This year marks the 10th anniversary of the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Canada’s largest integrated brain research and care centre. 

Created in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health, the Centre features state-of-the-art research facilities and patient clinics and is home to more than 100 interdisciplinary researchers, clinicians and clinician-scientists. Together, they are transforming how we understand and treat a wide range of neurological and mental health conditions, from multiple sclerosis (MS) and dementias to Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and depression.

To celebrate this milestone, we spoke with Centre co-director Dr. Lynn Raymond about the Centre’s major breakthroughs, the value of multidisciplinary research, and future plans.

Looking back on the first 10 years of the Centre, what are some of the breakthroughs that have changed how we understand and treat diseases, disorders and injuries of the brain?

UBC is at the forefront of translational research in many areas. Two years ago, we received the world’s largest donation of $33.8 million for MS research to create a world-class research and patient care hub. MS is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the myelin or protective insulation over the nerve cells, damaging or stopping the cells’ ability to receive and communicate messages to the rest of the body.

A key UBC breakthrough in this field is the creation of the myelin water imaging technique, which is a sensitive test that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure myelin damage and potential repair through remyelination therapies.

Fueled by the new donor funding, researchers are now using advances in cell and gene engineering to develop, manufacture and test next-generation cell-based therapies for neurological diseases like MS. The therapy, which is used for cancer care, has never been applied to the brain before so this is something new and exciting.

“UBC is at the forefront of translational research in many areas, including multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia and more.”

– Dr. Lynn Raymond

Our researchers are also global leaders in Huntington’s disease, a genetic disorder that damages brain cells. Together with several other centres around the world, we are testing ways to control ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein expression, which could potentially stop the gene responsible for the disorder. This groundbreaking work could lead to a future cure.

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration is the second most common dementia diagnosis next to Alzheimer’s disease. UBC researchers identified the granulin precursor (GRN) gene which encodes the protein called progranulin that is important in plasticity and learning. Researchers are now identifying biomarkers that will track whether an intervention is working clinically.

The Centre is at the forefront of new technologies for diagnosing, monitoring and managing diseases and disorders. Can you talk about this?

For Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, UBC researchers are developing new technologies for in-home use, such as smart cameras that monitor movement and mood to help track disease progression. This is important because with clinical research, doctors only get a brief snapshot when patients come in for appointments. These technologies provide the long-term data we need to gain new knowledge and improve care.

Researchers at the Centre are using the state-of-the-art Simoa HD-X analyzer, one of the only analyzers of its kind in Canada, that tests proteins and metabolites in blood to find biomarkers which tell us what is happening in the brain. This is exciting because it can be used for prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of traumatic brain injuries like concussions. Biomarkers can also be used to predict outcomes in the ICU after stroke, to follow progression of Alzheimer’s disease and many other brain disorders.

“Bringing researchers and clinicians from different fields together — including from engineering, computer science and physics — is incredibly important in accelerating new discoveries and innovation.”

In mental health, UBC researchers have created a variety of digital apps to better address mental health needs. For example, the PolarUs app helps people living with bipolar disorder monitor their quality of life while also providing them with evidence-based self-management strategies.

Another area we excel in is using non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to treat severe depression, including the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and magnetic seizure therapy (MST).

Brain research is becoming increasingly collaborative and multidisciplinary. How is this accelerating research, and how does the Centre nurture and facilitate collaborative team-based science?

We prioritize collaboration within the Centre and beyond. Bringing researchers and clinicians from different fields together — including from engineering, computer science and physics — is incredibly important in accelerating new discoveries and innovation.

For example, dementia researchers are teaming up with engineers from the University of Victoria to use 3D bioprinters to grow brain tissue from patients’ stem cells to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of Alzheimer’s.

Neuro-rehabilitation scientists are collaborating with the UBC School of Music to understand the impact of music on brain function and its potential role in recovery after brain injury. The BC Brain Wellness Program, founded by a Parkinson’s disease specialist and a sports medicine expert, is combining clinical care, lifestyle programs, education and research to design a comprehensive approach to brain wellness.

To strengthen collaboration at the Centre, co-director Dr. Shernaz Bamji and I have developed integrated research programs to bring together clinicians, foundational scientists and clinician-scientists with similar interests. These teams meet regularly to discuss the big questions in areas such as dementia or mood disorders, and how they can work together to advance translational research and ultimately improve care.

To help them get started, we offer Kickstart Grants and our grants facilitator provides support with larger grant applications. Last year, our members published more than 150 collaborative studies with other UBC researchers, and more than 900 collaborative studies with researchers from across Canada and around the world.

Training the next generation of neuroscientists is incredibly important. Can you speak to the different ways that learners and early-career researchers benefit from training at the Centre?

The Centre is the headquarters for the Graduate Program in Neuroscience, which is a multidisciplinary research program administered in partnership with the Faculty of Medicine and the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Education. The Centre also supports an interdisciplinary undergraduate program in neuroscience, founded two years ago and rapidly gaining in popularity.

Learners are exposed to collaborative team-based science and a wide range of disciplines early on. For example, even if you are training in a molecular lab, you can shadow a clinician and learn about what Alzheimer’s disease looks like clinically. Centre members also organize Databinge, which is a virtual drop-in forum where trainees can find one-on-one support for their data or data analysis questions.

Our early-career researchers are paired with a mentor and one of the main priorities for the grants facilitator is to help them to secure funding. The Centre hosts a weekly lecture series where guest speakers come to share expertise, knowledge and forge professional connections. We also provide a range of core facilities where researchers can access advanced MRI and PET scanners, high-end microscopes and other imaging equipment and receive training on how to use them.

Looking ahead, what are your goals and aspirations for the Centre in the next 10 years?

The ultimate goal is to continue to promote brain health through innovative research, education and patient care, and the recruitment of new faculty members and trainees is a key component of this. We are always looking for new talent to join our community, particularly in areas such as neuroimmunology, neuroinformatics and neurogenomics.

“Researchers are using advances in cell and gene engineering to develop, manufacture and test next-generation cell-based therapies for neurological diseases like MS. The therapy has never been applied to the brain before, so this is something new and exciting.”

One key hire is Dr. Erik Pioro and his recent appointment to the ALS Society of BC Professorship in ALS Research, which will accelerate the development of life-changing treatments for people with ALS and related motor neuron diseases.

Another goal is to create a school of neuroscience that would be integrated into the Centre and include other faculties at UBC. By building and expanding on existing programs and infrastructure, we will ensure that learners continue to receive the best teaching and research opportunities.

Finally, I’m proud that the Centre is now an Open Science Institute. We aim to accelerate new knowledge and therapies for brain disorders by sharing data and research findings. This is important for accessibility because not every part of the world has the same resources or the same technology to generate the type of data we have, but there are brilliant people who could make the next big discovery.

Collaboration is the way forward — it’s how we will have the biggest impact on brain health and patient care. And with more investment, the sky really is the limit.