April 20, 2026
UBC Robson Square Theatre
6:30–9:00 PM (registration opens at 6:00 PM)
Explore how UBC breakthroughs, medical innovation, and a focus on recovery are coming together to redefine the future of brain health.
Repairing the Mind brings together leading UBC researchers who are transforming how we detect, understand, and treat brain injuries and disorders. From simple blood tests that catch concussion and dementia earlier, to personalized treatments for spinal cord injuries, to new technologies that help patients communicate even when they appear unresponsive—this event will highlight how research is creating real possibilities for recovery. These breakthroughs are already reshaping how we support brain health through faster answers, more precise care, and renewed hope for patients and families.
UBC Connects at Robson Square, in partnership with the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, presents leading UBC scholars Dr. Cheryl Wellington, Dr. Wolfram Tetzlaff and Dr. Stefanie Blain-Moraes in a conversation about the future of brain injury research and recovery.
Free and open to all.
This event is part of a three-part series co-hosted by UBC Connects at Robson Square and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. Subscribe to the UBC Connects at Robson Square mailing list to receive updates and invitations to future Connects events.
Agenda
6:00 – 6:30PM
Registration
6:35 – 6:45PM
Welcoming Remarks – Dr. Tim O’Connor
6:45 – 7:00PM
Dr. Cheryl Wellington
Brain injury and dementia risk
Biomarkers are measurable indicators that are crucial for early disease detection, enabling earlier access to treatment and care. Dr. Wellington’s talk will discuss how biomarkers found in blood tests can be used to help with diagnosing traumatic brain injuries like concussion, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
7:00 – 7:15PM
Dr. Wolfram Tetzlaff
A vision for how to repair the injured spinal cord
Currently, there are no clinical treatments to repair the injured spinal cord in humans. A key challenge in treating traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is bridging the gap that is formed when the spinal nerves have been severed. In this talk, Dr. Tetzlaff will discuss innovative new pre-clinical approaches in rodents which could promote the regeneration of nerves and hopefully help to improve function and quality of life for patients with SCI.
7:15 – 7:30PM
Dr. Stefanie Blain-Moraes
Is anyone home?
Dr. Blain-Moraes studies the neurophysiological correlates of awareness and interaction in unresponsive people. In this talk, she will discuss some technologies she is building to assess human consciousness and to develop relationship with people who are minimally communicative.
7:30 – 8:00PM
Audience Q&A
8:00 – 9:00PM
Reception
Speakers
Dr. Cheryl Wellington is Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UBC. Dr. Wellington’s lab takes a translational approach to researching brain health, focusing on both the fundamental biological mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease and traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the clinical utility of fluid biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of neurological conditions. Dr. Wellington also holds multiple leadership positions in both the dementia and neurotrauma communities, and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
Dr. Wolfram Tetzlaff is Professor in the Department of Zoology at UBC and former Director of ICORD (International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries). Dr. Tetzlaff’s research focuses on developing experimental strategies for neuroprotection and neural repair, with an emphasis on understanding why the spinal cord fails to regenerate after spinal cord injury. His ultimate goal is to combine multiple strategies to promote nerve cell growth and improve recovery, helping to advance new therapies for spinal cord and brain injury. He recently received the King Charles III Coronation Medals, recognizing him as a spinal cord injury research leader.
Dr. Stefanie Blain-Moraes is an Associate Professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Occupational Sciences and Occupational Therapy at UBC. She leads the Biosignal Interaction and Personhood Technology (BIAPT) Lab, which aims to develop technologies to assess consciousness and sustain relationships with minimally communicative persons. Her research program has involved persons in disorders of consciousness and palliative care; adults with dementia, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; and children with autism and severe disabilities. Recently, she was elected as a Member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists.
Moderator
Dr. Tim O’Connor is a Professor in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences and Co-Founder of the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience at UBC. He also previously served as Director of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience and is an investigator at ICORD and the Life Sciences Institute. His research focuses on developmental neuroscience, specifically the role of semaphorins and molecular mechanisms in neuron growth, regeneration and spinal cord injuries.
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