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research fund

An innovative hub of dementia research

The Alzheimer Society Research Program (ASRP) has been sparking the work of the best and brightest minds in the field since 1989. To date, the Alzheimer Society of Canada has invested over $83 million in research grants and awards toward innovative dementia research nationally.

Manitoba’s 2025 Alzheimer Society Research Program Award Winners

The 2025 Alzheimer Society Research Program (ASRP) has awarded over $5.1 million to 37 researchers across the country to advance research related to all forms of dementia and find more effective means to diagnose, treat and eventually stop the disease, as well as improve day-to-day life and care.

This year, two Manitoban researchers have been awarded funding through the ASRP, both generously co-funded by Research Manitoba.

Dr. Heather Campbell-Enns
Canadian Mennonite University

Research title: A Pilot Study of Ethnocultural Approaches to Family-Provided Dementia Care
Award: New Investigator Grant

Dr. Heather Campbell-Enns

The intergenerational family plays a crucial role in providing essential care for persons living with dementia and, despite the substantial involvement of adult children and grandchildren, intergenerational care remains understudied. Additionally, studying caregiving from cultural perspectives is also needed since caregiving is influenced by cultural knowledge, preferences, and resources.

This study seeks to develop a better understanding of intergenerational family caregiving across immigrant cultural groups; it will test how feasible and acceptable it is to use multiple research methods to study intergenerational family care experiences, such as family group interviews. Family members will also be invited to collaborate to create digital stories about their caregiving experiences from their cultural perspective.

This research will identify themes of importance for intergenerational family caregivers from multiple cultural perspectives, share dementia care stories, and develop a better understanding of how suitable multiple research methods are to examine dementia care from cultural perspectives.

Ms. Parisa Tabeshmehr
University of Manitoba

Research title: Impact of disrupting TRPM2 function in Alzheimer’s Disease
Award: Doctoral Award

Ms. Parisa Tabeshmehr

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a brain disorder that causes memory loss and cognitive decline, affecting 1 in 9 people over 65. There is no cure, and treatments only manage symptoms. A hallmark of AD is the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ), which disrupts neuronal communication and activates harmful inflammation in brain immune cells.

My lab has identified TRPM2, an ion channel involved in these processes, as a promising drug target. With collaborators, we are testing JNJ, a selective and well-tolerated TRPM2 blocker, to determine if it can reduce Aβ-induced damage. My experiments in cells and mice will evaluate whether JNJ prevents memory loss by preserving neuronal signaling and reducing inflammation.

Positive results would support TRPM2 inhibition as a novel treatment and guide development of improved TRPM2 blockers with better brain penetration and stability. Unlike past Aβ-targeting therapies, this approach may more effectively reduce the toxic soluble Aβ linked to memory decline in AD.

Alzheimer Society Research Program Award: digital x-ray of brain

Learn more about the ASRP and this year’s funded researchers.