Current grants#
NIH - The ENIGMA-Eating Disorders Initiative - A Global Neuroimaging Study of Anorexia and Factors Affecting Clinical Outcomes#
Period |
Funding |
MPIs |
Funding ID |
|---|---|---|---|
2024-2029 |
|
|
R01 NIH 1U01MH136221-01 |
We launched a powerful new international initiative within the ENIGMA Consortium to determine multimodal neuroimaging signatures of AN using 31 diverse datasets from around the world (n~1,600 individuals with AN). We will disentangle the effects of low body mass index (BMI) from those associated with mental illness. We will also use these multimodal markers of AN in a machine-learning framework to predict patients’ short and longer-term clinical trajectories, as well as to predict risk for eating disorders in epidemiological cohorts.
CIHR - Multifeature brain investigation of genetic liability for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders#
Period |
Funding |
Co-PIs |
|---|---|---|
2026-2029 |
$772,650 CAD |
|
We aim to study the association between neuroimaging-derived measures and rare genetic mutations known to increase risk for neuropsychiatric conditions. We will test whether these neuroimaging signatures are concordant with those associated with psychiatric diagnoses, including attention deficit hyperactive disorder, schizophrenia, autism spectrum, bipolar, major depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Precision Child Health Partnership (PCHP) Catalyst Program - Comprehensive phenotyping for precision care in anorexia nervosa#
Period |
Funding |
Principal PIs |
Co-PIs |
Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2026-2028 |
$300K CAD |
|
|
|
Our lab was awarded 300K in funding to collect multimodal neuroimaging, genomic, and clinical data from CHU Sainte-Justine (CHUSJ) and SickKids. This project aims to identify biological and clinical markers of chronic progression risk in AN, enabling early identification of high-risk patients and guiding personalized intervention strategies.
This project introduces an innovative precision-medicine framework for AN by integrating multimodal neuroimaging, genomic, and clinical data, and will create a sustainable inter-institutional data-sharing framework between CHUSJ and SickKids. By mapping how the brain changes during treatment and identifying patterns linked to incomplete recovery or relapse, this study will help define objective markers that clinicians can use to guide monitoring and personalized care.
Fondation de la recherche pédiatrique - Impact des restrictions alimentaires sur la maturation cérébrale dans les troubles du neurodéveloppement#
Period |
Funding |
PI |
|---|---|---|
2026 |
$50K CAD |
C. A. Moreau |
Our laboratory has received $50,000 to fund MRI data collection from 50 ARFID patients (aged 6-13) in order to better understand how dietary restrictions impact brain maturation, particularly in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), with the aim of identifying the most vulnerable profiles and adapting clinical interventions at an earlier stage.
We will collect data on brain maturation using multimodal imaging (anatomical and functional MRI). We will also perform in-depth phenotyping of eating difficulties and neurodevelopmental symptoms using standardized scales, as well as extracting medical data: age of onset of disorders, medical comorbidities, and current or past treatments. We will calculate normative models of brain maturation on reference cohorts in order to obtain, for each child, an individual deviation score by cortical region and functional network, adjusted for age and gender.
Learn more about this project on the Fondation de la recherche pédiatrique website.
This project will enable us to
objectively assess the cerebral impact of restrictive eating disorders in NDD
identify children most at risk of brain maturation disorders
justify early nutritional and sensory interventions in ASD/NDD clinics. Ultimately, these findings could transform the management of dietary restrictions in pediatrics, no longer considering them as a secondary symptom, but as a modifiable risk factor for brain development.
