Evaluative Clinical Sciences

Administrative Assistant: Olive Grozelle
Phone: 416-480-4213
Fax: 416-480-6817

Education:

• B.Sc., 1993, biology/physiology (with distinction), University of Toronto, Canada
• M.Sc., 1995, neurobiology, Queen’s University, Canada
• MD, 1998, University of Calgary, Canada
• FRCPC, 2003, neurology, U of T, Canada
• Neuromuscular diseases fellowship, 2005, U of T, Canada
• M.Sc., 2005, clinical epidemiology, U of T, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Associate scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Staff neurologist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Director, neurophysiology lab, Sunnybrook
• Associate professor, Institute of Medical Science and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, U of T
• Director, ALS and neuromuscular clinic, Sunnybrook

Research Focus:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and neuromuscular diseases

Research Summary:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a devastating neurological disease that results in the degeneration of motor neurons leading to paralysis and death in most patients. There is no treatment to halt or reverse ALS, and its specific cause remains unknown. Dr. Zinman’s research aims to characterize better the clinical, electrophysiological and pathological phenotypes and variants of the disease to find a treatment.

In collaboration with Drs. Janice Robertson, Ekaterina Rogaeva, Yana Yunusova and Julia Keith, the group is studying the disease’s pathophysiology to discover novel therapeutic targets. Epidemiological research provides clues to the etiology and exacerbating factors of the disease. The team also leads and participates in multicentre clinical trials evaluating the most promising ALS therapeutics. Dr. Zinman is the founder and first chair of the Canadian ALS Research Network. Its primary purpose is to find new treatments and improve the lives of people with ALS.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

Related News and Stories:

• Focused ultrasound successful in phase one of world-first trial to treat ALS: study: Researchers show the technique opens the blood-brain barrier safely and temporarily (Oct. 31, 2019)
• Sunnybrook research helps take future treatment of ALS patients to a new level (Sept. 26, 2019)
• Recruitment continues for world first study investigating safety of opening blood-brain barrier in patients with ALS (Oct. 4, 2018)
• No cure, and few—or no—treatments for these devastating brain diseases: Why not? (SRI Magazine, 2017)
• Patients see hope in new ALS drug not approved for sale in Canada, CTV News (Aug. 25, 2017)
• Surveying new territory: physician-assisted death and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (SRI Magazine, 2016)
• Most ALS doctors support assisted death, but most feel unprepared, Maclean’s (May 15, 2016)
• Infrastructure issues: Congestion and chaos on the brain's highways: This is neurodegeneration (SRI Magazine, 2013)

Related Links:

• Bulbar function laboratory
• Canadian ALS Research Network