grey matters 2008-2010 RepoRt neuro 1 CONTENTS 1 Great Memories Great Future 2 Message from the Director Administration 5 Neuro Advisory Board: Minding our Future 6 Campaign Cabinet 2007-2012: Thinking Ahead Director 7 Raising The Neuro’s Profile David R. Colman, PhD 8 Faculty: Our World-class Thinkers Associate Directors 9 New Faculty at The Neuro: Added Brainpower Mark Angle, MD 10 Faculty Awards and Distinctions: Great Minds, Great Achievements Philip Barker, PhD 13 Nurses: Our Nerve Centre Robert Dunn, PhD 14 CECR Award: Brainwaves Thomas Gevas 16 Sharing Insights Worldwide: Minds over Matter Elizabeth Kofron, PhD 18 Patient Services: Better Lives Ahead Donatella Tampieri, MD 20 Thinking Ahead: The Power of Philanthropy Administrative Director 25 The Neuro Annual Fund: Surpassing the $1 Million Milestone Neuroscience Mission, MNH 26 Compassion: What it Takes to Give Martine Alfonso 28 Financial Summary 30 In Memoriam Associate Director of Nursing, 32 The Neuro at a Glance neuroscience Patricia O’Connor, RN, MSc(A), CHE1 Lucia Fabijan, BN, MSc(A) 1 Director of Nursing & Chief Nursing Officer at the McGill University Health Centre as of October 2009. Executive Director, External Affairs Catherine Rowe, CFRE Editor Sandra McPherson, PhD Design & production cgcom.com The Montreal Neurological Institute is proud to be a The editor would like to acknowledge the work of photographer Owen Egan Killam Institution, supported and the staff of Neuro Media Services. by the Killam Trusts. In 1966, Thanks to the faculty and staff of the Izaak Walton Killam The Neuro and donors and volunteers Memorial Endowment Fund for contributing images used in this report. and Fund for Advanced Studies were established This report covers the period June 1, 2007 at the Montreal Neurological to May 31, 2010. Institute through the bequest of Dorothy Johnston Killam. Le rapport est disponible en français. These funds support the academic and training Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital mission of the Institute, and 3801 University Street are invaluable to advancing Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4 our work in neuroscience. External Affairs: Tel.: 514 398-1902 Fax: 514 398-8072 [email protected] www.theneuro.com 2 GREAT MEMORIES GREAT FUTURE Celebrating 75 Years at The Neuro 2009-2010 marked The Neuro’s 75th Anniversary. As we fast-forward into the future, we celebrate a history rich in innovation and discovery, uniting outstanding research and compassionate patient care. In 1934, Dr. Wilder Penfield charted a future where Montreal would give the world hope for conditions ranging from migraines to stroke to Parkinson’s disease. As the first to map key functional regions of the living brain, Dr. Penfield inspired creativity in all who came to The Neuro to study the brain and care for patients with neurological and neurosurgical conditions. Today, The Neuro’s clinicians, researchers and former fellows around the world continue to break new ground. Seventy-five years of evolution have created an organization that is stronger than ever and stands as a model for institutions around the world. “It’s all about excellence in the tradition of research. This is truly one of the institutes, if one looks at all of Canada’s health research fields together, that is recognized world-wide for the quality of the science conducted here. The other aspect is that this science is completely focused on the brain—all aspects of the brain. From the molecule to functioning and thinking, in other words neuropsychology. As a result, the entire range of brain functions is under scrutiny. What is unique at the Neuro is the way this research is integrated with patient care. And the benefits are not only from laboratory to patient, but also from patient to laboratory. In other words, the research findings are applied to patient care and help improve the health of all Canadians.” – Alain Beaudet President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research Celebrating The Neuro’s 75th Anniversary celebrations (from left to right): CIHR President Dr. Alain Beaudet, McGill Dean of Medicine Dr. Richard Levin, MUHC CEO Dr. Arthur Porter, Neuro Director Dr. David Colman, Premier Jean Charest, McGill Principal Heather Munroe-Blum, OC and Former Alcan CEO and Campaign Co-Chair for The Neuro’s Thinking Ahead campaign, Mr. Jacques Bougie, OC. “When travelling abroad, I meet people who talk to me about the Neuro. Not everyone at home real- izes that the Neuro is a one of the world’s top institutions. In fact, it is one reason why Montreal is recognized globally as a life sciences research centre. And that inspires us; it drives us in our university hospital initiatives, because we Heather Hiscox (right), host of CBC News: Morning and member want to maintain Quebec’s position, of the Neuro’s Advisory Board, speaks with Dr. Brenda Milner. and the Neuro is at the very foun- dation of this desire and of this recognition for Quebec.” – Jean Charest Premier of Quebec 1 Message from the dIREcTOR