinary research groups whose ideas and work can lead to potential new therapies. The CECR funding of $15M is allowing us to do this.

The MNI’s strategy for the CECR funding is consistent with the Federal government’s plan to help the research community translate ideas into innovations, provide solutions to health problems and create opportunities for increased economic productivity and competitiveness. Our overall strategy focuses on accelerating basic and translational research that will lead to rapid changes in healthcare delivery in neurology and neurosurgery. It also focuses on supporting innovations that will provide opportunities for commercialization of diagnostic or treatment measures. We will engage this strategy through the pursuit of five general objectives. In each of these objectives, we will use CECR funding towards salary support for specialized research personnel, and essential equipment maintenance contracts.

Objective 1

AccelerAte new reseArch in the AreAs of:

(a) biological basis of neurological disease(b) neuroengineering(c) translational neuroscience(d) applied neuroscience and commercialization

In the area of the biological basis of neurological disease, our activities will focus on expanding our capacity for under-standing the cellular basis of disease. This will allow for the development and analysis of genetic models to identify disease mechanisms and to define new therapies. The funds will also allow us to build dedicated research groups whose work will focus on the cell biology of neurological diseases and disorders such as brain tumours, motor neuron disease, multiple scle-rosis, spinal cord regeneration and Parkinson’s disease. The Preclinical Assessment Unit that we will establish will serve to identify and develop promising therapies for these neurological disorders, thereby contributing directly to the development of, and interaction with translational neuroscience.At the MNI, we have initiated a Neuroengineering Program that brings together nanotechnologists, chemists, physicists, computer scientists and engineers at McGill University. Their collaborative work aims to develop means by which the neuronal function can recover after disease or injury through interfaces between technological tools and the nervous system. In each of these endeavours, our aim is to ensure potential for commercialization and application to health care.

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Objective 2

enhAnce clinicAl triAls progrAms to support work in trAnslAtionAl neuroscience

The MNI will achieve this objective by: • expanding the Experimental Therapeutics Program, estab-

lished in 2007 by Dr. Amit Bar-Or to assess the efficacy of new and established therapies. Funds will be used to provide analytical and statistical support to this program, which in turn will allow us to create new clinical research programs in brain tumours, Parkinson’s disease and stroke;

• developing its research on best practices in therapeutics and patient care. We aim to develop an investigator-initiated clinical trials program that will support clinical studies in therapeutics and spinal surgery techniques. We will also establish a new program that will support research to deter-mine best practice in neuro-palliative care;

• developing web-based translational tools designed to bring research results and best practices to clinicians and other healthcare providers. These tools, consistent with the tech-nological basis of communication today, will enable primary care physicians and practitioners to integrate new therapies and treatments into clinical care in a more timely fashion;

• establishing an international network for the Brain Imaging Centre. Joint international efforts aimed at understanding the structure and function of the normal brain and the mechanisms of specific brain disorders are accelerating. The MNI will build on its status as a world leader in techniques in brain imaging by providing resources to position the Brain Imaging Centre as the central hub of an emerging international network.

Objective 3

engAge domestic And internAtionAl students And young reseArchers in our progrAms

All of our projects will be structured to provide a learning and research environment for students and Fellows. In particular, MNI Fellows will be supported by CECR funds and will be deployed to the teams to achieve research goals and to facilitate commercialization of research results.

Objective 4

fAcilitAte intellectuAl property protection, commerciAlizAtion of reseArch results, And business development of mni inventions

Several initiatives and promising opportunities for commer-cialization exist at the MNI, including novel methods for enhancing spinal cord regeneration and for treatment of brain tumours. The MNI’s initiative in Applied Neuroscience and Commercialization will be managed with the support of a panel of business, financial and scientific consultants who have extensive experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. This panel will be convened on a regular basis and will advise the MNI on commercialization potential, methods and opportunities.

Objective 5

expAnd public outreAch And engAgement Activities

The MNI will allocate funding to support three measures that will improve our national and international outreach:• an International Student and Fellowship Program to pro-

vide much-needed stipends for trainees. This measure will enhance our ability to attract international students;

• a MNI conference series to be held annually and that will bring top tier international scientists to Montreal to present their latest work in areas of clinical importance and emerging research technologies. These conference series will help build scientific collaborations and facilitate the recruitment of the best research and clinical Fellows to the MNI;

• a portion of the CECR fund will be used to bolster our web resources and to develop new media for communicating our activities, research and results to the lay public.

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Our Corporate Plan for the first year of the CECR award allowed us to structure our internal processes for management of CECR funded activities and to ensure allocation of the award according to the objectives defined in our global strategy. Expected short term and medium term goals for 2008-2009

Our immediate goals for 2008-2009 were to establish the administrative and governance framework for identifying opportunities within the MNI with the greatest commercial and translational potential. Our governance structure would ensure that our overall strategy is sound and that activities related to CECR funding are carried out in a responsible manner. An Internal Review Committee would be constituted to evaluate proposals and allocate funding to high priority projects. As well, a Commercialization Committee would serve as an advisory body on all potential commercial activities and ensure that such projects are provided with the necessary tools for success. Lastly, a Centre of Excellence Advisory Board composed of leaders in academic and translational neuroscience and in biomedical commercialization would provide global oversight.Performance metrics would be developed and introduced as web-based performance monitoring tools designed to link progress reports to disbursement of funds.In our first year, we also expected: i) to identify projects and core activities for CECR funding; ii) initiate funding; iii) initiate intellectual property protection (patents and registration); iv) introduce and optimize web-based monitoring tools.Our internal application process would focus on identifying and funding the best of our clinicians’ and researchers’ work, and it would ensure that applications are evaluated against criteria that are consistent with the goals of the Federal Science and Technology Strategy.

planned expenditures for the first year were categorized as follows:

•biological basis of neurological disease and neuroengineering (new basic research programs) $ 1,802,000

•Translational neuroscience $ 1,530,000

•intellectual property protection, commercialization of research results and business development of Mni inventions $ 518,000

•Training aspects $ 760,000

•publicoutreach and engagement activities $ 390,000

totAl $ 5,000,000

actual funding per category and per project is presented in a later section.

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in the first year of the cEcr award...The Mni attained the objectives that it set out in its corporate Plan.

the mni established:• an Internal Review

Committee to evaluate proposals and allocate funding

• a Commercialization Committee to advise on potential commercial activities

• a Centre of Excellence Advisory Committee to provide oversight

the mni allocated close to $4m in funding to 36 new research activities in the biological basis of neurological disease, neuroengineering, translational neuroscience, clinical trials, and applied neuroscience and commercialization

the mni expanded its core facilities in translational health research

the mni awarded 10 fellowships as part of its cecr fellowship program for a total of $375,000

the mni allocated $370,000 to a number of public outreach and enagement activities

The MNI developed web-based performance monitoring tools

Mni principal inVEsTigaTors, as parT oF THEir cEcr-FundEd acTiViTiEs:•Engaged 15

baccalaureate, Masters’ and doctoral students and 9 post-doctoral Fellows

•Hired 43 research assistants and techni-cians and other quali-fied personnel

•Filed 5 patent applica-tions

•generatedinitialrev-enues of $60,000 from2 commercial activities

•confirmedindustry collaborations with 3 companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields

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puTTing knowlEdgE To work: brEakTHrougH discoVEriEs and iMproVing HEalTH carE

In the first year of our CECR award, we received over 60 proposals for the three-year funding period, for a total of $50m in budget requests. Thirty-eight (38) of these were accepted by our Internal Review Committee for an initial 12 months’ funding which, for most projects, began between June and September 2008. The quarterly updates submitted by investigators enable us to measure progress against milestones for each funded project.

In the pages that follow, we provide more information on the work that was engaged in 2008-2009.

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reseArch reports Biological Basis of Neurological Disease

barry bedellPia-arachnoid as a research Platform

($150,000)This innovative program brings together six investigators and their projects to improve productivity by sharing knowledge obtained through small animal research into the biological basis of diseases of the central nervous system. The focal point is the pia and arachnoid lay-ers of the meningis, a membrane that is an “envelope” for the brain inside the skull. The six core fields of research are Animal Model, Behavioural & Functional Testing, Small Animal Imaging, Experimental Neuropathology, Advanced Molecular Analysis and Microscopy, and Informatics.

edward foncell Biology of Parkinson’s disease

($120,000)The discovery of genes responsible for Parkinson’s disease launched an intense amount of research. However, studies to identify the genes are rapidly outpacing the cell biological work needed to reveal how these genes are part of the disease process. This project examines several protein implicated in Parkinson’s disease to determine how they influence survival of neurons.

Viviane Sziklas memory functions in temporal lobe epilepsy

($60,000)Temporal lobe epilepsy interferes with the normal left-brain, right-brain functions of memory, making it difficult to assess which structures are functioning properly and which are not. This project takes a highly reliable test developed at the MNI on healthy subjects and observes neural correlates in patients with TLE so that they can be identified by fMRI scanning. This promises a significant advance in the investigation of TLE patients.

roughly one-third of epilepsy patients suffer seizures that do not respond to drug treatments. uncontrolled epilepsy has devastating socio-economic con-sequences, is harmful to the brain and is associated with higher mortality.

Surgery is the only effective treatment for these people. More than 90% of patients become free of seizures and enjoy greatly improved quality of life when the brain lesion is found and removed. Removing the lesion is seldom a problem, but finding it is.Many times, the lesion is tiny and almost undetectable. Cortical Dysplasia, a malfor-mation of brain cells that can start in the fetus, is present in 70% of severe cases of epilepsy but is very difficult to localize. As a result, the number of surgeries is much lower and the prognosis much poorer than operations for other lesions.“It can be extremely hard to see on a scan,” says Dr. Andrea Bernasconi, who has been working on a solution for the past eight years. “There are many reasons why you might miss it, and so the patient never receives treatment.”Led by Bernasconi, the Neuroimaging of Epilepsy Laboratory at the MNI has developed a unique set of tools that supply a solution. These are based on computer modeling that

will automatically detect and delineate cortical dysplasia on an MRI scan and reproduce the biological character of the lesion.With aid from CECR funding, Bernasconi and his team now are working to commer-cialize the process and make it available to others. This requires large-scale validation of the algorithms which is currently underway.“Surgery when the MRI fails to reveal obvious cortical dysplasia is one of the greatest challenges around the world,” says Bernasconi. “To identify a surgical target, these patients often undergo long and costly hospitalization with EEG probes inserted – a complication risk in itself.“Our technology is a bit like satellite imagery. Once the computer zooms you in, you see all the detail.”The MNI is regularly asked to supply a commercial version of its tools and get the technology into clinical practice. Applications of the software include clinical research and image-guided neurosurgery as well as the diagnostic support. Bernasconi and his team plan to develop three inter-dependent modules for: dysplasia feature detection; automatic lesion detection; and automatic lesion delineation.

if it’s there, We’ll find it

progress

The first year of cEcr funding has seen implementation of a software code management system. a website has been set up to receive Mri data from other epilepsy centres around the world which will add to the validation.

a collaborative study has been initiated with the cognitive neuroscience and Brain imaging laboratory (cnrs) in Paris, France.

oUtlook

The web-based platform is expected to gather 10 new cases per centre per year for a multi-centric validation study. Participants will include the cnrs in Paris and centres in london, new York university, Yale, and university of Melbourne. Each will also establish contacts with tertiary epilepsy centres.

Besides clinical use, opportunities for commercialization include integrating the software directly into Mri hardware systems, of interest to the three major manufacturers (siemens, gE and Philips). another goal is to include the tools in image-guided neurosurgery to provide detection and 3D visualization not currently available during surgery.

project: automated lesion detection in drug resistant epilepsyApplication to health care: Treatment for epilepsy patients with previously undetected lesions investigator: andrea bernasconifunding: $100,000commercialization potential: High

summArydr. bernasconi is giving new hope to untreated epilepsy patients with computer modeling to reveal previously unseen targets for surgery. opportunities for commercialization are considerable.

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reseArch reportsBiological Basis of Neurological Disease

michael petridesarchitectonic atlas of the cortex

($150,000)The “MNI space” is a “generic” brain layout created in 1994 and now used worldwide to specify the x, y and z coordinates where a specific brain function is occurring. But to identify the architectonic brain areas actually at those coordinates, an investiga-tor is using assumptions modeled on a single brain 100 years ago. This MNI project is scanning normal brains, sectioning and analyzing them and incorporating the data into an updated, 3D “MNI space”, resolving one of the most pressing problems in functional neuroimaging.

Phil BarkerJoint Protein Production facility

($75,000)New therapies for neurological disease are heavily dependent on being able to produce and test proteins that are pure and free of endotoxins. Generating pure proteins in large quantities for in vivo testing is too costly for the MNI, so it has partnered with the Biotechnology Research Institute of the National Research Council. The CECR fund-ing has provided for a joint MNI-BRI Fellow at the facility to supervise production of proteins as well as cover operating costs.

Jean-françois cloutier, stefano stifaniresource centre for mouse models

($125,000)Understanding the molecular mecha-nisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases depends on developing animal model systems to validate hypotheses. Using mice, generating the gene-targeting vectors for each model can take many months. The Resource Centre will develop the expertise and use newly available technology to dramatically reduce this time, enabling MNI investigators to remain at the forefront of neuro-development.

thomas strohmicroscopy core services

($115,000)Almost all fields of neurobiology require sophisticated microscopes and techniques to study the interac-tions of cells and cellular components of the brain. At least 45 high profile publications by MNI researchers since 2006 contain data acquired in the Institute’s microscopy centre. CECR funding of $115,000 has been allocated to keep this centre at the cutting edge, and will fund specialized software and hardware, service contracts and technical management.

By the time you know you have Alzheimer’s, the disease is well advanced. That’s because identi-fication is dependent upon behavior as revealed by cognitive testing such as memory tests. These symptoms become more visible as the disease progresses.

There is a huge social cost associated with Alzheimer’s. In Canada, one in 20 persons over the age of 65 – and one in four over 85 – suffers from the disease, at a cost of $5.5 billion each year in medical treatment. The numbers are lower for Parkinson’s, a similarly neurological disease, but about to rise: 85% of patients are over 65, an age group that will double in size to 23.6% of the population in 30 years.Although no treatments exist to stop the progression of these diseases, a world-wide effort has already led to the development of drugs that promise to slow the progression. But these efforts are mitigated by the inability to detect the disease early. Some MRI and PET measurements have shown differentiation in patients but these are inaccurate in the early stages.“Understanding what is happening in the brain and devel-oping an accurate biological marker is very important,” says Dr. Alain Dagher, principal investigator at the MNI. “It’s a hot field; everyone is looking for the solution.”

The ability to predict these diseases before they show up in symptoms has two significant benefits. Early identification could be critical when therapies are finally developed, resulting in slowing the progression of the disease and reducing the cost of care. The same technology would also be instrumental in measuring the effectiveness of clinical trials of new drugs.Dagher and his colleague Dr. Amir Shmuel propose to combine structural MRI, fMRI and EEG information in a suite of five measurements instead of only a single type of measurement. This combination of multi-modal tests is expected to be a highly accurate predictor of these diseases.The end product will be a push-button sequence that will run on clinical MR scanners which are widely available in hospitals and private clinics. The analysis software will auto-matically read the files from the scanner, analyze them and report results promptly.The two investigators anticipate that modifications to the analysis software will make it applicable for a wide range of additional pathological states such as MS, schizophrenia, epilepsy and spatial neglect following stroke.

Am i going to get Alzheimer’s?

progress

The initiative is separated into three connected projects: mechanism and diagnosis of Parkinson’s; mechanism and diagnosis of alzheimer’s; neuronal correlates of spontaneous fluctuations in fMri signals and of functional connectivity at rest. almost all first year goals have been achieved in all three projects.

scans have been completed on 40 subjects with Parkinson’s as well as healthy subjects. animal data sets have been obtained, including diffusion tensor imaging, as well as five data sets each from patients with alzheimer’s and control subjects.

fMri scanning has been completed for a study on the effect of dopamine depletion on resting state networks. This has led to resting state fMri and anatomical Mri scans of three patients with Parkinson’s both on and off medication.

oUtlook

Work in the second year will focus on continuing to acquire data, refining computer algorithms to determine optimum procedures and developing data on structural connections through Diffusion Tensor imaging.

Development of a commercial prototype is expected in the third year.

project: Early diagnosis of alzheimer’s and parkinson’s diseasesApplication to health care: Earlier start to treatment and measurement of effectiveness investigators: alain dagher, amir shmuelfunding: $100,000commercialization potential: High

summAryinvestigators alain dagher and amir shmuel are working on a breakthrough that would reveal the presence of alzheimer’s disease much earlier and potentially make it possible to slow the progression and reduce the cost of care. commercialization is anticipated in the third year.

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reseArch reports Biological Basis of Neurological Disease

thomas strohsuper-resolution imaging of Proteins

($30,000)Recent years have seen the discovery of genes responsible for many neurological disorders. Now MNI researchers are working at the protein level to reveal how they interact to produce either a healthy life or the disease process. The most powerful optical microscopy is limited by the diffraction of light. The CECR funding will permit the acquisi-tion of a recent software solution for image acquisition and analysis that could revolutionize our understanding by enabling the precise localization of proteins within healthy and dis-eased cells with nanometre precision (one billionth of a metre).

edward ruthazercomputational modeling of cell Biological Processes

($40,000)The MNI’s achievements in research-ing the cell biology of neurons are widely recognized and it is felt today that many outstanding questions require accessing expertise in computer modeling. CECR funding is being applied to a collaborative effort with the McGill community to model cell biological processes, based on several recent and successful collaborations. The project will foster interaction and establish four Fellowships to train neuroscientists and computer scientists in approaching neuronal cell biology problems.

Alain daghereffects of stress on eating Behaviour

($65,000)Obesity is a major health concern that has reached epidemic proportions in Canada and in other countries. The effect of medication is uncertain because obesity is not simply a disease of chemistry. This study focuses on how the perception and experience of food and eating may impact brain chemistry and promote overeating. In particu-lar, it seeks to decipher if and how stress plays a part. A better under-standing may lead to preventive strategies, both pharmacological and behavioural, to curb this epidemic.

The Central Nervous System (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord. it controls our thoughts, senses and movement through an incredibly complex system in which special cells, neurons, connect to each other to transmit and receive information.

