2026

  • MD/PhD student receives Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Award

    August 13, 2026
    At eight years old, a serious case of pneumonia gave Isis So an early glimpse into the medical profession. From then, she knew she wanted to be a doctor. Figuring out what kind of doctor took a little longer, influenced by mentors along the way and a growing fascination with neuroscience. Now an MD/PhD student at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, So is pursuing a career that brings together patient care and scientific discovery.

  • How technology and teamwork power medical breakthroughs

    August 11, 2026
    Ravi Menon is clear: important advances in diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS) are the result of collaboration and amazing technology. A neurophysicist and medical biophysics professor at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University, Ravi says the earlier the MS diagnosis, the more lifelong disability can be avoided. He and his colleagues have found a way to use a powerful technology called ultra-high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to pinpoint MS more accurately than ever before, thus making an early diagnosis more likely.

  • From stroke survivor to system changemaker

    July 20, 2026
    One patient partner’s journey to improve care for others. When London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) patient partner Mike Tidy looks back on his stroke journey, he knows how much came down to timing, access, and quality of care. “I was lucky,” says Tidy. “Lucky because I live in London where there are a lot of resources available – one being world-class neurologists and a care facility like London Health Sciences Centre, and then another being access to top quality local stroke rehab services.”

  • Brain Canada investment expands access to national MRI platform

    July 14, 2026
    Researchers across Canada will gain greater access to one of the world’s leading magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research facilities through renewed support for Western University’s Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping (CFMM). A new $1.4-million investment from Brain Canada, with matching funds from Western, will support the highly specialized scientific and technical expertise behind CFMM’s ultra-high field MRI systems and strengthen its role as a national research platform.

  • Huntington Society of Canada Research Chair advances innovative approaches to future treatment

    July 10, 2026
    With a goal to accelerate life-changing treatments and advance patient care outcomes, Western University and the Huntington Society of Canada partnered to create a $3-million endowed research chair in 2023, paving the way for accelerated advances in Huntington’s disease. Patrick O’Donoghue, PhD, who leads innovative research into how cells build proteins, is the inaugural Huntington Society of Canada Research Chair. The chair, housed at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, is a first of its kind in North America.

  • Landmark gift will accelerate discoveries in brain health

    June 01, 2026
    For Frank and Janice Lochan, investing in neuroimaging research at Western is a way to turn their personal grief into hope. Janice knows the devastating toll of neurodegenerative conditions firsthand. Generations of her family – including her mother and grandmother – lived with Huntington’s disease. The inherited disorder causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain, leading to severe physical, cognitive and emotional decline. That heartache has also touched Frank’s life. His first wife was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a progressive brain disorder that causes severe changes in personality and behavior.