Our CIHR University Delegates

• Trained at the Universities of Guelph and Alberta studying nutrition and metabolism during development with a focus on amino acid and protein nutrition.
• Professor of Nutrition and Metabolism and Canada Research Chair in Human Nutrition Department of Biochemistry at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
• Research focus is on the neonatal use of amino acids for growth and non-growth requirements.
• He has received funding from CIHR, NSERC, CFI, hospital foundations and industry to support this research and has served on several grants review panels in Canada and USA.
• Actively engaged in nutrition outreach and student development and is currently the President of the Canadian Nutrition Society.

Dr. Hartwig’s areas of expertise include: Kidney development and applications to human kidney disease, cultivation of compassion and mindfulness in medical education and kidney research training programs and mentorship.

Eileen Denovan-Wright is currently Associate Dean-Research (2021-present) and Professor of Pharmacology (2000-present) in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. Her research program, developed with skilled trainees and operating funds from a variety of sources including CIHR, NIH, NSERC, and others, is focused on understanding cannabinoid receptor function in the context of neurodegeneration. In addition to research, Eileen has a long record of service in teaching and mentorship at Dalhousie. She has a strong record of peer review for journals and grant review for national and international funding agencies and is currently the chair of the CIHR Pharmacology and Toxicology Project Grant committee. She has served on boards and national task forces supporting the Canadian Council of Animal Care, which is the body that oversees all animal research in Canada. In addition to her long-term commitment to teaching and research in the Faculty of Medicine, she was Associate Dean-Students in the Faculty of Graduate Studies (2013-2021). She is currently on a national taskforce for the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies defining excellence in PhD graduate programs in Canada.

• Dr. Derek Fisher is the interim Associate Vice-President, Research at Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU), Nova Scotia.
• His service record to MSVU includes terms as a University Senator, Chair of the Research Ethics Board, and member of the Research and Publications Committee.
• Cognitive neuroscientist with primary research interests in psychosis/schizophrenia and neuropsychopharmacology.
• Affiliated scientist in the Department of Psychiatry, Nova Scotia Health.
• Secretary & President-Elect of the EEG & Clinical Neuroscience Society.
• Dr. Fisher’s work has been funded by CIHR, NSERC, Research Nova Scotia, among others.

• Associate Vice President, Research and Graduate Studies at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
• Holds a Doctorate in Philosophy in Science and Technology Policy Studies from the University of Sussex, UK.
• Primary research interest is in science policy and the public administration of research.
• Former manager of the Atlantic Regional Office for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), based in Moncton, New Brunswick.
• Worked as the Director of Innovation Policy and Science at the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa, Ontario.
• Worked for the National Research Council of Canada managing Biotechnology Research Initiatives and the NRC Genomics and Health Initiative.

• Dr. Erna MacLeod is Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies, at Cape Breton University.
• She also is an Associate Professor in CBU's Department of Communication and Languages.
• Her research and teaching focus on rural communities, cultural identities, ecological food practices, and public history.

• Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology at Acadia University
• Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Healthy Inclusive Communities
• BHSc (Hon) and MHSc from Ontario Tech University, PhD from McMaster University, Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Toronto
• CIHR Vanier Scholar (2016-2019), CIHR Postdoctoral Fellow (2019-2021)
• Research interests include the interplay between motor development, physical activity, and health among children with and without disabilities with a focus on community-based intervention

• Canada Research Chair in Atlantic Canada Studies at Saint Mary's University since 2003.
• Primary research interests involve interdisciplinary approaches to understanding health, illness and disease, and the social organization of health care work.
• Dr. Twohig was a member of the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University.
• His research has been published in Canadian Family Physician, Canadian Medical Association Journal, the British Medical Journal, the American Journal of Bioethics, Acadiensis and other journals.
• He is the author of Labour in the Laboratory (2005) and Challenge and Change (1998) and the coeditor of a six essay collections on health, illness and disease.

• Associate Professor and Research Liaison, Faculty of Nursing, University of New Brunswick - Fredericton.
• Has received both salary awards and operating grants from CIHR and currently serves on CIHR’s Health Evaluation & Interventions Research Grants Committee.
• Research interests include the changing patterns of healthcare utilization & delivery and their effect on health outcomes. Much of her research is situated within the emergency department or at the interface between home and acute healthcare service delivery.

