More than 35 million people around the world live with dementia, and that number is growing. It is estimated that a new case is diagnosed every four seconds. A 2011 study found that in Canada alone, nearly 750,000 people were living with cognitive impairments including dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, explains Dr. Barry Greenberg, Director of Strategy for the Toronto Dementia Research Alliance (TDRA).  And, in about two-thirds of the cases seen in community clinics, Alzheimer’s is combined with other diseases that also contribute to dementia.

The TDRAis just a few months away from fulfilling its first objective: a harmonized intake form and cognitive assessment tool that can be used on a tablet for point-of-contact use with patients seen in the clinics.  The database it creates will be essential for conducting research across institutions and will allow clinicians to see how diseases progress, look for early biomarkers of the disease, or study various interventions.  This provides a key advantage of embedding research in clinical practice.

“This will be an extremely valuable tool, and that’s really why it was the first objective that we had as an alliance when we came together in 2009," says Greenberg, who is also Director of Neuroscience, Drug Discovery and Development for the University Health Network.

The TDRA includes researchers at the University of Toronto and five affiliated memory and dementia clinics based at Baycrest, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), St. Michael’s Hospital, Sunnybrook Hospital and the University Health Network.  Its goal is to foster greater understanding of prevention, best care and treatment for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Frontal-temporal Degeneration, Vascular Cognitive impairment and dementias related to Parkinson’s disease.

The new tool will be used by TDRA clinics, which see approximately 6,000 patients each year — a third of them new. The information will help manage a patient’s ongoing care and help identify their availability for future research studies.

Even before it’s officially launched, other organizations are already taking notice.

The TDRA has been in discussions with the Ontario Brain Institute’s Neurodegenerative Disease Research Initiative, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Collaboration on Neurodegeneration in Aging, as well as a few Alzheimer’s centers in the United States.

"This is just one example of the kinds of resources that we can bring together as part of the TDRA,” says Greenberg, who also points out that the alliance’s last four grant applications have all been approved for funding.

The new tool is undergoing user-testing that should be done by the end of the year. The harmonized intake form and cognitive assessment tool should be ready for beta testing in the TDRA’s memory and dementia clinics in early 2014.

U of T Medicine’s Brain Health and Neuroscience Network spans nine hospitals, 250 scientists and includes $98-million in research funding.  To learn more about the Network, click here.

The University of Toronto community will hear from many of the world’s greatest minds in medical sciences research when they gather in Toronto in October for the 2013 Gairdner Symposia. Beginning on October 23, leading researchers will discuss critical topics in health research, including HIV and sexual transmitted infections, hepatitis C and protein structures, and functions in health and disease.

The recipients of the 2013 Canada Gairdner Awards – Canada’s most prestigious award in the health sciences – will also deliver lectures on their groundbreaking research.

This year, the Canada Gairdner International Awards will recognize three areas of research: Harvey J. Alter of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Daniel W. Bradley of the Centers for Disease Control will be recognized for their contributions to the discovery and isolation of the hepatitis C virus. Stephen Joseph Elledge of Harvard Medical School will be honoured for his work in DNA repair, and Sir Gregory Winter of the University of Cambridge will be acknowledged for creating synthetic human antibodies.

King K. Holmes of the University of Washington will receive the Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for his work on defining and treating HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Finally, the Canada Gairdner Wightman Award will be presented to James C. Hogg for his research and leadership in the field of Chronic Respiratory Diseases.

“The Gairdner talks feature some of the most distinguished researchers in the field of medical research today,” said Catharine Whiteside, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. “It is a rare opportunity and a distinct privilege to welcome these global thought leaders to the University of Toronto, where our students and researchers can hear them describe their work and respond to questions.”

The Gairdner Symposia 2013 will feature:

HIV/STIs: Are we moving forward?

Wednesday, October 23, 2013
9:00am– 4:00pm
MaRS Auditorium, 101 College Street

2013 Canada Gairdner Recipient Lectures

Thursday, October 24, 2013
9:00am– 3:00pm
Macleod Auditorium, University of Toronto

Protein Structure & Function in Health & Disease

Friday, October 25, 2013
8:45am- 4:00pm
Macleod Auditorium, University of Toronto

Hepatitis C Virus: From Discover to Cure

Friday, October 25, 2013
8:00am- 3:00pm
Li Ka Shing Auditorium
St. Michael’s Hospital

The lectures are open to the public. More information can be found on the Gairdner Foundation website, www.gairdner.org. Click here to register.

