New Hot-Seat in Autism Research and Advocacy
May 19, 2009
Last May 15, Université de Montréal published the follow press release.
Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Foundation funds position at Université de Montréal, Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center
An internationally renowned autism expert has received major support to advance research and insight on the developmental disorder, thanks to a $3 million gift from the Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Foundation.
Dr. Laurent Mottron will head the new Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Research Chair in Autism Cognitive Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal. The chair will oversee a multidisciplinary team of scientists based at the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Medicine and its affiliated institutions: the Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital and the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center.
Dr. Mottron, a professor at the Université de Montréal's Department of Psychiatry and researcher at the Fernand-Seguin Research Centre of Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, thanked the Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Foundation for propelling novel research. "The generosity of this private foundation will enable us to launch pilot studies in early intervention, academic support and vocational skills, such as investigations on whether autistic children can use their proficiency for written langue and transfer that knowledge into improved oral skills," said Dr. Mottron. "In short, the Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Research Chair in Autism Cognitive Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal will support cutting edge investigations that are difficult to finance via external sources.”
Paul Jutras, of the Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Foundation, said the new chair would encourage scientists from three institutions to further collaborate and shed a light on a complex disorder. “By endowing this new chair, the Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Foundation hopes to bolster public awareness and medical understanding of autism,” he said. “This chair will serve as a nucleus for autism discovery and knowledge for the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Medicine, Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital and the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center.”
A gift to benefit society
Donat Taddeo, vice-rector, Development and Alumni Relations at the Université de Montréal, said the generous endowment of an autism chair would strengthen the University’s international collaborations and bolster its healthcare network. “The University, as well as its affiliated hospitals, extend their heartfelt thanks for the Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Foundation for this generous gift that will benefit of society and improve healthcare,” he said. “The Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Research Chair in Autism Cognitive Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal will serve as a platform to push scientific knowledge of autism in new areas and help people with the deficiency lead more fulfilling lives.”
Dr. Michel Lapointe, director-general of the Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital, said the chair is a welcome addition to his institution. “Additional to its mission of providing the best in healthcare and teaching, the Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital prioritizes research that will improve the understanding and care for disorders such as autism,” he said. “Dr. Laurent Mottron has dedicated his career to further research in autism and, as head of the Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Research Chair in Autism Cognitive Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal, will bring knowledge of the disorder to new levels.”
Lucie Bertrand, vice-president of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center board, added: “This chair will enable the Université de Montréal, Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center to help scientific investigations into autism progress as well as tighten links between clinic and fundamental result. The ultimate result, which is the core mission of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, will be improved care for children from healthcare professionals, as well as partners in the education and research sectors.”
About autism spectrum disorder:
Autism is a common neurodevelopmental disability characterized by profound differences in information processing and analysis. Currently, autism is diagnosed according to atypicalities in social interaction, communication, motor mannerisms and strong focused interests. Autistic neurocognitive differences can result in great success or great difficulty. Accordingly, autistic outcomes vary widely and cannot be predicted according to obviousness of autistic traits and abilities.
About Laurent Mottron
About the Foundation:
The Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Foundation was created to advance research in heart disease, cancer and pediatric illnesses. The foundation itself was named after two late Montrealers – Marcel, who died in 1981, and his wife, Rolande Gosselin (née Dubreuil), who died in 2002 – following the bequest of their estate in support of worthy causes. To date, gifts from the Foundation have created an arts therapy program at the Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center, a special asthma fund at the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Marcel & Rolande Gosselin Research Chair in Autism Cognitive Neuroscience of the Université de Montréal.
On the Web:
About the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Medicine: www.med.umontreal.ca
About Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center: www.recherche-sainte-justine.qc.ca/en
About the Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital: www.hrdp.qc.ca
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