Accelerating the discovery of new treatments for neurological disorders through Open Science

The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) is pioneering Open Science tools and practices to share data, resources, and expertise to advance neuroscience and impact the lives of patients worldwide.


The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital), a leading neuroscience research centre and hospital, is participating in the Global Health Initiative 2023 campaign led by TBD Media Group in support of the World Health Organization. The documentary series aims to galvanize health care leaders, scientists, policy makers, industry, pharma, and members of the general public to ensure the health of the global community.

The Neuro was selected as the representative for neurological disorders and highlights the need for Open Science - transparent, borderless global science - to find effective treatments for neurological disorders.

Global burden of neurological disorders:
Neurological disorders such as stroke, dementia, migraine, and epilepsy are collectively the leading global source of disability
The World Health Organization estimates that one billion people are affected by neurological disorders
9 million die every year from these illnesses
An aging population makes this an immediate and pressing challenge
By 2030, one in six people in the world will be aged 60 years or over

To meet the global public health challenge of neurological disorders, The Neuro has radically transformed its approach to brain science. As the first university institute in the world to fully embrace Open Science, The Neuro is sharing resources and expertise, and has been pioneering open tools and infrastructure to share research data and biological samples with the global research community.

“The Neuro is committed to improving the lives of patients with neurological disorders and advancing science and medicine to resolve the debilitating and destructive global burden of neurological diseases,” says Dr. Guy Rouleau, Director of The Neuro.

The Neuro has created the world’s first and only combined Open Science biobank and patient registry devoted to neurological diseases. It includes imaging, clinical, demographic, genetic, cellular and neuro-psychiatric data, as well as biological samples from more than 3,000 de-identified participants.

Partnering with patients and their families in The Neuro’s Open Biobank is enabling the global research community to tackle the significant burden of brain diseases facing us all today. “As someone living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), I have decided to donate my patient data and biological samples to The Neuro’s Open Biobank, says Kris Noakes, patient advocate. “It’s inspiring to be a part of something where globally people are collaborating in this manner. There is real momentum and it's wonderful to be part of something new and hopeful for patients with neurological disorders.”

About The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital):
The Neuro is a bilingual, world-leading destination for brain research and advanced patient care. Since its founding in 1934 by renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Wilder Penfield, The Neuro has grown to be the largest specialized neuroscience research and clinical center in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. The seamless integration of research, patient care, and training of the world’s top minds make The Neuro uniquely positioned to have a significant impact on the understanding and treatment of nervous system disorders. In 2016, The Neuro became the first university institute in the world to fully embrace the Open Science philosophy, creating the Tanenbaum Open Science Institute. The Montreal Neurological Institute is a McGill University research and teaching institute. The Montreal Neurological Hospital is part of the Neuroscience Mission of the McGill University Health Centre.

About TBD Media Group:
TBD Media Group is an international, purpose-driven media developer that helps businesses, organisations and governments tell their brand stories in a human and direct way. Learn more at https://www.tbdmediagroup.com/


Media contact:
Supprija Sanmuganathan
Marketing Coordinator
TBD Media Group
s.sanmuganathan@tbdmediagroup.com