Major position for Alzheimer research

The Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) announced the funding of a $1 million Research Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia, awarded to Dr. Darrell Mousseau, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan.

“People and families affected by dementia often feel hopeless,” explains Joanne Bracken, Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan CEO. “By funding research, we’re providing hope for a tomorrow with a cure – a tomorrow without Alzheimer’s.”

The Saskatchewan Research Chair is a partnership including the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation and the University of Saskatchewan. The two funding partners each provide $100,000 per year for five years, while the University of Saskatchewan provides the necessary infrastructure and support of the Chair.

Started in 2010, the Research Chair supports the work of a talented scientist conducting leading-edge research in Saskatchewan that contributes to eradicating Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. The emphasis is on understanding the possible causes, which will lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses, more effective treatments, and ultimately, a cure. “Through this valuable partnership, SHRF and the Alzheimer Society can support important research that will have an impact on the lives of both people with dementia and their caregivers,” adds Patrick Odnokon, Interim Chief Executive Officer at SHRF.

Dr. Mousseau and his team are attempting to identify changes in the brain that occur well before symptoms become obvious. When his team identifies these changes, they will be able to provide a way for family physicians to identify whether a patient is at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

The Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan is the province’s leading dementia care and research charity. We provide support and education to people with dementia as well as their families and caregivers through peer group, telephone and individual support. We fund Saskatchewan-based and Canada-wide research focused on discovering a cause, a cure and improving the quality of life for those currently living with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia.

For more information about the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, please visit www.alzheimer.ca/sk.