Hamilton Researcher Wins Prestigious Mitacs Innovation Award for Breakthrough on Natural Drug to Treat Neurodegenerative Diseases
First-of-its-kind fungal product shows promise as a best-in-class medicine for those suffering from dementia, depression and other debilitating brain diseases
Hamilton, ON: A McMaster University researcher is being recognized for her cutting-edge work to develop new, natural drugs to improve brain health, including the discovery of a novel fungi compound that is showing therapeutic potential for treating neurodegenerative disease and depression.
The breakthrough work has earned Dr. Timsy Bhando a Mitacs Innovation Award — Outstanding Innovation, presented by Mitacs, a Canadian innovation leader. Supported by the Government of Ontario, Mitacs connects businesses and researchers to drive competitiveness and productivity in sectors such as life sciences, advanced manufacturing, energy, critical technologies, and agriculture. The award will be presented at a ceremony at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on November 19.
Dr. Bhando — a postdoctoral researcher working under the supervision of Professor Eric Brown in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster University — is being recognized for advancing the field of natural product discovery. She successfully identified, extracted and characterized novel therapeutic compounds derived from fungi.
The researcher is credited for discovering KCB-100, a lead chemical compound with huge potential in treating neurodegenerative (the decline of cells in the central nervous system) and psychiatric conditions. The project is being led by Vancouver-based Kapoose Creek Bio, a startup focused on accelerating the discovery and development of drugs from nature, which recently expanded their presence to Hamilton with an AI-powered drug discovery lab.
“The reality is we’ve exhausted our ability to explore synthetic drug compounds in the lab – researchers are generating millions of molecules but they’re not making new discoveries,” said Dr. Bhando, adding that historically, many effective drugs have come from fungi (yeasts, molds and mushrooms), including penicillin to treat bacterial infection, statins to lower cholesterol, and cyclosporine for transplant surgeries.
Dr. Bhando’s contribution to the emerging field of fungal natural product discovery includes helping to develop a library of thousands of fungal extracts for future exploration. She credits Mitacs for creating the perfect framework to accelerate her research, and for providing “the very essential support” required to bridge the gap between researchers and industry.
“We’re focusing our efforts on fungi as a source of new drugs because we believe nature makes the best medicine,” she added.
In addition to identifying the KCB-100 lead compound, Dr. Bhando is also working to optimize it and characterize its therapeutic benefits. To date, she has demonstrated that the compound helps neurons in the brain to survive injury, grow and make connections called synapses, meaning it has potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia or Parkinson’s, as well as depression.
“We’ve shown that this compound effectively crosses the blood brain barrier, ensuring the drug will reach the brain,” explained Dr. Bhando, who recently accepted a full-time position at Kapoose Creek Bio to oversee preclinical testing of the fungal natural product in animal models. “We’re working to better understand the therapeutic benefits and improve its chemical properties so that it can best treat disease,” she said.
The Mitacs Innovation Award — Outstanding Innovation recognizes extraordinary talent from across Canada whose Mitacs-funded research has potential to achieve larger societal and economic impacts, driving innovation and broadening our understanding of the world around us. Mitacs programs are supported by funding from the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments across the country.
Dr. Bhando is one of eight Mitacs Innovation Award winners nationally, chosen from thousands of innovators who take part in Mitacs programs each year, and one of four winners in the Outstanding Innovation category. Additional 2024 categories, updated with a fresh look to better reflect Canada’s innovation landscape, include: Canadian Start-Up Innovator of the Year, Canadian Enterprise Innovator of the Year, Outstanding Research Leadership and Inclusive Innovator of the Year.
In congratulating the winners, Mitacs’s CEO Dr. Stephen Lucas reflected on the organization’s long history and proven track record as a Canadian innovation leader. “Not only do these awards recognize achievements of exceptional innovators across Ontario and Canada, but they also highlight the infinite potential for impact when creative leaders work together,” Dr. Lucas said.
“As Mitacs celebrates 25 years as a leader in Canadian innovation, we reaffirm our belief that partnerships between research, enterprises, and talent — like the ones we honour with the Mitacs Innovation Awards — are key to a successful, prosperous Canada,” he said.
For more information about the Mitacs Innovation Awards and a full list of winners, visit www.mitacs.ca/newsroom.
About Mitacs
As Canada’s innovation organization, Mitacs connects businesses and researchers with unrivaled access to talent, financial support, and the partnerships needed to turn ideas into impactful innovations. Through unique collaborations, Mitacs is driving productivity and positioning Canada as a global innovation leader.
Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.
For more information about this award, please click here.
News release distributed on behalf of Mitacs, November 19, 2024