• Associate Professor, Department of chemistry and biochemistry, Université de Moncton.
• Researcher in residency at Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, Moncton, NB.
• Dr. Turcotte hold a Canadian Cancer Society Research Chair and received a KRESCENT New Investigator award (2012-2015).
• Research interests focus on kidney cancer to study the possibility of targeting lysosomal vulnerabilities in tumor as potential new therapy, and the role of particular microRNAs in kidney tumor development.
• Her research has received funding from CIHR, Kidney Foundation of Canada, Cancer Research Society.
• She serves on several grant panels including KFOC and studentship awards (CIHR, CRS, NSERC).

• Professor & Canada Research Chair (Tier I) of Neural Dynamics of Brain Systems.
• Departments of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Biomedical Engineering, and Computer Science.
• Director of the MEG Core, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute.
• PhD (Physics) U of Paris, MSc (Electrical Engineering) U of Paris, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay (France).
• I conduct research in neuroimaging and neurophysiology, computational neuroscience, with specific interests in the mechanisms of information integration and prediction in neural networks and brain systems, in health and diseases.
• I encourage open-science practices, with an emphasis on the dissemination of research data, methods and software tools.

• Prof. Pedro Geraldes is a full professor in the Department of Medicine, division of endocrinology at the Université de Sherbrooke since 2010. He is the director of the Université de Sherbrooke Center of Excellence and the Research Axe of the CRCHUS in Diabetes, Obesity and Cardiovascular Complications.
• Prof. Pedro Geraldes received my Ph.D. in 2006 from the University of Montreal under the supervision of Dr. Jean-François Tanguay. Following his PhD program, he joined the Dr. George King’s laboratory at Joslin Diabetes Center/Harvard Medical School in Boston.
• Prof. Pedro Geraldes received several awards and salary support from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQ-S) (junior 1 and 2) and Diabetes Canada (New investigator award). He also held a Canada Research Chair in Diabetes and Vascular Complications (Tier 2). During his career, Prof. Geraldes published 36 manuscripts in scientific journals such as Nature Medicine, Cell Metabolism, Diabetes, Circulation Reseasch, ATVB, JASN, Kidney International.
• Prof. Pedro Geraldes’s research investigates how toxic metabolites of glucose and fatty acids deregulate protecting factors associated to vascular complications diabetes such as diabetic kidney disease, peripheral arterial disease, wound healing and atherosclerosis. His projects are currently funded by grants from CIHR, Kidney Foundation of Canada, Diabetes Canada and Fondation Diabète Brome Missisquoi et Haut Richelieu.

• Dr Jenabian is Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and the holder of the CIHR Canada Research Chair in Immuno-Virology.
• Dr Jenabian earned his D.V.M. degree in “Veterinary Medicine” in 2003 in Iran. He then began Ph.D. studies in “Virology” (2005-09) at the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris. He further started his first postdoctoral training (2009-11), in “HIV fundamental Immunology” at INSERM U955 in Paris. He also performed a second postdoctoral fellow at McGill University (2011-14) in “HIV clinical Immunology”.
• His research in focusing on the regulation of mucosal and systemic immunity during HIV infection as well as the assessment of HIV reservoirs.
• Dr. Jenabian's work is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS) [Quebec funding agency for health research] and the Canadian HIV Cure Enterprise (CanCURE). He was also awarded both CIHR new investigator salary award as well as a junior 1 career award from FRQ-S.
• Member of “AIDS and Infectious Disease” and “Cell and Tissue Therapy” networks of FRQ-S and “CIHR HIV Clinical Trials Network (CTN)”.