Congratulations to Psychiatry Professor Anthony Feinstein whose documentary Under Fire: Journalists in Combat recently won a prestigious Peabody award for capturing the psychological cost of covering war.

“We are proud of Anthony for this truly outstanding achievement,” said Professor Ari Zaretsky and Chief of Psychiatry at Sunnybrook, who described Feinstein as the department's “renaissance psychiatrist” and a “uniquely gifted and inquisitive academic neuropsychiatrist.”

Feinstein will be presented the award at a gala on May 20 in New York City. The Peabody Awards, the oldest awards in broadcasting, are considered among the most prestigious prizes in electronic media. The Peabodys recognize excellence and meritorious work by radio and television stations, networks, webcasters, producing organizations and individuals.

The 16-member Peabody Board is a distinguished panel of television critics, industry practitioners and experts in culture and the arts. Selection is made by the board following review by special screening committees of University of Georgia faculty, students, and staff. Out of 1000 entries, there are on average only between 25-35 Peabody Award winners chosen each year.

A Sunnybrook neuropsychiatrist, Feinstein's research interests span the depth and breadth of psychiatry. He is publishing seminal research on the neuropsychiatric aspects of multiple sclerosis while at the same time investigating the previously unrecognized mental health morbidity of journalists, who because of their work, are routinely exposed to severely traumatic events. The film was also short-listed for a 2012 Academy Award nomination.

For more info on the film and where it is distributed, please visit underfirejournalistsincombat.webs.com. The film will be re-airing on Documentary Channel HD, Canada on April 21, 2013, at 8 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Below is a clip from Under Fire's special Toronto screening in 2012.

In efforts to stem the rising tide of HIV infection among Canada’s most affected group – men who have sex with men – University of Toronto researchers have completed one of the most innovative, ambitious and comprehensive studies ever of this demographic.

Results from this groundbreaking national telephone survey provide a clear – and sometimes surprising – snapshot of a group on which very little reliable data exists, and for whom HIV is a critical health issue. Study results were presented at the Canadian Association of HIV Research (CAHR) Conference in Vancouver on April 11.

“Men who have sex with men are the most vulnerable to HIV, and yet – until now – a clear sense of the attitudes, opinions, and behaviours of many in this group have been missing,” says Dan Allman, Assistant Professor at U of T’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. “With responses from both rural and urban areas, in all regions of the country, our survey provides new directions for health policies and programs that can serve this group, prevent further HIV infection and improve overall health and well-being.”

The Male Call Canada telephone survey captured mens’ attitudes, opinions and behaviours on topics such as sexual identity, homophobia, general and mental health, condom use, HIV testing and disclosure, the criminalization of HIV and transactional sex. By employing a method in which respondents chose when and where to anonymously call into a toll-free telephone line, researchers were able to collect responses from men aged 16 to 89, and from an impressive 40 per cent of Canadian postal codes.

One key finding was that men from rural communities are living the HIV epidemic the same way that men in cities are, but because they live in areas where same sex sexual behaviour is stigmatized, they are less likely to be ‘out,’  and less likely to access HIV prevention and other health services.

Other interesting insights, outlined in a series of graphic-novel inspired fact sheets that the researchers hope will provide a “touch-point” between men and their health care practitioners, included:

• 26.2 per cent did not know their HIV status, including 50.6 per cent of bisexual men;
• 62.1 per cent felt criminal prosecution increases the stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV;
• 21.7 per cent moved away from family or friends because of homophobia;
• 4.1 per cent self-identified as heterosexual, 35.6 per cent bisexual, 54.6 per cent gay and 5.7 per cent identified otherwise;
• 19.2 per cent were married or partnered to a woman;
• 32.2 per cent lived in rural areas where access to health care and programs was limited

“For many men, these topics aren’t easy to discuss with a doctor wearing a white coat. These fact sheets may help cut through the discomfort and act as a starting point for discussion,” says Professor Ted Myers in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.  “HIV treatment is changing – in many cases it’s now a manageable chronic disease, and our study provides insight into men’s attitudes on this phenomenon that can help inform policy and improve services for this vulnerable population.”

Spread the word— the Institute of Medical Science (IMS) is bringing TEDMED to U of T.

