Exceptional $10 million donation to the Université de Sherbrooke for Alzheimer’s research
Sherbrooke, le 01 octobre 2026 – A major $10-million donation from Canadian businessman and philanthropist Eric Sprott to the Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) has injected new momentum into research on Alzheimer’s disease and brain aging.
This exceptional support will accelerate the work of research professor Stephen Cunnane, an internationally renowned expert in ketogenic therapy, which is the study of how ketones can potentially be used to treat different diseases.
This donation will help develop knowledge on brain aging mechanisms and on novel approaches in Alzheimer’s disease prevention. Stephen Cunnane’s research at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) has advanced our understanding of cognitive health in aging adults for many years now.
Neurocognitive disorders on the rise
The announced contribution will go toward UdeS’s mission to develop concrete solutions to the significant health challenges facing our society. Given that the aging of our population has led to a major increase in neurocognitive disorders, research is an essential tool to improve the quality of life of everyone directly or indirectly affected by these diseases.
As a leader in aging research, UdeS can harness the expertise developed at the Research Centre on Aging (CdRV), whose work aims to better prevent, understand, and treat age-related health issues. The announced donation will strengthen synergy between the teams and infrastructure at these two institutions. This collaborative relationship will also greatly increase the potential for discoveries in a field that can produce significant benefits for society.
Through this exceptional contribution, Eric Sprott has shown how confident he is in the expert knowledge developed by Stephen Cunnane and UdeS and in the transformative potential of research to address the challenges of aging.
Quotations:
“This opportunity is a research dream come true. We are deeply grateful for this exceptional support, which will not only accelerate investigation into Alzheimer’s prevention but provide the public and healthcare professionals with better tools. We know that healthier lifestyles can help protect cognitive health. The challenge now is to better understand how they can be applied in practice and incorporated as an effective part of our prevention strategies.”
- Stephen Cunnane, Research Professor, FMHS
“Metabolic health continues to be an underestimated prevention avenue. I am pleased to help advance research in this field, particularly when it comes to Alzheimer’s disease. People deserve access to better information and prevention guidelines based on evidence. Today, science offers very promising areas of inquiry that we need to keep exploring.”
- Eric Sprott, Donor
“On behalf of UdeS, I deeply thank Eric Sprott for his vision, generosity, and exceptional philanthropic commitment. This major donation shows how we can advance knowledge and make a lasting impact on society when we bring committed people together to work on forward-looking projects. This donation from a visionary philanthropist will enhance the work of Stephen Cunnane, a leading researcher whose work is opening up promising paths for cognitive health. This remarkable support will accelerate research, enhance training for new researchers, and increase the positive impacts of this expertise for the public.”
- Jean-Pierre Perreault, President, UdeS
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Information:
Isabelle Huard, Public Relations and Media Relations
Communications Department | Université de Sherbrooke
medias@USherbrooke.ca | 819-821-8000, ext. 63395