Charity awards grants for Alzheimer’s research at McMaster

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Scottish rite edited.jpg” caption=”Frank Fordham, Hamilton Valley Representative of the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation, Dr. Margaret Fahnestock, professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, David Gerritsma, graduate student in chemistry and James Sutherland, commander-in-chief of the Moore Sovereign Consistory. Photo by Susan Bubak.”]A McMaster researcher and graduate student have received grants from the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation of Canada to further their research in Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Margaret Fahnestock, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, and David Gerritsma, a graduate student in chemistry, received $35,000 and $10,000, respectively. Fahnestock also received $35,000 from the charity last year.

“My lab is grateful to the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation for enabling us to continue our work in Alzheimer's disease,” said Fahnestock.

Gerritsma echoed Fahnestock's sentiments.

“Our group is happy to receive assistance in initiating research in Alzheimer's and other related diseases,” he said.

The cheques were presented to Fahnestock and Gerritsma during a luncheon at the Faculty Club on Nov. 24.

The foundation annually awards more than $500,000 in major research grants and graduate student awards to support research into intellectual impairment.

For 2006-07, the charity has allocated $420,000 for major research grants and $100,000 for graduate student awards.

Research grants worth $35,000 each support research into intellectual impairment affecting children as well as the causes of and cure for Alzheimer's disease.

Graduate student awards worth $10,000 each support doctoral candidates doing research on the causes and treatment of intellectual impairment.