From the meaning of life to the virtual brain, TEDMED Day Faculty of Medicine UofT showcases some of IMS’ most pioneering researchers and innovative ideas about improving health and medicine. Along with engaging live lectures, selected talks will be streamed directly from the TEDMED conference taking place in Washington, DC. 

“TEDMED speaks to the research taking place at IMS. As a student at the Institute, I’m exposed to bold ideas every day. We wanted to host a TEDMED Day to showcase some of this work,” says Rageen Rajendram from the Institute of Medical Science Students' Association. The student group is working with IMS faculty and staff to organize the event.

Attendees will have the opportunity to network and chat with speakers over lunch and refreshments. TEDMED Day Faculty of Medicine is open to the entire U of T community, but spaces are limited.

Event Details
Date:   April 19, 2013
Time:   10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Venue: JJR Macleod Auditorium
1 King’s College Circle
Toronto, ON M5S 1A8

Admission: $25

Registration: April 1st through April 18th

Website:
tedmedims.com

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TEDmedIMS

Twitter:
@imssanews

Dr. Stephen Lye (Left), Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Physiology, and Mats Sundin serve a nutritious breakfast to elementary school students.

Hockey legend Mats Sundin surprised students at a Toronto elementary school today by serving a wholesome breakfast and playing hockey with student leaders. The visit to the Duke of Connaught Junior and Senior Public School was part of a campaign to help raise awareness about childhood obesity, a problem Sundin hopes to end by joining with U of T’s Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development.

The Institute has identified childhood obesity as one of its major priorities, and U of T researchers are tackling the issue from a number of angles such as investigating its roots in genetics, nutrition, fitness and environment. Sundin – who donated $330,000 to create scholarships in human development between U of T and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden – is a major supporter.

“As a father, it’s important for me to ensure that all kids have a healthy successful life free from the chronic challenges of obesity. I support The Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development because it is taking a truly unique approach to this epidemic,” says Sundin.

Obesity in childhood has been linked to lifelong physical and mental health challenges, ranging from diabetes to heart disease and psychological issues. U of T’s researchers are focusing on the first 2,000 days of a child’s life to determine the root causes of obesity.

“The research we are conducting will help us better understand the origins of childhood obesity, giving us the fundamental tools we need to stop it in its tracks,” says Professor Stephen Lye, Executive Director of the Institute and Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Physiology.

Along with spending time with the kids, Sundin answered health and fitness questions sent to the Faculty of Medicine and U of T News via Twitter and Facebook. His answers can be found here: http://bit.ly/YDRYJO.

A diagnostic “cocktail” containing a single drop of blood, a dribble of water, and a dose of DNA powder with gold particles could mean rapid diagnosis and treatment of the world’s leading diseases in the near future.

A diagnostic “cocktail” containing a single drop of blood, a dribble of water, and a dose of DNA powder with gold particles could mean rapid diagnosis and treatment of the world’s leading diseases in the near future. The diagnostic is a homegrown brew being developed by University of Toronto’s Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) PhD student Kyryl Zagorovsky and Professor Warren Chan that could change the way infectious diseases, from HPV and HIV to malaria, are diagnosed.

And it involves the same technology used in over-the-counter pregnancy tests.

“There’s been a lot of emphasis in developing simple diagnostics,” says Chan, the Canada Research Chair in Nanobiotechnology. “The question is, how do you make it simple enough, portable enough?”

The recent winner of the NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship, Chan and his lab study nanoparticles—in particular the use of gold particles in sizes so small that they are measured in the nanoscale. Chan and his group are working on custom-designing nanoparticles to target and illuminate cancer cells and tumours, with the potential of one day being able to deliver drugs to cancer cells.

But it’s a study recently published in Angewandte Chemie, a top chemistry journal published out of Germany, that’s raising some interesting questions about the future of this relatively new frontier of science.

Zagorovsky’s rapid diagnostic biosensor will allow technicians to test for multiple diseases at one time with one small sample, and with high accuracy and sensitivity. The biosensor relies upon gold particles in much the same vein as your average pregnancy test. With a pregnancy test, gold particles turn the test window red because the particles are linked with an antigen that detects a certain hormone in the urine of a pregnant woman.

“Gold is the best medium,” explains Chan, “because it’s easy to see. It emits a very intense colour.”

Currently scientists can target the particular disease they are searching for by linking gold particles with DNA strands: when a sample containing the disease gene (ie. Malaria) is present, it clumps the gold particles, turning the sample blue.

