Bernice Ramsay Recipients Announced

Bernice Ramsay Recipients Announced

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the Bernice Ramsay Grants to three Canadian research projects. 

Made possible by the generous estate of Bernice Ramsay, which contributed $2.3 million to ALS Canada in 2006, each recipient receives a one-time grant to pursue innovative avenues in ALS research. 

Bernice Ramsay Discovery Grants

The recipients of the fourth annual Bernice Ramsay Discovery Grants are: University of Alberta researchers Sanjay Kalra, MD and Herbert Yang, PhD; and University of Montreal researchers Edor Kabashi, PhD and Pierre Drapeau, PhD. 

The University of Alberta researchers’ project is entitled, “Characterization of cerebral degeneration in ALS using MRI-based texture analysis.”  The University of Montreal researchers’ project is entitled, “Characterization of C90RF72 intronic expansions and genetic interaction with TDP-43.”  

Commencing in 2008, this multi-year initiative funds two projects per year (each up to $100,000) for the pursuit of new and promising directions in ALS research.

Bernice Ramsay Clinical Research Fellowship

Amer Ghavanini, MD, PhD, is the 2011 recipient of the Bernice Ramsay Clinical Research  Fellowship.  The fellowship will commence in July 2012 in the neuromuscular program of the London Health Sciences Centre.  His research project is entitled, “A new method of estimation of the number of motor units for clinical research in ALS.” 

A new initiative beginning in 2009, this program supports specialized training in clinical care and research skills related to ALS. The program awards a researcher $100,000 per year for two years.