The Royal’s Brain Imaging Centre (BIC) at The University of Ottawa Institute for Mental Health Research (IMHR) has joined the Faculty of Medicine’s network of Core Facilities, expanding access to advanced human imaging technology for researchers across the University of Ottawa and beyond.
Located at The Royal, the BIC is a state-of-the-art research-dedicated imaging facility that supports investigations into the structure, function, and chemistry of the brain through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and electroencephalogram (EEG) scanning and houses one of only six dual-modality PET-MRI scanners in Canada. This technology enables simultaneous multimodal imaging, offering a unified perspective on anatomical, physiological, and molecular processes throughout the body that drives discovery across diverse research domains.
“[The BIC's] designation as a Core Facility strengthens collaboration across institutions and further enhances the scientific opportunities available to investigators throughout our region.”
President and CEO of the IMHR, Dr. Florence Dzierszinski
The Centre’s multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive research support, including study design, protocol optimization, image acquisition, data management, and advanced analysis. Research areas supported by the BIC include, but are not limited to suicide prevention, cognition, women’s mental health, concussion recovery, anxiety, depression, PTSD, geriatric psychiatry, and investigations into cardiac and cancer co-morbidities. The BIC is open to researchers from any field and is dedicated to supporting imaging projects across all disciplines.
Since its launch in 2016, the BIC has completed more than 6,000 research scans and supported over 70 research protocols in partnership with more than 40 collaborators from academia, healthcare, government, and industry. These include the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, The Ottawa Hospital, the CHEO Research Institute, and the Bruyère Health Research Institute. A close partnership with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Radiochemistry Lab also enhances the Centre’s PET imaging capabilities, enabling radiotracer development and expanding the scope of studies the BIC can support.
As part of the Faculty of Medicine’s Core Facilities network, the BIC broadens the scope of research infrastructure available to investigators across disciplines. This integration strengthens opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and translation of discoveries that advance understanding and treatment of brain health and more.
Dr. Florence Dzierszinski, President and CEO of the IMHR at The Royal, emphasized the Centre’s importance: “The Brain Imaging Centre is a vital asset to Ottawa’s research community, and we are deeply grateful for its remarkable contributions. Its advanced imaging capabilities and scientific expertise not only accelerate discovery but also expand what is possible in human imaging research. Its designation as a Core Facility further strengthens collaboration across institutions and enhances the scientific opportunities available to investigators throughout our region. We are thankful to everyone whose dedication makes this work possible.”
Researchers interested in accessing the facility’s services can contact Tram Nguyen, Facility Manager, at [email protected].