Vancouver, BC (August 30, 2011) LifeLabs today announced that its $2 million endowment in the Dr. Donald B. Rix Research Chair will fund research into neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. The announcement comes with the appointment of Dr. Matthew Farrer as the Dr. Donald Rix BC Leadership Chair in Genetic Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
The chair is also supported by $2.25 million from the Province of British Columbia through its Leading Edge Endowment Fund (LEEF), $2 million from LifeLabs and $250,000 from the Genome British Columbia Foundation. Dr. Farrer and his research team will be based at the Department of Medical Genetics at UBC's Faculty of Medicine and the Brain Research Centre (BRC) at UBC and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.
The chair was announced today by Dr. Moira Stilwell, Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Research and Innovation, at the Performing Arts Lodge, a community theatre venue where the Parkinson Society of B.C. holds one of its monthly patient support groups. She was joined by John Hepburn, UBC Vice President Research and International, Mark Murphy, Director of LifeLabs, Alan Winter, President of Genome BC Foundation, and Jim Smerdon, who was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's four years ago.
Previously, LifeLabs and Genome BC announced the creation of the Dr. Rix Chair in Genetic Diagnostics to honour one of the founders and former owners of LifeLabs in BC (formerly called MDS Metro Laboratory Services). Among his many business and community service interests, Dr. Rix was a founding director of Genome BC and served as its board chair for four years. Founded in 2000, Genome BC is a research organization that invests in and manages large-scale genomics and proteomic research projects.
"British Columbia has one of the most concentrated and high-calibre cluster of brain and neuroscience researchers, and one of the most robust biotech industries in the world," says Farrer, who also holds the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neurogenetics and Translational Neuroscience at UBC. "This synergy provides the perfect environment for me and my team to make fundamental genetic discoveries and translate them into treatments that will improve the quality of life for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases and that of their families."
In addition to collaborating with researchers at UBC and BRC, Farrer will also work with scientists at the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics (CMMT). Led by Dr. Michael Hayden, CMMT played an instrumental role in the recruitment of the Chair.
"The LEEF Chair came to fruition as a result of CMMT and UBC's invaluable partnership with Genome BC and LifeLabs," said CMMT Director Dr. Michael Hayden. "The award in Don Rix's name in Genetic Medicine is particularly significant as it recognizes Don's visionary leadership and commitment to the translation of genetic knowledge to society. Don was a wonderful mentor, friend, and an inspiration to me and countless others."
"Genome BC is pleased to be able to bring together private industry, academia and government to harness new opportunities for health research," said Alan Winter, President of Genome BC Foundation. "The appointment of Dr. Farrer to the Dr. Donald Rix BC Leadership Chair in Genetic Medicine will allow us to continue to build upon the great foundation in brain research in B.C. and contribute to new and improved treatments for patients everywhere."
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