Venture Lab

The Venture Lab supports research on adolescent brain development and risk factors for mental health and substance use disorders. Led by Dr. Patricia Conrod, Professor of Psychiatry at the Université de Montréal, we are working on the development of new mental health promotion strategies by studying the influence of genetic, environmental, and neuro-developmental influences on mental health and addiction.
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Based out of CHU Sainte-Justine’s Research Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Venture Lab features an international roster of scientists conducting a number of important research projects with a key focus on personality, building resilience and early intervention. Dr. Conrod's brainchild, the PreVenture Program, is also hosted at the VentureLab, where PreVenture experts are trained, and provide training and supervision to health and educational professionals from around the world.

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Projects

PreVenture

An evidence-based prevention program that uses personality targeted interventions to promote mental health and delay substance use amongst teens. The program is designed to help students set long term goals and channel their personality towards achieving them.

CUSP

The Canadian Underage Substance Use Prevention (CUSP) Trial is a multi-site, pan-Canadian study that aims to evaluate the long-term effects of PreVenture on preventing risk behaviours that can lead to substance misuse amongst senior high school students. The study is funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).
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Well-Venture

Adapting Personality-Targeted Interventions for Reducing Substance Use and Mental Health Problem in Youth in Child Welfare System. Substance use problems are a major concern in adolescents involved in the child welfare system.

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ProVenture

ProVenture is a brain imaging project designed to study changes in neurodevelopment brought about by cannabis consumption. This study is funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).

News & Events

What's in your Mental Health Toolbox?

Learning how to channel your unique traits towards achieving your personal goals, contributes to positive mental health. Programs that build cognitive behavioural skills relevant to your personality style can help prevent mental health problems. Let's talk about preventative mental health www.preventure.ca #BellLetsTalk #chusaintejustine #conrodventurelab #mentalhealth #earlyintervention #universitedemontreal #UdeM #evidencebasedprevention

January 26, 2022

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The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory - Protecting Youth Mental Health

The U.S. Surgeon General has warned that young people are facing "devastating" mental health effects as a result of the challenges experienced by their generation. This comes on the heels of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children's Hospital Association's declaration of a "national emergency" in youth mental health. The Surgeon General has called on funders and foundations to scale up evidence-based interventions.

December 10, 2021

[What We're Reading]

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Symposium: Research related to medical assistance in dying (MAiD) for people with mental illness

The FRQS Quebec Network on Suicide, Mood Disorders and Related Conditions (RQSHA), in partnership with the Pragmatic Health Ethics Research Unit and The Montreal Health Ethics Conference Series (Montreal Clinical Research Institute) will host a knowledge exchange event focusing on current knowledge on the legal, ethical, psychosocial and neurobiological findings relevant to the debate on medical assistance in dying for people living with mental illness. Date: October 27th from 1:00-3:00 pm

October 18, 2021

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Dr. Conrod interviewed on CBC's The Current with WSJ journalist Jeff Horwitz, who reported on how Facebook plays down findings on social media and teen mental health

A recent Wall Street Journal investigation revealed that Facebook has known for years that Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, damages teens' mental health. We talk to Wall Street Journal technology reporter Jeff Horwitz about what he found, and discuss what safeguards are needed with Dr. Patricia Conrod, a neurodevelopmental researcher at Sainte-Justine children's hospital, and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal.

September 24, 2021

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Dr. Jeremy J Watts awarded the 2020 CIHR-INMHA Brain Star Award

Dr. Jeremy Watts, a post-doctoral fellow working with Dr. Patricia Conrod and Dr. Stéphane Potvin has been awarded the 2020 Brain Star Award. His research suggests a link between the brain’s endocannabinoid neurotransmitter system and positive psychotic symptoms experienced by patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

August 30, 2021

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All Venture Lab News, Events & What We're Reading