Fifteen Faculty of Medicine learners have received the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) and Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships for their work advancing health research on topics including cancer, organ transplantation and endometriosis.
Across Canada, 166 doctoral students received the Vanier CGS and 70 researchers received the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships. The 2024 recipients were revealed as part of a Government of Canada announcement on May 28.
“Canada is a world-leader in research and innovation, and the individuals we are recognizing today are a testament to that,” said the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health. “Their research holds tremendous promise for making our lives better and healthier in a variety of ways.”
The Vanier CGS program awards up to $50,000 per year for three years to students working in social sciences and humanities, natural sciences, engineering and health. The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships are worth $70,000 per year for two years.
Faculty of Medicine 2024 Vanier Scholars
Razieh Sadat Banijamali, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Research Proposal: Enhancing Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapeutics with Oncolytic Virotherapy.
Elizabeth Gregory, Experimental Medicine Program, MD/PhD
Research Proposal: Individualized Functional Targets for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: Does Targeting sgACC-DLPFC Connectivity Lead to Better Outcomes?
Torin Halvorson, Experimental Medicine Program, MD/PhD
Research Proposal: Development of MHC Class II-Targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor Regulatory T Cell Therapies for Solid Organ Transplantation.
Jorden Hendry, School of Population and Public Health
Research Proposal: Measuring & Responding to Racism in Public Health: Evaluating Tools, Identifying Indicators, and Assessing Leadership Readiness in British Columbia.
Hebah Hussaina, Women and Children’s Health Sciences
Research Proposal: A Community-Based Participatory Action Research Project Exploring the Co-Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Outdoor Engagement Opportunities in School to Support Youth Well-Being.
Jalisa Karim, Women and Children’s Health Sciences
Research Proposal: Endometriosis Treatments and Pregnancy Outcomes: Associations and Experiences.
Ijeoma Okedo-Alex, School of Population and Public Health
Research Proposal: Patterns, Drivers, and Policy Responses to Emergent Forms of Violence Against Healthcare Workers in Nigeria.
Tetiana Poliakova, Neuroscience
Research Proposal: Understanding How Reconstitution of Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) Expression Affects Amyloid and Cerebrovascular Pathologies in Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Bhavya Reddy, School of Population and Public Health
Research Proposal: Examining Mistreatment During Childbirth in Canada: Patterns and Risk Factors in a National Study of Patient-Reported Experience of Care.
Zakir Tahiry, Oncology
Research Proposal: Investigating the Function and Alterations of Chondroitin Sulfate Glycocalyx in Prostate Cancer.
Morgan Towriss, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Research Proposal: Microglial Innate Immune Memory in Health and Disease.
Xue Qi (Amy) Wang, MD/PhD
Research Proposal: Advancing Beyond Doxorubicin: A Comprehensive Drug Screening Approach to Improve Synovial Sarcoma Treatment.
Faculty of Medicine 2024 Banting Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr. Anne-Sophie Archambault, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Project Title: Regulation of Anabolic Metabolism in Anti-Tumour T Cells.
Dr. Zhenwei Ma, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Project Title: Hydrogel Adhesive Artificial Mucosa: A Paradigm-Shifting Platform for Esophageal Cancer Treatment and Management.
Dr. Codie Primeau, Physical Therapy
Project Title: Leveraging Citizen Science for Inclusive Pain Research: Maximizing Public Engagement to Co-Develop Research Questions with 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities.