Major Investment to Transform Mental Health Research

OTTAWA, ON, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - Brain Canada is proud to announce its support for the development of the Brain Imaging Centre Advanced Multi-modal neuroimaging Platform for Psychiatry (BIC-AMPP) at The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group's BIC. Through its 2024 Platform Support Grants (PSG) program, Brain Canada is partnering with The Royal to invest $1.9 million in this groundbreaking initiative, which will integrate multiple brain imaging modalities to revolutionize mental health research.
Led by Dr. Georg Northoff of the University of Ottawa's Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR), the BIC-AMPP project brings together experts in MRI, PET, and EEG imaging to unlock the complex biochemical, structural, and functional changes associated with mental illness. This rare and technically advanced platform will allow researchers to simultaneously capture a more thorough and integrated picture of the brain, laying the groundwork for improved diagnostics and personalized treatments.
"This investment represents a step-change in the capabilities of our team and our infrastructure, positioning Canada at the forefront of brain imaging research for mental health," said Dr. Florence Dzierszinski, President and CEO of the IMHR and vice-president of research at The Royal. "Simultaneous tri-modal imaging is only being actively pursued in two other centres in the world, yet offers endless possibilities with the right technology and skills."
"This platform will enable us to link brain structure, chemistry, and function in real time," said Katie Dinelle, Administrative Director of The Royal's Clinical Brain Research Centre. "It will give us a more complete picture of mental illness and open new doors for discovery."
"Mental health research has long been limited by our inability to fully understand how the brain's structure, chemistry, and function interact," said Dr. Georg Northoff, lead Principal Investigator for the BIC-AMPP. "By integrating multiple imaging modalities in a single platform, we can finally start to connect the dots. This will help us move beyond fragmented insights toward a more holistic understanding of mental illness—one that can inform better, more personalized treatments."
The BIC-AMPP platform is designed to foster collaboration among scientists and provide unprecedented access to simultaneous multi-modal imaging, positioning The Royal as a hub for innovation and knowledge mobilization. Supported by expert scientific staff and a secure, open-access data-sharing infrastructure, the platform will accelerate discoveries that improve mental health care in Canada and beyond. Dr. Viviane Poupon, President and CEO of Brain Canada, emphasized the importance of this initiative: "The BIC-AMPP represents a major leap forward in our ability to understand mental illness and develop personalized treatments. Brain Canada is proud to support this visionary platform, which underlines Canada's position as a global leader in brain imaging research."
Brain Canada is contributing over $18 million in this year's PSG program through the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF), funded by Health Canada, as well as matching donations from sponsors for a total investment of $36.8 million. By enabling access to cutting-edge tools and specialized skills beyond the reach of individual researchers, the PSG program plays a vital role in strengthening the research landscape.
"Research and innovation deepen our understanding, unlock new treatments, and improve quality of life for people affected by mental illness," said the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health. "Through the Canada Brain Research Fund, the Government of Canada is pleased to support this initiative, bringing together experts from different fields to accelerate discoveries that will improve mental health care for Canadians."
Over the coming weeks, Brain Canada will unveil the full list of 14 research platforms selected to receive PSG funding. The total investment of $36.8 million represents a major step forward in Canada's ability to support cutting-edge brain research and improve outcomes for people living with brain-disorders. For more information, please visit www.braincanada.ca.
The Royal is one of Canada's foremost mental health care, teaching, and research hospitals and is home to the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, the Brockville Mental Health Centre, the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health and the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health. Our mission is to transform the lives of people living with complex mental illness and addictions. Learn more about The Royal, our services, and our impact.
SOURCE Brain Canada
View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2025/19/c7751.html

