Congratulations to the 2026 Top Doctoral Student and Rising Star Award recipients!
The Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) is proud to support future research leaders with the Top Graduating Doctoral Student Awards and the Rising Star Awards. These awards recognize the outstanding efforts of VCHRI trainees whose pursuit of research has made them exceptional role models and significant contributors to the Vancouver Coastal Health and University of British Columbia research community. This year, three DMCBH trainees were featured as winners – excellent work!
Beverley Larssen
Award: Top Graduating Doctoral Student
Supervisor: Dr. Lara Boyd
Area of research: Stroke rehabilitation
With an impressive list of accomplishments, Beverley Larssen is recognized for her maturity, intelligence and curiosity in rehabilitation research. She has published 14 papers, including several first-authored manuscripts, and received the prestigious Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Award to support her PhD. Working across two labs, she advances research that directly improves the lives of stroke survivors.
Larssen’s work focuses on error augmentation, a stroke rehabilitation technique that uses visual feedback to make movement errors more noticeable. She investigates how stroke-related changes in brain structure shape performance with this technique and how amplifying errors influences learner motivation and the practice experience. Her research could inform future targeted rehabilitation approaches that help stroke patients relearn movement patterns.
“One of the goals of stroke rehabilitation is to improve arm motor control,” says Larssen. “My research advances our understanding of how error augmentation shapes the recalibration of reaching movements and how stroke influences the use of explicit strategies in novel feedback environments.”
Vivian Li
Award: Rising Star
Supervisor: Dr. Lara Boyd
Area of research: Stroke rehabilitation
Vivian Li is a dedicated scholar whose creative thinking and collaborative approach are highly valued by her mentors and peers. In Dr. Lara Boyd’s lab, she uses transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) robot to investigate brain function in both healthy individuals and people recovering from stroke. Beyond her academic work, Li volunteers with the Canucks Autism Network and is involved in the Rehabilitation Science Executive Committee.
Employing TMS, a non-invasive brain stimulation method, Li studies how the cerebellum and the primary motor cortex interact — a relationship that is essential for movement coordination and motor learning. By taking an innovative approach to understanding this relationship and how it can be changed, her work could support the development of TMS interventions for helping people relearn motor skills after stroke.
“The goal of my research is to develop neurorehabilitation treatments grounded in biological mechanisms” says Li. “By integrating my multidisciplinary experience, I am committed to supporting recovery for individuals with stroke.”
Jaqueline Palik
Award: Rising Star
Supervisor: Dr. Erik Pioro
Area of research: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Jacqueline Palik’s research curiosity and mentorship ability position her as a future leader in neuroscience. She is a skilled research communicator who presents her findings with clarity and confidence. Her volunteer work with the ALS Society of British Columbia and the Canadian Mental Health Association reflects her compassion, emotional intelligence and poise in high-stakes circumstances.
Palik investigates the biological changes that occur in the brain and spinal cord in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive loss of motor neurons. Using advanced MRI techniques, she aims to identify subtle abnormalities and uncover the biological changes underlying imaging findings. Her research could help identify new brain regions for therapeutic targets and support the development of more personalized treatments.
“My research could bridge the gap between what we see on MRI and what is actually happening in the brain and spinal cord,” says Palik. “By identifying the cellular and molecular basis of MRI abnormalities, we could develop imaging markers for earlier diagnosis and more accurate monitoring of ALS progression.”
