The Research Centre of the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM) is responsible for the Institute's "research" mission, in connection with its other missions of care, teaching, sharing expertise and health promotion. It is a two-part mission: 1. identify the factors encouraging healthy aging so as to increase healthy life expectancy; 2. find solutions for coping effectively (in all respects) with the diseases and conditions that limit quality of life for the elderly and their involvement in social life.

25 years of steady growth
The CRIUGM marked its 25th anniversary in 2007. It has enjoyed exceptional and constant growth since 1982, adding more researchers to its teams all the time. There are now over 40 researchers in all health disciplines. Together they work to fulfil the Centre's mission, in partnership with other players in health care and in teaching and sharing the Institute's expertise. This anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate and, in particular, to mark the excellence of its current research activities. The anniversary Conference, held on April 20, 2007, was definitely one of the highlights of these celebrations, for it turned the spotlight on the exemplary contributions of many research teams.
The CRIUGM welcomed six new researchers over this past period: Dr. J. Connolly (Department of Psychology), Dr. C. Dumoulin (School of Rehabilitation), Dr. R. Hoge, (Department of Physiology), Dr. M. Lagacé (Department of Communications, University of Ottawa), Dr. D. Roy (Department of Medicine) and Dr. Elisabet Service (Department of Psychology). The Centre's researchers also distinguished themselves and many of them were awarded salary support, including Drs. L. Bherer (J2 FRSQ), N. Carpentier (J2 FRSQ), L. Demers (Senior), F. Ducharme (IRSC chercheur national), C. Dumoulin, (J1 FRSQ and IRSC), O. Monchi (J2 FRSQ), P. Rainville (J2 FRSQ) and C. Tannenbaum (J2 FRSQ).

New infrastructure
The 2006-2008 period saw some significant changes in our research infrastructure. Thanks to the Leaders Opportunity Fund, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Quebec government, the Centre was able to set up three new laboratories in vascular neuroimaging (Dr. R. Hoge; $450 K), incontinence research (Dr. C. Dumoulin; $200 K) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (Dr. O. Monchi; $260 K). This support also made it possible to upgrade the high field magnetic resonance imaging machine (Drs. J. Doyon and Y. Joanette; $1.3 M). It would not have been possible to establish all this advanced infrastructure, at a cost of over $2 M, without substantial financial support from the Foundation of the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal and the Fondation Caroline-Durand.
Work has finally been completed on the André-Roch Lecours pavilion, the main site for research activities, after major repairs to the exterior resulting from a chronic water infiltration problem. The more than $4.5 M of work was an opportunity to give the building a facelift, while improving the amount of natural light. In addition, the Centre now enjoys better visibility among local residents.

Notable contributions
Our research teams continued to contribute to the CRIUGM's local, national and international reputation. During the 2006-2008 period, for instance, some researchers served as leaders in various organizations and bodies, including the Consortium de neurosciences et de santé mentale at the Université de Montréal, the new Réseau de bio-imagerie du Québec, the Quebec Network for Research on Aging and the scientific committee of the Congrès francophone international de gérontologie et de gériatrie (Quebec City, 2006). Still others were awarded very prestigious distinctions: Dr. C. Tannenbaum received an award from the American Geriatrics Society; Drs. F. Ducharme and Y. Joanette were appointed Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences; and Dr. Y. Joanette was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Université Lumière-Lyon 2.

Performance indicators rising
Over the same period, CRIUGM researchers obtained grants of over $5 M annually, from different sources, representing growth of over 20% from the previous period. Each year they welcomed over 200 graduate students and 25 postdoctoral interns. They made a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge, as shown by the number of publications and papers: 7 books, 50 book chapters, 176 articles and 177 abstracts and 316 papers published and presented nationally and internationally. In addition, our researchers and their teams carried out more than 108 knowledgesharing activities for users, political decision makers and the general public.

Observing Aging and Society
The Centre's research teams continued to be involved in the activities of the Observatory on Ageing and Society (www.ovs-oas.org), a real meeting space for researchers, political decision makers and the general public. They took part in one of the first IRSC Scientific cafés on taboos linked with aging, held in spring 2008 (Dr. C. Tannenbaum, organizer and speaker; Dr. L. Bherer, speaker).
The past 25 years and the 2006-2008 period have been extremely productive. Of course, when we stop to look back, we realize the immense amount of work that still lies ahead. But no matter! The quality of the CRIUGM's research teams and its past accomplishments clearly show that the Centre has a brilliant future.

Dr. Sylvie Belleville
Research Director