The opening last week of a new state-of-the-art health research centre was made possible by a $5-million investment by York University Foundation board member Honey Sherman and her husband Dr. Barry Sherman, president and CEO of Apotex Inc., wrote the Jewish Tribune Sept. 21:

The project brings scientists who study the brain and vision, virtual reality and robots together under one roof – that of a former hockey arena. The former York University Ice Arena, built in 1968 and known by many as the Ice Palace, was transformed into a sophisticated centre for interdisciplinary collaboration.

“We are extremely thankful to Honey and Barry Sherman for their generosity,” said Mamdouh Shoukri, York president & vice-chancellor. “This unique new facility will strengthen our University’s research capacity and enhance collaboration between researchers in the health, science and engineering fields.”

The centre’s highlight is a neuro-imaging laboratory with the latest functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology, which is critically important for research at York and future partnerships.

“We are particularly delighted we can support research in the health sciences because this is an increasingly important area for research innovation,” Dr. Sherman said. “This facility and the work that will be undertaken will help strengthen Ontario’s global position in research and innovation.”

Summaries of the building's laboratories and research projects are available on the Sherman Health Science Research Centre page. The building officially opened on September 14 and houses 13 laboratories for researchers from the Centre for Vision Research and the Faculty of Health's School of Kinesiology.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, with files courtesy of YFile– York University’s daily e-bulletin