We are happy to make the slides for the CAN Advocacy training presented May 13 over lunch in Toronto available
CAN Advocacy training presentation (PDF)
Author: Julie
Watch University of Calgary’s Lecture of a Lifetime 2022 with Dr. Samuel Weiss
Sustaining a career that includes making two major scientific discoveries, winning a Gairdner Award, founding the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, and a foray into health policy requires fuel — lots of it — and Dr. Samuel Weiss, PhD’83, knows how to find it.
From being dragged back to school by his mom for the third year of his undergrad in 1977, to being encouraged to bring his knowledge and expertise to Ottawa last year by Canada’s minister of mental health and addictions, Weiss says there was one driving force at play in every stage of his career: Inspiration.
Discovery reveals blocking inflammation may lead to chronic pain
Sport man suffering from backache at park outdoors, Lower back pain concept
Findings may lead to reconsideration of how we treat acute pain
Using anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids to relieve pain could increase the chances of developing chronic pain, according to researchers from McGill University and colleagues in Italy. Their research puts into question conventional practices used to alleviate pain. Normal recovery from a painful injury involves inflammation and blocking that inflammation with drugs could lead to harder-to-treat pain.
“For many decades it’s been standard medical practice to treat pain with anti-inflammatory drugs. But we found that this short-term fix could lead to longer-term problems,” says Jeffrey Mogil, a Professor in the Department of Psychology at McGill University and E. P. Taylor Chair in Pain Studies.
The difference between people who get better and don’t
In the study published in Science Translational Medicine, the researchers examined the mechanisms of pain in both humans and mice. They found that neutrophils – a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infection – play a key role in resolving pain.
“In analyzing the genes of people suffering from lower back pain, we observed active changes in genes over time in people whose pain went away. Changes in the blood cells and their activity seemed to be the most important factor, especially in cells called neutrophils,” says Luda Diatchenko a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, and Canada Excellence Research Chair in Human Pain Genetics.
Read the full story on the McGill University website
2022-05-12 to 2022-05-15 Canadian Neuroscience meeting
2022-06-06 to 2022-06-07 Canadian Computational Neuroscience Spotlight (CCNS) v3
The Canadian Computational Neuroscience Spotlight (CCNS) was created following the mass cancellations and postponements of traditional neuroscience conferences during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, including two such meetings amongst the Canadian neuroscience community. The absence of these meetings presented an opportunity to create a brand-new, entirely virtual academic meeting that could take full advantage of the online setting. Given that traditionally-defined trainees and early-career researchers were arguably most impacted by the cancellation of the networking and learning opportunities that conferences present, CCNS was designed as a “trainee-focused” meeting, highlighted by tutorial talks beginning each session, panel discussions with both established and early-career scientists, and a spotlight on trainee presentations.
2022-07-25 to 2022-07-28 – 2022 Vision Restoration Summer School
Vision Restoration Summer School 2022
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When : From Monday 25th to Thursday 28th, July 2022
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Where: Le Baluchon – Éco-Villégiature, St-Paulin, Québec
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Application Deadline: June 1st, 2022
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Confirmation of acceptance : June 15, 2022
Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 CAN- CIHR-INMHA Brain Star Awards!
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience (CAN) and the Canadian Institutes of Health’s Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (CIHR-INMHA) are proud to announce the winners of the 2021 Brain Star Awards.
The CIHR-INMHA Brain Star awards, administered for 2021 by the Canadian Association for Neuroscience, are awarded to students and trainees who have published high impact discoveries in all fields and disciplines covered by CIHR’s Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction in the 2021 calendar year.
The top 3 Brain Star Award winners of the year have been invited to make a presentation at the CAN meeting in May.
CIHR Health Research in Action: Better sleep may lead to a better fight against Alzheimer’s disease
Close-up of a senior African American couple sleeping together in bedroom at home
Research team at Université de Montréal offers insights that may help both detect and treat the disease among patients in the future
Issue
More than 750,000 Canadians are living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This complex neurodegenerative condition destroys brain cells and causes a gradual deterioration of memory and thinking.
Research
A key feature of AD is the development of plaques composed of amyloid beta proteins inside the brain. Researchers at Université de Montréal are studying how fragments of these proteins initially affect neurons in the hippocampus, which blocks communication between neurons and disrupt sleep patterns.
Impact
This research could provide new ways to diagnose and monitor the progression of AD. It may also support the use of new interventions that help improve sleep as a treatment for the disease.
Read the full story on the CIHR website
Researcher and inventor Stephen Scott, from Queen’s University explores the impact of his robot, Kinarm, which is changing the way we understand the brain
In a research 5 à 7 presented by Queen’s University, Dr. Stephen Scott, Professor and Incoming Vice Dean Research for Queen’s Health Sciences, presents his invention: Kinarm. Trained in systems designs engineering, and with a background in physiology, Dr. Scott has combined two areas of expertise into something incredible. Kinarm is used to assess neurological impairments related to stroke, MS, ALS, Transient Ischemic Attacks, Parkinson’s disease, kidney dialysis, and more.
Learn more about Kinarm – The Human Performance Lab at the University of Calgary and the Neuro Robot Lab led by Dr. Sean Dukelow at the University of Calgary
Recording available: Science Policy Session with Senator Stan Kutcher – April 25, 2022
Co-hosted by the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences and the Canadian Association for Neuroscience
On Monday, April 25, the Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences and the Canadian Association for Neuroscience welcomed the Honourable Senator Stan Kutcher for a session on science policy and advice.
Key takeaways:
- Scientists must engage in advocacy, it is an important part of their job
- We need more scientists in Parliament.
- In the absence of more scientists in Parliament, we need scientists and researchers to advocate on behalf of their communities, and highlight the important work they are doing.
- We have to help politicians understand how science is part of everything we do, and how if we don’t invest in basic science, we don’t have the tools and products required to improve people’s health and lives.
- Scientists and researchers need to be their own champions, and try to find other long-term science champions both in the House of Commons and in the Senate.
- We need to highlight how government investments need to be in creating a “science enterprise”, so that young people will want to stay in Canada instead of going elsewhere, or being put off from doing scientific research all together.
- It takes constant, repeated, and clear messaging. Fundamental science is a long-game, and communicating its impacts to politicians is a long-game.
- Canada’s scientists need to trumpet their successes more. While mainstream media doesn’t have as many scientific journalists as it used to, science communicators need to step up to fill the void and to tell the story of science.