As rates of mental illness rise and the conditions themselves grow more complex, training clinician-scientists who can bridge research and care has never been more critical. At The Royal, research and care are deeply interconnected. This is especially evident at the Brain Imaging Centre (BIC) – a state-of-the-art facility that is not only advancing our understanding of the brain and mental illness but also training the next generation of clinician-scientists.
With Canada’s first simultaneous tri-modal imaging platform and a uniquely collaborative research environment, the BIC is equipping emerging researchers with the skills, experience, and technology needed to embed discoveries directly into the care they provide.
A Training Ground that Redefines What’s Possible
Modern treatment for mental illness and addiction increasingly depends on clinicians who can bridge two worlds: the precision of research and the compassion of patient care. The BIC helps make that possible. Through hands-on training with specialized imaging tools – including MRI, PET, and EEG – clinicians-in-training learn to explore the brain from every angle: its structure, its chemistry, and its electrical activity. This ability to integrate advanced imaging into clinical research gives them an exceptional foundation for developing evidence-based approaches to care.
“The BIC embodies what makes The Royal unique: research and care working hand-in-hand. By giving researchers and clinicians the tools to discover, innovate, and immediately apply their knowledge, we’re building a future where every patient benefits from scientific breakthroughs,” said Dr. Florence Dzierszinski, President, Research Institute, The Royal.
Today, the BIC’s MD-PhD students are conducting dissertation projects that rely heavily on its resources. MD-PhD students simultaneously complete both their medical and scientific training, producing clinician-scientists who can develop research directly aligned with the needs of the patients they serve. At the BIC, their work spans the biological and neural mechanisms underlying mental illness. By training in an environment where research tools are directly linked to patient needs, these future clinician-scientists are developing the ability to translate scientific discovery into real-world treatment improvements.
Complementing this work, Bryce Bogie’s research focuses on the neural basis of cognitive impairment across a range of mental health disorders, as well as the evaluation of non-pharmacological interventions aimed at improving cognitive and clinical outcomes.
Over the past decade, the BIC has contributed to the specialized education of over 125 trainees, helping build Canada’s capacity in neuroimaging, mental health research, and developing highly skilled researchers. This investment in highly qualified personnel ensures that innovations born at The Royal will continue to shape the future of mental illness and addiction treatment throughout the country and beyond.
Growing for Impact and Expanding Access
Since its launch in 2016, the BIC has completed more than 6,000 research scans, increasing capacity to conduct an average of 1000 scans per year to meet growing demand. This rapid expansion reflects the wide range of studies, collaborators, and clinical disciplines the BIC supports – both inside and outside The Royal.
As of 2025, more than 40 researchers across hospitals, universities, industry, and government have relied on the Brain Imaging Centre to conduct over 75 research studies.
A Nationally Significant Platform for Discovery
In 2025, The Royal launched the BIC Advanced Multi‑modal Neuroimaging Platform for Psychiatry (BIC‑AMPP) – Canada’s first integrated imaging platform dedicated specifically to mental health research. Supported by a major Brain Canada grant and contributions from donors through The Royal’s Foundation, this platform brings together advanced imaging data and clinical information to uncover how mental illness works and to accelerate the development of personalized treatments.
“This project puts Canada at the forefront of brain research for mental health,” said Dr. Dzierszinski. “The extremely rich datasets generated through the BIC-AMPP are ideally suited for integration with AI tools, helping to transform our understanding of mental illness and improve care in the future.”
The platform at the BIC will not only advance discovery but also ensure that breakthroughs translate into better care for patients — provincially, nationally and globally.