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About the Centre

The University of Toronto established the Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases in 1990, with the visionary support of the Alzheimer Society of Ontario and a group of dedicated private individuals led by Mark Tanz and Lionel Schipper, whose families had both been touched by Alzheimer’s disease.

The founding director, Professor Peter St George-Hyslop, led the Tanz Centre and its award-winning research teams for nearly 30 years. In 2019, Prof. Graham Collingridge was appointed director of the Tanz Centre as the Krembil Family Chair in Neuroscience. 

The Tanz Centre is housed in the Krembil Research Tower at Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network.

Driving Tanz researchers is the Centre’s mission to discover, apply and disseminate knowledge that will lead to the prevention, treatment and cure of these debilitating diseases.

Mark Tanz (BA’52, Hon LLB’90)’s remarkable generosity has been a catalyst that has accelerated research in Canada into neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Fundraising and community outreach efforts of the Tanz Centre are guided by a dedicated and visionary group of individuals who have contributed their expertise to assist the Tanz scientists in achieving their mission to lead global research and education in neurodegenerative disease.  

Sep 30, 2024
Naomi Visanji met Jonathan Rezek in 2015. Rezek, an IBM executive who had Parkinson’s disease, was a patient in the movement disorders clinic at Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network. He had the idea that Visanji work with her colleagues and IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence to look for new treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
Sep 17, 2024
Stephanie Fauquier's inspiring campaign has resulted in the establishment of the Dr. Robin McLeod Research Scholarship at U of T's Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Aug 8, 2024
Professor Anthony Lang and an international research group proposed a new biological classification system for Parkinson’s disease, which will help focus research and may influence future patient care.
May 2, 2024
Rare genetic mutations that cause early-onset Alzheimer’s disease are helping scientists at the University of Toronto uncover mechanisms involved in the disease, which may lead to new diagnostic tools and therapies.
Mar 26, 2024
In recent years, researchers have studied the link between depression and dementia. Depression can affect different aspects of cognition such as attention, executive function and memory. Some researchers believe that depression may even be an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease.
Mar 20, 2024
Researchers in the Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Disease have reason to celebrate with the announcement of $8.6 million in funding, which will help catalyze breakthroughs in the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.