Severe injuries to the CNS tend to have devastating consequences because, once rup-tured, the neurons and supporting cells are unable to spontaneously regenerate and restore functional communication. The CNS environment makes things worse by sending inhibitory signals to injured CNS neurons blocking the regeneration process.A primary candidate for blame has been RhoA, a neuronal protein that responds to inhibitory signals and is known as a “molec-ular switch”. But RhoA influences a wide range of cells, meaning there is likely going to be unwanted side effects of any direct manipulation of its function.At the MNI, a team of researchers led by Dr. Alyson Fournier went back to the begin-ning to see just how the injured neurons were being inhibited by the CNS environ-ment following trauma. It has identified a

key protein – CRMP4 – that interacts with RhoA and successfully designed a derivative – C4RIP – which promotes regeneration in cultured cells.“This is quite unique in terms of how it acts,” says Fournier. “CRMP4 and its deriv-atives target a protein primarily expressed in neurons, which means it is less likely to disturb other Rho-dependent processes. We see it as a strong candidate for development.”A treatment for spinal cord injury would have a huge impact. Although the numbers are small compared to other major diseases – some 40,000 cases of SCI in Canada, with 1,000 new cases each year – care is costly. With 80% of all spinal cord injury happening to people under 30, lifetime support costs can range from $1.25 million to $5 million.This places a huge burden on patients and their families. Development of a drug that facilitates the regeneration of nerve cells would thus meet a significant medical need. It is also likely that such a therapy would have applications elsewhere, such as in stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Getting Back your nerves

progress

structure function analysis of c4riP has been completed.

High quality c4riP has been produced in sufficient quantity to initiate spinal cord injury study to be undertaken at the university of British columbia (uBc).

a pilot set of experiments has been completed assessing the effects of c4riP on regeneration in an optic nerve model, in collaboration with the université de Montréal (u of M).

oUtlook

The project’s first year has been encouraging, but the volume of research ahead is considerable.

“There are good indications but it’s early days and we have a long way to go”, says Fournier. “i think we have the solution for delivery of the protein and there is definitely potential for it to serve in a combined therapy.

“combined therapy will almost certainly be required, because there are many inhibitors. Just working on one protein isn’t going to produce a single drug that enables complete recovery from spinal cord injury.”

collaborative research scheduled consists of regeneration studies of retinal ganglion cells (rgcs) with u of M; spinal contusion injuries with Mcgill university; and the uBc studies which will focus on spinal cord transection injuries.

project: regeneration of neurons in spinal cord injuryApplication to health care: building blocks for a therapeutic treatment of sciinvestigator: alyson Fournierfunding: $100,000 commercialization potential: High

summArydr. Fournier is edging closer to the holy grail of spinal cord injury treatment – getting the severed nerves to re-establish functional connections. The road ahead is long, but the rewards considerable.

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reseArch reports NeuroeNgiNeeriNg

eliane kobayashiapplication of meG in assessing epileptic focus

($75,000)Surgery is the only treatment option for some patients with epilepsy. However, locating the focus of the seizures precisely is not always successful with normal imag-ing and EEG. Magnetoencephalography (MEG), a new neurophysiology tool, can identify the location and extent of the focus in a significant proportion of cases not showing on an EEG. The Brain Imaging Centre is acquiring a MEG scanner and this project will apply MEG recordings for patients with focal epilepsies and deter-mine their role in the decision-making process.

robert zatorredeaf-Blindness: cross modal reorganization and ci Proficiency

($20,000)Cochlear implants (CI) can restore hearing by converting sound into electrical impulses delivered to the auditory nerve. It is known also that sensory deprivation triggers cross-modal reorganization in the brain: the auditory cortex in deaf people can respond to visual inputs and vice versa. Little is known of this plasticity in people with the loss of more than one sense, i.e. deaf and blind. Cochlear implants are of particularly importance to this group and the project sets out to determine how performance might be affected by any cross-modal reorganization.

Chris Pack, Abbas Sadikot, Amir shmuelmechanism of deep Brain stimulation

($150,000)Deep Brain Stimulation is like a “brain pacemaker” to improve the quality of life of thousands of patients suffering from such diseases as Parkinson’s, MS, epilepsy and depres-sion. Its therapeutic promise has led to much clinical use but scientific investigation has fallen behind. Prior to a wider adoption for human indica-tions, a better understanding of the mechanism of DBS is required. The necessary multidisciplinary expertise and expense have been barriers which this CECR-funded, MNI project is able to overcome. The team will study specific DBS influences in monkeys and humans, research that has commercial potential and important implications for health care.

Every day in Canada, another 40 people join the 430,000 diagnosed with epilepsy. in one-third, seizures cannot be controlled by medication or the side-effects are debilitating. However, in all but the most severe cases, the seizure itself is not the key issue.

“Epileptic seizures are rarely the big event many people imagine,” says Dr. Jean Gotman. “It’s more likely a disassocia-tion with your surroundings, maybe a small blackout. The real problem lies in not knowing when it will happen.”Gotman has spent the past 37 years – since his arrival at the MNI – investigating epilepsy. The ultimate goal, he says, would be a device similar to a cardiac pacemaker that monitors the nervous system, identifies an oncoming seizure and modifies the condition to prevent or arrest it. But that is a long way off – first comes the challenge of knowing when they will occur. Accurate prediction could give patients the time at least to prevent harm: stop a car, put down a baby or just sit down. The MNI team is pursuing two new paths of investigation made possible by CECR funding.The first follows the team’s previous work on High Frequency

Getting Ahead of the seizure

progressEvaluation of a range of electrode sizes was completed, demonstrating surprisingly that HFos were not recorded better with smaller rather than larger electrodes, given their original observation at the single cell level. The study shows standard electrodes may be adequate.

Experimentation with oxygen and pH sensors has led to a redesign of the probes. an international company, Dixi Microtechnique of France, has expressed interest in the commercialization potential.

an initial program to research seizure arrest has been set aside pending additional funding.

oUtlook

The evaluation of the optimal size of electrode will continue in humans and in a chronic rat model of epilepsy. once a method of automatic detection has been developed, research will be expanded in scope to determine whether seizures may result from synchronization of a network of HFo generators.

a technique for monitoring oxygen concentration over long periods of time will be researched in animals. if this provides evidence of approaching seizures, the technology will be developed for human recording.

project: predicting seizures in epilepsyApplication to health care: allow epileptic sufferers to manage and possibly prevent seizure investigator: jean gotmanfunding: $100,000commercialization potential: High

summArya big problem facing patients with epilepsy lies in not knowing when a seizure will occur. dr. gotman is working on finding elusive biomarkers that would indicate an imminent attack and a French firm has already expressed commercial interest.

Oscillations (HFOs). These are very tiny oscillations at 100-500Hz which are very hard to detect. The MNI team was recognized in 2006 for developing research on HFOs newly discovered at UCLA.“Our focus now is on determining the optimum size of the electrode to use, because this decides what information you receive, or whether you even hit the target” says Gotman. “It’s a trial and error procedure so it takes a lot of time.”The second research program uses new sensors to measure local concentrations of oxygen and pH – a new set of variables under study in patients with epilepsy. Experimental evidence and clinical observations have pointed to an increase in oxygen consumption in the seconds or minutes leading to a seizure.A portion of the funding is directed to Professor Vamsy Chodavarapu of the McGill University Electrical and Computer Engineering Department who is leading the development of the prototype sensors.“Right now, the sensors work in saline water but not in tissue,” says Gotman. “However, they seem to be solving the problem and we’ll go back to that research when they do.”

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dan guittonstudy of Perception, memory, cognition and the control of Prosthetic devices

($100,000)Cognitive processing has been a chal-lenge to understand because it involves millions of neurons working together in different parts of the brain. Technology can record the activity of a single neuron, or show the aggregate activity of millions of neurons, but not at the single neuron level. New technology has brought the integrated view closer, using multi-electrode arrays (MEAs). Funding has made it possible to undertake fun-damental MEA studies, including motor control. Neuro-navigation is one applica-tion with commercialization potential and the ultimate goal is the ability to control prosthetics to restore motor function.

reseArch reports TraNslaTioNal NeuroscieNce

william feindelcost-effective analysis of the montreal Procedure for surgical cure of temporal-lobe epilepsy

($40,000)Opportunities to accurately measure the economic benefits of treatment are rare. The MNI has such an opportunity by having access to 50 patients operated on between 1985 and 1988 by William Feindel, an associate of Wilder Penfield and a former director of the Institute. The surgical operation developed by Penfield for temporal-lobe epilepsy is now known as the “Montreal Procedure” and is in use at some 100 centres around the world. This study will calcu-late the benefits of having arrested the seizures by looking at the employment profile and earning capacity before and after, as well as the reduction in the costs of medication and welfare. It is estimated benefits could be as high as one million dollars per patient.

rolando del maestrothe Brain tumour research centre translational research initiative

($65,000)Radiation and the drug Temozolomide are the standard of care in the treat-ment of many malignant brain tumours. However, the treatment fails if a specific substance, MGMT, is present in the tumour. The goal of this project is to understand how Temozolomide functions in individual human brain tumours in order to improve patient outcome.

each year, some 200 of the thousands of canadians requiring neurosurgery end up at the montreal neurological hospital. these patients require resection of lesions that are extremely close to functional areas of the brain critical to movement, vision, sensation or language. their condition often will have been deemed inoperable due to the location of the lesion.

To remove the most diseased tissue without intruding upon critical brain areas, the surgeon must fully understand complex rela-tionships between anatomy, blood vessels, functional regions and pathological features. It would be a huge advantage if functional neuroimaging technology from the lab could be made available right in the operating room, integral to neuro-navigation technology.But this would mean somehow bringing together expertise from imaging technology, computer engineering, statistics, cognitive neuroscience, neuro-radiology and neuro-surgery – all taking place on different platforms in various labs around the complex. “We are currently the only centre in Quebec that has the potential to offer an integrated pre-surgical mapping service under one roof,” says Denise Klein, who is leading the project.

