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The Krembil Research Institute, formerly known as the Toronto Western Research Institute, is an academic medical research institute in Toronto. It is one of the largest research institutes in Canada focusing on human
neurological disease Neurological disorders represent a complex array of medical conditions that fundamentally disrupt the functioning of the nervous system. These disorders affect the brain, spinal cord, and nerve networks, presenting unique diagnosis, treatment, and ...
. Krembil is one of the principal research institutes of the
University Health Network University Health Network (UHN) is a public research and teaching hospital network in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is the largest health research organization in Canada, ranking first in Canada for ...
and is the research institute of the
Toronto Western Hospital The Toronto Western Hospital (TWH) is a major research and teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the University Health Network (UHN). It has 256 beds, with 46,000 visits to its emergency department annually. It is known fo ...
. Krembil researches treatments for
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
, Parkinson's disease,
epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of Non-communicable disease, non-communicable Neurological disorder, neurological disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent, unprovoked Seizure, seizures. A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activit ...
, stroke, brain tumours, concussions,
spinal cord injuries A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that causes temporary or permanent changes in its function. It is a destructive neurological and pathological state that causes major motor, sensory and autonomic dysfunctions. Symptoms of ...
, neuro-ophthalmologic and other ocular disorders, multiple sclerosis and
autoimmune disorders An autoimmune disease is a condition that results from an anomalous response of the adaptive immune system, wherein it mistakenly targets and attacks healthy, functioning parts of the body as if they were foreign organisms. It is estimated tha ...
.


History

In the early 1980s, Toronto Western took on additional neurological and
neurosurgical Neurosurgery or neurological surgery, known in common parlance as brain surgery, is the medical specialty that focuses on the surgical treatment or rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, s ...
care responsibilities for the UHN group. In 1980, the Playfair Neuroscience Institute was created. In 1999, it was renamed the Toronto Western Research Institute. The Institute added research areas in
ophthalmology Ophthalmology (, ) is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of eye diseases and disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a ...
, rheumatology and
orthopaedics Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternative spelling orthopaedics) is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...
. By 2004, under the founding leadership of neurosurgeon C. Wallace, the Krembil had emerged as one of the largest research institutes in Canada with a neuroscience emphasis. On November 13, 2015, the Krembil took on its current name from the Krembil family. In 2013, the Krembil Discovery Tower opened at Toronto Western.


Research Activities

Krembil neuroscientists explore the function of the
nervous system In biology, the nervous system is the complex system, highly complex part of an animal that coordinates its behavior, actions and sense, sensory information by transmitting action potential, signals to and from different parts of its body. Th ...
as they develop treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, epilepsy,
spinal cord injuries A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord that causes temporary or permanent changes in its function. It is a destructive neurological and pathological state that causes major motor, sensory and autonomic dysfunctions. Symptoms of ...
, cerebral ischemia (stroke), vascular brain malformations,
aneurysm An aneurysm is an outward :wikt:bulge, bulging, likened to a bubble or balloon, caused by a localized, abnormal, weak spot on a blood vessel wall. Aneurysms may be a result of a hereditary condition or an acquired disease. Aneurysms can also b ...
s, brain tumours and
pain disorder Pain disorder is chronic pain experienced by a patient in one or more areas and is thought to be caused by psychological stress. The pain is often so severe that it disables the patient from proper functioning. Duration may be as short as a few da ...
s. The Krembil is also home to the Vision Science Research Program, a joint UHN/University of Toronto Program. This research is directed into the following areas:
molecular genetics Molecular genetics is a branch of biology that addresses how differences in the structures or expression of DNA molecules manifests as variation among organisms. Molecular genetics often applies an "investigative approach" to determine the st ...
of blinding eye diseases with brain disorders; treatment and biophysics of
glaucoma Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can lead to damage of the optic nerve. The optic nerve transmits visual information from the eye to the brain. Glaucoma may cause vision loss if left untreated. It has been called the "silent thief of ...
; eye movement control mechanisms; neuronal damage; retinal degeneration and
diabetic retinopathy Diabetic retinopathy (also known as diabetic eye disease) is a medical condition in which damage occurs to the retina due to diabetes. It is a leading cause of blindness in developed countries and one of the lead causes of sight loss in the wor ...
.
Arthritis Arthritis is a general medical term used to describe a disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, Joint effusion, swelling, and decreased range of motion of ...
and associated
rheumatological Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including ar ...
degenerative diseases are the focus of the researchers in the musculoskeletal research program at the Krembil as part of the UHN Arthritis and Autoimmunity Research Centre. Their investigations are aimed at revealing the causes of, and generating therapies for, these
autoimmune In immunology, autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells, tissues and other normal body constituents. Any disease resulting from this type of immune response is termed an " autoimmune disease" ...
and orthopaedic ailments. In September 2021, Krembil took ownership of the
World Community Grid World Community Grid (WCG) is an effort to create the world's largest volunteer computing platform to perform scientific research that benefits humanity. Launched on November 16, 2004, with proprietary Grid MP client from United Devices and add ...
from
IBM International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...
.


