Research

Neurodegenerative diseases represent some of the most significant public health challenges of the 21st century: they are chronic, common and untreatable.

Today, one-third of adults over 85 years of age have some form of dementia. As our population ages over the next 25 years, the prevalence of these diseases is expected to double.

The science of these diseases is complex – the easy answers have been ruled out.

At the Tanz Centre, we are prepared to meet this challenge. Our researchers have made many of the most important discoveries of the past two decades concerning the genetics of Alzheimer’s and other diseases. We are determined to discover and invent effective diagnostics and therapies that will stop these devastating diseases.

To learn more about our research areas and the science behind the neurodegenerative diseases studied at the Tanz Centre, please explore the links below:

ALS

Alzheimer’s Disease

Frontotemporal Dementia

Parkinson's

Prion Diseases

Apr 10, 2025

Tanz Centre awards to support three researchers exploring brain diseases

Three scientists at the Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases have received awards to support their research and develop leading-edge treatments.

Mar 13, 2025

Skin-based test may allow better diagnosis of rare but debilitating neurodegenerative disease

Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a skin-based test that can detect signature features of progressive supranuclear palsy, pointing toward the potential for a minimally invasive diagnostic test.

Feb 6, 2025

U of T alum’s start-up Neuropeutics gets boost from UK-based charity

Neuropeutics Inc, a start-up company launched by University of Toronto researchers to tackle neurodegenerative diseases, has partnered with medical research charity LifeArc to develop a new drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Dec 9, 2024

Caregiver characteristics influence Alzheimer’s disease severity scores: Toronto study

A new study from University Health Network and the University of Toronto has found that caregiver characteristics can have a significant effect on the most frequently used measure of severity in Alzheimer’s disease.

Nov 25, 2024

New Alzheimer’s research fund to honour esteemed late journalist Gerald Owen

The Gerald I S Owen Memorial Fund at the Tanz Centre will support research into more precise and effective treatment options for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Sep 30, 2024

Research explores potential of AI to repurpose drugs for Parkinson’s disease

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.