$109 million to fund Brain-Heart Interconnectome project to study brain-heart disorders
The CHEO Research Institute and the Lochmüller research group are excited to participate in a new uOttawa-led initiative funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) to establish a first-of-its-kind multidisciplinary program dedicated to the research of brain-heart conditions. This unique new project will lead a paradigm shift in the study, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of these conditions that will benefit patients in Canada and around the world.
The $109 million grant from CFREF will connect researchers from across uOttawa and affiliated research institutes with investigators from McGill University and the University of Saskatchewan to establish the Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI).
The Lochmüller Lab’s Role in the BHI
The BHI will be co-led by Dr. Peter Liu of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Dr. Ruth Slack of the University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute together with eight other principal investigators. As a principal investigator, Dr. Lochmüller will co-lead both the fundamental discovery and translational interconnectome and the therapeutic development theme, and will help guide research to discover how brain-heart disorders occur and progress, examining the interaction of genetic, environmental, and other conditions. Many neuromuscular diseases affect the heart and brain as well as the skeletal muscle, and the Lochmüller group will focus on developing advanced preclinical models of disease to test novel interventions for conditions affecting all these systems.
“Brain, mind and heart disorders are a complex set of interlinked conditions that together represent a tremendous burden both economically and for patients seeking diagnosis and therapies for these conditions,” explains Dr. Lochmüller. “Traditionally, brain and heart conditions have been seen as separate disciplines, leaving gaps in our understanding of the relationships that exist between these disorders. The Brain-Heart Interconnectome will allow us to leverage the knowledge of experts in multiple disciplines to better understand these complex relationships and ultimately provide more effective therapies for patients with these diseases.”
More Information on the Brain-Heart Interconnectome Project
Read the full press release from the University of Ottawa.
Visit the Brain-Heart Interconnectome web page.
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