Krembil and UHN Neuroscience achievements

*First in world to describe
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a late-onset neurodegenerative disease involving the gradual deterioration and death of specific volumes of the brain, linked to 4-repeat tau pathology. The condition leads to symptoms including Balance di ...
(PSP; Steele-Richardson-Olszewski Syndrome) as a unique form of dementia and neurodegenerative disease involving the gradual deterioration and death of specific volumes of the brain (J. Steele, J. Richardson & J. Olszewski, 1963) *First in world to show the reversibility of brain shrinkage and dysfunction from
alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...
with abstinence. (P. Carlen, 1978) *Showed genetic predisposition to developing Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. (A. Mailis, 1994) *Performed the first
deep brain stimulation Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a type of neurostimulation therapy in which an implantable pulse generator is stereotactic surgery, surgically implanted subcutaneous tissue, below the skin of the chest and connected by Lead (electronics), leads ...
in Canada to effectively control
Parkinson's Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become more prevalen ...
symptoms. (A. Lozano, 1994), *
Awake craniotomy Awake craniotomy is a Neurosurgery, neurosurgical technique and type of craniotomy that allows a surgeon to remove a brain tumor while the patient is awake to avoid brain damage. During the surgery, the neurosurgeon performs cortical mapping to id ...
with same day discharge for brain tumor removal using image guided approach. (M. Bernstein, 1996) *Identified genes responsible for hereditary blindness,
Alzheimer's Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
,
ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or—in the United States—Lou Gehrig's disease (LGD), is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and low ...
and
Huntington's disease Huntington's disease (HD), also known as Huntington's chorea, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that is mostly Genetic disorder#Autosomal dominant, inherited. It typically presents as a triad of progressive psychiatric, cognitive, and ...
. (P. St. George Hyslop, 1990s), *First in Canada to use Image-Guided Minimally Invasive Therapy (IGMIT) during surgery allowing for real-time
magnetic resonance imaging Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to generate pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes inside the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and ...
to guide surgeons to the location of a brain tumor. (M. Bernstein, 1998) *Identified the individual brain cells that control pain. (K. Davis and A. Lozano, 1998) *Identified of protein that triggers autoimmune response in Sjögren's syndrome, as well as a vaccine to treat the condition. (A. Bookman, 2002) *Developed method for detecting gene mutations that enhance care for families with
retinoblastoma Retinoblastoma (Rb) is a rare form of cancer that rapidly develops from the immature cells of a retina, the light-detecting tissue of the eye. It is the most common primary malignant intraocular cancer in children, and 80% of retinoblastoma cas ...
. (B. Gallie, 2003) *Performed the world's first deep brain stimulation for treatment resistant depression. (A. Lozano & S. Kennedy, 2003) *Neural adult stem cell transplantation findings show promising results in repairing spinal cord damage and restoring mobility in rats. (M. Fehlings & S. Karimi, 2006) *Performed the world's first deep brain stimulation for treatment of Alzheimer's Disease (A. Lozano, 2012), *Development of new experimental drug for the neuroprotectant treatment of stroke (M. Tymianski, 2012)


Krembil Directors

* 1980–1988 – William Tatton * 1988–1990 – Charles Tator (interim) * 1990–1999 – Peter Carlen * 1999–2004 – Christopher Wallace * 2004–2011 – Peter St George-Hyslop * 2011–2013 – Peter Carlen (interim) * 2013–2022 – Donald F. Weaver * 2022–present – Jaideep Bains Christopher Wallace MD, MSc, FRCSC, a neurosurgeon and neurophysiologist, was the first official director of the Krembil; his research focussed on therapeutic approaches to vascular
brain injury Brain injury (BI) is the destruction or degeneration of brain cells. Brain injuries occur due to a wide range of internal and external factors. In general, brain damage refers to significant, undiscriminating trauma-induced damage. A common ...
. Peter St George-Hyslop MD, PhD, FRCPC, a
neurologist Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous system, which comprises the brain, the ...
and PhD geneticist, was the second full-time director of the Krembil; his research focussed on the genetic basis of
neurodegenerative A neurodegenerative disease is caused by the progressive loss of neurons, in the process known as neurodegeneration. Neuronal damage may also ultimately result in their death. Neurodegenerative diseases include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, mul ...
diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia.


Facilities

Krembil occupies at Toronto Western Hospital for basic science, clinical, imaging and
epidemiological Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and Risk factor (epidemiology), determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population, and application of this knowledge to prevent dise ...
research. In 2011, the Krembil was home to 122
biomedical Biomedicine (also referred to as Western medicine, mainstream medicine or conventional medicine)
researchers, 206 technical/support staff and 157 research trainees, who collectively produced 515
peer-reviewed Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review ...
publications supported by more than $43,612,000 of external research funding. In 2013, Krembil expanded into an additional of space, spanning nine floors, in the Krembil Discovery Tower. The Tower space includes of "wet" laboratory bench space for Krembil basic science researchers. Krembil receives support from the Toronto General/Toronto Western Hospital Foundation which is currently embarked upon a $200 million "Brain Campaign" to support
neuroscience Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions, and its disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, ...
research at Krembil. The campaign had raised over $273 million as of January 2016.


Strategic research alliances

The Krembil has many strategic research alliances, nationally and internationally, to facilitate and enhance the delivery of its research mandate. Two of the strategic research alliances are: *The Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (Tanz CRND) is a research institute at the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...
, under the umbrella of the Faculty of Medicine, with a focus on the spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases. *Toronto Dementia Research Alliance (TDRA) is a Toronto-wide network of researchers focused on the understanding and treatment of all forms of
dementia Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...
.


References


External links


Toronto Western Research Institute



Toronto Western Hospital

University Health Network

Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
{{authority control University of Toronto Research institutes in Canada