• Brigitte Leblon holds a doctoral degree from Montpellier SupAgro (France) and is currently director of research at Université TÉLUQ. She is a professor of remote sensing in the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management at the University of New Brunswick, where she has also acted as a program director.
• During her career in academia, she has directed or co‑directed seven research networks, and she is past-president of the Canadian Remote Sensing Society. She created and led a dual‑degree master’s program in forest science jointly delivered by three Canadian and five European universities.
• Her research accomplishments include over 250 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and national and international conference proceedings, as well as supervision of several dozen master’s and doctoral students. Together, she and her students have won 54 awards and honours.
• She has received over $22 million in funding for teaching and research projects that she has led or co‑led. She has developed seven online geomatics courses in English and French (one of which is available in Spanish).
• She has chaired a number of faculty and university committees and led several strategic planning processes. She has sat on many Canadian and international funding agency committees. She is currently the NSERC and SSRHC leader for Université TÉLUQ.

• Associate professor Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie at INRS
• BSc and PhD from McGill University
• Post-Doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
• Research focuses on the cell biology of intracellular sorting and trafficking using biochemistry, cell biology and biophysical approaches.

• Prof. F. Lesage leads a laboratory of 20 HQP working on optical vascular imaging.
• Following an education in physics, he developed expertise in medical imaging working in the industry first and then moving to academia.
• He holds a CRC Tier 1 in Optical Vascular Imaging and his research activities focus on the development of new techniques to investigate vascular function and dysfunction and its impact on the brain.
• His work combines microscopic techniques (two-photon, optical coherence tomography, confocal imaging) with macroscopic imaging (fluorescence, photo acoustics, MRI and ultrasound) to bridge the gap between detailed physiology and macroscopic imaging.

• Associate Dean, Research and Infrastructure, School of Health
• Full Professor, Department of Biology, Concordia University
• Co-founder of Oncoleap Therapeutics
• Research interests focus on mechanisms controlling cell division and how they vary with cell type, innovation of methods for cell biology applications, drug discovery and delivery, and diagnostic tools
• MSc and PhD from the University of Calgary, PDF at the Institute of Molecular Pathology in Vienna, Austria, and at the University of Chicago, Illinois
• Funded previously and/or currently by CIHR, NSERC, FRQ-NT
• Served as a member of the Cell Physiology (CBC) peer review panel for several years, as co-Chair for NSERC 1501 peer review panel for several years, and currently as the Group Chair

• Associate Professor, Département de psychoéducation et de psychologie and Director, Interdisciplinary Research Program on Children's Mental Health, Université du Québec en Outaouais.
• Regular Investigator (Institut du savoir Montfort, Research Unit on children's psychosocial maladjustment, Équipe sur les pairs et la prevention, Social Neuroscience Group), Clinical Professor (School of Psychology, University of Ottawa), Pediatric Psychologist (Hôpital Montfort).
• Research interests: Friendships of children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), psychosocial treatments targeting the social problems of children with ADHD, psychosocial interventions to engage families in evidence-based treatments for ADHD, developmental psychopathology.
• B.Sc. in psychology (Université du Québec à Montréal, 2005), PhD in clinical psychology (University of Ottawa, 2011), residency in pediatric psychology (The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto (2011).
• Work funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Fonds de recherche québécois sur la société et la culture (FRQSC) and the Institut du savoir Montfort.
• Member, Social & Developmental Aspects of Children's and Youth's Health, CIHR.
• Member, Planning Committee, Canadian ADHD Research Network.

• Deputy Vice-Rector of Research, Discovery, Creation and Innovation.
• Full professor, Department Pharmacology and Physiology since 2005.
• Previously Executive Director of undergraduate Medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine.
• Has directed a FRQS - supported research group on membrane proteins.
• Undergraduate training in Chemistry at Université de Sherbrooke; Ph.D training in Physiology and Biophysics at the Université de Montréal; Postdoctoral training at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and at the University of California in Los Angeles.
• Research program is currently focused on the role of ion channels in cardiac remodeling and heart failure.
• Currently supported by grants from the CIHR, NSERC, and HSF with former support from NIH and AHA (USA).
• Review experience includes CIHR, NSERC, HSF, CFI and a few European grant review panels.