“We have all these state-of-the-art proce-dures, but everyone works on their own. Once we bring them all together, we will be able to offer the technique to other hospitals and institutes across Canada.”Integrating the various technology outputs is an ambitious undertaking. For example: magnetic resonance images (MRI) supply intricate detail of a tumour and surrounding anatomy; blood flow adjacent to the tumour is recorded by positron emission tomogra-phy (PET); regions of functional impor-tance are identified by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); blood vessels are mapped in detail by an angiogram.Integrating all this data in a form of value in neuro-navigation requires a software package that is easy to use and operates on a system-independent platform.The rewards of success would be significant. With this knowledge, the surgeon can not only plan the surgery more precisely and confidently but even discuss options with the patient.“We see this as an important development in advancing neurosurgery, but it is the kind of project which was not eligible for any of the normal funding,” says Klein, “We would not have been able to get going without the CECR grant.”

Building a Better roadmap

progress

all first year goals have been met. The project has strengthened existing collaborations and initiated new ones, bringing together individuals with expertise from brain imaging, neuro-radiology, neuropsychology, neurology and neurosurgery. some 42 patients have gone to surgery with the aid of these newly integrated, pre-mapping tools.

in the year before the project began, the Mni could only afford to test and document seven patients. it is now processing two a week.

summArydr. klein is aggregating the powerful laboratory imaging techniques available throughout the Mni and planning to deliver a real-time, integrated output in the operating room. commercial demand for the integrated solution and software would be considerable.

oUtlook

The emphasis in the second year is on data reporting and management and integrating the information into a single software platform that will permit use in the clinical domain. a universal database with common visualization tools will enable all units within The neuro to work with patient data. This will provide the transition from pre-operative planning to real-time neurosurgical intervention.

Development of the software will be of high commercial significance and development of the unit itself at the Mni may attract financial endowments from donors.

project: assemble a pre-surgical functional brain mapping unitApplication to health care: Enable real-time functional brain-mapping in the orinvestigator: denise kleinfunding: $150,000commercialization potential: High

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lesley fellows, marilyn Jones-gotman, Alain ptitothe mni cognitive neuroscience testing resource

($100,000)Tests of patient behaviour are an important component of diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, head injury and other neurological disorders. By virtue of its work, the MNI has amassed a wide range of proven tests and, due to limitations in commercially avail-able test sets, the MNI batteries are much sought after. Commercialization, however, requires a satisfactory set of normative data. This project will establish data on 300 healthy patients stratified by age, sex and language and will result in the MNI marketing three batteries of specialized tests for head injury and epilepsy.

David Sinclairinnovative Vein Bypassing technique in the treatment of cerebrovascular disease

($75,000)Stroke is the leading cause of disability in North America. Bypass surgery is an important treatment to restore blood flow to the brain but conventional vein grafting has major drawbacks. One of the biggest is the need to shutdown the flow of blood during the operation, which risks more damage and requires the surgeon to work under pressure. ELANA is a laser-assisted technique which does not interfere with cerebral blood flow and also permits bypass arteries with higher blood flows. This funding will help establish the MNI as the leading centre in vascular neurosurgery and establish only the second ELANA capability in Canada.

rapid tapping with a stylus on a metal plate is a test often used to evaluate motor speed and coordina-tion in patients with a neurological disease such as multiple sclerosis. many years ago, a research team at the mni led by dr. gabriel leonard demonstrated that rapid repetitive tapping with one hand is mainly sensitive to primary motor brain areas and the corresponding motor pathways.

The team applied more intricate tapping tasks for one and two hands that contributed much more sensitive measures of disability. This test has become widely used at the MNI and also in several large-scale studies. “The trouble is these are still mechanical tests, and accurate reporting is difficult,” says Leonard. “The only record of performance is by the person giving the test, who has to remember and note all the incorrect sequences.” Leonard now has addressed the need for a reliable and accurate tapping apparatus capable of creating an objective record. Working with a programmer and hardware designer, his team has built a prototype computer interface, together with software, that is less cumbersome and that accurately reports all scores.

Significant advances include: • It documents all errors made, including misses, persever-

ances, and sequential errors• It delivers objective scores for four subsets of test pattern

using each hand and both hands, permitting wider ranging analysis

• It will compare test scores to a representative (normal) control group

• It will also provide mean scores for subjects with neu-rological illnesses, e.g. MS, epilepsy, post concussion syndrome, etc.

“It’s basically the same process that Gabriel originally used in 1988,” says research associate Dr. Joelle Crane. “But putting it on a computer creates a vastly superior tool. It’s a big advance.” The test has many applications. Together with imaging it could provide insight to the surgeon as to the location of brain damage, or the extent of injury in an accident. It is a means of accurately measuring progress in rehabilitation or of objectively assessing effects of a specific drug or treatment. The test can be administered by clinical assistants or a General Practitioner. It can be employed for diverse mea-surements such as assessing dexterity following carpal tunnel damage or determining whether the effects of aging are aug-mented by a brain deficiency. Leonard believes the potential for commercialization is high and has already received interest from colleagues locally and abroad. There are no commercially available tests to measure sequencing of arm and hand movements, including out-of-phase coordinated bi-manual movements.

tapping, 1, 2, 3, 4.

progress

The first year of the project has seen completion and validation of the prototype. some 50 pilot subjects have been tested to confirm the correct operation of the tapping machine and several user-friendly internet forms have been designed (e.g., medical and handedness questionnaires).

oUtlook

The major task ahead is the data collection and recording the performance of healthy people. The normative study will require data from approximately 2,000 subjects ranging in age from 6 to 90, the usual number used in commercially available neuropsychology tests.

The data gathering, followed by statistical analyses, software adjustments and a published paper, will take two years to complete. leonard hopes to announce the new tapping test in mid-year 2010 at selected international neuroscience gatherings to communicate the potential to other neuro-scientists, clinicians and representatives of pharmacological companies.

project: computerized device to measure hand and arm movementApplication to health care: More accurate evaluation of neurological disordersinvestigator: gabriel leonardfunding: $60,000 commercialization potential: High

summArydr. leonard is putting a new twist on established technology to produce a superior device for testing motor skills in patients with neuromuscular or neurological disease. The prototype is testing well and commercial development is anticipated in 2010-2011.

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Mirko Diksica new radioligand for monitoring of Patients with alzheimer's

($100,000)Alzheimer’s Disease is an important health problem due to its high preva-lence, cost of care and the aging of the population. Hallmarks of the disease are the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the nerve cells of the brain, causing these cells, or neurons, to degrade. The ability to monitor the growth of amyloid plaques has a huge impact on the diagnosis and treatment of AD, but none of the known agents on the market displays the desired imaging sensitivity and speci-ficity. This project seeks to create new and better radioligands, compounds which bind to their receptor molecule, and two are currently in development.

george karpati, Josephine nalbantogluPreparations for dystrophin Gene replacement in the treatment of dmd

($65,000)George Karpati, who passed away suddenly in February 2009, was a leading expert on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a crippling and fatal disease of children. He was among the first to show the genetic lack of a mol-ecule called dystrophin in the muscle fibres of patients with DMD. He was successful in creating the dystrophin molecule artificially and transferring it into the deficient muscle, saving the muscle fibres. This CECR project under-takes the creation of theartificial gene to a rigorous lab standard known as GMP, a requisite for therapeutic use in humans. The GMP-observant production is contributed bya partner firm GRP of Budapest and commercialization potential is high.

philippe seguelatrPc channels as therapeutic targets in neuropathic Pain

($75,000)Chronic pain affects the quality of life and productivity of millions of Canadians. Effective treatment is seldom available and the solution lies in better translation of basic research findings on pain mechanisms into innovative drug development. This CECR project is focused on the role of TRPC ion channels in the cellular mechanisms of chronic pain. The goals are to validate TRPC3 channels as pharmacological targets that modulate the sensitization of DRG neurons known to participate in inflammatory and neu-ropathic pain and, secondly, to target TRPC3 activity in vitro and in vivo.

understanding the cellular basis of disease is one of the revolutionary developments in neurological research. today it is understood that schizophrenia, Parkinson’s, MS, ALS and many others are not diseases of the mind or brain, but of the cells that underlie all brain functions.

Many MNI investigators are focused on researching disease processes at the level of cells and disease-causing proteins. A fundamental challenge they face is identifying specific proteins out of the hundreds of thousands of proteins estimated to be present in the various cells of the human body.The most efficient way to detect specific proteins is through the use of antibodies, a primary tool of the body’s immune system. Antibodies are incredibly specific in identifying and attacking any foreign or unwelcome protein. Antibodies can be designed to target a specific protein. However, they are difficult and costly to produce and have a high failure rate, all of which has led to development of a large retail trade.At the MNI, Dr. Peter McPherson’s lab has been creating antibodies for some time. Frustrated by the difficulties inherent in standard approaches, McPherson and a col-league brainstormed a novel process by combining ele-ments of proven procedures, creating a hybrid, which showed itself to be significantly faster, simpler and a fraction of the cost.

tracking proteins

progress

a fully functional ab production facility has been completed with a PhD-level lab manager and full-time research assistant. To date, the antibody core has undertaken 45 projects for 12 investigators.

Eight antibodies undertaken prior to cEcr funding have been commercialized. several of the antibodies generated since the initiation of the core are now in the process of being com-mercialized. in addition, the core has begun selling the epitopes that are used for antibody production. a private biotechnology firm in Montreal has purchased 12 such products with the potential for many more.

oUtlook

The activities of the antibody core are being expanded. a website is being established for promotion and a second technician is being hired.

in collaboration with the Mcgill cancer centre, the lab will explore a new method for production of monoclonal antibodies (mab). This method replaces a cumbersome task of screening hybridomas (fused hybrid cells that have been formed in the process) by repeated dilution.

