Scientists around the world are using new techniques to analyze single brain cells to understand conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. starting. Now, thanks to his new $15.3 million donation to McGill from the Ludmer Family Foundation, the university and his three hospital research partners have established the Ludmer Center Single-Cell Genomics Brain Initiative (SCGBI), which Our mission is to deepen our understanding of roles. Individual brain cells functioning at the molecular, anatomical, and structural levels.
The endowment will primarily fund nine new scientific research positions with the aim of advancing brain research by examining the brain one cell at a time, a process that requires extensive cellular technology and data processing. used to provide
trio of talent
Three positions are created for each of Ludmer Center’s three hospital partners. The Lady Davis Institute at Jewish General Hospital, which specializes in developing analytical strategies for single-cell data. The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) focuses on neuroinformatics and neurological disorders.
“On behalf of the entire McGill community, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to Irving Ludmer and the Ludmer Family Foundation for this visionary charitable donation. Based on the extraordinary support for research, Principal of McGill University.” Mr. Ludmar is a champion in advancing neuroscience through innovation, technology and collaboration, and we are honored to demonstrate the confidence our researchers have in bringing new levels of understanding and insight into brain health and disease. ”
“I wanted to take this opportunity to bring the research community together and support a truly collaborative effort in which partner institutions share best practices and develop each other’s strengths,” said Irving Ludmer (BEng’57, LLD’19) states: “This kind of collaboration benefits the research community and the future of brain research. This is why both McGill and Montreal are Centers of Excellence at the forefront of neuroscience.”
New Hope for Insight into Depression and Schizophrenia
Dr. Gustavo Turecki, Chair of McGill’s Department of Psychiatry and Scientific Director of the Douglas Institute, will play an integral role in establishing this initiative. His own work as a clinician and scientist includes investigating the neurobiology of depression and suicide.
“The potential for advancing brain diseases and disorders using single-cell approaches to research is enormous,” said Dr. Turecki. “This approach uses single-cell genomics to provide new hope for patients and their families as it helps unravel the changes that affect common brain diseases such as depression and schizophrenia.” I am working for.”
“Using detailed maps of the human brain at single-cell resolution and technical analysis of individual brain cells in greater detail than ever before, researchers will be able to gain a better understanding of normal brain function and You’ll be able to treat psychopathology, neurological disorders, and brain tumors,” he explained.
For Dr. Turecki, expanding its current mission to include SCGBI means the Ludmer Center can evolve into a world leader in the emerging field of single-cell brain neurobiology.
About the Ludmar Center for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health: A Montreal-Wide Partnership
Founded in 2013 with a donation from the Ludmer Family Foundation, the Ludmer Center for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health advances novel brain research for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
By sharing infrastructure, methodologies, and results, three hospital partners and McGill are accelerating patient care, and the Ludmer Center is already moving toward its ambitious goal of creating a comprehensive map of the brain. We are making important progress.
Alan Evans, co-director of the Ludmer Center, previously created the highest-resolution 3D map of the whole brain anatomy that exists. SCGBI adds new information about the distribution of different cell types throughout the brain. Co-Director Patricia Silveira has developed a powerful new strategy to link gene expression in the brain to clinical and neuroimaging metrics. SCGBI provides important links between gene networks, clinical aspects related to their function, and neuroimaging data. Co-Director Celia Greenwood has developed sophisticated mathematical and statistical machinery to process the wealth of data generated by SGBBI’s work.
record of generosity
This latest donation adds to the Ludmer Family Foundation’s long record of generosity to McGill, bringing more than $32 million in charitable support to university initiatives. In addition to funding previous brain research, the Foundation has supported research at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, the Steinberg Simulation and Interactive Learning Center, McGill’s Psychiatry and Psychology Division, and inflammatory bowel disease research. I was.
Beyond McGill, the Foundation supports many causes and organizations in the fields of health, social services, education and research.
About McGill University
Founded in 1821 in Montreal, Quebec, McGill University is Canada’s top medical doctoral university. McGill is consistently ranked as one of the top national and international universities. A world-renowned higher education institution with research activities across 3 campuses, 11 faculties, 13 colleges of study, 300 study programs, and over 39,000 students, including over 10,400 graduate students . McGill has students from over 150 countries around the world, with 12,000 international students making up 30% of his total student body. More than half of McGill students claim a first language other than English, and approximately 20% of students speak French as their first language.
