Sunnybrook Research Institute

Name

Sunnybrook Research Institute

Legal name

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Website

https://sunnybrook.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Health Sciences Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (622310), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Biomedical Research Universities (Academic Medical Center–Affiliated) (EDAHABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oncology & Cancer Specialty Hospitals (HLAFAHAC), Advanced Imaging & Specialty Radiology Centers (PET/CT, Nuclear Medicine, Interventional Radiology) (HLAFAKAB), Hospital-Integrated Cancer Centers (Acute Oncology Programs) (HLAFAAAM), Medical Oncology (HLAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Academic health sciences
• Clinical research services
• Focused ultrasound therapy
• Neuromodulation treatments
• Clinical trial management

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Clinical Care Services: Sunnybrook generates revenue through patient care services across multiple specialized programs including cancer, cardiac, brain sciences, trauma, and neonatal care.
2. Government Research Funding: Funding from Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for various health research projects including dementia, cognitive impairment, brain aging, and other research initiatives. Over $7 million received in recent CIHR funding cycle.
3. Philanthropy and Donations: Sunnybrook Foundation raises funds through donations to support research, education, and patient care. Recent $41 million gift from Weston family for clinical trials infrastructure.
4. Medventions Fellowship Program: Medtech innovation fellowship program supported by Mitacs funding through Medventions partnership, supporting 39 internships over two years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sunnybrook Research Institute operates as the research division of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, conducting advanced clinical and translational research across cancer, brain sciences, cardiac, trauma, veterans' care, and other specialty areas. It delivers specialized patient care through clinical programs while advancing medical science through clinical trials, focused ultrasound technology development, and medtech innovation training. The institute combines proprietary treatment technologies (microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound, 7T MRI) with research infrastructure (CCTS, biobanking, precision diagnostics) to bring therapies from discovery to patient impact.

Product overview

Sunnybrook Research Institute operates as a comprehensive academic health sciences research organization with a multi-platform approach. The institute combines clinical care programs with dedicated research infrastructure spanning biological sciences, evaluative clinical sciences, and physical sciences. Core research platforms include the Centre of Excellence in Focused Ultrasound (Canada's only), Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Dr. Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience & Recovery, and the Centre for Clinical Trial Support. The Sunnybrook Clinical Trials initiative provides enterprise-wide trial infrastructure across 11 care programs, while Medventions offers medtech innovation fellowship training. Key treatment technologies include microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound for blood-brain barrier opening and MRI-guided interventions. The institute handles over 1.1 million patient visits annually with over 16,000 staff and maintains full affiliation with the University of Toronto.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sunnybrook Clinical Trials: A comprehensive clinical trials program spanning 11 care programs, focused on accelerating the journey from discovery to patient impact
• Centre of Excellence in Focused Ultrasound
• Dr. Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience and Recovery
• Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation