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Medscape

29 minutes ago

• Medscape

Fast Five Quiz: Drowning

Drowning is a significant cause of mortality. In the United States, it is the leading cause of death among children aged 1-4 years. Even when not fatal, drowning can result in permanent and severe disability due to prolonged hypoxia. Globally, drowning deaths decreased by 38% between 2000 and 2024. However, in the United States, the drowning mortality rate increased from 2019 to 2022. On average, 11 drowning deaths per day occur in the United States. Do you know the latest facts surrounding drowning? Check your knowledge with this brief quiz. There are major racial/ethnic disparities in drowning deaths and swimming ability in the United States. Although Alaska Native/non-Hispanic American Indian peoples and Black people have the highest drowning rates, the lowest rate of swimming lessons is among Hispanic adults, at only 28.1%. Comparatively, 36.9% of Black adults and 51.8% of White adults have taken swimming lessons. The overall rate of swimming lessons among all US adults is 45.3%. Learn more about drowning epidemiology. A global review on drowning prevention among children and young people found several effective strategies. In addition to placing barriers around bodies of water, the review also found wearing personal flotation devices and removing or covering water hazards to be effective in drowning prevention. Use of solar pool covers was deemed a harmful strategy because unsupervised children have become trapped under these covers and drowned. There have also been cases of drowning deaths among infants placed in baby bath seats in bathtubs. Community-based water safety awareness campaigns were rated as "promising" in the review. Although several campaigns have resulted in increased rates of personal flotation device ownership, the results vary according to the nature of the campaign and its audience. Some campaigns were noted to lack a statistically significant positive impact. Learn more about patient education on drowning. A retrospective cohort study of 406 pediatric drowning patients found that the absence of prehospital cardiac arrest, along with transfer to a high-volume hospital and indoor drowning location, were factors significantly associated with a good clinical outcome. In the study, only one patient died among the 218 patients without prehospital cardiac arrest. However, only five patients had good outcomes among the 188 patients with prehospital cardiac arrest. Patient sex, age, and prehospital time since drowning event were not significantly associated with clinical outcome. Learn more about drowning prognosis. According to American Heart Association/American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, in-water rescue breathing should be provided to drowning victims by trained rescuers if safe. Guidelines from the Wilderness Medical Society concur. It is not necessary to wait until the patient is on dry land or in a vessel before commencing rescue breathing. Resuscitation of drowning patients should not focus on chest compressions alone. Ventilation and airway management are crucial because cardiac arrest often follows severe hypoxemia in drowning cases. Although it is prudent for water recreation areas to provide automatic external defibrillators, most drowning victims who enter cardiac arrest do not present with defibrillation-responsive rhythms. The Heimlich maneuver is not recommended in drowning because efforts to expel water from the lungs delays resuscitation and might increase the risk for vomiting and aspiration. Learn more about prehospital care in drowning. The Wilderness Medical Society does not recommend empirical antibiotics in the initial management of drowning patients. Although pneumonia might result from aspirated water, the causative microorganisms are often atypical and unresponsive to empirical antibiotic therapies. Additionally, inflammatory pneumonitis resulting from water aspiration and the stress of the drowning event may be mistaken for symptoms of infectious pneumonia. Ideally, before antibiotic administration, pneumonia should be confirmed by urinary antigen testing, sputum cultures, and/or blood cultures. Learn more about the disposition of drowning victims.