Preliminary evidence demonstrates the proposed, single-step approach is feasible.

project: The Mni antibody resource for neuroscience research – Faster, simpler, cheaperApplication to health care: Faster, cheaper antibodies will speed research, treatmentinvestigator: peter Mcphersonfunding: $200,000commercialization potential: High

“We were spending over $20,000 a year on commercial anti-bodies for our own research,” says McPherson. “Our hybrid discovery makes it viable and much, much cheaper to do it in-house.”With CECR funding, McPherson set up a separately staffed “Antibody Core” within his own lab. The facility produces custom antibodies for investigators at the MNI and, recently, for others in the McGill health community.“If we just stopped here, the CECR funding would have created a profitable enterprise that will be self-sustaining for the foreseeable future,” says McPherson. “But, in fact, our antibody production and commercialization model has very high potential.”That’s because whereas McPherson’s procedure greatly sim-plifies antibody production, the validation of the antibodies remains difficult because of the need for the right biological testing environment. Since the McPherson lab is producing custom antibodies for colleagues, the work of these investigators becomes the validation of the product. The solution was to make the commercialization process a shared one.“For each antibody, we sign a Report of Invention which shares inventorship between the centre and the investigator,” says McPherson. “We can build up a big catalog this way.” Commercialization in terms of marketing and distribution is handled by an outside firm.

summArydr. Mcpherson and his team have come up with a hybrid method of making antibodies that is faster, simpler and cheaper. with built-in validation from the experience of Mni “customers”, a highly profitable catalogue of products is being assembled for commercial utilization.

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Phil Barkertargeting neurite Growth inhibitor receptors to Promote regeneration after injury

($75,000)The development of drugs that will enhance neuron repair after spinal cord injury is one of the most sought-after research goals. This project brings together an impressive representation of the expertise available at the MNI with investigators experienced in biochem-istry, signaling, cell-based models of neurite inhibition and pre-clinical models of spinal cord regeneration. First year work is promising and the project is seen as an example of the high-risk, high-payoff project for which the CECR funding is suited.

tim kennedyGeneration and characterization of novel compounds to inhibit cell migration

($75,000)Dr. Kennedy and his team previously identified a fragment of Netrin 1 that inhibits cell movement, without the attractant function of the full length pro-tein. The goal of the current project is to synthesize peptides with this minimum sequence in order to develop compounds with favourable drug-like properties that could inhibit cell movement. Diseases in which abnormal cell migration is an important factor include the metastasis of tumour cells in various cancers, and the abnormal growth of blood vessels in diseases which are a leading cause of blindness. Importantly, the lab has evidence that tumour cells and vascular cells have the receptors required to respond to the proposed compounds, indicating that they should have clinical utility.

Amit Bar-Or, David Colman identification of novel initiating targets and Prognostic markers of ms in Pediatric-onset disease

($180,000)Canadian children suffer one of the highest rates of Multiple Sclerosis in the world. MS is the leading cause of neu-rological disability in young adults in the Western hemisphere and is caused by repeated attacks on the central nervous system by the body’s immune system. Although treatments are able to partially reduce attacks, doctors are unable to tell at the time of the first attack whether this is isolated or whether it will progress into MS. This project seeks to define early molecular targets of the disease and identify biomarkers that can be used to predict the onset of MS.

when the mni first opened its doors 75 years ago, much of the discovery in medical science was accomplished through post-mortem examination. today, the most sophisticated pathologies are identified and studied in vivo through the extraor-dinary power of medical imaging and measuring equipment.

This is excellent news for the patient, who today can rea-sonably expect to have his or her condition treated and life lengthened. It is a challenge, though, for hospital adminis-trators, since analyzing a living brain is a much more costly process than dissecting a dead one.“Our imaging equipment represents an investment of over $35 million,” says Bruce Pike, Director of the McConnell Brain Imaging Centre. “The service contracts alone cost close to $2.5 million a year.”The BIC, which is marking its 25th year, is considered one of the top three brain imaging establishments in the world. In addition to the impressive systems array, there are the skills of 15 faculty, 30 staff and 80-100 graduate students/postdoctoral Fellows using the Centre. Another 50 affiliated members, mostly from the McGill community, do their research imaging here.

While the BIC is the most expensive unit of the MNI to run, it is certainly one of the most productive:• in human terms, it acts as a catalyst, attracting the finest

research minds to come to the MNI to collaborate and pursue their line of enquiry.

• in commercial terms, it has a long history of successfully translating research work into routine outside use and clinical application.

• in terms of profile, the Centre publishes over 100 neuro-imaging papers each year.

The BIC is also recognized worldwide for its computing core – the storage and analysis of huge quantities of imaging data.“There is always a cost attached,” says Pike. “We are able to cover about 80% of our operating costs from internal billing to the investigators, who use the Centre with their own grant money. But not all are self supporting and, as costs rise, so does our shortfall.”For its first 23 years, the core resources in the BIC were supported by funding from the federal Research Resource Grant, but this program was closed two years ago.The CECR funding will enable the continued development of many areas of active research currently within the BIC that could lead to commercialization opportunities within the next 3-5 years. These are primarily in the domains of image acquisition, image analysis and imaging probe development.

Making the Best impression

progress

service contracts have been finalized for our three Positron Emission Tomography scanners, one of which is a state-of-the-art High resolution research Tomography (HrrT) scanner.

a service contract renewal for the iBa cyclotron was successfully negotiated. a Master research agreement for the Mri research program will allows us full access to siemens scanner code for our own r&D.

core computing and data storage (500TB) facilities have been restructured, including transition to linux os, and a new fee-for-service model implemented.

oUtlook

We are building on a reputation for reliability in providing radionuclides (18F-FDg) to the PET program in the Mcgill university Health centre.

This commercial output of our cyclotron brings in important revenues. We have been approached by a large radionu-clide distribution company and will explore opportunities for partnership. This will likely require further investment in our production capability.

project: imaging innovation and leadershipApplication to health care: Making available world-class medical imaging and analysisinvestigator: bruce pikefunding: $500,000 commercialization potential: Medium

summAryThe Mni’s brain imaging centre has a long history of developing novel methods and commercializing them or translating them into routine research clinical use. These include innovative pET scanners, neurosurgery planning software and computerized imaging analysis tools.

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reseArch reports cliNical Trials

Amit bar-orexperimental therapeutics Program

($250,000)An important component in the expansion planning of the MNI is the establishment of an Experimental Therapeutics Program (ETP). As a true expression of translational health research, the ETP would generate opportunities to extend basic research into pre-clinical and clinical studies of human biology. In so doing, it would expedite the development of emerging therapies for treating many neurological dis-eases. CECR funding has enabled the ETP to meet ambitious Year 1 targets in establishing several platforms that will also serve as core facilities to the MNI and external communities.

Angela genge, daria trojanthe mni epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit for clinical research

($100,000)Epidemiology and biostatistics repre-sent a link in the research chain that depended upon resources outside the MNI. This CECR fundingwill serve to establish a new internal unit which will expand clinical research and further the development of new treatments and methods. In the first year of funding, the MNI hired an epidemiologist and work on a core program has begun. A user fee schedule is to be introduced which will help develop commercial potential in Year 2.

transcranial magnetic stimulation (tms) is a recent and exciting development in neurology: the only technique to allow direct manipulation of neurons non-invasively. Much has been learned about what the technology can do, but a lot less about how it happens. it seems the science got left behind.

The application of TMS to the human brain for therapy and for understanding cognition got ahead of the experimentation needed to understand how TMS works. “The potential is being applied before the base of knowledge has been established,” says Dr Amir Shmuel.Shmuel was recruited from Germany and heads up a multi-disciplinary team on TMS. He is focused on supplying the missing scientific analysis on which four colleagues will build specific clinical applications.The TMS procedure involves placing a wire coil close to the head and inducing a pulsed magnetic field which passes through the skull and excites neurons in the brain, producing a measurable result. To discover what happens inside the brain, Shmuel will replicate TMS procedures used routinely in humans in labo-ratory animals, with a probe inserted in the brain to record the neurophysiological response to the stimulation.Because TMS is capable of increasing, decreasing or actually de-activating the functional activity, it delivers a new dimen-sion in both diagnosis and therapy. Diagnosis: while functional MRI indicates which area of the brain is active during a particular task, it does not indicate whether that activity is actually involved in the task. But if activity in the region is “knocked-out” by TMS and perfor-mance of the task suffers, it indicates the region is in fact being used and to what extent.

