Your brain is always changing. It is constantly processing information from your body and making sense of the world around you. And in doing so, your brain itself is changing. In fact it continues changing throughout your lifetime. You experience this change with every new skill you learn, and every old memory you forget. Neurogenesis, or the creation of new brain cells, is a primary driver of this change: cells are born then differentiate into a specific type of neuron, migrate to their destination in the brain, and then finally integrate into a new or existing network. As the new President and Scientific Director of the Ontario Brain Institute, I feel this is a fitting way to introduce myself to all of you. Continue reading “Message From Dr. Tom Mikkelsen, President And Scientific Director Of OBI”
Year: 2015
Updates From Our Research Programs
OBI’s Integrated Discovery Programs bring together over 200 core researchers and clinicians, 35 institutions, 40 companies, and 20 patient advocacy groups from across Ontario.
Read about their latest news and progress in the updates that they have provided. Continue reading “Updates From Our Research Programs”
Turning Knowledge Into Action
Knowledge is an important resource that can be used to affect behaviour and cause positive change. OBI’s Outreach initiatives focus on harnessing what we know to: tell stories, build community, connect evidence and care, and evaluate our work – all to make an impact on brain health in Ontario. Continue reading “Turning Knowledge Into Action”
Helping Companies Get Over Their First Hurdles
Dr. Ron Gonzalez is passionate about taking science out of the labs and putting it into practice. As a result of his success in doing just that, today he’s the President of Avertus Epilepsy Technologies Inc. (Avertus): a company focused on improving the lives of people with epilepsy through the development of a wearable headset that can monitor and alert people of their seizures. Continue reading “Helping Companies Get Over Their First Hurdles”
International Data Linkages For New Possibilities In Autism Research
OBI catalyzes the impact of brain research in Ontario by increasing collaboration among researchers, doctors, patients and their advocates, and industry partners. A key ingredient to collaboration is, of course, sharing. At OBI, a cornerstone of effective research collaboration involves sharing large quantities of data. In order for this to be done effectively, it must be stored somewhere where it can be accessed and analyzed collectively. Continue reading “International Data Linkages For New Possibilities In Autism Research”
Expanding The Borders Of Research Through Cross-Disorder Collaborations
While autism, epilepsy, or depression may at first seem worlds apart, there is benefit in studying these and other brain disorders together. Each condition has unique traits, but there is often overlap. For instance, people living with autism may experience depression and people living with cerebral palsy may have seizures. Brain research is inherently complex – different disorders may share similar underlying causes and similar disorders may have very different underlying causes. Although this makes things complicated, it also creates an opportunity to borrow insights from one disorder to inform research into another disorder. Continue reading “Expanding The Borders Of Research Through Cross-Disorder Collaborations”
Autism Across the Lifespan
What do you see when you think of autism? Up until recently, I would picture early intervention with children. But what happens once those children grow up? While early intervention and services for children are important, the needs of adults living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have gone somewhat unnoticed. Children with ASD grow up to be adults with ASD, and continue to have needs that require supports and services.
Continue reading “Autism Across the Lifespan”