• DMRF 2020 Impact Report
  • Message from CEO and Board Chair
  • Conquering Coronavirus, Together
  • A Living Legacy:
    The DMRF Dr. Reginald Yabsley Award in Orthopaedics
  • Chasing a Cure for Multiple Sclerosis:
    The Gillian’s Hope MS Research Fund
  • Summary Financials & Research
    Grant Funding Awards
  • THE DMRF Molly Appeal Update
    • Spring 2019 Molly Appeal:
      The DMNB Biobank
    • Fall 2019 Molly Appeal - Orbitrap Fusion Mass Spectrometer
    • 2018 Update
  • Intervening in Youth Depression,
    Right from Initial Onset
  • Cycling to Support Cancer Research:
    The Big Ride
  • Planning Ahead To Give Back:
    Meet Hilda Duncan
  • Breakthrough Breakfast Update
    • Breakthrough Breakfast 2018:
      Mid-Career Research Award Recipients
    • Breakthrough Breakfast 2017:
      The DMRF Lindsay Graduate Studentship in Severe Mental Illness Research Recipients
    • Breakthrough Breakfast 2019:
      Save the Date!
  • DMRF’s Impact Reception 2020
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DMRF Impact Report: 2019 – 2020
DMRF Impact Report: 2019 – 2020
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Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation

Impact Report

2019 – 2020

Dear DMRF Donors,

Our history is one of pride and progression. Over forty years ago, a group of community leaders came together because they saw the immense potential of Dalhousie University medical researchers to advance their life-changing work; they just needed the right support. With visions of keeping outstanding health research vigorous and local, our Foundation was formed. Today, we have raised millions of dollars to support health research at Dalhousie and that’s thanks to your continued commitment. This fiscal year alone we granted $5.6 million to critical health research projects at Dalhousie, which represents our greatest granting year yet!

Read full story

A message from our CEO

Together, we can turn this aspiration into a reality.

A message from our Board Chair

Conquering Coronavirus, Together

Since the beginning of 2020, the entire globe has progressively faced an exceptionally unique and challenging situation that has impacted each of us: the novel coronavirus and its life-threatening illness, COVID-19. With a team of internationally acclaimed researchers in infection, immunity, inflammation and vaccinology, Dalhousie is a global leader in the discoveries and development of new vaccines, antiviral drugs, and other life-saving viral therapies. With proven expertise, our health researchers are uniquely positioned to help with the global fight against coronavirus, and are working with a powerful research network of national and international experts to reach common goals, faster.

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Because of DMRF’s generous donors, our researchers are working hard every day to support the health of our communities and find solutions to this pandemic, so that we can once again stand side-by-side in health.

– Joanne Bath, CEO, DMRF

A Living Legacy: The DMRF Dr. Reginald Yabsley Award in Orthopaedics

Awarded for the first time in 2019, The DMRF Dr. Reginald Yabsley Award in Orthopaedics supported two students this past year, selected for their outstanding balance of scientific knowledge, research acumen and interest in the area of orthopaedics. As the inaugural recipients of the DMRF Dr. Reginald Yabsley Award in Orthopaedics, Madison Stevens and Malik Ali are incredibly grateful to the Yabsley family for their support.

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Madison Stevens

Teaching was one of Reginald’s greatest joys, and his residents were very important to him. I am thrilled that this fund is supporting student learning and training. It will be a great legacy for Reginald and his four children.

– Shirley Yabsley

Chasing a Cure for Multiple Sclerosis:
The Gillian’s Hope MS Research Fund

When Gillian Morrow was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) over 20 years ago, she didn’t think she would have a problem. She was hopeful that a cure would be available within a few years, and that she could return to focusing on the things that made her happiest in life: family, friends, and a love of travel.

Read full story

Dr. Michael Thorne

I’m honoured to be the first recipient of the DMRF Gillian’s Hope Clinical Fellowship in MS. I plan to continue MS research until we fully understand what causes this disease, and hopefully one day find a cure. This Fellowship will support a long line of people like myself, working toward the same goal.

– Dr. Michael Thorne

  • Click to view our summary statement of financial position & operations
  • Click to view our awards: research grant funding

The DMRF Molly Appeal Update

The DMRF Molly Appeal is a Maritime-wide annual fundraising campaign that supports lifesaving research at Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine. Beginning in 1980 after a local woman named Molly Moore donated a $5 bill to medical research, the campaign is based on Molly’s belief that if we all give what we can, together we can make a big difference. To date, the Molly Appeal has raised over $6.5 million for critical research initiatives, with contributions from thousands of individual donors in the community.

Thomas Pulinilkunnil

Spring 2019 Molly Appeal:
The DMNB Biobank

Last year’s spring Molly Appeal campaign asked those across the Maritimes to help support the DMNB Biobank. As a shared facility between Dalhousie medical researchers in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the Biobank stores heart tissue samples from patients across the Maritimes, allowing researchers to explore what contributes to heart failure, why some are more susceptible to heart failure than others, and the potential to develop new therapies.

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Dr. Rob Green

Atlantic Canada is home to the highest rates of heart disease in the country. Through the tissues stored at the Biobank, we’re able to study questions like ‘why are women more susceptible to heart disease?’ and ‘how do metabolic problems in diabetes lead to heart failure?’ It is only once we have a full understanding of these processes, that we will be able to change our statistics, and our fate.

