Québec consolidates its international position in mental health research  Two Québec teams funded through the European research network ERA-Net NEURON
Montreal, January 11, 2011 – The FRSQ is very pleased to announce that, for the very first time, two Québec research teams working in collaboration with European partners will be funded as part of a call for proposals by ERA-Net NEURON, a European neurosciences and mental illness research network. Two of the eleven multinational projects that were selected to receive funding involve research teams from Québec. To be eligible, projects had to be presented by a network of researchers from at least three NEURON-member countries. This was the first ERA-Net NEURON competition to which Québec researchers could apply since the FRSQ entered the partnership in 2009. In fact, the FRSQ is the first Québec funding agency to join ERA-Net. “We are very proud of the success of the teams from Québec and are exceedingly pleased to be able to provide our top researchers with the means to collaborate with members of an impressive network of European mental health investigators. This initiative is in line with the strategy to develop our leadership position in international health research,” affirmed Yves Joanette, President and Chief Executive Officer, FRSQ. The selection process was carried out in two phases. In total, 103 teams - 24 of which included collaborators in Québec - presented letters of intent to the assessment committee, which then asked 32 groups to submit complete applications. Six teams listed members from Québec. The committee then granted funding to 11 projects, two of which included Québec researchers. Local project teams will receive some $150 000/year for three years from the FRSQ, and their collaborators will receive sums from funding agencies like the FRSQ in their home countries. The two projects in which Québec researchers are taking part will explore the genetic mechanisms of autism and schizophrenia as well as perinatal stress and its epigenetic impacts on depression. These initiatives will be carried out in collaboration with teams from Germany, Spain, France and Italy. From autism to schizophrenia Schizophrenia and autism are characterized by subtle changes in brain anatomy, especially in white matter and the cortex. In fact, the illnesses share certain symptoms and neurocognitive manifestations. The causes are complex, stemming from personal genetics and environmental changes that occur during development. The researchers believe that schizophrenia and autism have common genetic and molecular bases. To validate this hypothesis, each project team will explore an aspect of the issue according to their area of expertise. Teams will carry out imaging and genetic analyses and verify their results in mutant mouse models. The complementarity of the teams’ undertakings will serve to advance an integrated approach for the study of schizophrenia and autism. Dr. Rouleau's team, which specializes in the genetics of neuropsychiatric disorders, will consider genetic variations in families of which only certain members are affected by schizophrenia or autism (sporadic cases). These studies could lead to the discovery of new genes associated with these illnesses. By pooling the teams' research results, the project will elucidate the biological bases of schizophrenia and autism in an effort to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of those affected. POSEIDON: perinatal stress and adult depression It is now known that life experiences in childhood can lastingly affect the activity of the genes involved in stress response, which play a significant role in the development of mental disorders. This epigenetic phenomenon in humans was recently elucidated by Moshe Szyf’s team and collaborators Michael Meaney and Gustavo Turecki. Researchers will follow animal cohorts to determine if the epigenetic changes that take place following exposure to stress in early life persist into adulthood. By assessing the occurrence in children, the results will reveal whether there are similarities between the changes in animals and those observed in humans. This project aims to elucidate the epigenetic signatures that could be used to predict the emergence of mental disorders, help diagnose them and ultimately prevent and treat them. About ERA-Net NEURON About the FRSQ - 30 - |
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