Rather than clumping the particles together, Zagorovsky immerses the gold particles in a DNA-based enzyme solution (DNA-zyme) that, when the disease gene is introduced, ‘snip’ the DNA from the gold particles, turning the sample red.

“It’s like a pair of scissors,” Zagorovsky explains, “and the target gene activates the scissors that cut the DNA links holding gold particles together.”

The advantage is that far less of the gene needs to be present for the solution to show noticeable colour changes, amplifying detection. A single DNA-zyme can clip up to 600 “links” between the target genes.

Just a single drop from a biological sample such as saliva or blood can potentially be tested in parallel, so that multiple diseases can be tested for in one sitting.

But the team has also demonstrated that they are able to transform the testing solution into a powder, making it light and far easier to ship than solutions, which degrade over time. Powder can be stored for years at a time, and offers hope that the technology can be developed into efficient, cheap, over-the-counter tests for diseases such as HIV and malaria for developing countries, where access to portable diagnostics is a necessity.

“We’ve now put all the pieces together,” says Chan.

Graduate student Christina Nona is fascinated by the human brain—and she’s making a name for herself studying the tiny chemicals in the brain that have an influence on behaviour. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is honouring Nona with an André Hamer Postgraduate Prize.

Graduate student Christina Nona is fascinated by the human brain—and she’s making a name for herself studying the tiny chemicals in the brain that have an influence on behaviour. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is honouring Nona with an André Hamer Postgraduate Prize. The prize—valued at $10,000—is awarded to the top four candidates in NSERC's master's and doctoral scholarship competitions.

After completing her Bachelor of Science—with a focus in neuroscience and organic chemistry—from the University of Toronto Mississauga in 2012, the 23-year-old is now pursuing a graduate degree in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology under the supervision of Professor José Nobrega.

We chatted with  Nona about her work.

Tell us about your research in behavioural neurobiology.

My research looks at glutamate, a chemical in the brain that plays an important role in memory formation and learned behaviours.

Here’s how glutamate works: it binds to receptors in the brain, which are made up of smaller proteins called subunits. I’m studying these subunits to see how they impact cells in the nervous system, because that plays a role in determining human behaviour. I’m most interested in exploring how the subunits impact learning and memory.

What kind of impact could this research have for society?

By studying how glutamates work, we can gain a better understanding of their role in neuroplasticity disorders such as addictive behaviours, stress, anxiety and Alzheimer’s, which can help us develop more targeted treatments.

What drew you to this particular area of research?

I find neuroscience fascinating. It’s amazing that a single organ can have such a dramatic influence on our behaviour and ability to function.  Professor Nobrega has played a pivotal role in cultivating my interest in neuroscience, as he is open to new ideas and is always encouraging me to pursue my own research interests. Plus, I love a challenge and the glutamate system certainly provides that.

Why did you pick U of T?

I decided to pursue my graduate studies at U of T because I wanted to expand on the work I did during my undergraduate honour’s thesis in Professor Nobrega’s lab. U of T provides a rich, diverse research environment thanks its multiple institutes and centres. This diversity facilitates collaboration, enabling me to conduct integrated research.

What advice would you give to a student just starting out in this field?

Have confidence in yourself and be persistent.  Students starting out may feel like they don’t have much to contribute, or might get discouraged by setbacks. But don’t give up—you have the potential to make a major contribution to the field, even though it may take time.

Former NHL star pairs with U of T to eliminate childhood obesity

Toronto, ON – Hockey legend Mats Sundin built a career around healthy living, good nutrition, exercise and physical fitness.

Now, the former Toronto Maple Leafs Captain is pairing with U of T’s Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development to stamp out childhood obesity – and all the chronic, lifelong health problems that result from it.

“Obesity robs kids of their chance at a happy, healthy life, and that’s something that all children deserve,” says Sundin. “To tackle this very serious issue, we need to explore all the factors that put kids at risk for obesity – from fitness and nutrition to genetic and environmental influences – and that is exactly the type of game-changing research that’s happening at the Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development.”

To raise awareness about the issue of childhood obesity and the Institute’s cutting edge, cross-disciplinary research, Sundin is participating in a social media campaign to take your questions about health and fitness.

Using the hashtag #UofT, fans are encouraged to tweet their questions for Sundin to @UofTNews and @UofTMedicine before Monday, March 25. Fans can also find the Faculty of Medicine or the University of Toronto on Facebook and post their questions for Sundin.