Therapy: repetitive application of TMS, or rTMS, has been shown to decrease or increase neuronal activity after the stimulation has been stopped. This suggests that specific behaviour of the brain could be modified and remain modified until another treatment is needed, promising important breakthroughs in many neurologically related diseases such as recovery from stroke, depression, chronic pain, and others.Shmuel’s colleagues are pursuing four of these possibilities:Amblyopia - (Chris Pack). Amblyopia is an untreatable disorder affecting 1%-5% of the population and a leading cause of vision loss in young children. It is now known to be caused by abnormalities in the visual cortex which could be modified by TMS. Auditory cortex and tinnitus – (Robert Zatorre). Tinnitus is a chronic auditory hallucination such as a loud ringing in the ear and has surfaced as a frequent complaint of Iraq war veterans. TMS is seen as a promising treatment by reducing the hyperexcitability in the auditory parts of the brain. Cognitive recovery post-stroke - (Lesley Fellows). Hemi-Spatial Neglect is induced by stroke and leaves the patient with no awareness of anything on one side of his field of vision. There is no established treatment. It is hoped that TMS can address the under-activity of the damaged right hemisphere of the brain’s attention system or reduce a counter-productive over-activity in the intact left hemisphere.Surgical planning for tumour removal – (Michael Petrides and Rolando Del Maestro). Increasing or decreasing activity in areas of the brain next to the tumour will greatly reduce uncertainty in planning the surgery and lessen the likelihood of damage to other cognitive functions.

stimulating the Brain

progress

Two of the five connected projects – shmuel’s and Pack’s – have spearheaded the initial activity to complete the information necessary for advancing applications. Twelve data sets have been assembled from experiments in rats, and systems have been set up for studying response in non-human primates at shmuel’s lab. Pack’s lab has been studying the effect of rTMs on visual perception in healthy human volunteers, and has started experimentation in patients with amblyopia.

oUtlook

Experiments in the neurophysical basis of TMs will continue in rats and non-human primates. This knowledge will be applied to improve the technique and clarify the usefulness of TMs in several clinical contexts. First year goals have been met in development of the clinical applications.

summAryTranscranial Magnetic stimulation is an exciting advance, but more is known about what it does than how it does it. dr. shmuel is addressing the lack of experimentation to reveal the mechanisms of TMs, while colleagues develop clinical applications with both translational and commercial significance.

project: clinical applications of non-invasive manipulation of neuronal excitabilityApplication to health care: non-invasive neurological diagnosis and therapies investigator: amir shmuelfunding: $120,000commercialization potential: To be determined

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reseArch reports PuBlic ouTreach

eileen petersonexpanding neuro-Patient resource centre outreach

($30,000)The Neuro-Patient Resource Centre (NPRC) is a familiar source of infor-mation on neurological disorders, especially to patients and their families. Information is made avail-able in English and French and many available resources identified. The Centre works with other MNI profes-sionals to create patient information which can also be found on the NPRC website. The service is being made significantly more available by this project which will fund extended hours of operation. The funding will also enable an upgrade of the website in line with a recent usability study.

carol wiens, william feindelneuro history Project

($15,000)The Neuro Library forms part of an information network that serves the research and health care community on a local, provincial and international level. This CECR funded project is making possible new access to books which originally belonged to MNI founder Wilder Penfield and his immediate successor Theodore Rasmussen. Penfield himself was a prolific writer whose output included novels and medical biographies. These books, held in the McGill University’s Archives & Storage, are now catalogued and available at The Neuro Library.

With molecular diagnostics, a key technology in “targeted medicine”, populations can be identified that are predisposed to certain diseases, leading to earlier intervention and better therapies.

“There is a particular need for molecular diagnosis in neurology, because a large number of diseases are hereditary, caused by genetic mutations”, says Michael Sinnreich. “Not only does it help define a precise treatment – or prevent the wrong treatment – but the knowledge is critical in family planning and counseling for an inheritable disorder.”Sinnreich and Dr. Eric Shoubridge co-direct the new Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory for Neuromuscular Diseases. Shoubridge is an internationally renowned specialist in molecular genetics of mitochondrial diseases. Sinnreich and Shoubridge were each pursuing their own specialty when Sinnreich began to consider the need for a more comprehensive capability within the MNI.The MNI is the reference centre for neurological diseases in Canada. Patients are referred from across Quebec, Canada and North America for investigation.“Genetic diagnosis is not easy to obtain in Quebec”, he says. “It’s cumbersome and costly. Either you send a test to very expensive commercial labs out of province, or you send it to specialized research labs that only do one type of test and takes six months. Since we do a lot of genetic testing here at the MNI, it seemed to me a clear case for a well structured facility of our own.”With a start-up budget from CECR funding, the Laboratory has been sufficiently successful to warrant increased funding in Year 2. The lab has generated sufficient revenue on a cost-recovery billing basis to enable the hiring of a second technician. Most initial tests were done for clinicians at MNI or within the MUHC, but the service is starting to attract business from a wider circle.The MNI is now looking at a more expanded capability for the Laboratory: a new study of the in vitro diagnostic market anticipates compound annual growth of 13% for molecular diagnostics over the next three years.

targeting Medicine with Molecular diagnosis

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a total of 191 analyses have been completed for 10 genes implicated in muscular dystrophy and als. These have generated revenues of over $100,000. The mitochondrial testing service generates approximately $50,000 a year with its current testing protocols.

oUtlook

a further eight genetic tests for neuromuscular diseases are in development. The lab also is looking at offering a broader range of genetic testing to include movement disorders, epilepsy, migraine, stroke and central demyelinating diseases.

The Molecular Diagnostic laboratory has been approached by a pharmaceutical company interested in collaborating on biochemical diagnostic tests that would establish the Mni as canada’s reference centre for Pompe’s and Fabry’s diseases. These are previously untreatable diseases for which therapeutic treatment has recently been developed. The development of these tests is currently underway.

project: Mni Molecular diagnostic laboratoryApplication to health care: Faster, cheaper access to genetic testing investigators: Michael sinnreich, Eric shoubridgefunding: $75,000commercialization potential: High

summArydrs. sinnreich’s and shoubridge’s work will not only greatly improve internal efficiencies, it will also fill a commercial void in the community. The lab has been approached to become canada’s reference centre for two specific diseases, partnered by a drug company.

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PUBLIC OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

Funds from the CECR Award to the MNI have been allocated for educational and outreach activities. The initial investment of CECR funds is expected to leverage additional funds from the private sector and to lead to long term educational ben-efits, including transferring knowledge and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

Neuropolis In collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), the MNI is developing an immersive, 3D IMAX-type motion picture on neuroscience that features the work of scientists at the MNI and at other universities and centres around the world. The main purpose of the film is to spark curiosity and to inspire a new generation of young people to be excited about science, and particularly neuroscience. Given the inherently interesting discoveries about how the brain and nervous system work, viewers will be drawn into a story of who scientists are and how they think about scientific questions, and see young people from diverse backgrounds who are making a career in the field of science. Using a very accessible metaphor of the nervous system as a city, the film entitled Neuropolis will help viewers to under-stand and to appreciate the complexity of the nervous system, the nature of communication among its components and the degree of specialization in different regions of the brain. In addition, some of the most striking discoveries in neuroscience will be woven into the film, such as new findings about the plasticity of the adult brain that have changed the way we think about learning and recovery from injury. More than one hundred hours of interviews with scientists have been conducted and analyzed, and the film concept has been developed into a fully realized video story board. For the three dimensional effects, the NFB is using the SANDDE (Stereo Animation Drawing Device) system developed by the entertainment technology company IMAX Corporation, and installed at NFB on a pilot basis. The value of this real time 3D drawing technology and other technologies, such as computational photography, will be demonstrated and disseminated through the execution of this film, which will add an additional dimension to the knowledge translation aspect of this project.

Neuropolis has an estimated budget of $7 million and a target for completion in 2 years. In September 2009, the MNI and the NFB will be seeking partners to participate in the produc-tion and distribution of the film. This partnership initiative will include discussions with the National Science Foundation in the United States, the IMAX Corporation and other corpo-rations, as well as foundations and government agencies.

Brenda milner book Dr. Brenda Milner, the Dorothy J. Killam Professor at the MNI, is known worldwide as a pioneer in cognitive neu-roscience. In the 1950s, in her early career as a colleague of MNI founder Wilder Penfield, she revolutionized the study of memory and fundamentally changed the way scientists understand the human brain and its organization. Through careful observation of seemingly simple tasks in patients who had undergone neurosurgery for epilepsy, Dr. Milner revealed the different kinds of memory function and demonstrated that memory could be impaired without affecting perception and other cognitive functions. Milner’s work has inspired a genera-tion of cognitive neuroscientists and helped to establish one of the fastest growing and most important areas in the field. Dr. Milner, now aged 91, is still in demand as a speaker who discusses her work in the context of some of the most impor-tant historic figures and perspectives, and who is well versed in the use and implications of the most advanced contemporary tools and techniques. Dr. Milner continues in her role as an active teacher at McGill University where she regularly lectures to undergraduate, graduate and medical students. The out-pouring of respect for Dr. Milner at these lectures is remark-able. She is a role model for both the young and not so young students of science. In recognition of Dr. Milner’s place in history, the MNI has commissioned a book about her life and work. A well established author who has completed four days of interviews with Dr. Milner, reviewed Dr. Milner’s published works and viewed tapes of Dr. Milner’s lectures, is now developing the outline of the book. We anticipate that there will be a broad academic and general audience for this book as evidenced by the on-going demand from the media for interviews with Dr. Milner, and the growth of books in the field of neuro-science. The book project has already attracted the attention of a publishing firm and should be completed in about two years.

institute and international fellows ProgramThe CECR Fellowship supports research and study in clinical and basic neuroscience. The MNI has awarded a total of 10 Fellowships in 2008-2009:• 9 Fellowships are funded at $40,000 each for two years;• 1 Fellowship is funded at $15,000 for the first year and

at $10,000 for the second year.

mcgill integrated Neuroscience Program and student rotation ProgramThe McGill Integrated Program in Neuroscience (IPN) is a new initiative, in line with McGill University’s Strategic Plan to attract top graduate students. Montreal has a very high concentration of neuroscientists, but they are spread out through different departments, hospitals and research institutes. The IPN is a multi-disciplinary, inter-departmental program that will bring together all graduate training in neuroscience currently under the McGill umbrella, and will offer prospective students a single, consolidated program through which to apply for and attain their MSc or PhD in neuroscience. The IPN has evolved from the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, which was already offering graduate degrees in neuroscience. All aspects of the student experience, including the program’s website, application and supervisor selection procedures, tracking the attainment of milestones, perception of belonging to a McGill program, and student awards, are being improved over previous systems. The IPN will also offer a Rotation Program for outstanding students who wish to try their skills in several different laboratories for their first year, before committing to a supervisor for the rest of their graduate work.

