2018 Top 10 Finalists

Scientific breakthroughs have found that biodiversity has an adverse effect on parasite disease risk; as diversity in humans increases, disease decreases, which benefits humans from a public health perspective. Our ecosystem is undergoing unprecedented change; Master of Science candidate Mickey Ahn has found new methods to examine our interaction with parasites, responsible for the world's greatest health concerns, which is key to disease prevention.

Anorexia is not only characterized by a reluctancy to eat or gain weight, but also a distorted representation of body size (dysmorphia). Lara Coelho (BA '14, MSc '17), PhD candidate, researches focuses on body representation; her studies of non-anorexic women and men suggest that women default an overestimated body representation while men to an underestimated body representation, which has implications for eating disorder treatment in both sexes.

Many of the activities we do during our waking hours, especially creating memories, continue while we sleep. These activities generate unique patterns, and these patterns repeat over and over again as they are transferred to long-term storage while we sleep. Master of Science candidate Pauline Balogun studies the sleeping brain to see where in the brain these patterns are coming from, when and why. This research helps develop rehabilitation techniques for people who have suffered brain trauma and injury. 

Master of Science (MSc) candidate Clifford Donovan is combining his passion for neuroscience and technology in his research. Using pattern recognition technology, Clifford is attempting to make sense of brain signals, during the decision-making process, which could give us the means for diagnosing and treating brain disorders and disease more effectively.  

Addictions develop most often in those who have deficiencies in processing rewarding events; to overcome deficiencies, addicts seek out bigger thrills, like the high from drugs, alcohol or a casino win. Master of Science candidate Sienna Randolph (BSc '17) researches how dopamine is one of the chemical signals that underlies motivation, habits and the feeling of reward, but is hijacked in addiction. Using lasers and fibre optic cables, Sienna is able to measure the amount of dopamine in the brain in real time. By analyzing dopamine levels, we can identify individuals who are at greater risk of developing addictions, thus preventing addiction before it starts.

Ancestral Pre-Natal Stress (APS), the stress our female ancestors experience during pregnancy, is associated with the health and behaviour of multiple generations beyond mother and child. Pre-natal stress affects the gut bacterial population in both mother and child. And the bacteria in our guts affect our brains and behaviours. By studying APS and its effect on our gut biomes, MSc candidate Hannah Scott (BSc '17) is contributing to our ability to better understand, treat and prevent a variety of diseases.

Master of Arts candidate Ashley Henrickson (BA/BEd '16) examined 500 letters between eight Canadian WWI soldiers and their sisters. Understanding whether and how these families could maintain meaningful relationships during the conflict can help develop strategies for modern families to communicate in stressful events.

Janet Poplawski (BSc '17) is researching whether migration stress, the stress immigrants and refugees feel when moving to a new country, have long-term health effects. By understanding the physical and chemical changes that occur in the brain due to migration stress, we can predict, identify and potentially treat stress-related disease long before symptoms develop.

As an athlete and academic, Veronica Oczkowski (BSc '17) is researching the effects of exercise on cognitive reserve, the brain's ability to find solutions for everyday problems. Those with high cognitive reserve are better able to stave off brain changes due to aging or neurodegenerative disease like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's, as well as function better when faced with unexpected, stressful or traumatic life events.