MSc Student Awards
2026
Institution: McMaster University
Supervisors: Dr. Ada Tang
Personal Bio: Juliano is a Masters student in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at McMaster University. His Masters thesis focuses on understanding the influence of exercise intensity on cerebral blood flow regulation in individuals in the subacute phase of stroke recovery. Juliano is passionate about bridging physiological concepts with clinically relevant questions to inform exercise prescription after stroke. He currently supports two multisite clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of exercise interventions for individuals post-stroke.
Institution: University of Calgary
Supervisor: Drs. Zahinoor Ismail and Eric Smith
Personal Bio: Ibadat is a second-year master’s student in Community Health Sciences with a specialization in Epidemiology at the University of Calgary. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biological Sciences with a milestone from the Arts and Science Honour Academy, where she integrated interdisciplinary perspectives into her scientific training. Her research interests include neuropsychiatric symptoms, vascular risk factors, and quality of life, and how they relate to dementia prevention. Her master’s project investigates the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia-free continuing care residents. Through this work, Ibadat seeks to advance our understanding of early behavioural changes and associated implications for dementia risk.
Institution: University of Alberta
Supervisor: Dr. Richard Camicioli
Personal Bio: I completed my undergraduate degree in Honours Neuroscience at the University of Alberta. My undergraduate thesis focused on MRI-based texture analysis along the Lewy body spectrum, allowing me to gain experience in neuroimaging and statistical analysis. My academic and volunteer experiences have shaped my research interests in understanding mechanisms of neurodegeneration and the support of brain health. I will be beginning my master’s degree in Neuroscience at the University of Alberta in the fall of 2026, focusing on modifiable vascular and brain health risk factors in relation to glymphatic function and cognitive impairment. I am very thankful to be a recipient of the Brain Health Care MSc Trainee Award!
Institution: York University
Supervisor: Dr. Brittany Intzandt
Personal Bio: Israa Sinan is an MSc candidate in Kinesiology & Health Science at York University, supervised by Dr. Brittany Intzandt. Israa worked across hospital, academic, and community research settings focused on vulnerable populations, work that has informed peer-reviewed research on health equity and access. Her research interests include cognitive reserve, social capital, and functional resilience in aging, with a focus on the social determinants of brain health. She brings an equity-focused and sex-stratified lens to this work, alongside experience in equity, diversity, and inclusion work within research, with the goal of translating this work into more equitable brain health care.
Institution: Western University
Supervisor: Dr. Lindsay Nagamatsu
Personal Bio: I am a second year MSc in Integrative Biosciences (Kinesiology) student at Western University, under the supervision of Dr. Lindsay Nagamatsu. I also completed my undergraduate studies in Kinesiology at Western University. My research examines the independent and combined effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. I use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to quantify brain creatine concentrations and investigate how these interventions may influence brain bioenergetics and related cognitive outcomes. Through my graduate research, I hope to contribute to the development of accessible lifestyle interventions that promote healthy brain aging.