integrated Program in Neuroscience retreat (september 17-18, 2009)The inaugural Integrated Program in Neuroscience (IPN) Retreat will be an unprecedented opportunity for McGill researchers, from all disciplines of neuroscience, to come together and share their work interests with one another. Attendance at the two day event is mandatory for all new students admitted to the IPN, and all labs of IPN supervisors are also invited. With poster sessions (with up to 200 posters), overview talks and themed sessions, McGill’s contributions to the world of neuroscience research will be showcased at the Retreat. Additionally, other scheduled activities will encourage interaction among students, postdoctoral Fellows and prin-cipal investigators representing the full depth and breadth of McGill neuroscience. Overall, we expect the Retreat to be the ideal launch for the IPN, bringing all members together, and cementing their perception of belonging to a cohesive neuro-science program. In future years, the Retreat will become an annual event and serve as a highlight of the IPN.

media relations and Public outreach and educationAn amount of $325,000 of the CECR Award was set aside in 2008-2009 to fund a number of endeavours that aim to increase public awareness of The Neuro, its scientific and clinical activities and contribution to health care. Branding and outreach activities include print ads for maga-zines and public locations, and aim to ensure a written and visual presence in the lay public’s mind. The ads have been used to leverage donations of ad space worth approximately $150,000 in 2008-2009. The Neuro celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2009. A Coordinator has been hired to develop material and to plan 75th anniversary events, thereby ensuring that The Neuro enjoys continued and appropriate visibility.

celebrating 75 years of innovation in neuroscienceThe Neuro’s 75th Anniversary will be a memborable occasion that will include numerous events designed to bring together some of the world’s most innovative neuroscientists. The Anniversary Ceremony and The Future of Scientific Discovery Panel Discussion open our doors to the public as we take a closer look at the milestones that have brought The Neuro to where it is today and invite us to celebrate our plans to achieve new heights in scientific and medical discoveries.Planned events include:• The Anniversary Scientific Symposium, to be held

November 2-3, 2009. Entitled ‘Pathways of Discovery in Neuroscience’, the 2-day event will bring together a number of the world’s most innovative researchers and clinicians in the field of neuroscience. The Symposium, which also celebrates the Gairdner Foundation’s 50th Anniversary, will take the form of high-level scientific lectures and the exchange of knowledge.

• Looking Back, Thinking Ahead: The Neuro’s 75th Anniversary Open House, November 4, 2009. Interactive and educa-tional exhibits and tours of The Neuro are planned.

• The Future of Scientific Discovery Panel Discussion, to be held November 4, 2009 as part of the Open House. The following panelists will explore and discuss the future in the pursuit of scientific excellence:

• David Colman, PhD, Director, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital • Mr. André Picard, award-winning journalist, The Globe and Mail • Rémi Quirion, PhD, Vice Dean, Science and Strategic Initiatives, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University • Dr. Philippe Walker, Vice President, Discovery, AstraZeneca R&D• At the Special Interest Dinners, to be held on November 2,

2009, Neuro colleagues, former trainees and invited speakers will gather together to learn about recent developments at The Neuro from prominent faculty members, their host for the dinner. Nine dinners are scheduled and topics range from Neurosurgery to the Cellular Basis of Neurological Disease to Neuroscience Nursing.

Development and maintenance of web-based performance monitoring resources

The MNI has established an on-line system that can be securely accessed via the web and that allows MNI faculty to apply for funding. This web-based application also allows successful applicants to provide quarterly updates that show progress toward milestones, and to provide information on commercial developments as well as on trainees and staff who have been hired.

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Our overall objectives defined in 2008-2009 form part of a long-term strategy for effective use of the CECR Award over a three-year period and have been maintained for 2009-2010. Our plan for the second year of the CECR will help us pursue activities that were initiated in 2008-2009 and to identify new projects for funding. The application and review process that was established in 2008-2009 has been maintained, and progress against initial goals and milestones is a key requirement for continued funding. Clinicians and researchers have been invited to apply for funding through the MNI CECR: some of these applications represent renewals of projects funded in the first year, but we also considered new applications that target areas for commercial or translational innovations. Portions of the Award have also been set aside for development of highly-qualified personnel and for expansion of our public outreach and engagement activities.

planned expenditures for 2009-2010 are defined as follows:

Investigator Initiated Programs

•biologicalbasisofneurologicaldisease,earlystagecommercialization $ 995,000

•neuroengineering $ 545,000

•translationalneuroscience $1,315,000

•appliedneuroscienceandrapidcommercialization $1,005,000

•clinicaltrialssupport $ 350,000

public outreach and engagement

•fellowshipprogram $ 400,000

•mcgillintegratedneuroscienceprogram $ 200,000

•mediarelationsandoutreach $ 150,000

•intellectualpropertyprotectionandbusinessdevelopment $ 150,000

•administration $ 50,000

totAl $ 5,160,000

Our short term goals for 2009-2010 focus on reviewing Year 2 applications and initiating funding. Our medium term goals are to facilitate the growth of commercial ventures that were initiated in Year 1, and to ensure appropriate management and governance structures for these entities.The Internal Review Committee, the Commercialization Committee and the Centre of Excellence Advisory Board will ensure, through their respective mandates, that management of the MNI CECR Award is efficient, fair and transparent, and that funding is used towards stated objectives.

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Industry partners

The MNI has a long history of partnerships with industry and lists a number of major companies in its collaborations. Among them are the following:• Archemix Therapeutics• AstraZeneca• Aventis• Biogen-Idec• GE Medical Systems• Genentech• Millennium Pharmaceuticals• Millipore• Neuromics• PainCeptor Pharma• Proportional Technologies Inc.• Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc.• Teva Neuroscience

As well, MNI investigators founded several companies over the last few years as part of their technology and knowledge transfer ini-tiatives:• Aegera Therapeutics• Biospective• PainCeptor Pharma• Stellate

The projects funded through the CECR Award have enabled further collaborations with industry and already, companies have expressed commercial interest in the results of some of these projects or have concluded contracts with the MNI. In 2008-2009, collaborations have been confirmed with AstraZeneca, Medtronic and Dixi Microtechnique of France.

Patent applications

The results so far of four CECR-funded projects are the object of patent applications:Alyson Fournier Targeting CRMP4b for neuronal repair - National phase in Canada, the United

States, Europe and JapanPhil BarkerTargeting neurite growth inhibitor receptors to promote regeneration after injury - LGI1: National phase in the United StatesTim KennedyGeneration and characterization of novel compounds to inhibit cell migration - Netrin: Provisional patent application filed

in the United StatesAmit Bar-OrPediatric MS biomarkers - Patent application filedDavid ColmanPediatric MS biomarkers - Cadherin: Proof of concept stage

Revenues generated from commercial activities in 2008-2009

Peter McPhersonAntibody and Lentiviral Resources for Neuroscience Research $10,800Michael Sinnreich Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory for Neurological Diseases $48,982

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To the management of the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning

At the request of the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning (McGill University) (the “University”), of which the Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University (the “Institute”) is a department, we have audited the statement of revenue and expenses for the period from June 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009 (the “Schedule”) of the Institute in connection with the Funding Agreement signed with the Minister of Industry. This financial information is the responsibility of the management of the Institute and of the University. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on this financial information based on our audit.We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform an audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial information is free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial information. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial information.

In our opinion, the Schedule presents fairly, in all material respects, the revenue and expenses of the University for the year ended May 31, 2009 in accordance with the University’s reporting requirements under the Funding Agreement with the Minister of Industry.

November 25, 2009

____________________1 Chartered accountant auditor permit no 22220

samson bélair/deloitte & touche s.e.n.c.r.l.1 place Ville Mariesuite 3000Montréal Qc H3b 4T9canada

Tel: 514-393-7115Fax: 514-390-4116

www.deloitte.ca

mcGill UniVersitY fUndinG aGreement With the minister of indUstrYStatement of revenue and expensesfor the period from June 1, 2008 to may 31, 2009

revenue

Minister of industry $15,000,000

interest earned on revenue 319,019

15,319,019

Expenses

salaries 1,627,139

Fringe benefits 230,226

Material and supplies 442,160

contract and consultant services 358,147

Travel 25,383

Equipment 126,070

Miscellaneous 97,360

2,906,485

Excess of revenue over expenses $12,412,534

The following information is presented in accordance with our Funding agreement:

article 8.2.e.i – The median value for the salary range of executive and senior staff members is $130,427

article 8.2.e.ii – The median value for the salary range for employees earning more than $100,000 is $134,272

The cEcr award was not used to fund these salaries.

