Celebrating trainee research excellence at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute

Each year, the Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI) recognizes outstanding research contributions from our trainees through the Postdoctoral & PhD Researcher of the Year Award and the Trainee Publication Awards. These awards celebrate the exceptional work of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows whose research is advancing our understanding of the brain and mental health.

Nominated and selected based on the strength and impact of their published research, this year’s award recipients represent the depth of research happening across the HBI community. Read on to learn more about this year's trainee awardees, the work, their research, and what inspires them.

 Congratulations to all awardees! 

Postdoctoral Researchers of the Year Award 

Dr. Faizan Khan

In the Calgary Stroke Program, working with Dr. Michael Hill, Dr. Faizan Khan's research focuses on understanding the long-term risk of stroke after transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), often called “mini-strokes,” and identifying which patients recover best following treatments such as clot-busting medications or mechanical clot removal.

Khan’s path into stroke research began during his undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa, when he volunteered with a neuroradiologist performing endovascular thrombectomy procedures (removing blood clots from blocked arteries). Watching these treatments firsthand sparked a lasting interest in blood clot research, leading him to pursue graduate training focused on venous thrombosis before moving to Calgary to study blood clots in the brain.

Today, that work is driven not only by scientific curiosity but also by the people closest to him, his wife and two-year-old daughter, who continue to inspire him outside the lab.

Featured publication: Long-Term Risk of Stroke After Transient Ischemic Attack. 

Dr. Milène Vandal

Dr. Milène Vandal studies how the brain’s blood vessels regulate blood flow to support healthy brain function, working under the co-supervision of Dr. Minh Dang Nguyen and Dr. Grant Gordon. Her work centers on the brain endothelium, the thin layer of cells that lines cerebral blood vessels and forms the interface between the brain and the rest of the body.

Vandal’s research has identified a new molecular pathway within endothelial cells that helps regulate vascular function and is linked to memory loss in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Because endothelial cells play a critical role in maintaining brain health and are altered in many neurological conditions, understanding how they function could open new possibilities for improving brain function across a range of diseases.

Beyond her research, Vandal finds balance in the mountains, where trail running, scrambling, and bushwhacking are some of her favourite ways to clear her head.

Featured publication: Loss of endothelial CD2AP causes sex-dependent cerebrovascular dysfunction.

PhD Researcher of the Year Award

Matt Neill

Matt is a PhD candidate at the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre under the co-supervision of Dr. Carolyn Emery and Dr. Jonathan Smirl. His research explores the physiology of adolescent concussion, investigating new neurophysiology-based approaches to assessment and how factors like physical activity, exercise, and sleep influence recovery.

Driven by a belief in the lifelong benefits of sport and recreation, Matt’s work focuses on improving how sport-related concussions are understood, prevented, and treated. By helping researchers and clinicians better understand how adolescents recover from concussion, his research aims to support safer sport participation and ensure young athletes can continue to experience the benefits of staying active.

When he’s not in the lab, Matt thrives on time spent outdoors. Long days backcountry skiing or rock climbing help him stay active, recharge, and find inspiration.

Featured publication: Exercise intolerance and time to medical clearance to return to sport following sport-related concussion in adolescents.

Trainee Publication Award Winners

Dr. Deepika Dogra

Dr. Deepika Dogra is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Deborah Kurrasch’s lab, where she studies the molecular mechanisms underlying drug‑resistant pediatric epilepsy. Using zebrafish models and patient‑derived brain organoids, she develops genetic models to better understand how this complex disorder emerges and how it may be treated. 

Originally studying signaling pathways that regulate heart muscle repair after injury, Dogra shifted her focus to neuroscience during her postdoctoral work, applying genetic and molecular approaches to uncover new insights into epilepsy. In her downtime, you can find Dogra outdoors, with hiking being one of her favourite ways to reset and gain perspective. 

Featured publication: Modulation of NMDA receptor signaling and zinc chelation prevent seizure-like events in a zebrafish model of SLC13A5 epilepsy. 

Dr. Erika Harding 

Dr. Erika Harding, co-supervised by Dr. Tuan Trang and Dr. Gerald Zamponi, studies how the brain regulates pain and anxiety. Her research examines the neural circuits that shape how pain signals are processed and experienced. 

In a recent study co–first-authored with Jessie Yu, Harding investigated how inputs from the periaqueductal gray (a midbrain region that links higher brain areas to the brainstem, helping control pain and autonomic functions) influence activity in the locus coeruleus, a key region involved in pain modulation. 

Harding has spent more than a decade exploring pain physiology, fascinated by its connections across neuroscience and hopeful that her work will lead to better treatments for the millions  of people who live with chronic pain. Harding finds inspiration in watching her daughter explore and make sense of the world. Her daughter’s curiosity and determination to understand how things work serve as a daily reminder of the spirit of scientific discovery. 

Featured publication: Locus coeruleus microcircuitry processes periaqueductal gray inputs into distinct outputs for regulation of pain and anxiety.  

Jackson Hewitt 

Working with the Determinants of Child Development Lab (Dr. Sheri Madigan) and the Trailblazing Research for Equitable Care Lab (Dr. Brae Anne McArthur), Hewitt researches how parents and children influence one another’s mental health across development. 

His recent study examined bidirectional links between maternal and child depression, showing that increases in child depression can also contribute to later increases in maternal depression, an often overlooked dynamic in family mental health research. 

Hewitt’s interest in this area stems from his background in depression, developmental psychopathology, and attachment research. When he’s not working, he often spends time in the mountains, where being in the backcountry helps him reset and return to his work with renewed energy. 

Featured publication: Testing Bidirectional Associations Between Maternal and Child Depression During Emerging Adolescence. 

Dr. Alicia Hilderley

As a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Calgary Pediatric Stroke Program and BCI4Kids, Dr. Alicia Hilderley focuses on improving therapy outcomes for children with physical disabilities.

In a recent trial, she examined whether transcranial direct current stimulation could enhance upper‑extremity therapy. The study found that intensive arm and hand therapy alone produced sustained, clinically meaningful improvements, while brain stimulation did not further enhance outcomes.

Hilderley’s work is grounded in the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to participate fully in meaningful activities. In 2024, she and her supervisor Dr. Adam Kirton received the Hopewell M.I.N.D. Prize for BCI@home, a project designed to bring BCI technology into the homes of children living with severe physical disabilities. In her free time, Hilderley prioritizes activities that keep her energized, an approach that mirrors the importance of participation central to her work.

Featured publication: Neuromodulation for Children With Hemiparesis and Perinatal Stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Jessie Yu

In Dr. Gerald Zamponi’s lab, Jessie Yu studies how the brain regulates pain and anxiety. Her work explores how different brain regions communicate to shape these experiences.

In a recent study co–first-authored with colleague Dr. Erika Harding, Yu examined how a key pain‑control center in the brain, the periaqueductal gray, sends signals to the locus coeruleus (the brain site for synthesis of norepinephrine). 

Yu was drawn to this field because chronic pain and anxiety affect millions of people and can significantly impact quality of life. By clarifying how the brain controls these experiences, her work aims to  guide the development of more effective treatments.

In quieter moments, Yu enjoys spending time looking at the night sky, a practice that offers perspective and reminds her that challenges are temporary and persistence matters.

Featured publication: Locus coeruleus microcircuitry processes periaqueductal gray inputs into distinct outputs for regulation of pain and anxiety.