Sticking to the theme of health, children’s health, fitness and nutrition, we’ll round up the ten best questions and put them to Sundin next week when he’s in town promoting the Institute. Then we’ll let you know how he responds.

Childhood obesity is a major research priority for the Institute because so many lifelong health and wellness issues stem from it, says Executive Director Stephen Lye, of the Faculty of Medicine’s Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Physiology. With backing from key supporters like Sundin, researchers can track the origins of obesity in a child’s early years and figure out how to stop it.

“We know that obesity at a young age leads to a slew of physical and mental challenges later in life, from serious chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease to disabling emotional and psychological issues,” says Lye. “Our researchers are looking at the first 2,000 days of a child’s life from a variety of perspectives - medical, nutritional, genetic and social - to understand how we can best intervene to set kids on a healthy path.”

What: Hockey legend Mats Sundin takes your questions on health, fitness, nutrition and childhood health.
Want to know about Mats’ fitness regime? Dying to try his favourite healthy recipe? Eager to know what his favourite sport was when he was young? Send us your questions and we’ll find out!

How: Using the hashtag #UofT, send us your questions to @UofTMedicine or @UofTNews or find the Faculty of Medicine or the University of Toronto on Facebook and post your questions there.

When: Submit your questions by Monday, March 25. We will compile the ten top questions and put them to Mats next week when he’s here to promote the Institute.

The Toronto Addis Ababa Psychiatry Project (TAAPP) and the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration (TAAAC) will celebrate their 10 and five year anniversaries on November 8th. The partnerships between the University of Toronto and Addis Ababa University (AAU) are forging Ethiopia’s capacity for medical and non-medical specialty training programs

TAAPP was established in 2003 through the leadership of Professor Clare Pain, and two Ethiopian psychiatry professors, Dr. Atalay Alem and Dr. Mesfin Araya (both of whom now also hold U of T appointments). Their goal was to build and sustain Ethiopia’s first residency program in psychiatry. It has been training psychiatrists, who AAU could later hire as faculty, allowing the University to sustain this new specialty program.

At the time, Ethiopia had been experiencing a significant “brain drain,” and according to Dr. Brian Hodges, Chair of the Transitional Governance Committee of TAAAC, for every eight doctors trained in Ethiopia, just one stayed.

Since then, TAAPP has had a profound effect on that country’s mental health landscape. The program has a 95 per cent graduate retention rate and has qualified more than 40 psychiatrists to practice in Ethiopia.  This has propelled the number of psychiatrists in that country from 11 to more than 50.

As the number of graduates has grown, so has the number of medical schools with psychiatry departments, multiplying the educational model.  There are now eight different medical schools that offer psychiatry in the curricula.

“They don’t need us to do the frontline teaching anymore, which is wonderful. We have gradually shifted our work.  The first shift was to help them build a departmental structure, so they would have a full service academic department, and allow us to work with our Ethiopian colleagues on new things like research, faculty development, educational development, fellowship training, more advanced things,” Hodges said, who is also a Professor in U of T’s Department of Psychiatry as well as Vice President of Education at the University Health Network.

As a result of TAAPP’s success, another broader initiative, TAAAC, was introduced in 2008 to help strengthen AAU’s capacity for other health professions such as pharmacy, rehabilitation, and nursing, as well as non-health related programs including library science and engineering.

“What I hope we will see is that each of them, on their own timeline, is building in the same direction,” he said.

It’s a development that can already be seen in some programs.

As an example, the emergency residency training program graduated its first class in October – Ethiopia’s first group of emergency medicine specialists. As was the case in psychiatry, the number of specialists in this field is predicted to balloon as future students complete the program.

The effect is being repeated by all of the programs within TAAAC.

AAU isn’t alone in benefitting from the collaboration. Hodges pointed out participants from U of T are also gaining unique and valuable exposure to global health.

“It’s not that our students don’t travel; they do. And it’s not that we haven’t had overseas programs for years; we have. But we haven’t had programs with this intense, two-to-one type mentorship, and now this exists in many of our collaborations in TAAAC. So it’s also building capacity for us.”

The anniversaries of TAAPP and TAAAC will be celebrated with a full-day global health symposium at Hart House on Friday, November 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, click here.

A gala reception and dinner is also planned that evening. Tickets are sold out.