6 ROTMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE
It was a terrific honour to be asked to lead
Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute (RRI)
starting this past year.
Joining the RRI really was a homecoming for me: My father, Robert Sekuler, was
an RRI Visiting Scientist, and my sister, Erica Sekuler, was an RRI trainee.
And back when I was in my first faculty position at the University of Toronto in the
'90s, I published my first neuroimaging study in collaboration with RRI Scientists,
Drs. Randy McIntosh and Cheryl Grady. That paper was the first to show definitively
that the aging brain rewires itself to optimize performance, and we never looked back.
I've continued exploring aging, vision, and cognitive neuroscience over the years
– inspired by the work of so many RRI scientists – but moving to Baycrest was an
opportunity to be part of something much bigger. RRI scientists and other Baycrest
researchers are solving the mysteries of the brain, and discovering new ways to help
older adults live longer, live better, and live more.
Those achievements are possible because RRI scientists work
throughout the complete cycle of research: foundational science
creates opportunities for enhanced clinical care, which leads
to innovative solutions for healthy aging, which leads to new
questions that can be answered only through foundational
science. RRI scientists also recognize that research is a team
sport, and the number of collaborations stretching across the
entire Baycrest campus continues to grow.
As Baycrest celebrates its 100th anniversary, we look back on the RRI's successes,
and also look forward to an even more impactful future. We are launching exciting
new initiatives in inter-professional research, clinical trials, and brain health and
wellness; and we aim to share our expertise, and the wealth of data that comes
from working in a living lab, with the world to speed up discoveries in cognitive
neuroscience, aging and brain health, neuroinformatics, and Alzheimer's and related
diseases. The possibilities for enhanced research and enhanced care are endless.
Within this report, you'll read about how the RRI and Baycrest are proud to lead
the way for older adults to enjoy a life of purpose, inspiration, and fulfillment.
MESSAGE
FROM THE VICE
PRESIDENT
DR. ALLISON SEKULER
Vice President, Research,
Baycrest
Managing Director,
Rotman Research Institute
Managing Director,
Centre for Aging +
Brain Health Innovation
Sandra A. Rotman Chair in
Cognitive Neuroscience
Senior Scientist,
Rotman Research Institute
vpr@research.baycrest.org
DR. ALLISON SEKULER
Visit us online to learn more
about Dr. Allison Sekuler here.