– Dr. Thomas Pulinilkunnil, cardiovascular researcher; IMPART-CVRG member;
Associate Professor, Dalhousie University and Adjunct Professor, University of New Brunswick

Fall 2019 Molly Appeal:
Orbitrap Fusion Mass Spectrometer

Last year’s fall Molly Appeal campaign set out to raise funds to equip Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine with a state-of-the-art device, capable of opening up a whole new scientific frontier in eastern Canada. Allowing researchers to analyze specimens in 100X greater detail than before.

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Marie-Claire Wasson

2018 Update

Because of support from Molly Appeal donors, our 2018 goal of establishing a new Genomics Training Program at Dalhousie has been achieved. Supporting trainees at the Masters and PhD levels working to crack the genetic codes that underpin disease, this program is now up and running.

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As a young researcher starting a career in the pursuit of cancer treatments, it is wonderful to know that DMRF and its donors support the work we are undertaking. My research involves identifying and characterizing new molecular targets for the treatment of breast cancer.

– Marie-Claire Wasson, Recipient,
DMRF Genomics in Medicine Graduate Studentship

Intervening in Youth Depression, Right from Initial Onset

Over the past seven years, Dalhousie’s Dr. Rudolf Uher and colleagues have been leading an innovative long-term study known as FORBOW (Families Overcoming Risk and Building Opportunities for Well-being), aimed at preventing severe mental illness and supporting positive mental health in youth.

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Dr. Rudolf Uher

Over the next three years, it is expected that approximately 100 youth in the FORBOW study will develop their first episode of depression, based on predictive factors such as family history and age. We are in a unique position to provide these youth with early, high quality treatment, and to test the long-term outcomes associated with choosing either psychological treatment or medication. Our new Depression Intervention Project will be the first study in the world to compare the effectiveness of these two treatments, from the very first episode of depression in youth.

– Dr. Rudolf Uher
Canada Research Chair in Early Intervention in Psychiatry, Professor, Researcher, Dalhousie University, FORBOW lead

Cycling to Support Cancer Research: The Big Ride

To date, Give to Live and DMRF have provided over $200,000 to the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute in support of their Cancer Research Training Program, which provides training and funding to graduate students, medical residents, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical research fellows involved in cancer research at recognized institutions in Atlantic Canada.

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Jonathan Norwood

I don’t ride because I like cycling, or even because I’m good at it,” says Jonathan. “I ride because of my mother, who is a 10-year cancer survivor. I ride because of my friend Chris McDougall, who lost his 14-year-old son Charlie to bone cancer. I ride because I can, and because my sacrifice means more funding for cancer research, so that we can change the narrative around this awful disease.

– Jonathan Norwood, Partner, Viking Capital Corp., Toronto

Planning Ahead to Give Back:
Meet Hilda Duncan

With a firm belief in the power of medical research to save lives, Hilda is proud to make her gift to Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation, in support of world-leading health research taking place right here in the Maritimes. By supporting health research in pursuit of new preventative interventions, treatments and cures, Hilda’s gift will have an impact on the lives of people across Canada, and around the world.

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It feels good to know that I’ll be investing in the health of future generations, including my five children, six grandchildren and two great‑grandchildren. I truly believe supporting research that allows people to live healthy lives is a fundamental way that I can help others. If you’ve ever lived in a small town, you know that helping others is one of the most important things you can do in life.

– Hilda Duncan, DMRF estate gift donor

Breakthrough Breakfast Update

For the last four years, the DMRF Breakthrough Breakfast has presented guests with a welcoming event that offers a stellar atmosphere, delicious food and presentations from outstanding local health researchers who are advancing the face of health as we know it. With funds raised from each event, DMRF is proud to offer health researchers awards to advance their work. On behalf of DMRF and numerous Dalhousie researchers, we thank you for joining us to share eggs and coffee, and to support cutting-edge health research, right here in the Maritimes.

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Breakthrough Breakfast 2018: Mid‑Career Research Award Recipients:

Dr. Paola Marcato

Funding from our three previous Breakthrough Breakfasts has also continued to have an impact.

Dr. Rob Adamson

Breakthrough Breakfast 2017: The DMRF Lindsay Graduate Studentship in Severe Mental Illness Research Recipients

Emily Howes Vallis

Funds raised through Breakthrough Breakfast 2017 created the DMRF Lindsay Graduate Studentship in Severe Mental Illness Research.

Alyson Zwicker

5th Annual Breakthrough Breakfast

Save the Date

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4th, 2020

Join us as we offer eggs with a side of hope in celebration of world-class health research.

Please Note: Due to ongoing concerns around COVID-19, we are still working on plans for the 2020 Breakthrough Breakfast.

Please stay tuned to DMRF.CA for more details!

You're Invited

DMRF’s 3rd Annual Impact Reception

Save the Date

WHEN: Wednesday, July 8th, 3 – 4PM (AST)

WHERE: Live Online at: dmrf.ca/impact

Join us online as we celebrate our donors and bring several of our Impact Report stories to life!

Please stay tuned to DMRF.CA for more details!

Featured researchers include:
Dr. Paola Marcato (breast cancer research)
Dr. Thomas Pulinilkunnil (DMNB BioBank)
Dr. Rudolf Uher (FORBOW)

Plus, a Q&A with DMRF’s “viral video virologist” Dr. Craig McCormick, live entertainment, prize giveaways and more!

CLICK HERE for more information >

 

Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation