If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.
This basic truth applies to so many aspects of life, and advancing science and medicine is no exception.
To foster collaborations to drive scientific advancements, researchers from UHN’s Krembil Brain Institute, Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, and The Hospital for Sick Children’s (SickKids) Neurosciences & Mental Health (NMH) program came together to participate in the inaugural Neuronto Research Symposium.
The unique event, held at the MaRS Centre on June 4, 2024, welcomed more than 150 research trainees, faculty, and staff who showcased the depth and breadth of neuroscience research being conducted at UHN and SickKids.
The symposium kicked off with opening remarks from Neuronto Co-Organizers Drs. Jaideep Bains, Co-Director and Senior Scientist at Krembil Brain Institute, and Donald Mabbott, NMH Program Head and Senior Scientist at SickKids.
“Toronto is a global hub for basic, translational, and clinical neuroscience, and there are so many opportunities for synergy between our institutions,” remarked Dr. Bains.
Throughout the event, 12 researchers gave engaging talks focused on four research themes: molecular therapeutics; brain cells, circuits, and networks; cell profiling and personalized medicine; and brain imaging and neurocomputation. Talks covered a variety of topics, including:
- The use of neuromodulation for autism, ADHD, and other neuropsychiatric condition
- Innovative approaches to diagnosing and treating glioblastoma
- Strategies to enhance neuroregeneration following spinal cord injury
- The role of glial cells and white matter plasticity in information storage, and
- The transformative potential of organoids and assembloids in neuroscience research
The event also featured 31 poster presentations from trainees and research staff that fostered in-depth intellectual discussions and idea sharing.
“The symposium was a perfect platform for researchers at all career stages to come together, share insights, and lay the groundwork for lasting scientific partnerships,” says Dr. Mabbott.
The highlight of the event was the announcement of a new scholarship program designed to provide salary support for trainees engaged in cross-institution research, called the Krembil/SickKids NMH Collaborative Studentship Award. Funded by the Krembil Foundation, this award will be available to two PhD students—one working primarily at UHN and one at SickKids—who are co-supervised by principal investigators at both institutions.
“This new scholarship is a great opportunity for us to pool our expertise and better leverage our collective resources,” says Dr. Bains. “Many of our researchers are already engaged in collaborative projects; this scholarship will provide a structured framework to nurture these existing relationships and spur new ones.”
The symposium concluded with a lively wine and cheese networking event at the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, where attendees continued scientific discussions and explored ideas for future collaborations.
UHN and SickKids look forward to growing the Neuronto program and inviting more institutions to join us in our mission to transform neuroscience research, education, and patient care.
The Krembil community thanks the many individuals who made this event possible, including the Krembil Research Administration and Communications teams, and SickKids Research Institute staff members Julie Ruston, Theresa Dudley, Delina Romano, and Francesca Pak. We also extend our sincere gratitude to the oral presentation session moderators—Drs. Homeira Moradi, Flavia Gouveia, Alan Diaz, and Emily Mills—and to the Krembil Foundation for their generous funding of the new graduate student scholarship.