Research in the area of brain imaging for Down syndrome has received a further boost courtesy of the first annual Josephine Mills Research Awards.

On February 27, the Burnaby-based Down Syndrome Research Foundation announced the winners of the awards, which recognize outstanding researchers for their contribution to research in the area of Down syndrome and in brain imaging using magnetoencephalography (MEG).

MEG is cutting-edge technology that measures magnetic fields associated with brain activity, and allows scientists to examine the brain and see how information is processed. The foundation currently houses the only MEG system in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest.

The three winners are: Dr. Connie Kasari, University of California (exceptional contribution to research in Down Syndrome); Dr. Margot Taylor, University of Toronto (excellence in MEG research in developmental neuroscience); and Dr. Janet Carr, University of Sydney, Australia (lifetime achievement award.)