Innovation Anthology #477:

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As our aging population increases, we can expect the number of people with dementia to double.

That’s where the research of Dr. Rob Sutherland at the Canadian Centre
for Behavioral Neuroscience fits in.

His success in restoring brain cells and memory in rats holds great promise for treating dementia in humans.

DR ROB SUTHERLAND: At some point in the not too distant future, we’re going to be able to halt the disease process. Someone is going to come up with a vaccine or a small molecule approach that is going to halt the damage. I mean, that’s only half the battle. What that will mean is there’s no further loss of cells in these key parts of the cortex. What we now have to do is recreate or regenerate that circuitry. That’s where this work is going to play in. So we’ve identified two growth factor receptors that are going to be sufficient if we can stimulate them to cause regrowth of at least the hippocampal neurons that are damaged in dementia.

Dr. Sutherland says researchers now need to find a satisfactory method of administering the key factor sonic hedgehog to humans.

Thanks today to Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

FOR INNOVATION ANTHOLOGY
I’M CHERYL CROUCHER

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Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates (formerly Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions)

As the newly formed Alberta Innovates corporation, we still fund top quality, internationally competitive health research and innovation activities to improve the health and wellbeing of Albertans. We provide leadership for Alberta’s health research and innovation enterprise by directing, coordinating, reviewing, funding and supporting research and innovation.

Working with our many partners  in the health system, we ensure that research achieves innovation in care, policy and practice, and that the needs of patients and clinicians influence research.

Our background

Alberta Innovates consolidation was launched November 1, 2016.

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions was established as part of the Alberta Innovates system by an Act of Legislation of the Government of Alberta. It is a agency  of the Government of Alberta. We receive a yearly allocation from the Ministry of Health and report through the ministry to the people of Alberta.

Our Mandate and Roles document reflects our role and responsibilities and outlines the government statues and regulations with which we comply.

Alberta’s Health Research and Innovation Strategy (AHRIS) sets out Alberta’s health research agenda for the coming decade to ensure our considerable investments in research align with our priority—to improve the health of Albertans.

 

 

Program Date: 2012-05-24