Overview & Governance

The Discovery Fund was created in January 2018 through a $100-million gift from an anonymous donor – the largest donation to mental health in Canadian history – and is aimed at attracting and developing talent, nurturing research and innovation, and igniting paradigm shifts in mental health research.

Since then, the Discovery Fund has fueled CAMH’s capacity to address the challenges of diagnosis, prevention and treatment of mental illness, and has accelerated research at CAMH and beyond.

2023 Progress Report

Research Priorities 

The research priorities of the Discovery Fund are aligned with the hospital priorities to innovate and elevate research. All funded research projects, recruitment of emerging scientists and support toward ongoing research initiatives are aligned with the following strategic priorities.

Reducing suicide rates

• community/public health interventions
• interventions in clinical settings

Decreasing disability associated with mental illness and addictions

• addressing brain dysfunction associated with mental illness and addictions across the lifespan
• decreasing disability associated with common mental disorders

Improving psychosis prevention and outcomes

• primary prevention/early intervention
• improving functional outcomes associated with chronic psychotic illness

Governance

A Steering Committee provides strategic direction and oversight to the implementation of the Discovery Fund. Reporting to the CAMH President and CEO, the Steering Committee includes CAMH executive leadership team members as well as CAMH Foundation leadership. Several committees, along with an external advisory committee, provide input to specific aspects of implementation, such as the competitions, transformative research ideas and the discovery platform.

Steering Committee
The Steering Committee, which acts as the Discovery Fund decision-making body, is chaired by Dr. Aristotle Voineskos, VP, Research. Where a decision cannot be made, the Steering Committee makes recommendations to Sarah Downey, CAMH President and CEO.

Membership

• Dr. Aristotle Voineskos,  Vice President, Research (Executive Lead and Chair)
• Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam, VP, Education and Chief Medical Officer
• Deborah Gillis, President, Finance and Chief Executive Officer, CAMH Foundation
• Dr. Damian Jankowicz,  Vice President, Information Management and Chief Information Officer
• Bessy Leung, Vice President, Support Services and Chief Financial Officer
• *Lina Chiuccariello, Director, Clinical Research Operations and Medical Affairs
• *Lauren Clegg, Research and Centres of Innovation Communications
• *Carol Wallace, Director, Finance Operations
• *Dimple Patel, Director, Grants, Philanthropic Awards and Contracts
• *Alison Parks, Senior Manager, Campaign and Philanthropy Operations, CAMH  Foundation

*Non-voting member