Matthew Farrer

• 

  Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neurogenetics and Translational Neuroscience

  The University of British Columbia

  •  
  • Read video transcript

• “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Farrer to UBC and Vancouver to join an already stellar cluster of world-renowned brain and neuroscience researchers based here. This investment will undoubtedly yield breakthroughs in knowledge and treatment for brain diseases and injuries.”

  ― Stephen Toope, president, The University of British Columbia

• New Treatments for Neurodegenerative Disease

  Ten million Canadians—or nearly one-third of Canada's population—will be affected by brain disease, disorder or brain injury at some time in their life. Aside from the physical and emotional burdens for those affected, as well as for their families and caregivers, the financial burden of treating such diseases is estimated to cost Canadians $30 billion annually.

  Read more

  Although remarkable discoveries have been made throughout the last century about the brain's anatomy and functions, far less is known about how best to intervene when these functions become disordered or diseased. Matthew Farrer, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neurogenetics and Translational Neuroscience at The University of British Columbia (UBC), is working to pioneer new strategies for early detection and improved treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

  At UBC, Farrer has established the Centre for Applied Neurogenetics (CAN)—an international consortium of clinicians and scientists studying the molecular origins of brain diseases using new genetic and computing technologies. CAN is presently housed within the Brain Research Centre and UBC Hospital, part of Vancouver Coastal Health, and is to become an integral part of a new Centre for Brain Health.

  Through the CAN program, Farrer's team is helping train the next generation of clinicians and scientists to work in neurology, neurogenetics, neuroscience and neuropsychiatry. They are advancing public health policies by improving our understanding of neurologic and neurodegenerative disease, and building strong links between academia and industry to help turn discoveries into practical treatments.

• Biography

  An ambitious researcher, Matthew Farrer has made several influential discoveries in neurogenetics, and is critically acclaimed for his work on the genetics of Parkinson's disease.

  Read more

  Before accepting his position as Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neurogenetics and Translational Neuroscience at UBC, Farrer was a professor of molecular neuroscience and director of the Division of Neurogenetics, several neurogenetics laboratories, and the Transgenic Core Facility, at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Farrer was named a Mayo Clinic Distinguished Investigator in 2008—the clinic's highest award for research excellence—for his outstanding contributions to neurogenetics and translational neuroscience.

  Farrer is currently cited as having made some of the greatest contributions to Parkinson's disease research in the past decade. Genetic discoveries from his group—subsequent model and assay development—provide the foundation for new and effective therapies that promise symptomatic benefit by halting disease progression. Farrer also holds the Dr. Donald Rix British Columbia Leadership Chair in Genetic Medicine, supported through the province of British Columbia, Life Labs and Genome BC.

  Farrer received his PhD in human genetics from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, Imperial College London, UK, and has a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from King's College London, UK. He was also a postdoctoral fellow in medical and community genetics at St. Mark's National Health Service Trust, Harrow, UK.

• Related Sites

  Centre for Applied Neurogenics, The University of British Columbia