• Co-Director of the Center for Research in Reproduction, Development and Intergenerational Health (CRDSI) – Université Laval (since 2020)
• Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproduction – Université Laval (since 2019)
• Obtained her doctorate at the University of Tours (France, 2003-2006), completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital – Harvard Medical School (United States, 2007-2010), followed by another postdoctoral fellowship at Université Laval (Canada, 2010-2014). She was recruited as Assistant Professor at Université Laval and as regular researcher at the Center de Recherche du CHU de Québec in 2014.
• Her research program is supported by a Junior 2 salary grant from the FRQS and aims to identify new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for male infertility and other diseases affecting the organs of the male reproductive system. Her projects are funded by CIHR, NSERC and the SickKids/CIHR Foundation. In 2021 her work has been recognized with the Matthew P. Hardy Young Andrologist Award given annually by the American Society of Andrology.
• Member of several peer review committees of the CIHR (Committee for the evaluation of postdoctoral fellowships), FRQS (Committees for Junior 1 and doctoral fellowships) and NIH (Committee RO1: Cellular, Molecular and Integrative Reproduction (CMIR) Study Section).

• Katalin Tóth is currently a Professor in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Department at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa.
• Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Neuronal Signalling
• Her research programme is focused on neuronal communication in networks implicated in spatial navigation and memory formation.
• Current research is supported by CIHR, NIH and Brain Canada
• Former President of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience (2019-2020)
• She has served on CIHR and NSF peer-review panels

• Dr. Brenda Bruner obtained her PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Saskatchewan in 2009.
• She is an Associate Professor in the School of Physical and Health Education at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario.
• Her research program focuses on community-based health promotion, primarily related to physical activity and health eating among children and youth, emerging adults and Indigenous Peoples.

• Assistant Professor, School of Rehabilitation Science and Department of Medicine at McMaster University, Ontario
• Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Mobility, Aging, and Chronic Disease
• B.Sc. (Hon) Science from the University of Waterloo, and MSc.PT and PhD at the University of Toronto
• Postdoctoral fellowship in outcomes measurement from Harvard Medical School
• Research interests include fall risk assessment and prevention, trajectories of mobility change with aging, and wearable technology

• Professor and Dean, Faculty of Science, Wilfrid Laurier University.
• Adjunct Professor, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Guelph.
• Former A.V.P (Graduate Studies & Program Quality Assurance), A.V.P. (Research), A.V.P. (Academic), and Chair of Microbiology, University of Guelph.
• BSc. Hon Chemistry & Biology (1978) and Ph.D. in Biochemistry (1983), University of Waterloo.
• Research interests involve the metabolism of peptidoglycan in bacterial pathogens with emphasis on the control of autolysins and lysozymes of innate immunity systems.
• Currently supported by funding from CIHR, NSERC and the NCE program.

• Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University and a Scientist at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition Policy for Chronic Disease Prevention.
• She has research expertise in translational and implementation science for nutritional interventions related to chronic disease prevention through the evaluation of health promotion and policy interventions for children, the general population and for those with cardiovascular disease.
• She is a national and international expert on dietary sodium, with research and policy experience in Canada and across the Latin American region.
• Her work is recognized by awards such as a Heart & Stroke National New Investigator Award, a CIHR-INMD New Investigator Award, and a Notable Recognition award from the World Hypertension League for her leadership in dietary sodium reduction.

• Dr. Jess Haines has a PhD in Epidemiology, a MHSc in Public Health, and is a registered dietitian. She is a Professor of Applied Human Nutrition and The Helderleigh Foundation Professor in Food Literacy at the University of Guelph. Her research focuses on promoting sustainable healthy eating among families by bridging epidemiologic and observational research on the determinants of eating behaviour with novel and scalable behaviour change interventions and knowledge mobilization tools. Dr. Haines’s work has been funded by CIHR, NIH, CFI, SSHRC among others. She is a member of the CIHR College of Reviewers and has served on numerous grant review panels.

• Dr. Andrea Lawrance is the Director of Carleton Office for Research Initiatives and Services (CORIS), Carleton University, Ontario.
• She is currently responsible for strategic planning and policy development, oversight of all grant submissions, and reporting.
• She holds a PhD in Human Genetics from McGill University in the area of folate metabolism and colorectal cancer risk, and a BSc in Biochemistry from McMaster University.

