The Réseau québécois de recherche sur le suicide (RQRS) was created in May 2009 through a grant from the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ) and the Fonds de recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC). Directed by Douglas researcher Gustavo Turecki, MD, PhD, the RQRS draws upon the many years of expertise developed at the Douglas.

Basic, clinical and epidemiological research. Evaluation of care, services and professional practices. To meet its goals of understanding and preventing suicide, the RQRS is focusing on multidisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity.

Douglas expertise

Researchers from the Douglas Institute who are directly involved in the network:

• Gustavo Turecki, MD, PhD, is the director of the RQRS and serves as co-director for one of 5 research axes (Epigenisis of Suicide).
• Naguib Mechawar, PhD, is co-director of the Brain Neuroplasticity and Suicide Axis.
• Johanne Renaud, MD, MSc, FRCPC, also a researcher at the Institute, has joint responsibility for the Translational Clinical Research Axis.
• Monique Séguin, PhD, is co-director of the Development Axis.
• Aurélie Labbe, PhD, and Norbert Schmitz, PhD, are involved in the Statistics and Services Platform.
• Hélène Racine, MSc, is co-director of the Skills Development Axis.

The resources developed at the Institute will also be made available to nearly sixty researchers from the Quebec, Canadian and international scientific communities. A unique resource, the Quebec Suicide Brain Bank will provide RQRS-affiliated laboratories with brain tissue.

“This network includes representatives from many Quebec universities. It will facilitate research, the transfer of knowledge, and training for students and fellows,” explained Gustavo Turecki, MD, PhD, director of the RQRS. “It will help us expand the research network and encourage the scientific community to focus on the problem of suicide.”