Products and services

• Sunnybrook Clinical Trials Enterprise-wide clinical trials infrastructure spanning 11 care programs at Sunnybrook, providing dedicated leadership, specialized trial activation and implementation teams, integrated trial management system, biobanking, and precision diagnostics capabilities for investigators and industry sponsors.
• Centre for Clinical Trial Support (CCTS) Core research support service providing trial design, activation, implementation support, and regulatory assistance for clinical trials at Sunnybrook. Helps investigators and sponsors navigate clinical trial logistics and compliance requirements.
• Centre of Excellence in Focused Ultrasound Canada's only Centre of Excellence in Focused Ultrasound, pioneering MRI-guided focused ultrasound technologies for non-invasive treatment of brain disorders, essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, and brain tumors by temporarily opening the blood-brain barrier. Offers clinical treatment and research services.
• Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation Leading centre for neuromodulation research and treatment using focused ultrasound and other technologies for neurological conditions including essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, and ALS. Provides clinical treatments and conducts translational research.
• Dr. Sandra Black Centre for Brain Resilience & Recovery Dedicated centre for Alzheimer's and dementia research investigating the relationship between brain microvasculature and dementia, testing advanced therapeutics, and developing new diagnostic biomarkers using blood and eye biomarkers along with brain imaging.
• SMA Clinic Ontario's only spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) clinic providing transitional and multidisciplinary care for adults with 5q SMA, the most common form of SMA. Part of the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program. Coordinates physiotherapy, respiratory therapy, and swallowing/nutrition support.
• Medventions Medtech Innovation Program Medtech innovation fellowship program founded at Sunnybrook Research Institute offering entrepreneurship training, lecture series, and micro-certificate programs to build Canada's medtech talent pipeline. Connects researchers, clinicians, and industry to accelerate Canadian medical innovations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% increase in survival time for glioblastoma patients (30+ months vs 19 months median overall survival)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MitacscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Medventions Mitacs Umbrella agreement formalizing partnership between Sunnybrook Research Institute and Mitacs that began in 2021. Will support 39 medtech entrepreneurship fellowships across Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador over two years, building a pan-Canadian health innovation talent pipeline.
• InsighteccoreTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2025Industry partner collaborating for nearly two decades to develop and refine focused ultrasound technology. Together advanced the platform from early research to clinical implementation, continually improving precision, safety, and effectiveness. Insightec's incisionless focused ultrasound technology enabled this monumental breakthrough in glioblastoma treatment.
• Focused Ultrasound FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Foundation supporting focused ultrasound research and advancement. Chairman Neal Kassell commented on the significance of the glioblastoma trial results and the potential of focused ultrasound to transform brain disorder treatment.
• The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to ease transition of youth patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) from pediatric to adult care at Sunnybrook's SMA Clinic.
• Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to facilitate smooth transition of youth patients with SMA from pediatric rehabilitation to adult care services at Sunnybrook.
• George Institute (Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration co-leading the SuDDICU clinical trial - the world's largest and longest clinical trial in critical care. Sunnybrook led in Canada while George Institute led in Australia, recruiting from 26+ ICUs across both countries.
• ReFOCUSED ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrowing network of researchers at more than 20 sites across North America including Montreal Neurological Institute, University of Maryland, Harvard, University of Virginia, West Virginia University, McGill, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and others using MRI-guided focused ultrasound to improve treatment outcomes for brain diseases.
• European Society of Intensive Care MedicineminorOthersMedical society where SuDDICU trial results were presented at the annual conference in October 2025.
• Harquail Centre for NeuromodulationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunnybrook-based centre specializing in neuromodulation research and treatment, co-leading focused ultrasound trials and providing the Harquail Chair in Neuromodulation held by Dr. Nir Lipsman.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mayo Clinic: U.S. global academic medical centre with multi-specialty research and clinical trials operation spanning cancer, neurology, and cardiology. Comparable in translational research scope and as a leading site for industry-sponsored trials.
• Cleveland Clinic: Large U.S. academic health system with deep research institute, prominent imaging and interventional programs, and substantial clinical trials infrastructure. Comparable as a large specialty-focused research hospital with technology-forward imaging and intervention stack.
• Johns Hopkins Medicine: U.S. academic medical centre with deep research infrastructure across cancer, neuroscience, and surgery; member of the ReFOCUSED Consortium alongside Sunnybrook. Comparable in research breadth and as a leading academic translational research site.
• Mass General Brigham (Massachusetts General Hospital): Largest U.S. hospital-based research enterprise with comparable imaging, neurosurgery, oncology, and clinical trials capabilities; member of the ReFOCUSED Consortium. Comparable in academic research scale and specialty depth.

Emerging players

• Insightec: Industry partner of nearly two decades that commercializes the MRI-guided focused ultrasound platform (Exablate Neuro) underlying Sunnybrook's blood-brain barrier research. Comparable as the technology commercialization vehicle for the same underlying platform SRI helped develop.

Direct peers

• McMaster University / Hamilton Health Sciences: Major Canadian academic health sciences network with comparable research intensity and clinical trials portfolio, particularly in critical care, oncology, and vascular medicine. Direct peer in the Canadian academic medicine landscape.
• Toronto Western Hospital / Krembil Brain Institute: UHN-affiliated neuroscience centre with overlapping focus on neurological research and brain sciences programs, including deep brain stimulation and movement disorders. Comparable as a Toronto academic neuroscience research and treatment centre.
• Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute: University of British Columbia-affiliated research institute with similar breadth across neuroscience, cancer, and surgical specialties. Comparable as a Canadian academic health sciences research organization with hospital-integrated operations.
• University Health Network (Toronto General, Princess Margaret): Toronto-based academic health sciences network with major research arm and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Directly comparable as a peer academic health sciences centre with University of Toronto affiliation, large clinical trials operation, and comparable specialty programs (cancer, neurology, cardiology).
• Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Research Institute: Toronto pediatric academic health sciences centre with a large research institute and explicit transition partnership with Sunnybrook for SMA patients. Comparable as a University of Toronto-affiliated research institute with major clinical trials capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/sunnybrookhsc.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SunnybrookMedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/sunnybrookhsc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sunnybrook-health-sciences-centre
• Instagraminstagram.com/sunnybrook

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sunnybrook Research Institute