• Vice-Dean, Research & Innovation and Professor of Biochemistry and Oncology in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario.
• Undergraduate training in Chemistry and Biochemistry at McMaster University; Doctoral training in Biochemistry at the University of Western Ontario; Postdoctoral training in Department of Pharmacology at the University of Washington.
• Research program is currently focused on role of protein kinases in control of cell growth and survival and development of proteomic strategies to guide application of kinase inhibitors as therapeutic agents.
• Currently supported by grants from the CIHR and NSERC.
• Review experience includes CIHR, NIH (USA), NSERC, NSF (USA), CCSRI, TFRI, DoD (USA), and CFI.

• Associate Professor, Medical Sciences Division, Northern Ontario School of Medicine at Laurentian University.
• BSc. Hon. Genetics and Ph.D. Zoology (2000), University of British Columbia.
• Postdoctoral training in Ophthalmology (U. Washington) and Pharmacology (Case Western Reserve University).
• Recruited to NOSM/Laurentian in 2017 from University of Kansas where he held an Associate Professor position in Pharmacology and Toxicology.
• Research supported by NSERC and NIH (NICHD) is focused on the roles of vitamin A in embryonic development, vision and regulation of metabolism.
• Awarded a Fulbright US Scholar Award held at the Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio).
• Has served on grant review panels for NSERC, NIH, American Heart Association, Israel Science Foundation, and German Research Foundation.
• Is a co-chair of the FASEB Retinoid Meeting and a member of scientific advisory and award committees for the American Association for Anatomy and the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention.

• Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell is a Full Professor, Clinical Psychologist, and the Associate Vice-President Research & Innovation (Health, Sciences, Engineering) at York University. She has been a University Delegate since 2017.  Her research has been funded by CIHR salary awards and/or operating grants since it’s inaugural year in 2000.  
• Through her leadership of the Opportunities to Understand Childhood Hurt Laboratory or OUCH Lab at York, she created the largest longitudinal cohort in the world examining acute pain behaviours in healthy young children, within the context of primary caregivers.  Her current focus is leading a multi-million dollar, international research program seeking out an artificial intelligence solution to infant pain assessment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Her program is funded by CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC operating grants.
• She was selected to me a member of NDRIO’s inaugural Researcher Council.
• She peer reviews for all three federal research councils, CRC, CFI and NFRF and has a deep knowledge of the broader federal research landscape.
• She sits on a number of boards such as CBC Kids, Strong Minds Strong Kids, and the Infant and Early Years Mental Health Program.
• Pillai Riddell has contributed to more than 120 peer-reviewed publications and invited contributions.
• An award-winning research mentor, she has been primary supervisor of  over 25 graduate theses/dissertation/postdocs and 40 Honours Thesis students.
• Pillai Riddell has been passionate in addressing the major equity, diversity, and inclusion challenges in Canada’s research landscape, through numerous leadership roles at the institutional, provincial, and federal research organizations.  She is currently leading a large university-wide initiative creating an online ‘how-to’ training hub that operationalizes how to integrate EDI principles into  elite research adjudication and faculty hiring processes.

• Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Windsor; Translational Research Director for the Windsor Cancer Research Group.
• PhD in Medical Sciences (McMaster University 2001); Postdoctoral fellowship at University of California San Diego in Chemistry & Biochemistry from 2001-2004.
• Held a CIHR New Investigator Career Award, Assumption University Chair in Cancer Research, Member of the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada.
• Research focuses on the molecular regulation of cell cycle checkpoints. Health applications are focused on an atypical family of cyclin-like proteins that drive select cell populations during development and are implicated in the initiation and progression of tumorigenesis, as well as the progression of select regenerative disorders.
• Frequent reviewer/scientific officer for CIHR, CCS, CRS, NSERC panels.
• Actively engaged in cancer research outreach and student training mentorship. Currently leading the development of a Health Institute in Windsor-Essex region.

