News Releases
BMO Financial Group joins local philanthropists Richard and Beryl Ivey to announce today a combined $750,000 gift to support Robarts’ innovative MRI research on brain disorders, including epilepsy, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
This gift – including $500,000 in endowed funds from the Iveys and a $250,000 pledge over five years from BMO – aims to accelerate the novel research conducted by Dr. Robert Bartha, now the Ivey BMO Financial Group Scientist in Brain Disorders Imaging.
For the Iveys, this gift marks a way not only to strengthen their significant commitment to research in London but also to acknowledge a long-term relationship with BMO Financial Group. Mr. Richard Ivey was a Board member at the bank between 1966 and 1990.
“BMO is pleased to be partnering with the Ivey family, who has such a long history of giving in the community. We are especially proud to be associated with such a world-class research facility and hope BMO’s gift will help in the innovative work of brain disorder research,” said Shane Butcher, District Vice-President, London, BMO Bank of Montreal.
“The prosperity of Canada is significantly enriched by the contributions of talented researchers such as Dr. Robert Bartha. Supporting Robarts Research Institute, a global centre of excellence, goes a long way in helping Canada hold on to and attract top-notch professionals in their chosen field,” added Butcher.
Dr. Robert Bartha, one of 15 principal investigators in Robarts’ renowned Imaging Research Laboratories, focuses his clinical brain-disorder research program on refining a non-invasive technique called Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy using Robarts’ high-field (4 Tesla) MRI scanner. Instead of producing a visual image of the brain, the scanner detects changes in levels of certain brain chemicals in patients with disorders such as epilepsy, cancer, stroke, mental illness and Alzheimer’s disease. The goal is to improve diagnosis and track the effectiveness of treatments.
In his research program, Dr. Bartha and his clinical collaborators enroll up to 100 patients a year for various brain imaging studies. One study already underway, for example, which is in collaboration with Dr. Chris Watling and Dr. Joseph Megyesi of London Health Sciences Centre, is measuring brain chemicals in a group of patients with a type of brain cancer called low-grade glioma.
“What we’re finding is that there are large variations in the levels of these chemicals that may help improve diagnosis or better predict which tumours will respond to therapy,” said Dr. Bartha. “This gift today will help us ensure we have access to the equipment and personnel we need to expand our research program so that this research will have the best chance of helping doctors care for their patients.”
Dr. Mark Poznansky, Robarts President & Scientific Director, commented on the broad impact this gift will have on a range of conditions that affect millions of Canadians. “Alzheimer’s disease alone affects one quarter of all Canadian families, so if our research is able to provide physicians with better information about how effective drugs and therapies are in slowing or reversing the disease, this will help ease the suffering of many Canadians.”
This donation provides a major boost to Robarts’ $30 million fund-raising campaign, which aims to raise $11.5 million to retain and recruit top scientists, trainees and research personnel; $8.5 million for facility and laboratory development and equipment; and $10 million to double existing endowed funds and ensure stable funding for the future. Just over $8 million has been raised so far.
About Robarts Research Institute
Robarts is Canada’s independent medical research institute. Its scientists are international leaders harnessing the power of cell biology, genomics and advanced medical imaging technologies to investigate a range of conditions from Alzheimer’s and heart disease to diabetes, cancer and organ rejection.
About BMO Financial Group’s Commitment to Communities
Since 1817, BMO Financial Group has believed in community reinvestment and corporate and social responsibility to the communities it serves. BMO Financial Group contributed more than $29 million in corporate donations, sponsorships and events in 2004, supporting thousands of communities, charities and not-for-profit organizations in Canada. BMO has committed $9.8 million over the next 10 years to universities and colleges across the country.
- 30 -