Canadian Alzheimer's scientists gain funding boost

The federal government has pledged $8.6 million for new research on Alzheimer's disease.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq made the announcement on Friday in Vaughan, Ont., north of Toronto, saying the government hopes to "turn the tide" of the mind-robbing disease in Canada.

"Tragically, we've all heard stories of an elderly parent or a child's grandfather fall victim to this terrible illness," Aglukkaq told reporters.

"It is scary, it is cruel and an unforgiving disease that rips the elderly of a lifetime of memories. Through research, we have developed a pretty clear picture of what dementia looks like. We're also beginning to understand how dementia works. We need to better understand this disease so we can develop effective strategies for its prevention, early diagnosis and treatment."

The funding will support 44 research projects approved by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, including:

• Dr. Wangdong Zhang at the University of Ottawa will study the link between genes that regulate cholesterol metabolism in the brain and the development of late-onset Alzheimer's disease.
• Dr. Sandra Black at the Sunnybrook Research Institute in Toronto will use functional brain imaging to study how changes in the activity of a specific part of the brain may be used as a biomarker to diagnose Alzheimer's disease and track a patient's response to treatment.
• Dr. Cheryl Wellington at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver will study the potential of certain compounds to remove beta-amyloid protein from the brain as a new therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease. Beta-amyloid is best known as part of the hallmark plaques found inside the brains of people with Alzheimer's.
• Dr. Stephen Pasternak at the University of Western Ontario will study the production of beta-amyloid protein in brain cells to determine where it is produced and how its production is affected in Alzheimer's disease.
• Dr. Tamàs Fulop at the Sherbrooke University will study the role of the immune system in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Aglukkaq was was joined by Julian Fantino, the new minister of state for seniors, who announced another $160,000 for an  international Alzheimer's disease conference to be held in Toronto in March.

Debbie Benczkowski, chief executive officer of the Alzheimer Society of Canada, welcomed the announcement, noting that more than 500,000 Canadians live with the disease.

In June 2010, CIHR announced Canada is contributing $1.26 million towards a joint fund with counterparts in Germany and the United Kingdom to support global standards for research on Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The international research strategy includes partnerships with agencies in France, the U.S. and China, Dr. Alain Beaudet, president of the CIHR, said Friday.