Harper Government Applauds One of the Largest Ever Public-Private Investments in Health Research
The Chagnon Family and the Azrieli Foundation commit $46 million to
Support Canadian Brain Research
OTTAWA, Dec. 21, 2012 /CNW/ – Today the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq,
Minister of Health, and the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of
Finance, are pleased to congratulate the Chagnon Family and the Azrieli
Foundation for partnering with Brain Canada and the Government of
Canada, through the Canada Brain Research Fund, by making major
donations to support neuroscience research. Today’s commitments will
total $46 million in new funding. These will be among the largest
public-private investments ever made in Canada towards critically
important disease areas.
“We recognize that millions of Canadians and their families are affected
by brain disease and disorders,” said Minister Aglukkaq. “The donations
from the Chagnon Family and the Azrieli Foundation will increase our
understanding of the brain and of brain disease, and help lead to new
innovative brain research.”
Donations matched
The Brain Canada Foundation’s public-private funding model matches
donations dollar-for-dollar from private donors with federal funds
provided through the Canada Brain Research Fund, effectively doubling
the investment.
“These commitments by the Chagnon Family and the Azrieli Foundation
provide tangible evidence that the approach outlined in Economic Action
Plan 2011 is already delivering results,” said Minister Flaherty. “By
matching financial contributions like these, we will advance Canadian
neuroscience research on a range of neurological diseases, brain
injuries and mental illnesses for the long-term benefit of Canadians
while ensuring tax dollars have maximum impact.”
“We are delighted that, since the launch of the Canada Brain Research
Fund in May 2012, two visionary philanthropists have stepped forward
and validated the public-private model and Brain Canada’s research
program,” said Rupert Duchesne, Chair of Brain Canada. “Brain Canada
is committed to working closely with donors to build programs in
neuroscience that are aimed at bringing the best minds together to
focus on outcomes that will benefit people. We look forward to other
philanthropists and organizations participating in this opportunity to
double their donations while supporting world-class research on the
brain.”
Chagnon Family rewards “outside-the-box” thinking
With an investment of $25 million over five years – half from the
Chagnon Family and matched through the Brain Canada Foundation’s
public-private funding model; and additional funding of $12.5 million
by the Chagnon Family over another five years, the Chagnon Family’s
initiative, Interventions for Prevention of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders, will fund multidisciplinary teams of health researchers and
professionals that propose original, promising and transformative
intervention research that will improve the prevention of Alzheimer
disease and related disorders (ADRD). This will be the largest
investment in interventions for prevention of ADRD ever made in this
country and sets forth a challenge to fast-track a quantum leap in the
field. This initiative will reward “outside-the-box” ideas by
supporting research that is truly innovative and may challenge standard
paradigms.
“My children and I are concerned about the rise in cases of Alzheimer
Disease in an aging population and, since we have been directly
affected by this disease, we understand the impact on families and the
importance of finding preventative measures to counter this disease,”
said M. André Chagnon of the Chagnon family.
The Azrieli Foundation’s commitment: bridging the gap between research
and treatment
With a total investment of $8.5 million over five years, half from the
Azrieli Foundation and half matched through the Brain Canada
Foundation’s public-private funding model — the Azrieli Foundation’s
initiative, The Azrieli Neurodevelopmental Research Program, will support excellent systems and translational research in the area
of neurodevelopmental disorders, with a special focus on Fragile X
syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorders. The ultimate goal of this
initiative – the largest of its kind ever in Canada – is to develop new
diagnostics, treatment and prevention strategies for neurodevelopmental
disorders, to reduce their economic and social burden on Canadians, and
to improve the quality of life for those affected by neurodevelopmental
disorders and their families.
“There has never been a more exciting time to explore, understand and
treat neurodevelopmental disorders,” said Dr. Naomi Azrieli, Chair and
CEO of the Azrieli Foundation. “The tools now available offer an
exceptional opportunity to understand the brain as a whole system, and
to identify targets and develop and test novel therapies that could
revolutionize treatment. We are confident that this unprecedented
investment will encourage the best scientists to come together in
multidisciplinary teams and, through innovative work, close the gap
between discoveries made in the research lab and clinical treatments.”
The Brain Canada Foundation brings together teams of scientists
specializing in different disciplines to identify common mechanisms for
the repair, restructuring, remodelling and recovery of brain functions,
and to translate this knowledge into brain repair and recovery
techniques that can apply to many different diseases and disorders of
the brain and nervous system.
Through collaboration between the Government of Canada and the Brain
Canada Foundation, private and non-governmental donations to support
brain research will be matched dollar-for-dollar with federal funds, up
to $100 million.
Brain Canada is a registered charity, headquartered in Montreal, and the
only national non-profit organization devoted to supporting all
neuroscience research. Since it was established in 1999, Brain Canada
has developed a successful track record in supporting research to
advance knowledge and the treatment of brain disorders.
About the Chagnon Family and the Azrieli Foundation
The Chagnon Family is committed to supporting innovative research
projects to help prevent the onslaught of Alzheimer disease on the
population
The Azrieli Foundation’s mission is to support and operate a range of
initiatives in various fields, including: scientific and medical
research; the promotion of excellence in education and access to
education; tolerance and Holocaust education; the advancement of
excellence in architecture and the arts. For more information go to: www.azrielifoundation.org.
Details about both initiatives are found on Brain Canada’s website:
www.braincanada.ca
Également disponible en français
SOURCE Health Canada