• Professor and Research Chair in Urban Health in the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing at Toronto Metropolitan University
• Research approaches include community-based action research, evidence-informed interventions, and implementation science in Canada and internationally
• Research foci include: social identities and health practices, stigma reduction in HIV and mental illness, health equity, and pandemic response
• Working closely with racialized, immigrants, refugees, LGBTQ+ and youth communities
• Research supported by CIHR, SSHRC, OHTN, NFRF and November Foundation

• Monica Maly is a Physiotherapist, Professor and University Research Chair in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo, Canada.
• Monica’s research program integrates biomechanics, advanced imaging and clinical measurement to advance strategies to promote physical activity among older adults with osteoarthritis.
• This work is supported by The Arthritis Society, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation among others.

• Dr. Kathryn Sinden RKin, is an Associate Professor (School of Kinesiology) and Adjunct Professor (Department of Health Sciences) at Lakehead University. She is also an Affiliate Scientist and Research Lead with the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH) and has held role of President of the Canadian Association for Research in Work and Health (CARWH) (2020 – 2022). Her clinical and research expertise is in applied ergonomics and identifying key determinants of occupational health and work performance. Dr. Sinden collaborates first responder communities to develop evidence informed solutions to improve physical and mental health. Dr. Sinden’s research using principles of integrated knowledge translation where knowledge users are incorporated into all aspects of research including design, implementation, interpretation and dissemination.

• Professor, Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences and Director of Research, Faculty of Health Sciences.
• Research interests include the molecular basis of transcriptional regulation in disease and microbial recognition and modification of carbohydrates.
• B.Sc. Biochemistry (1993) and Ph.D. Biochemistry (1998) at Western University, postdoctoral training at the University of Oxford (1998-2000).
• Member of the CIHR Biochemistry and Molecular Biology A Peer Review Panel.
• CIHR New Investigator (2006-2011), CIHR Postdoctoral Fellow (1998-2001) Burroughs Wellcome Hitchings-Elion Fellow (1998-2001).

• Acting Dean, Trent/Fleming School of Nursing
• Associate Professor, Psychology Department, Trent University
• Dr. Lehmann earned his PhD at the Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Psychology Department, Concordia University (2000-2004) and completed a PDF at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge (2004-2007).
• His research interest focuses on the neural organization of long-term memory, brain plasticity, emotion, and neurogenesis. His research is currently funded by NSERC.

• Dr. Kwan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University.
• Co-Director of the INfant Child and youth Health (INCH) lab and research group. Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Kinesiology at McMaster University.
• Current research interests reflect a broader interdisciplinary science comprising behavioural medicine, health and exercise psychology, and population health.
• Guided by a socio-ecological perspective, his work aims to better understand the complex interplay between environmental, social, and individual factors, to determine how we can effectively target movement behaviours to improve mental health and wellbeing of children and youth.

• Professor and Associate Chair Post-doctoral program, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto.
• BSc. Hon (1979) and Ph.D. (1983), in Biochemistry, University of Alberta.
• Post-doctoral training, Stanford University, Chemistry (1983-1986).
• Director, University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine Flow Cytometry facility (1992-present).
• Member Ontario COVID19 Science Advisory Table (2020-present)
• Dr. Watts’ team studies immunity to infections, including influenza, and  more recently SARS-CoV-2; as well as the role of tumor necrosis factor superfamily members in immune memory and cancer cell survival.
• Dr. Watts has served on Immunology and transplantation, New Investigator and multi-user equipment and maintenance panels for CIHR, chairing the multi-user panel for 3 years; She served on the Scientific advisory board of the CIHR Institute for Infection and Immunity from 2003- 2006 and is currently funded by a CIHR foundation grant.

• Dr. Duncan is the Associate Vice-president Research at Brandon University, Manitoba.
• She is also a professor and the Dean of the Faculty of Education at Brandon University, Manitoba.
• Research interests include distance, rural and indigenous education, professional development and leadership.

