L-R: Brian MacVicar, Co-Director of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, shows his images of astrocytes and neurons to federal Minister of Health Rona Ambrose.
The Hon. Rona Ambrose, Canada’s Minister of Health, toured the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health Aug. 21, meeting with three of its researchers and seeing the fruits of the federal government’s $13.25 million investment.
Minister Ambrose, accompanied by Nina Grewal, M.P. for Fleetwood-Port Kells, met with Centre Co-Director Brian MacVicar, who described the Centre’s mission of uniting under one roof UBC’s scientific and clinical expertise in neuroscience, psychiatry and neurology.
Dr. MacVicar brought them to his lab, where they viewed his cellular-level videos of astrocytes, a type of brain cell. The videos — produced with a sophisticated imaging technique called two-photon microscopy — show how astrocytes converge on brain lesions caused by stroke, a restriction of blood flow to the brain.
“It’s amazing to see that,” said Minister Ambrose, an M.P. for Edmonton-Spruce Grove.
Minister Ambrose then visited the lab of Lara Boyd, a Professor of Physical Therapy and Canada Research Chair. Dr. Boyd demonstrated her work on transcranial magnetic stimulation, in which a magnetic field is targeted at certain regions of the brain, with the goal of restoring motor control in stroke victims. She also demonstrated another project exploring whether a commercially available video game, in which the player must “catch” asteroids from colliding with Earth, can help in the rehabilitation of stroke victims.
Minister Ambrose also met briefly with Anthony Traboulsee, an Associate Professor of Neurology and Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic at UBC Hospital. Last October, he published a study in The Lancet that largely debunked the controversial theory of MS being caused by a narrowing of veins from the brain to the heart. He is currently leading another study exploring the efficacy of a procedure, based on that theory, that involves opening the veins of MS patients through angioplasty.
“Minister Ambrose saw federal government support in action as she toured a ground-breaking facility that bridges brain research and patient care under one roof at the University of British Columbia,” said Gavin Stuart, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and UBC’s Vice Provost Health.