A powerful new partnership is bringing together two innovative national organizations working to advance brain health. The Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) and Brain Canada Foundation are announcing a new collaboration to identify, support, and fund new research projects that strive to make a difference in the lives of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families across Canada.

“KBHN has a strong community of partners, network members, investigators, and highly qualified people that stretches across Canada. Our collaboration with Brain Canada began in 2015 with a funding partnership to help build the next generation of neurodevelopmental scientists. Now, our collaboration is expanding to fund research into the early detection and effective treatment of disorders of brain development. Together we are working to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and the families that need it most.”

Nicola Lewis, CEO, Kids Brain Health Network

“We are pleased to join forces once again with Kids Brain Health Network to invest in brain research that aims to improve the lives of children in Canada with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. Understanding the brain in health and in illness will not only change how we treat and detect neurodevelopmental disorders, but it will also have implications for our understanding of all diseases and disorders of the brain.”

Dr. Viviane Poupon, President and CEO of Brain Canada

Competitions
The partnership supports two new KBHN initiatives: the Strategic Investment Fund, and the Early Career Investigator & Mentorship Awards.

Under this new agreement, four projects have received Strategic Investment Fund awards, with KBHN contributing up to $417,000, and Brain Canada contributing up to $373,000, for a total of $790,000 in total funding. An additional three projects have received funding from the Early Career Investigator & Mentorship Awards, with Brain Canada and KBHN each contributing up to $75,000 in total funding.

These amounts have also been matched by funding from additional knowledge user partners outside of any federal government sources. The Strategic Investment Fund was established to advance innovative solutions that demonstrate a strong, near-term potential to make a difference in the lives of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families across Canada. The Fund leverages KBHN resources and Network expertise in new ventures with knowledge user partners in either the private or public sector who are well positioned to adopt and implement these solutions. The expected outputs include changes in practice or policy, establishing new technologies or new applications for existing technologies, and expanding or scaling direct innovations for children and families.

The Early Career Investigator & Mentorship Awards are intended to strengthen an Early Career Investigator’s research program that addresses a real-world problem and focuses on solutions and implementation in either early screening and identification, evidence- based interventions/treatment and family support. These awards support the recruitment of trainees and increasing connections to community partners. The Awards provide $50,000 per year for two years (total $100,000) to support a postdoctoral fellow.

About KBHN
Vision: All children living with neurodevelopmental disabilities enjoy quality of life, inclusion in all aspects of society and reach their full potential.

Mission: Through catalyzing collective action across sectors, KBHN ensures optimal care and better outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families.

Established under the Network of Centres of Excellence program, KBHN supports transformative research, provides training opportunities for the next generation of researchers and practitioners, empowers communities with the right tools and information, and translates research findings in three focus areas:

  • earlier identification of children at-risk for a neurodevelopmental disability;
  • evidence-based interventions for these children; and
  • enhanced support for families.

KBHN particularly values the voice of families, and individuals with lived experience, as partners in the research itself, in the review process, and in mobilizing the knowledge generated.

About Brain Canada
Brain Canada is a national non-profit organization that enables and supports excellent, innovative, paradigm-changing brain research in Canada. It plays a unique and invaluable role as the national convener of the brain research community. Brain Canada joins people, labs and platforms across the country, as well as institutions, organizations and sectors – to drive innovation and foster an interconnected brain research system. Together with its partners and donors, Brain Canada’s work enables Canada to excel and make even greater contributions to the global quest to understand the brain and brain disorders.

This partnership has been made possible by the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF), an innovative arrangement between the Government of Canada (through Health Canada) and Brain Canada Foundation. To date, Health Canada has invested over $130 million through the CBRF which has been matched by Brain Canada Foundation and its donors and partners.

For more information please contact:

Kids Brain Health Network
Ariana Cahn, MSc
Research Communications Coordinator
networkcomms@kidsbrainhealth.ca

Brain Canada Foundation
Melissa Arauz
Senior Digital Communications & Stewardship Officer
melissa.arauz@braincanada.ca
514-377-6461