• Dr. Keijzer received his MD (with honours), PhD (Medicine) and MSc (Molecular Medicine) from ErasmusMC in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Before starting his specialist training, he did a one-year research fellowship (as part of his PhD) at the Lung Biology Program of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. He received his training in General Surgery at ErasmusMC and did a postdoctoral fellowship in Physiology & Experimental Medicine at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. He then finished his Pediatric General Surgery training at ErasmusMC-Sophia and completed a Pediatric Endoscopic Surgery Fellowship in the Children's Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. In 2010, he moved to Canada to pursue a career as a Pediatric Surgeon-Scientist at the University of Manitoba and the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba in Winnipeg. His clinical interest concentrates on minimal invasive Pediatric General Surgery and his research focuses on congenital anomalies and specifically the abnormal lung development in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). He has expertise in the mechanisms of normal and abnormal lung development due to CDH. Currently, his research focuses on delineating the role of inflammation and circular RNAs during normal and abnormal lung development due to CDH. By improving the understanding of the pathogenesis of CDH and its abnormal lung development his laboratory aims to develop a prenatal therapeutic intervention to modulate the natural course of the abnormal lung development in these babies before they are born. He is the Thorlakson Chair in Surgical Research and was the Director of Research for the Department of Surgery at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Keijzer was the first Pediatric Surgeon-Scientist funded in the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program. In 2018, he became the Child Health Surgery Director in HSC-Children’s Hospital. He was the 2021 James IV Traveler for Canada. He is the Associate Dean (Research) for the Max Rady College of Medicine.

• Dr. Mohan Babu is a Professor and Chancellor’s Research Chair in Network Biology, and Director of the MitoSYSTEMS Research Centre for Chronic Disease at the University of Regina.
• Associate Member of the Neuroscience Research Cluster at the University of Saskatchewan.
• Internationally recognized for being at the forefront of network biology, mitochondrial biology, developmental neuroscience, and microbiology research.
• Research program is focused on elucidating molecular associations in the interaction networks of human cells and model organisms, and has addressed key questions in biology, offered new insights into disease pathogenesis, and identified novel therapeutic targets.
• Published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in top-tier journals, and the research is supported by grants from CIHR (Foundation and Project grants), NIH, NSERC, CFI, SHRF, and other funding agencies.
• Served on grant review panels for CIHR, NSERC, NFRFT, CFI, SHRF, and Flanders Research Foundation, among others.
• Recipient of the SHRF Midcareer impact award, IG Maud Menten new principal investigator prize (finalist), CIHR new investigator award, University of Regina Faculty of Science research excellence award, and Addgene's Blue flame award. Honored twice with the Presidential recognition for professional achievements and outstanding contributions to research at the University of Regina.

• Associate Vice-President Research, and Professor of Respirology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, at the University of Saskatchewan.
• Recognized internationally for expertise in COPD, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and pulmonary rehabilitation, and for leadership in professional learning, knowledge translation and clinical practice guideline development.
• Published 200 peer-reviewed publications and reviews, and given more than 560 invited presentations.
• Bestowed with the Distinguished Scientist Honor Lecture (2011) and the Thomas L. Petty Memorial Honor Lecture (2015) by the American College of Chest Physicians, the Founder’s Award (2013) by the Canadian Lung Association, the Honorary Lecture Award by the Canadian Thoracic Society (2016), and Fellowship in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2017).

• Current Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Adjunct Professor of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, and Member of the Neurosciences and Mental Health Institute in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta.
• Scientific Director of Peter S Allen MRI Research Centre.
• Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in MRI of Brain Microstructure and former CIHR New Investigator.
• BSc (Physical Chemistry, University of Manitoba), PhD (Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta), PDF (Radiology, Stanford University).
• Research interests include the technical development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods mainly for the human brain.
• Clinical applications of quantitative MRI include stroke, epilepsy, healthy neurodevelopment and aging, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, multiple sclerosis, etc.

• Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Physical Education.
• Interim Associate Vice President (Research).
• Clinical Exercise Physiologist.
• Board Member (Treasurer) for the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology.
• Dr. Copeland’s research focuses on the role of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in health across the lifespan, with a particular focus on healthy ageing.
• She is interested in community-engaged research and the functional outcomes associated with reducing sedentary time among older adults.

• Dr. Knopp-Sihota is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Disciplines and practices clinically as a nurse practitioner with Indigenous Services Canada.
• PhD (Epidemiology and Nursing), University of Alberta.
• Researcher – Translating Research in Elder Care (TREC).
• Research interests focus on improving the quality of care for older adult nursing home residents. Current projects aim to improve pain assessment / management, reduce polypharmacy, and manage dementia behaviors.
• Funding from CIHR and Alzheimer Society of Canada.
• Member of the College of Reviewers and has served on multiple CIHR Health Policy & Systems Management Research review panels.

