The Government of Canada has invested more than $552 million in research infrastructure through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) Innovation Fund.

DMCBH researchers are leading two projects, which will support innovative health research by providing advanced imaging, infrastructure and expertise to help scientists and clinicians better understand brain diseases and mobility challenges, ultimately improving diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for Canadians.

Overall, UBC researchers are leading 14 projects, with a total of $50.6 million in funding. Read the UBC announcement.

Learn more about the projects led by DMCBH members:

UBC MRI Research Centre Expansion: Integration of Multi-nuclear MR Technology to Assess Brain Disease and Injury ($1,870,249)

Project Leads: Cornelia Laule and Piotr Kozlowski

The UBC MRI Research Centre advances health research by providing state-of-the-art MRI imaging and spectroscopy to a broad community of scientists and clinicians. For over 20 years, the Centre has led the development of advanced MRI techniques specific to tissue properties and microstructure, particularly myelin.

By expanding to multi-nuclear MRI, signals can now be detected from a variety of sources such as sodium, phosphorus and deuterium, in combination with myelin imaging capabilities, to study neuronal changes in conditions like multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and traumatic brain injury. This multi-nuclear upgrade will enhance the Centre’s ability to diagnose, stratify treatment and understand disease mechanisms.

Mobility Innovation Core ($1,463,060)

Project lead: Teresa Liu-Ambrose

The Mobility Innovation Core (MIC) aims to advance research that helps Canadians maintain mobility, independence and quality of life. Located at Vancouver General Hospital, it provides state-of-the-art infrastructure, expertise and services to support innovative and globally competitive mobility research.

The MIC is critical for advancing clinical research in mobility by addressing key challenges and barriers faced by Canadian researchers. By increasing efficiency and capacity, the MIC enables healthcare professionals to engage in and lead research (spanning mechanistic, patient-oriented and population-based research), with the objective of improving mobility and health outcomes.