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December 2025
This month's brainbuzz™ features CAMH's newly announced rankings in the Research Infosource Top 40 Research Hospitals report for 2025; a discussion paper on alcohol use disorder; and a publication exploring Photovoice as a tool for co-produced recovery. Wishing you a happy and restful holiday season!
Aristotle Voineskos
Senior VP Research & Science, CAMH
CAMH Advances in Canadian Research Rankings
Hospital climbs to 11th place nationally as research spending tops $115 million.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has advanced to 11th place overall on Research Infosource’s 2025 list of Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals — its highest-ever national ranking. This major leap reflects CAMH’s growing impact as a global leader in mental health and addiction research.
CAMH reached $115.9 million in research spending during the 2023–24 fiscal year, a 15.7 per cent increase from the previous year and the highest total in the hospital’s history. This achievement solidifies CAMH’s position as:
- 1st in Canada among medium-sized hospitals for total research spending
- 1st in Canada among medium-sized hospitals for hospital intensity (research spending as a percentage of total hospital spending)
- 3rd in Canada among medium-sized hospitals for researcher intensity (research spending per researcher)
In just three years, CAMH research spending has risen by more than 45 per cent — from $79.7 million in 2020–21 to nearly $116 million in 2023–24. The hospital is now home to more than 1,500 research scientists, trainees and staff leading hundreds of active studies across neuroscience, digital health, youth and addictions research, and beyond. Looking forward, CAMH anticipates even further growth and productivity, with its research-related spending for 2024-25 approaching $130 million.
“Our ranking 11th place overall, and as the #1 medium-sized hospital showcases CAMH’s unwavering commitment to advancing crucial research in mental health and addictions,” says Dr. Aristotle Voineskos, CAMH Senior Vice-President of Research and Science. “This milestone speaks to the power of research to drive innovation and strengthen Canada’s leadership in brain and mental health. Through initiatives like the North Star Initiative, we’re attracting and supporting exceptional early-career and international talent, building the next generation of scientific leaders. Our growing leadership in applying artificial intelligence to mental health is another area where CAMH is shaping the future of care, translating discovery into meaningful impact for people and communities.”
Earlier this year, CAMH launched the North Star Initiative, connecting top international scientists to Toronto’s exceptional research ecosystem, anchored by the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN), the University of Toronto, and the University Health Network. Through these partnerships, CAMH researchers gain unmatched opportunities to collaborate, share world-class infrastructure, and accelerate the translation of discoveries from the lab to advancing patient care.
Some of CAMH’s 2025 research milestones include:
- New funding fuels development of first potentially regenerative treatment for multiple sclerosis
- CAMH-led psychotherapy trial found implications for transforming mental health care during pregnancy and after birth
- New CAMH-developed drug shows promise in reversing memory loss for early Alzheimer's patients
- CAMH awarded landmark grant to advance mental health research for incarcerated women
- CAMH & ICES-led study reveals patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities substantially over-represented among long-stay psychiatric inpatients
- New study shows integrated collaborative care helps youth access mental health and substance use supports faster
- Over $7.7M in Ontario-based platforms to advance open science and brain health innovation
Set to open in 2027, the Temerty Discovery Centre will bring CAMH’s research programs together under one roof in a 385,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility. By fostering collaboration, enhancing the experience of patients and researchers, and accelerating breakthroughs across neuroscience, neurodevelopment, neurodegeneration, brain imaging, genomics, and artificial intelligence, the Centre will further strengthen CAMH’s ability to transform the future of mental health care in Canada and globally.
Alcohol Use Disorder:
Global Impact and Hope for Recovery
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a common mental health condition with widespread consequences. In a recently published CAMH-led seminar paper in The Lancet, researchers highlight that millions of adults worldwide experience the physical and psychological effects of AUD, including liver disease, cancer, and mental illness. Despite prevention and treatment efforts, AUD remains a major global challenge. Read the full story to learn the six key takeaways.
We’re in This Together: A Photovoice Project Explores the Power of Co-Production in Recovery
What does co-produced mental health recovery look like?
A research paper recently published in Health Expectations shares findings from a photovoice project guided by CAMH’s Collaborative Learning College (CLC) Research Subcommittee, highlighting the profound impact of co-production in mental health recovery. The study, entitled “Every Voice Matters,” concluded that co-production in Recovery Colleges has significant positive personal impacts, including fostering belonging, reducing stigma, supporting recovery, and promoting personal growth. The participants’ reflections—in their own words and images — are shared here to initiate dialogue about the experiences of mental health recovery.
Buzz-Worthy News
Three CAMH scientists have been named to Clarivate's 2025 Highly Cited Researchers list, an honour recognizing the top 1% of researchers globally whose work drives innovation and shapes the future of science.
Dr. Nigel Turner joined The Social to discuss the changing landscape of sports gambling and the impact of sports betting on youth.
During Digital Health Week, we were proud to highlight the CAMH Digital Innovation Hub and its mission to accelerate evidence-based digital mental health innovations. As part of this initiative, we launched the Incubator Fund to support creative ideas that address a clinical problem or improve clinical care through digital health technologies.
