Drs. Silke Appel-Cresswell and Haakon Nygaard have been appointed as the new Co-Directors of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health’s Borgland Family Brain Tissue and DNA Bank (DMCBH Biobank), effective July 1, 2025. Their leadership marks an exciting new chapter for this vital core facility, which plays a central role in supporting translational brain research at the Centre.
Drs. Appel-Cresswell and Nygaard bring a wealth of expertise in neurodegenerative disease research and a shared commitment to promoting collaborative and accessible research that drives innovation and discovery across disciplines.
About the new Co-Directors:
Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell is a movement disorders neurologist and Associate Professor in the Division of Neurology at UBC. She leads the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre and holds the Marg Meikle Professorship for Parkinson’s Research. Her clinical and research work focuses on a holistic, interdisciplinary approach in the treatment and prevention of brain disorders. She leads several clinical trials, biobanking and cohort studies. She is also co-founder of the BC Brain Wellness Program, which combines clinical care with ongoing interventions that support healthier lifestyles.
Dr. Haakon Nygaard is the Fipke Professor in Alzheimer’s Research and an Associate Professor in the Division of Neurology at UBC. He serves as Director of the UBC Hospital Clinic for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders. His translational research program spans basic science and clinical trials, with the goal of developing effective therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Nygaard also plays a key role in national and international initiatives aimed at improving dementia diagnosis and care.
The biobank is a critical resource for advancing research as it provides readily available biological samples and data that can be used across multiple studies. We look forward to the continued growth and development of the DMCBH Biobank under Drs. Appel-Cresswell and Nygaard’s leadership in the years to come.
