Muscle Health Research Centre (MRHC)

The Muscle Health Research Centre (MHRC) provides a centralized and focused research emphasis on the importance of skeletal muscle to the overall health and well-being of Canadians. Skeletal muscle, 40 per cent of a human's body mass, is a unique and large tissue that significantly contributes to an individual's metabolism, locomotion, and overall quality of life.

Based in the Faculty of Health, the MHRC facilitates the integrated study of muscle biology in the broadest terms, including muscle development, disease, metabolism, blood supply, injury and regeneration, and adaptation to acute and chronic exercise. Approaches used by faculty and graduate students for the study of muscle include molecular, cellular and whole-body techniques.

Since its foundation in 2009, the MHRC has grown considerably and continues to fulfill its mandate to be “to be Canada’s leading research centre for the study of muscle health and disease”.  It easily comprises the most comprehensive research and education consortium devoted to skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle health in Canada. Indeed, it compares very favourably with those research institutions of a similar theme around the world.

MHRC members are very active in individual grant submissions, and where applicable, collaborative equipment and infrastructure opportunities. Its membership grows steadily every year, with an attempt to broaden the multi-disciplinary nature of the Centre from the theoretical, fundamental science of muscle biology from which it originated, to include more applied translational research programs and perspectives.  In addition, the MHRC continues to hold its very popular educational activities every year, consistent with the goal of uniting faculty and trainees in the areas of muscle and heart health, with collaboration and interaction in mind. Our programs provide a platform that continues to increase the visibility of York University, and the MHRC, in Canada and around the world.