Successes in Neuroscience:
Spotlight on Neural Injury and Regeneration
#SiN2024
September 19, 2024
Introducing the fourth year of the Successes in Neuroscience Symposium.
Successes in Neuroscience is a celebration of neuroscience research and innovation across Alberta. In our fourth offering of this exciting event, we continue to focus on sharing cutting edge research ideas with all Albertans. This virtual celebration will feature presentations from leading Alberta researchers and innovators, trainee presentations from the next generation of neuroscience researchers, and moderated discussions to spark thought-provoking conversations.
We are excited to share that Successes in Neuroscience will have a new format this year, featuring two shorter events, each with their own specialized topics. We are pleased to invite individuals from the academic community, the public, healthcare, government, and industry to attend the fall 2024 ‘Spotlight on Neural Injury and Regeneration‘.
Thank you to everyone who will join us to celebrate the new and exciting endeavors in neuroscience research with some of the nation’s leading innovators!
Program at a Glance
Thursday, September 19, 2024
| Time | Description | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
|
10:00–10:05AM |
Opening Remarks |
Neil Neary, Executive Director Campus Alberta Neuroscience |
|
10:05–10:25AM |
Innovations in Neuroscience Session 1: Technology to Improve Health and Function after Neurological Injury |
Dr. Aaron Phillips |
|
10:25–10:45AM |
Innovations in Neuroscience Session 2: Augmenting Virtual Care for Rural Communities: Employing a Clinic to Clinic Model |
Dr. Martin Ferguson-Pell |
|
10:45–10:55AM |
Trainee Spotlight 1 |
Jordan Dudley, University of Lethbridge |
|
10:55–11:10AM |
Round Table Discussion |
Speakers listed above |
| 11:10-11:20AM | Refreshment Break | |
| 11:20–11:30AM | Trainee Spotlight 2 | Katelyn Shewchuk, University of Calgary |
| 11:30-11:50AM | Research Session 1: Using Metabolomic Biomarkers to Improve Quality of Life for Patients with Neurological Diseases |
Dr. Gerlinde Metz – University of Lethbridge |
| 11:50-12:10PM | Research Session 2: Using Tactile Stimulation as a Means to Promote Recovery after Early Brain Injury |
Dr. Robbin Gibb – University of Lethbridge |
| 12:10-12:25PM | Round Table Discussion | Speakers listed above |
| 12:25-12:30PM | Closing Remarks | Neil Neary, Executive Director Campus Alberta Neuroscience |
Meet the Moderator
Crystal Phillips
Crystal Phillips is the Vice President of Thin Air Labs Fund I and the Co-founder of Branch Out Neurological Foundation. Under her leadership, the Branch Out Neurological Foundation has raised over $4 million for neurological research in Canadian universities. With experience in early-stage investing, especially in healthcare, she offers unique insights for driving significant human impact and high returns. Crystal’s expansive network spans across public, private, governmental, and charitable leaders nationwide.
Speakers
Dr. Martin Ferguson-Pell, Ph.D.
Martin Ferguson-Pell, Ph.D. has held academic appointments in Glasgow, New York and London UK. He develops and applies advanced technology systems for the assessment of patients experiencing chronic conditions living in rural communities. He integrates markerless motion capture, robotics and novel sensors to provide comprehensive, clinic-to-clinic assessments for vestibular, musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. A “living lab”, comprising 15 rural sites, has been created to evaluate, pilot, and spread and scale complex virtual assessments. They include an intergenerational pelvic floor exercise program, post-stroke spasticity assessment, real-time signal processing to enhance the audibility of teleconferencing-based assessments and monitoring functional changes during chemotherapy. In 2019 he founded ELIXR Simulations to advance virtual reality-based training where complex simulations and 3D constructs represent particular challenges for learners.
Dr. Gerlinde A. S. Metz, Ph.D.
Dr. Gerlinde Metz is a Professor of Neuroscience and a Tier 1 Board of Governors Research Chair (Healthy Futures) at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge. She also is an Adjunct Professor with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Alberta. Her research examines the impacts of adverse experiences on lifetime brain health and how the effects of stress can be effectively mitigated. Current collaborative efforts include biomarker discovery to identify new diagnostic and therapeutic targets in brain and spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Dr. Robbin Gibb, Ph.D.
As a professor of Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge, Dr. Robbin Gibb studies how experiences influence brain plasticity during development. Her research has shown that tactile stimulation after brain injury can improve outcomes in rodents. Working with colleagues at the U of Calgary and U of Alberta she is interested in demonstrating that teaching parents to use infant massage in their daily infant care routine can improve outcomes for infants suffering from hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.
Dr. Aaron Phillips, Ph.D.
Aaron is an Associate Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology, and the Associate Dean (Innovation and Commercialization) – both within the Cumming School of Medicine. Dr. Phillips studies spinal cord stimulation for people with spinal cord injury, developing new approaches that harness this technology to improve unconscious bodily function (i.e., autonomic function). His work has been published in top journals Nature and Nature Biotechnology, while his discoveries have also led to IP licensed to companies. He is the CEO is ResearchAlly, a digital research tool enabling the use of AI in mobile heath data.
Thank you to our sponsor!
