Ontario Brain Institute

10/06/2026

By 2030, nearly 1 million Canadians could be living with dementia. Supporting an aging, at-risk population means planning now, with diagnostic technology that makes dementia care arrive earlier, faster, and more personalized.

Blood-based biomarker (BBM) testing could be that solution. BBMs are quickly being adopted into clinical practice worldwide.

That's why OBI is partnering with Alzheimer Society of Ontario and the Weston Brain Institute on the Canada Blood-based Biomarkers Readiness & Pathway Development initiative. Guided by experts, patient partners, and advocates, the project will inform a coordinated, evidence-based approach to BBM use across Canada's dementia care system.

A $200K investment from the Weston Family Foundation helps make this work possible. We're honoured to partner with two leaders in brain health to accelerate responsive, innovative dementia care.

🔗 Learn more: https://westonfoundation.ca/weston-brain-institute/

09/06/2026

Canada’s largest corporate charity ping pong event returns on October 1st, 2026, and we can't wait to play!

CEO of Cleveland Clinic and OBI Board Member Mike Kessel founded Cardiac Smash in 2015. Since then, the tournaments have expanded to Vancouver and Montreal and have raised over $100k annually in support of Heart & Stroke. We're honoured to be joining Cardiac Smash once again to promote the critical intersection of heart health and brain health. ❤️🧠

Interested? The ball is in your court. 🏓

🔗 Learn more and register your team at www.cardiacsmash.com.

09/06/2026

Looking to better your brain health, but don't know where to start?

Next Thursday, the Toronto Dementia Research Alliance (TDRA) will be holding a community event to promote dementia prevention in older adults. Attendees will hear from expert speakers about lifestyle changes that may reduce their risk of dementia. They will also be connected to local resources and services that support cognitive wellness in older age.

This event is free, open to everyone, and lunch will be provided at no cost.

🔗 Register now (space is limited): https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/empowering-older-adults-modifiable-risk-factors-for-dementia-tickets-1989542821135?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

08/06/2026

Taking the first steps toward dementia care can feel overwhelming — especially without a clear path forward.

That is why the launch of the Ontario Dementia Task Force matters. The Alzheimer Society of Ontario and The Brainwell Institute have created it to make dementia care easier to find and use across the province.

With funding from the Weston Family Foundation, the group brings together government, people with lived experience, health care providers and community organizations. They will find the gaps, learn from how Ontario handles care for cancer, stroke and diabetes, and build a clearer path to care for people living with dementia and their care partners, in every part of the province.
By 2030, more than 432,000 people in Ontario are expected to be living with dementia. This work matters. Congratulations to everyone involved.

🔗Read more on the Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/markets-news/GlobeNewswire/2358651/new-task-force-to-develop-roadmap-for-dementia-care-coordination-in-ontario/

GlobeNewswire Press Release.

05/06/2026

Accessibility looks like technology that fits every child's needs — not the other way around.

Trexo Robotics builds wearable robotic devices that support over-ground walking for children with physical and neurological conditions. The Trexo device is adjustable and customizable, supporting walking both at home and in clinical settings, bringing this technology directly to the children and families who need it.

OBI supported Trexo Robotics early on through the 2017 NERVE program. Since then, hundreds of children across Canada have used the device, and the company has twice been named to the Forbes Accessibility List. Trexo is now being evaluated as a clinical tool with backing from Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation and OBIO's LSCTC Centre of Excellence.

➡️ Learn more about Trexo and book an in-home trial: https://www.trexorobotics.com/about-us/

Trexo's story started when Manmeet learned his nephew would not be able to walk due to cerebral palsy and decided to build him a robotic exoskeleton suit.

04/06/2026

Accessibility looks like a classroom designed around the people in it.

Karis Disability Services provides supported living and employment assistance to people with disabilities. In partnership with Humber College, they offer two certificate programs — Culinary Skills Development and Employment, and Baking Fundamentals — training students to work in professional kitchens while building skills in communication, time management, and teamwork.

As part of OBI's 2019 GEEK cohort, Karis Disability Services evaluated both certificate programs to ensure the courses were structured to best support people with developmental disabilities and mental health conditions, strengthening the pathway from education to meaningful employment.

Karis Disability Services also supports people with disabilities through community participation and goal setting, recognizing that accessibility extends well beyond the classroom.

➡️ Learn more about Karis Disability Services and their programs: https://karis.org/our-services

These person-directed services are designed with you in mind, to best meet the needs of people with developmental disabilities and their families. Our services are offered in a way that aligns with our Christian faith and values.

03/06/2026

Accessibility looks like independence on your own terms.

Possibility Neurotechnologies, an OBI portfolio company through the 2024 NERVE program, develops brain-computer interface technology that helps people with disabilities communicate and move independently. Think2Switch™, their flagship product launched in 2026, is a mobile app that lets users control devices and interact with their environment using only their brain activity.

For many users, this kind of technology is transformative, removing barriers to communication and participation that physical limitations would otherwise create. Designed for everyday use in homes, classrooms, and community settings, Think2Switch™ meets users where they are.

➡️ Watch Think2Switch™ in action on CBC’s The National: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlqH-n9V1S0

Canadian scientists are using brain-computer interfaces to help kid...

02/06/2026

Accessibility looks like essential equipment in the hands of every child and youth who needs it.

Easter Seals Ontario supports young people with physical disabilities to thrive and participate fully in their communities. Their Equipment Funding Program helps Ontario families cover the cost of mobility and accessibility devices for children and youth, ensuring more families can access the support they need.

As part of OBI's 2023 GEEK cohort, Easter Seals Ontario worked to evaluate and strengthen the program's reach, ensuring it serves as many young people and families as possible.
Beyond equipment funding, Easter Seals Ontario also offers accessible summer camps, ambassador programs, and scholarships — reflecting the many ways accessibility can take shape in a young person's life.

➡️ Learn more about Easter Seals Ontario and their programs: https://www.easterseals.org/

Empowering kids with physical disabilities to discover their own potential. Donate Now For us, disabled will never mean unable. That’s why Easter Seals Ontario is dedicated to helping children, youth, and young adults with physical disabilities carve their own path into the world, with assurance a...

01/06/2026

Which depression treatment is right for you — and how would you know?

At our most recent OBI Public Talk: Innovative Treatments for Brain Health, Dr. Rudolf Uher described a central challenge in mental health research to moderator Dr. Krishana Sankar: despite the wide range of treatments available, many Canadians are still living with depression. Matching the right treatment to the right person remains an open question.

It's a challenge The CAN-BIND Program is working to solve. Through the OPTIMUM-D study, CAN-BIND is investigating biomarker combinations that could predict which depression treatments work best for a given individual. These biological profiles could make treatment selection both faster and more precise.

▶️ Revisit OBI Public Talks: Innovative Treatments in Brain Health at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYDzX904FX8

01/06/2026

Accessibility isn't a feature. It's a foundation. This National AccessAbility Week (May 31–June 6), we're reflecting on what that means for brain health.

At OBI, the people most affected by brain health conditions have always had a seat at the table — not as subjects of research, but as architects of it. That commitment shows up across our work:

🔹Patient and Community Advisory Committees ensure research is grounded in lived experience and reflects the needs of those it serves.
🔹GEEK (Growing Expertise in Evaluation and Knowledge Translation) provides expert guidance to organizations delivering disability-related services.
🔹NERVE (Neurotech Entrepreneurship to Validate Emerging Innovations) offers funding and mentorship to early-stage companies developing accessibility technology.

Join us this week as we highlight the people and programs working to make brain health more accessible for everyone.

Learn more about how OBI drives change: https://braininstitute.ca/