Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Stroke, with its ensuing brain damage, is a major health concern both for Canada and for the westernised world. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Canada, costing Canada an estimated $3.6 billion annually, and is the second leading cause of adult morbidity in North America and Europe. A major clinical consequence of stroke is delayed brain damage, which can occur days to weeks after the time of the actual stroke. Although deteriorating patient condition is a tragic fact of stroke, it highlights a possible therapeutic window in time, during which a suitable treatment could be administered to minimise or prevent the delayed brain damage from occurring. In order to develop effective therapies, it is essential to acquire a greater understanding of the biochemical mechanisms which drive the delayed brain damage following stroke. The major physiological event of a stroke is brain ischemia, which is the loss or reduction of blood flow (the supply of energy and oxygen) to all or part of the brain. It is hypothesised that brain ischemia may activate biochemical pathways within the brain, which although not initially harmful, later give rise to damaging events. Unfortunately, identifying these pathways requires both detailed chemical sensitivity and high resolution imaging at the cellular-level, which are very challenging to achieve in combination. This project will use and develop a novel suite of synchrotron light imaging techniques, a combination pioneered in large part by the applicant, to provide exquisite biochemical visualization of the stroke-impacted brain. Identification of specific pathways associated with damage following stroke will provide the basis for developing more effective treatments for this devastating and prevalent condition. Furthermore, the imaging tools to be developed within this project can be used to study any brain disease, and therefore may have an even wider ranging health impact.