NAPS Consortium Site Spotlight: McGill University Health Centre Research Institute

Feb 2

Written By Kaleidoscope Management Group

The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and hospital research centre. Located in Montreal, Quebec, the Institute is the research arm of the McGill University Health Centre affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. The Research Institute offers a dynamic multidisciplinary research environment that fosters collaboration and leverages discovery aimed at improving the health of individual patients across their lifespan.

The RI-MUHC was built to facilitate investigator-initiated and discovery-driven research that creates new knowledge in healthcare research along the whole spectrum of investigative activities. This involves fundamental biomedical research, patient-oriented and applied clinical research, research on health services and health systems, as well as population and health promotion research, including societal and cultural effects on health.

Two institutions are involved for the Montreal NAPS site:

The Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine (CARSM) of the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal

The CARSM is both a sleep clinic and a large research team from the Integrated University Health and Social Services Center of the North of the Island of Montreal.

Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC)

The RI-MUHC brings together adult and pediatric research programs, accelerating the transition of biomedical research to improve human health. In numbers: 500 researchers, 1472 research trainees, 1315 research and administration staff.

Our Team

Ronald Postuma, MD, MSc

Co-Principal Investigator

I am a clinical researcher and movement disorders neurologist treating patients with Parkinson's disease and related disorders. My research interest focuses upon Parkinson's disease, particularly on detecting early stages of disease, examining the impact of non-motor symptoms on disease subtype and prognosis, and testing new treatments for non-motor manifestations such as sleep disorders.

I joined NAPS to study in depth the early stages of Parkinson’s and related conditions, with the ultimate goal to start preventative trials. This is a very new area, and is so important to advance research. It’s been a tough experience for me to slowly watch people develop a condition like PD, and I really want to start trying to prevent it!

Coline Zigrand

Being part of the NAPS team is an incredible opportunity. I have the chance to work with a great research team which thanks to its experience, knowledge and dedication allows me to continuously learn about neuropsychology and RBD.

Meeting participants with different backgrounds allows me to better understand how RBD affects their quality of life. Being part of NAPS team offers me a unique opportunity to play a small part in research about early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy in order to slow the disease progression.

Amelie Pelletier, PhD

Project Manager

I've been working with RBD patients since 2014. Over time, I developed a great relationship with our patients. This special relationship is important because the patients feel that they are supported and listened to. Our patients are committed to our research project, and they value the importance of the research done to better understand their sleep disorder. I feel that our patients are part of our team, and together, we can learn more about RBD and all the consequences related to it.

Working on RBD offers a unique opportunity to study how some neurological conditions such as PD, LDB, and MSA progress over time, even before being able to see the clinical symptoms. Identifying prodromal markers of such neurological conditions could eventually lead us toward neuroprotective treatment and eventually stop the progression of these diseases which would be extraordinary for our patients.

Jean-François Gagnon, PhD

I have an extensive background in sleep and cognition in normal and pathological aging. More specifically, neurodegenerative diseases and their preclinical stages (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Lewy body dementia, mild cognitive impairment, REM sleep behavior disorder) and the following respiratory diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and obstructive sleep apnea.

This background instantly drew me to NAPS. Through NAPS, I experience multicentric collaboration with the best North American teams to impact the care provided to participants.

Recent Highlights

The past few years have brought many opportunities for McGill to represent NAPS at conferences, speaking engagements and in various publications.

Prodromal PD and RBD: What is the Link? | World Parkinson Coalition (November 2021)

NAPS Investigator Dr. Ron Postuma, MD, MSc, was interviewed by the World Parkinson Coalition as part of their Research Spotlight Series. It is an insightful interview, in which Dr. Postuma provides his perspective on what link exists between RBD and Prodromal Parkinson’s Disease.

Read the World Parkinson Coalition blog article here.

Shedding Light on Parkinson’s Toward New Treatments and Cures | McGill Reporter (May 2022)

Dr. Ronald Postuma is a neurologist and world-leading researcher specializing in movement disorders. He is also the principal investigator of the the groundbreaking Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative at The Neuro.

Read the McGill Reporter article here.

Abstract | Neuroprotective Trials in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: The Way Forward Becomes Clearer (August 2022)

An abstract by NAPS co-investigator, Dr. Ronald Postuma – "Neuroprotective Trials in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: The Way Forward Becomes Clearer", discusses the importance of treatments at the prodromal stage and the compelling advantages of being applied early enough to make a meaningful difference.

Highlights on Parkinson’s Disease | Congress 2022 (October 2022)

NAPS Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Ronald Postuma was recently interviewed outlining several advances this year he thinks will "revolutionize" Parkinson's disease care, and shifts the field may need to make as a whole to help us reach the next phase of prodromal and personalized treatments.

🎧 Listen to the episode here.

⠀ Our team is committed to further the NAPS study's mission to support clinical care, advance discovery, promote education, and engage our community in order to improve the quality of life and care of individuals living with RBD. Learn more about our promise. ⠀

Kaleidoscope Management Group