News

Development of a functional atlas of the human cerebellum The human cerebellum is a brain region that is activated during many behaviours, including movement, language and cognitive tasks. However, the cerebellum’s contribution to these processes remained poorly understood because of a lack of a comprehensive functional map of this brain region. To address this, Caroline… Read more: Brain Star Award Feature: Caroline Nettekoven, Western University

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Uncovering the role of cilia in astrocyte development and function Astrocytes are a type of cells that act as crucial regulators of nearly all aspects of the brain. Different types of astrocytes exist; however, little is known about how different subtypes of astrocytes are created during development to differentially support their local neural circuits. Lizheng… Read more: Brain Star Award feature: Lizheng Wang, University of Calgary

Phase 2a clinical trial reveals a small molecule called LM11A-31 is safe and slows progression of many features of Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure. Therapeutics available to the approximately 734,000 Canadians living with AD provide symptom management without slowing disease progression. Hayley Renee Christine… Read more: Brain Star Award feature: Hayley Renee Christine Shanks, Western University

Understanding how the brain’s network architecture shapes its capacity to transition between different states To support the diversity of human cognitive functions, such as learning, thinking, reasoning, remembering, problem solving, decision making, and attention, brain regions flexibly form and dissolve connections on the fly. How is the brain’s capacity to transition between different functional configurations… Read more: Brain Star Award feature: Andrea Luppi, McGill University

The international research team’s ambitious work has implications across multiple fields and sheds compelling new light on the extraordinarily complex serotonin system. In our day-to-day lives, we’re constantly making a slew of decisions from immediate matters to prospects on the far horizon. But the evolutionary nuts-and-bolts of how our brains weigh these numerous daily decisions… Read more: Research from University of Ottawa: deciphering what serotonin is saying inside our brains

Source of text: David McFadden, Communications Advisor & Research Writer, University of Ottawa The study’s findings could potentially help develop targeted therapeutics for mood disorders like major depressive disorder. Our lives are filled with binary decisions – choices between one of two alternatives. But what’s really happening inside our brains when we engage in this… Read more: University of Ottawa-led research team forges compelling new insights into dynamics of the brain’s serotonin system

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 2024 Brain Star Awards. The CIHR-INMHA Brain Star awards, administered by the Canadian Association for Neuroscience, are awarded to students and trainees who have published high impact… Read more: Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 CAN- CIHR-INMHA Brain Star Awards!

The Canadian Association for Neuroscience is proud to announce Dr. Mark Cembrowski will be awarded the 2025 Canadian Association of Neuroscience (CAN) New Investigator Award. Dr. Cembrowski has established himself as an outstanding scientist, collaborator, and mentor, conducting leading-edge research on the cellular and molecular underpinnings of cognition and brain disorders, particularly in memory. Read… Read more: Mark Cembrowski wins the 2025 CAN New Investigator Award for multidisciplinary research that has transformed our understanding of how memory is represented in the brain

Description Join Evidence for Democracy (E4D), Canada’s leading voice for science, evidence-informed public policy, and transparent decision-making, for an engaging and interactive workshop titled “Bridging Science and Policy: Tools for Effective Advocacy.” This session is designed to equip scientists and researchers with the knowledge and skills to become effective advocates for science. Participants will gain… Read more: Advocacy webinar – Bridging Science and Policy: Tools for Effective Advocacy

Get ready to meet candidates by reading the CAN election one-pager! We encourage you to print it out and give it to candidates you meet, to emphasize the importance of science and research for all Canadians.

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Pioneering research into brain cancer is awarded the world’s largest brain research prize, The Brain Prize Gliomas are types of cancers that arise in the brain and are extraordinarily difficult to treat. They are the leading cause of brain tumour-related deaths in both children and adults. Two pioneering scientists are awarded The Brain Prize 2025… Read more: Congratulations to 2025 Brain Prize winners Michelle Monje and Frank Winkler

Read the latest edition of our newsletter! CAN Connection – December 2024

The Canadian Association for Neuroscience was happy to participate in the Canadian Science Policy Conference last month in Ottawa, and in the symposium organized by the Canadian Brain Research Strategy: “Scaling Research for Impact: From Local Insights to Global Solutions“ on November 20, 2025. Read more about the symposium here: https://canadianbrain.ca/canadian-science-policy-conference-brain-health-and-research-summit-2024/

Read our submission to the House of Commons Science and Research Committee study on “The Mission, Mandate, Role, Structure and Financing of the New Capstone Research Funding Organization Announced in Budget 2024”

The Canadian Association for Neuroscience was proud to host its annual CAN Parliament Hill Day in Ottawa on November 5, 2024. It was a full day of meetings with elected officials and representatives of the main federal funding agencies to discuss how to better support scientific research in Canada.

From: SickKids news Scientists use a peptide to strengthen connections between brain cells and restore memory in a pre-clinical model. Research led at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is illuminating the mechanism underlying memory, which could result in future therapeutic targets for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  Alzheimer’s disease is a condition… Read more: The cellular secret of how memories are made, and lost

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance invited Canadians to participate in its annual pre-budget consultations process. The committee will table a report on these consultations in the House of Commons with recommendations to be considered by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the development of the 2025 federal budget. Read… Read more: Read our submission to pre-budget consultations

The Brain Prize is currently the world’s largest prize for neuroscience and is awarded each year by the Lundbeck Foundation. The Brain Prize is awarded to one or more individuals who have distinguished themselves by making outstanding contributions in any area of neuroscience- from basic to clinical, and since it was first awarded in 2011… Read more: The Brain Prize call for nominations: now open

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 2023 Brain Star Awards. The CIHR-INMHA Brain Star awards, administered by the Canadian Association for Neuroscience, are awarded to students and trainees who have published high impact… Read more: Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 CAN- CIHR-INMHA Brain Star Awards!

The Canadian Association for Neuroscience applauds new investments in science and research announced in budget 2024 by the Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finances of Canada. These announcements demonstrate that scientific research has real-world benefits to people across Canada, to Canada’s economy, and to Canada’s future prosperity. We specifically applaud the following measures: Increased funding… Read more: The Canadian Association for Neuroscience applauds new investments in science and research announced in budget 2024

The Canadian Association for Neuroscience is very proud to announce that Dr. Caroline Ménard from Université Laval is the winner of the 2024 CAN New Investigator Award. Her innovative research program is shedding light on the biological mechanisms underlying vulnerability and resilience to stress, with the help of state-of-the-art photonic technology and with the aim… Read more: Caroline Ménard wins the 2024 CAN New Investigator Award for groundbreaking research on stress vulnerability and resilience.