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investigAtor biologicAl bAsis of neurologicAl diseAse funding

Edward ruthazer computational modeling of cell biological processes $ 40,000

Michael petrides creation of the Mni probabilistic architectonic atlas of the human cerebral cortex $ 150,000

Viviane sziklas fMri study of acquisition and retrieval of pseudowords and designs in temporal lobe epilepsy $ 60,000

jean-François cloutier, Mni resource centre for Mouse Models (MrcMM) $ 125,000stefano stifani

Thomas stroh Multi-colour super resolution imaging of fluorescently tagged proteins $ 30,000

barry bedell pia-aracHnoid—platform for integrated, advanced animal research for complex Human neurological, oncological and inflammatory diseases $ 150,000

Edward Fon The cell biology of parkinson’s disease $ 120,000

alain dagher The effects of stress on eating behaviour and brain activity: a functional Magnetic resonance imaging (fMri) study $ 65,000

phil barker The joint Mni-bri protein production Facility $ 75,000

Thomas stroh Microscopy core services $ 115,000

investigAtor neuroengineering funding

Eliane kobayashi application of magnetoencephalography in the assessment of the epileptic focus $ 75,000

andrea bernasconi automated lesion detection in pharmacoresistant epilepsy $ 100,000

robert zatorre deaf-blindness: cross-modal reorganization and cochlear implant proficiency $ 20,000

christopher pack, Mni unit for investigating mechanisms of deep brain stimulation abbas sadikot, therapy in primate models $ 150,000amir shmuel

dan guitton Multielectrode arrays in the study of perception, memory, cognition and the control of prosthetic devices $ 100,000

jean gotman seizure prediction, detection and arrest $ 100,000

investigAtor Applied neuroscience And commerciAlizAtion funding

Mirko diksic a new radioligand for monitoring of patients with alzheimer’s $ 100,000

peter Mcpherson antibody and lentiviral resources for neuroscience research $ 200,000

Michael sinnreich, Molecular diagnostic laboratory for neurological diseases $ 75,000Eric shoubridge

george karpati, preparations for dystrophin gene replacement for the therapyjosephine nalbantoglu of dystrophin deficiency $ 65,000

alyson Fournier Targeting crMp4b for neuronal repair $ 100,000

philippe seguela Trpc channels in neuropathic pain: from cellular physiology to novel therapeutic targets $ 75,000

phil barker Targeting neurite growth inhibitor receptors to promote regeneration after injury $ 75,000

gabriel leonard a new computerized device to measure simple and complex hand and arm movements $ 60,000

Tim kennedy generation and characterization of novel compounds to inhibit cell migration $ 75,000

amit bar-or, identification of novel initiating targets and prognostic markersdavid colman of Ms in pediatric-onset disease $ 180,000

investigAtor trAnslAtionAl neuroscience funding

william Feindel cost-effective analysis of the Montreal procedure for surgical cure of temporal lobe seizures $ 40,000

alain dagher Early diagnosis of alzheimer’s and parkinson’s diseases using Mri measurements $ 100,000

bruce pike imaging innovation and translation $ 500,000

amir shmuel clinical applications of non-invasive manipulation of neuronal excitability $ 120,000

denise klein presurgical functional brain-mapping unit $ 150,000

rolando del Maestro The brain Tumour research centre translational research initiative $ 65,000

lesley Fellows, The Mni cognitive neuroscience testing resource $ 100,000Marilyn jones-gotman, alain ptito

david sinclair Excimer laser-assisted, non-occlusive anastomosis (Elana): an innovative revascularization technique in the treatment of occlusive cerebrovascular disease $ 75,000

investigAtor clinicAl triAls funding

amit bar-or Experimental Therapeutics $ 250,000

angela genge, The Mni Epidemiology and biostatistics unit for clinical research $ 100,000daria Trojan

mAnAger outreAch And engAgement funding

Thomas gevas institute and international Fellows program $ 400,000

Thomas gevas Mcgill integrated neuroscience program $ 60,000

Thomas gevas symposia and inaugural retreat - integrated neuroscience program (conference series) $ 10,000

sandra Mcpherson Media relations and public outreach and education $ 325,000

Eileen peterson Expanding neuro-patient resource centre outreach $ 30,000

carol wiens, neuro History project $ 15,000william Feindel

mAnAger intellectuAl property And business development funding

Thomas gevas intellectual property protection $ 130,000

mAnAger AdministrAtion funding

Thomas gevas administration costs $ 100,000

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The following projects and initiatives were accepted by the Internal Review Committee for funding in 2008-2009. The Internal Review Committee complied with McGill University's Policy on Conflict of Interest and Duty of Loyalty in the evaluation of proposals submitted for CECR funding and in decisions with respect to funding of projects.

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Mandate

To provide global oversight on whether the MNI Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research Award is meeting the goals and terms of the agreement and whether the funding initiatives align with MNI strategic goals.

Membership

Jacques Bougie, O.C, holds law and business degrees from the Université de Montréal and HEC-Montréal. Mr. Bougie was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1994 and received an honorary doctorate from the Université de Montréal in 2001. Mr. Bougie is currently a director of Nova Chemicals Inc., AbitibiBowater Inc., CSL Group Inc., and McCain Foods Limited.Max Fehlmann has over 25 years of R&D management and business development experience gained within public research organizations and several biopharmaceutical companies. He has a doctorate in Biochemistry from Université Laval, a doctorate in Pharmacology from the Université de Nice and an executive MBA from the Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis. Since March 2008, Mr. Fehlmann has been mandated to create and lead the Consortium québécois sur la découverte du medicament, an industrial consortium that brings together all of Québec's stakeholders in drug research.Gregory Orleski brings more than 20 years of experience in a wide variety of senior business roles to his current position as Vice-President, Business Development, Labopharm Inc and until recently, held the title of Division Counsel, Abbott Laboratories International, Pharmaceutical Products Group. Mr. Orleski received a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Alberta and then went on to obtain two law degrees from McGill University.

Mandate

• To ensure that the MNI’s Centre of Excellence funding decisions are consistent with goals outlined in the Federal Science and Technology Strategy.

• To ensure that funding is allocated to high priority projects and distributed in a responsible manner.

• To evaluate proposals using criteria outlined in the competitive phase of the Centres of Excellence in Commercialization and Research Program.

Membership

Martine AlfonsoAdministrative Director, Neuroscience Mission, McGill University Health Center

Amit Bar-Or, MDDirector, Experimental Therapeutics Program and Coordinator, Clinical Research Unit, MNI

Philip Barker, PhDDirector, MNI’s Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research Award Associate Director, Strategic Affairs, MNI

Robert Dunn, PhDAssociate Director, Scientific Affairs, MNI

Thomas GevasChief Financial Officer, MNI

Elizabeth Kofron, PhDAssociate Director, Corporate Affairs and Special Projects, MNI

Peter McPherson, PhDCoordinator, Cell Biology of Excitable Tissue, Neurobiology Unit, MNI

Bruce Pike, PhDDirector, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, MNI

Eric Shoubridge, PhDDirector, Molecular Neurogenetics, MNI

David Sinclair, MDNeurosurgeon, The Neuro

Mandate

• To review and advise on all potential commercial activities and will be charged with identifying the most promising technologies, with providing input into intellectual property protection and developing commercialization strategies.

• To ensure that projects with commercial potential/aspects are provided the necessary tools/aids to avert failure.

Membership

Philip Barker, PhDDirector, MNI’s Centre of Excellence in Commercialization and Research Award Associate Director, Strategic Affairs, MNI

Thomas Gevas Chief Financial Officer, MNI

Timothé Huot, LL.L.Lawyer, BCF

Donald Olds, MSc, MBAChief Financial Officer & Chief Operations Officer, Aegera Therapeutics Inc.

Emma Saffman, PhDPatent Agent, Ogilvy Renault

Michael Stern, PhDOfficer, Life Sciences, Office of Technology Transfer, McGill University

Patrick Tremblay, PhDExecutive-in-Residence, Pappas Ventures

CECR INTERNAl REVIEW CoMMITTEE

CECR CoMMERCIAlIZATIoN CoMMITTEE

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INVESTIGATORS

Biological basis of neurological disease

Phil Barker

Barry Bedell

Jean-François Cloutier

Alain Dagher

Edward Fon

Michael Petrides

Edward Ruthazer

Stefano Stifani

Thomas Stroh

Viviane Sziklas

Translational neuroscience

Alain Dagher

Rolando Del Maestro

William Feindel

Lesley Fellows

Marilyn Jones-Gotman

Denise Klein

Bruce Pike

Alain Ptito

Amir Shmuel

David Sinclair

Neuroengineering

Andrea Bernasconi

Vamsy Chodavarapu

Jean Gotman

Dan Guitton

Eliana Kobayashi

Christopher Pack

Abbas Sadikot

Amir Shmuel

Robert Zatorre

Clinical trials

Amit Bar-Or

Angela Genge

Daria Trojan

Applied neuroscience and commercialization

Phil Barker

Amit Bar-Or

David Colman

Mirko Diksic

Alyson Fournier

George Karpati*

Tim Kennedy

Gabriel Leonard

Peter McPherson

Josephine Nalbantoglu

Philippe Seguela

Michael Sinnreich* Passed away in February 2009

STUDENTS

Mirza Abdel Baig

Vincent Beliveau

Jen-Kai Chen

Martin Girard

Karl Grenier

Bassam Khoury

Faisal Nagib

Stephan Ong Tone

Juan Felipe Perez-Juste

Isabel Rambaldi

Mario Ruizruiz

Steven Solomon

Mary-Eve Stebenne

Michael Waterston

Deborah Weiss

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOwS

Celine Amiez

Sarah Banks

Jan Churan

Dong Han

Jachin Monteon

Beth Tannenbaum

Sebastien Thomas

Theo Zenos

Yaohui Zhu

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We would like to thank the faculty and staff of the MNI for contributing their time in presenting their research projects and results. We would also like to acknowledge the work of photographer Owen Egan. A special thank-you to Angela Broccoli for all her help in coordinating the production of this report.

Design and production: c

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To obtain additional copies of this report or for more information, please contact:

Neuro Development Office Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital 3801 University Street Montréal, Québec H3A 2B4

External Affairs: Tel: 514 398-1902 Fax: 514 398-8072

Communications.mni@mcgill.ca www.mni.mcgill.ca

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