A JEWEL IN THE CROWN We are in the midst of a prosperous and productive period with many exciting developments marked by an outstanding external review, the remarkable David R. Colman, PhD success of our capital In the view of the reviewers, research at As our first good news, the Capital campaign and the festive The Neuro keeps our clinical efforts at Campaign, under the volunteer leader- celebration of The Neuro’s the cutting edge, and our clinical efforts ship of Jacques Bougie and Dominic th 75 anniversary. “A jewel in focus and augment our science. These D’Alessandro, has passed the $38 million McGill’s crown” concluded are indeed gratifying words for those mark with significant gifts toward the a panel of external expert who value the unique integration of North Wing from the J.W. McConnell evaluators in the five-year research and clinical neuroscience that Family Foundation, the Molson review mandated by McGill has characterized The Neuro since its Foundation, the Cyril & Dorothy and University. founding, and I am proud to announce Joel & Jill Reitman Foundation, the that after 75 years, The Neuro is still at Estate of John Gordon, Mr. and Mrs. the very top in terms of global reputation. Paul G. Desmarais, Hugh Hallward, In my view, our international stature is Manulife Financial, Power Corporation, achieved, like our research and clinical the Fondation Jeunesse-Vie and CGI, outcomes, through the dedication and and campaign co-chairs, Jacques Bougie drive of every scientist, clinician, nurse, and Dominic D’Alessandro. The allied health professional, student, staff Neuro-Engineering Program received member and volunteer who commits to founding support from Rio Tinto The Neuro mission. It is to them that I Alcan and the Molson Foundation. extend my thanks and congratulations New fellowships were established for our ongoing accomplishments. thanks to support from National Bank Financial Group, CIBC, Brian Levitt and Claire Gohier, Dr. Brenda Milner, and Dr. Shirley Ferguson Rayport. In addition, generous gifts in support 2 of cutting-edge clinical care and inno- maintain The Neuro tradition of Ethics Committee, has been named vative research programs were received facilitating training and development Director of the McGill Bioethics Unit; from BMO Financial Group, RBC, in neuroscience worldwide, we have and, at the McGill University Health Carolyn and Richard Renaud, Roasters expanded our efforts by hosting clinicians Centre, Alain Ptito is Psychologist-in- Foundation, Scotiabank, The Tenaquip from Cuba and Honduras, and students Chief and Patricia O’Connor is now Foundation and the Reed Family, and from Barbados, China and India, and Director of Nursing & Chief Nursing the R. Howard Webster Foundation. dispatching neuroscientists to Chile Officer at the MUHC. and Brazil. We achieved a new milestone in 2009 To maintain the momentum of growth, when The Neuro Annual Fund led Funds from our Centre of Excellence in we welcomed new faculty members, Commercialization and Research award by volunteers Lorena Cook and Leigh Andrew Reader, an expert in image Taylor generated over $1 million, supported 40 scientific projects and reconstruction and modeling in high allowed us to create 18 new fellowships resolution positron emission tomogra- including $100,000 from our Faculty and studentships. And, to further realize phy (PET); Eliane Kobayashi, an expert and Staff Campaign. Key volunteers the translational value of our research, in epilepsy; and radiopharmaceutical Warren and Joan Chippindale formal- we created a commercialization com- chemist Esther Schirrmacher, who also ized a planned giving initiative with mittee staffed by leaders from industry joined the PET research team in the François Perreten and Marie Carrigan and McGill University. McConnell Brain Imaging Centre. We to facilitate bequests that represent said goodbye and thank you to recent about 16% of the gifts to The Neuro The Neuro is a central component of retirees, Professors Alain Beaudet, year after year. With the help of Jacques the expanded neuroscience program at Mirko Diksic, Christopher Thompson Bougie and Luc Beauregard, we received McGill, where neuroscience is a stra- and Marilyn Jones-Gotman; Marilyn contributions of free media space and tegic priority. The Neuro now houses Kaplow, Administrative Director of advertising time worth over $2.4 million the office of the new McGill Integrated the Neuroscience Mission; and Carol to make our spectacular national pub- Program in Neuroscience (IPN), a Weins, Neuro Librarian. We suffered lic awareness campaign possible. This multi-disciplinary, multi-site graduate the loss of two revered colleagues and strong support for The Neuro, even in program, which increases the visibility friends with the deaths of George a challenging economic environment, of neuroscience at McGill and enhances Karpati and Ernst Meyer. affirms the value of our integrated clinical our ability to recruit the best students and research mission, and speaks to the from around the world.