Health Line

an hour ago

• Health Line

Why Does My Penis Smell? Causes and Treatments

It isn't unusual for your penis to have an odor. But if you feel like the scent has changed or grown stronger, it may be a sign of an underlying condition. Most conditions aren't severe and can be easily treated. For example, Males assigned at birth (MAAB) who are uncircumcised may develop skin cell buildup underneath their foreskin. This is often the result of poor hygiene and can lead to infection. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can also cause an odor. Keep reading to learn more about what may be causing your symptoms, other symptoms to watch for, and how you can find relief. Smegma Smegma refers to a buildup of moisture, oils, and skin cells around the shaft of the penis. It's much more common under the foreskin if you're uncircumcised. The area under your foreskin typically needs lubrication from this mixture. When too much smegma builds up — because you sweat a lot or don't wash your penis regularly — it can create smelly white chunks that can cause bacteria to grow. If left untreated, your penis can become inflamed or infected. What you can do To clean smegma from your penis: Pull back (retract) your foreskin. Wash your penis with mild soap and water. Rinse your penis. Pat the penis dry. Don't rub. Once smegma has been cleaned, return your foreskin back over your penis. Once smegma has been washed away, the smell should disappear. Repeat these steps once a day if smegma persists. See your doctor if you notice the following symptoms: redness or other color changes swelling irritation foreskin won't pull back Urinary tract infection (UTI) UTIs occur when bacteria or a virus infect part of your urinary tract. Infection is often caused by: sexual activity not draining all the urine from your bladder (urinary retention) kidney stones enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) diabetes using a urinary catheter If you develop a UTI, your urine may take on an unpleasant odor, that may be perceived as coming from the penis. Other symptoms include: a frequent need to pee, even if you don't pass much urine when you go a burning sensation when you pee cloudy or pink urine What you can do If you suspect a UTI, see your doctor. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as phenazopyridine (Azo), may help relieve pain and keep the infection under control until your appointment. Once a UTI has been diagnosed, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics for the infection. Common options include: fosfomycin (Monurol) cephalexin (Keflex) nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin) If you get UTIs often, your doctor may recommend taking low doses of antibiotics over several months. Yeast infection Yeast infections (sometimes called thrush) happen when Candida fungus on your penis grows out of control. The fungus overgrowth can give your penis an unpleasant smell. Other symptoms may include: redness or other color changes irritation itching or burning areas of white, chunky material abnormally moist, white, or shiny penis skin Yeast infections can be caused by not washing your penis enough, especially if you're uncircumcised. They can also spread through sex with a female partner who has a yeast infection. If left untreated, yeast infections can cause inflammation or lead to further infection. What you can do If you suspect a yeast infection, see your doctor. They may prescribe medication to help clear the fungal infection. Common options include: fluconazole (Diflucan) miconazole (Desenex) clotrimazole (Lotrimin AF) imidazole (Canesten) Some of these medications are also available over the counter. Balanitis Balanitis occurs when the head of your penis gets inflamed. If the foreskin is inflamed as well, it is called balanoposthitis. This can result from: having unprotected sex poor hygiene smegma buildup scented soaps or body washes infection skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema Many of these causes can make your penis smell. Other symptoms include: redness itching and irritation swelling fluid buildup under the foreskin burning sensation when you pee You're more likely to develop balanitis if you're uncircumcised. If left untreated, balanitis can cause your foreskin to get tight and lose its ability to retract. This is known as phimosis. What you can do Taking a bath in salty water can help soothe any pain or inflammation. Wash daily with warm water and moisturizing treatment. Do not use soap. Dry gently after washing. See your doctor if your symptoms last more than a day or two. They can diagnose the underlying cause and develop a treatment plan suited to your needs. Common options include: antibiotics for an infection, such as bacitracin/polymyxin (Polysporin) ointment or cream for irritation, such as hydrocortisone (Cortaid) antifungal cream for fungal infections, such as clotrimazole (Lotrimin) Gonorrhea Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It's spread through contact with the vagina, anus, or mouth of someone who has the infection. It can affect your penis, as well as your rectum and throat. Gonorrhea doesn't always cause symptoms. If symptoms are present, you may notice an odor or experience: a burning sensation when you pee green, yellow, or white discharge from your penis soreness, bleeding, or itching around your genitals or anus pain while pooping What you can do If you think you have gonorrhea, see your doctor right away. After making a diagnosis, your doctor will likely prescribe an injection of ceftriaxone (Rocephin) along with an oral medication, such as doxycycline (Monodox), if there's a chance you may also have chlamydia. Any sexual partners you have been with must also be tested and treated. A typical recovery after treatment takes 7 days. You can still spread the infection during this time, so you should avoid having sex until you finish treatment. The CDC recommends waiting an additional 7 days after finishing all medication to prevent the possibility of spreading the infection. Chlamydia Chlamydia is another STI. It's spread by having vaginal, oral, or anal sex with someone who's already infected. Chlamydia doesn't always cause symptoms. If symptoms are present, you may notice an odor or experience: a burning sensation when you pee abnormal discharge testicle pain or swelling If left untreated, chlamydia can cause long-term reproductive problems for you and your partners. What you can do If you think you have chlamydia, see your doctor right away. After making a diagnosis, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic to fight the infection. Common options include: azithromycin (Zithromax) doxycycline (Monodox) levofloxacin (Levaquin) A typical recovery after treatment takes 7 days. You can still spread the infection during this time, so avoid having sex until you finish treatment and all symptoms have resolved. If you receive a single dose of medication, the CDC advises wai ting 7 days after treatment. Non-gonococcal urethritis Non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU) happens when your urethra — where urine exits your body — gets inflamed. It's called 'non-gonococcal' because it is caused by something other than gonorrhea. It may be caused by bacteria and, rarely, viruses spread through vaginal, oral, or anal sex. One of the most common is chlamydia, but other organisms can cause NGU as well. Common symptoms include: soreness or irritation on the tip of your penis burning sensation when you pee cloudy, pale, sometimes smelly discharge from your penis If left untreated, an NGU infection can spread to your testicle or prostate gland. This may lead to infertility. What you can do If you suspect NGU, see your doctor. After a diagnosis is made, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection. Standard options include azithromycin (Zithromax) and doxycycline (Monodox). A typical recovery after treatment takes 7 days. You can spread the infection during this time, so avoid having sex until treatment is complete. Find relief and prevent recurrence You may be able to ease your symptoms and prevent recurrence by keeping the following tips in mind: If you're uncircumcised, pull your foreskin back when you pee. This keeps urine from getting underneath and causing irritation. Bathe regularly. If you're uncircumcised, make sure you wash underneath your foreskin to prevent the buildup of dirt or bacteria. Pat your penis dry. Don't rub your penis dry, as this can irritate the skin. Make sure you pat the skin under your foreskin dry, too. Wear loose, cotton underwear. This type of underwear helps your groin area breathe so that sweat, bacteria, and other substances don't build up and cause odors or infections. Wear condoms every time you have sex. This can prevent the spread of STIs and other substances that can cause irritation or infections. Don't have sex with someone who has symptoms of an STI. Be cautious before you have sex with someone who has a rash, pain when peeing, discharge, or other abnormal symptoms. Clean your penis after you have sex. This helps remove bacteria and irritants from your penis. When to see your doctor Practicing good hygiene is usually all it takes to clear up an unusual odor. It's common for your penis to have certain natural odors, and usually there is no underlying medical problem. You should see your doctor right away if you experience:

Bloomberg

an hour ago

• Bloomberg

Universities Win Order Voiding Agency's 15% Research Cost Cap

Brown and Cornell universities, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and several other US schools won a federal court order striking down a National Science Foundation cap on indirect cost rates for government-funded research. Judge Indira Talwani struck down the cap on Friday, finding it 'arbitrary, capricious and contrary to the law,' granting summary judgment to the suing schools plus the Association of American Universities, and denying that relief to the government.