CRU HISTORY

The Clinical Research Unit at the Montreal Neurological Institute/Hospital began as part of the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic under the direction of Dr. Gordon Francis in 1986. At that time it was involved with the first MS clinical trials that would lead to the approved injectable treatments that are in use today. These therapies, however, are not a cure for MS and the CRU continues to be involved in the search for medications that are more effective and easier to administer. Several recent studies have involved intravenous infusions of medication or oral medications.

Dr. Francis left the MNI in 1998 at which point Dr. Yves Lapierre became the director of the MS Clinic and Dr. Douglas Arnold became the director of the CRU. In April 2004 the CRU moved to a new larger space on the 2nd floor away from the MS Clinic.

In January 2005, Dr. Angela Genge was appointed the new director of the CRU, and she has brought with her a vast expertise in neuromuscular diseases, in particular Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The CRU continues to branch out into new areas and is now involved in clinical drug or device trials for the following neurological illnesses: MS, ALS, epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson’s, various muscle diseases, brain tumour, neuropathic pain, migraines and aneurysms.

CRU TODAY (2012)

The CRU is located on the 2nd floor, suite 207. The MS Clinic, the physiotherapy department, the neurology day center and the ambulatory outpatient clinics are also located on the 2nd floor. The CRU has two dedicated examination rooms for doctors to see study subjects, to perform study treatments and for use by the study sponsors to monitor the quality of the work. We also have use of a five (5) chair room for performing infusion therapies

The CRU employs dedicated staff members which include a director, manager, financial officer, five study coordinators, several full-time and part-time nurses, and two research assistants . We are currently involved in 40 clinical trials and have patients referred to us from Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.

The CRU works closely with the Experimental Therapeutics Program, led by Dr. Amit Bar-Or, which pursues translational research in neurology and autoimmune diseases.

We also work with the Brain Imaging Centre which has a vast expertise in MRI and MRS research.