Aug. 4, 2026
Azrieli Accelerator and Owerko Centre 2026 Catalyst Grants recipients announced
Research exploring neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental conditions continues to expand with new collaborations at the University of Calgary through the latest Catalyst Grants awarded by the Azrieli Accelerator and the Owerko Centre – from early identification and advancing knowledge to improved supports and understanding.
The Catalyst Grants in Neurodevelopmental Research offer up to $50,000 to support researchers advancing discovery and deepening our understanding of neurodevelopment.
The Azrieli Accelerator has supported UCalgary research in neurodevelopment across the lifespan since its launch in 2022, while the Owerko Centre has focused on neurodevelopment and mental health in children since 2015. Both initiatives are under the leadership of Dr. Susan Graham, PhD, professor of psychology in the Faculty of Arts.
“These Catalyst Grants give researchers the opportunity to generate the early findings that can lead to larger discoveries,” says Graham. “This year’s recipients reflect the interdisciplinary collaboration driving neurodevelopment research at the University of Calgary, and we are excited to see how their work continues to grow.”
The grants are open to researchers from across the university. This year’s competition includes recipients representing seven UCalgary faculties: Cumming School of Medicine, Schulich School of Engineering, and the faculties of Arts, Science, Nursing, Kinesiology and Veterinary Medicine.
The funded projects span diverse areas, exploring new approaches to understanding brain development and the microbiome, technology development, improving supports, and generating early evidence that could shape future care and intervention.
Congratulations to this year’s awardees. Please visit the Azrieli Accelerator and Owerko Centre websites to learn more about the incredible work of these teams.
Azrieli Accelerator Catalyst Grant recipients
From left: Mateusz Ambrozkiewicz, Billie Au, Erik Bakkeren, Brandy Callahan
Submitted
- Dr. Mateusz Ambrozkiewicz, PhD, associate professor, Tier II Canada Research Chair in Childhood Neurodevelopment, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine – Understanding the HACE1 Ubiquitin Ligase in Early Brain Development
- Dr. Billie Au, MD, PhD, PGME’15, clinical associate professor, Cumming School of Medicine – Understanding differences in Au-Kline syndrome severity and variability through patient cell phenotyping
- Dr. Erik Bakkeren, PhD, Faculty of Science – Precision engineering of the gut microbiome to support people with neurodevelopmental conditions
- Dr. Brandy Callahan, PhD, associate professor, Tier II Canada Research Chair in Adult Clinical Neuropsychology, Faculty of Arts – Brain Health Vulnerability During Menopause in Women with ADHD: A Pilot Project
From left: Ann Gregory, Xiaofan Jin, Diwakar Krishnamurthy, Patrick Whelan
Submitted
- Dr. Ann Gregory, PhD, assistant professor, Tier II Canada Research Chair in Viromics and One Health, Faculty of Science – Tracing how ancient viral DNA, the immune system and gut microbes shape brain development in children with FASD
- Dr. Xiaofan Jin, PhD, assistant professor, Schulich School of Engineering – Engineering microbial therapeutics to modulate the gut-brain axis in neurodevelopment
- Dr. Diwakar Krishnamurthy, PhD, professor, Schulich School of Engineering – Clinician-in-the-loop AI tools to support independent communication for nonspeaking autistic individuals
- Dr. Patrick Whelan, PhD, professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – Uncovering brain pathways to improve motor function in Fragile X syndrome
Owerko Centre Catalyst Grant recipients
From left: Meredith Brockway, Julia Jacobs-Levan, Ethan MacDonald
Supplied
- Dr. Meredith Brockway, BN’04, PhD’19, assistant professor, Faculty of Nursing – Examining the impact of early life nutrition on the microbiome and brain development of infants
- Dr. Julia Jacobs-LeVan, MD, PhD, associate professor, Cumming School of Medicine – Accessible diagnosis and monitoring devices to support better care for children with severe epilepsy
- Dr. Ethan MacDonald, MSc’10, PhD’14, associate professor, Schulich School of Engineering – Accessible brain imaging for children: Developing gradient coil systems for ultra-low field in MRI in neurodevelopmental research
This prestigious group represents the breadth and depth of the research and expertise at the University of Calgary, representing a number of the institutes within the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) including The Owerko Centre for Neurodevelopment and Child Mental Health, the Azrieli Accelerator, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), the Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI), The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education at the HBI, the McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health and the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases.
Susan Graham is director of the Owerko Centre at the ACHRI and scientific director of the Azrieli Accelerator. She is a professor in the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts and a member of the Owerko Centre, ACHRI and HBI.
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