• Dr. Savraj Grewal is the Senior Associate Dean for Research in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. He obtained his BSc in Pharmacology from Kings College London, UK and his PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology from Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon. Following his postdoctoral research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, he took up a faculty position at the University of Calgary where he is now a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Dr Grewal's research program uses Drosophila as a model system to explore the regulation of cell, tissue, and body growth by oncogene and tumor-suppressor signaling pathways.His work is supported by CIHR and NSERC and Dr Grewal is also a former holder of a CIHR New Investigator Award and an Alberta Innovates Health Solutions (AIHS) Scholar Award.

• Dr. Kelli Stajduhar, RN, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS, FCAN, is a Professor in the School of Nursing and Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health at the University of Victoria. She has worked in oncology, palliative care, and gerontology for 30 years as a practicing nurse, educator, and researcher. Her clinical work and research has focused on health service needs for those at the end-of-life and their families, and on the needs of people who experience structural inequities at the end of life. Dr. Stajduhar is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and the Canadian Academy of Nursing, and is the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Palliative Approaches to Care in Aging and Community Health. In 2022 she was awarded the Barer-Flood Prize in Health Services and Policy Research from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and in 2023 was named Hood Fellow at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

  Social Media:
  Website: palliativeapproaches.uvic.ca
  Email: palliative_approaches@uvic.ca
  Twitter: @KStajduhar, @access2care
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• Dr. Lewis is currently serving as the Acting Vice-President Research and Innovation at the University of Northern British Columbia, following over 10 years as Professor and Chair of the Ecosystem Science and Management Program at UNBC.
• Her research examines the relationships between pathogens, insects and their physical and biological environments, and how those relationships are affected by external influences such as forest management and climate change. Her research has been supported by Provincial and Federal agencies, including NSERC, and was recognized in 2021 by the Canadian Institute of Forestry with a Scientific Achievement Award.
• Kathy has served on a number of boards and committees, including the Provincial Forest Appeals Commission, the Board of Examiners for the Association of BC Forest Professionals, the External Review Panel for the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Provincial Forestry Roundtable, and as an expert witness for Canada in the 2011 Softwood Lumber Agreement hearings.

• Dr. Shannon Wagner is currently the Vice President Research. She previously served as the Associate Vice President Academic (2021-2023) at TRU. Prior to coming to TRU, she served as Dean Faculty of Human and Health Sciences and Interim Dean College of Arts, Social and Health Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia. She has a long history of academic research, teaching and service, and academia has always been her work and passion. Her research program includes topics related to occupational/organization mental health, emergency services, and human rights in the workplace. Her teaching has focused on occupational health, psychological assessment, statistics, epidemiology and health promotion. She is also a registered clinical psychologist who spent many decades working in part-time clinical practice alongside her working in the academy.

Dr. Kelly McNagny obtained a BSc in Biology and Biotechnology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts and subsequently a PhD in Cellular Immunology at the U of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). At UAB he worked with Max Cooper, a founding father of B cell immunology, and his research focused on cell surface proteins that regulate B cell maturation and homing. He then moved to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany where he performed postdoctoral studies with Thomas Graf and his work focused on transcriptional control of stem cell fate and the commitment to macrophage, eosinophil and thrombocyte development. He also identified a number of novel hematopoietic stem cell surface proteins (the CD34 family) and this then became the research focus of his own laboratory at The Biomedical Research Centre, at UBC in Vancouver. He is currently a full professor in the departments of Medical Genetics and Biomedical Engineering where his work focuses on stem cell behavior, innate immune responses, inflammatory disease, kidney disease, cancer biology and immunotherapeutics. His research relies heavily on the use of transgenic mice and animal models of human inflammatory disease as well as high-throughput “omics” technologies to reveal the origins of human disease. Nationally, he has filled leadership roles in the Stem Cell Network Centre of Excellence, the Centre for Drug Research and Development and as the Associate Scientific Director of the AllerGen Network Centre of Excellence.