Our Work

What we do

Our collaborative approach to research aims to:

  • Collaborative Research

    OBI is an active partner in the funding, fielding and dissemination of research. Championing high impact research programs, OBI accelerates innovation with the goal of better patient outcomes. Through the development and use of a state-of-the-art informatics platform designed to store, manage and analyze findings, OBI’s Brain-CODE is a “shared brain” for researchers in Ontario and beyond.

  • Commercial Innovation

    OBI partners with research and industry to co-ordinate commercialization and application of brain-related technologies. Through access to funding and support, OBI and its partners have created a track-record of success in nurturing and accelerating innovation.

    Programs like NERVE and NERD help de-risk investment in neurotechnologies bridging the funding gap between research and private capital to ensure validated brain-related technology.

  • Connected Care

    A focus on impact, means improving the lives of those affected by brain disorders. OBI creates new connections between patient groups, researchers, clinicians and other stakeholders, benefiting patients today and for generations to come.

    To ensure scale and efficiency OBI funds and manages five Integrated Discovery Programs – neurodegenerative disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, cerebral palsy, depression and epilepsy. These programs provide evidence-based care back to patient groups, delivering real-world application and positive impact.

How we do it

Our goal is to improve the lives of Ontarians living with a brain disorder. We create seamless connections between research discovery, patient care and commercialization. We do this by connecting researchers, patients, companies, and policy makers.

Scroll through to learn about our major areas of focus.

Collaborative Research

Ontario has one of the highest concentrations of neuroscientists in the world. Individually, many of them are recognized as world leaders in their field. However, to achieve impacts in healthcare and the community, we believe a team science approach is needed. To do this, we fund and manage several Integrated Discovery Programs. Our Integrated Discovery Programs have five underlying principles.

The research must:

  • rank as excellent on an international stage
  • focus on the patient
  • integrate across Ontario and across disciplines
  • involve standardized assessments
  • have a translational thrust
explore our Integrated Discovery Programs

Data Sharing

To enable team science, quality research data must be shared and combined across the province to drive discovery. Our neuroinformatics platform, Brain-CODE, helps more than 200 researchers at over 35 institutions across Ontario share their data. The goals of the Brain-CODE informatics platform are to:

  • support research through digital data management
  • enable data sharing with privacy and security
  • enable technological innovation through big data
learn about Brain-CODE

Commercial Innovation

We work with local and global partners to catalyze the translation of brain research into products that can improve the care of those living with brain disorders. Our programs promote the commercialization of neurotechnology by engaging with industry to attract investments, build partnerships, and to support resource development. Our industry strategy is to:

1. Support and develop an effective neurotech cluster ecosystem:

  • for OBI funded projects
  • for Ontario companies
  • for early-career opportunities for neuroscientists

2. Position Ontario as a preferred partner to multi-national enterprises (MNEs)

view Portfolio Companies

Connected Care

We strive to ensure that the public benefits as we advance our knowledge about the brain. Knowledge translation closes the gap between “what we know” and “what we do” ensuring the translation of research into better care. Outreach helps forge new collaborations and strengthen existing partnerships to ensure the patient perspective is woven into brain research.

We do this by:

• Telling stories to increase public knowledge about brain health, new treatments, tools, and resources

• Creating community to include public and patient perspectives in the research process

• Using research findings to improve prevention, care, and quality of life for those living with brain disorders

• Evaluating our impact to show value and create a culture of evaluation among OBI stakeholders

See this work in action and explore our resources.

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Watch how OBI and its partners are bringing lab to life.

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Our impact

Through partnerships and collaboration, OBI has transformed the province’s approach to brain health and produced direct impacts through its translational work.

One of our key proof points is in our ability to leverage funds: since our inception in 2010, we have taken an initial investment of $2 million dollars and converted it into a $600 million impact on brain healthcare to realize our vision of establishing the province as a world leader in brain research, commercialization, and care.

Bringing Lab to Life. Together.

Through 2021, we put ourselves and our team science approach to the test, and asked the researchers, companies, and community organizations we work with if we are indeed having a positive impact on the resources and abilities they need to achieve their goals.

The impact assessment found that we have been able to:

  • advance research through team science,
  • invest in home-grown neurotech, and
  • support person-centred research and care in communities.

We invite you to see how we have worked together with our stakeholders to bring lab to life.

explore OBI's impact