Research

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Research is crucial to enhancing our knowledge about health and disease and to exploring potential treatments and interventions. The BC Brain Wellness Program and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health works in affiliation with the Vancouver Coastal Research Institute (VCHRI) in bringing together experts in brain health and beyond, that are conducting exciting research studies across the fields of neurology, psychiatry and more.

Click on the links below to learn more about these current studies.

Ongoing Studies

  • It is well known that people with progressive neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) or multiple sclerosis (MS) often encounter challenges with driving related to physical and cognitive symptoms and progression of their condition. Currently, there is a lack of programming to provide support to individuals to either continue driving or retire from driving at the appropriate time. Decisions on Driving, an educational workbook was developed to fill this gap by providing individuals with neurodegenerative conditions the tools to make informed decisions surrounding their driving. This workbook has been further developed into a group based program that is intended to be run over the course of three sessions. We are currently recruiting individuals to participate in the Decisions on Driving program and provide feedback on its content. This is a University of British Columbia study.

    What is involved:
    You will be asked to join three, 1-hour group based sessions over zoom and complete a questionnaire both before and after the sessions.

    Who can participate:

    • Definitive diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) or multiple sclerosis (MS)

    • Current patient of either the UBC Movement Disorders Clinic or UBC Multiple Sclerosis Clinic

    • 19 years of age or older

    • Living in the community

    • Current driver with valid Class 5 license

    • Able to read and communicate in English

    • Access to computer, smartphone or tablet with Zoom technology

    Who cannot participate:

    • People who have been identified by Road Safety BC or other entity as requiring a driving assessment

    • People who have been determined not fit to drive

    Principle Investigator:
    Dr. Susan Forwell, UBC Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

    Primary Contact:
    Jeremy Au | 604-500-2303 | jerau@student.ubc.ca

  • Cynthia Friesen is running a music research study targeted towards individuals with a chronic neurological condition, care partners, or 50+ residents in Metro Vancouver who enjoy singing.

    Recruitment is now closed for this study, and the research team is excited to learn together with participants this fall and to share more about their experience in due course with our broader community!

  • It is well known that exercise helps slow down disease progression, but how exactly does it work? What changes occur in the brain in response to sustained levels of exercise?

    Our research study aims to answer these questions using brain scanning—in particular, using positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study brain energetics, or how the brain produces and uses energy. There is evidence that PD alters healthy brain energetics, and exercise may be a means to slow down or even reverse these changes.

    We are currently recruiting active individuals or people participating in less than 120 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week.

    What is involved:

    You will be asked to come in for assessments, an exercise test, and a single PET/MRI scan over three separate study visits, and then repeat the three visits after 6 months. You will be reimbursed for travel or provided with transportation.

    Who can participate:

    • Have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease

    • Ages 40-80

    • Currently participating in less than 120 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week.

    • Able to maintain and report activity levels for 24 weeks

    • Able to tolerate laying down on their back for about 90 minutes for PET/MRI scanning and not have claustrophobia or a fear of needles

    Exclusion Criteria:

    • Hypertension

    • Diabetes

    • Depression treated with antidepressants

    • Serious head injury with loss of consciousness for ≥ 5 minutes

    Primary Contact:

    Jess McKenzie | 604-822-7764 | jess.mckenzie@ubc.ca

  • Participate in studies recruiting people with various health conditions.

    Search for studies by Body System, Disorders & Conditions, or Diagnosis & Therapy. The directory 300+ active studies.

    Participate in studies recruiting healthy volunteers.

    Studies will often recruit healthy volunteers (i.e. without health conditions) as a comparison group to those with a given condition.

  • A clinical trial is any research study that prospectively assigns participants to one or more health-related interventions to evaluate the effects on health outcomes.

    Clinical trials in Canada are required to be listed on ClinicalTrials.Gov, a database of privately and publicly funded clinical studies conducted around the world.

    Find recruiting studies.

Sign up for future opportunities to participate in research within the community:

Easy to Digest Research Findings

For many people reading scientific papers is challenging, and we don’t believe this should be a barrier to consuming knowledge about current research. Click on the link below to find digestible, easy-to-understand information on various research studies.