Congratulations to the DMCBH trainees who are among the 35 emerging researchers being funded by Michael Smith Health Research BC through its 2025 Research Trainee Program. These awards give postdoctoral and health professional researchers in training the vital support they need to focus on high-quality research, drive real improvements in health outcomes, and ultimately build their careers right here in BC. Their work spans a wide range of areas – from improving brain and heart health, to developing cancer and infectious disease treatments, tackling mental health and substance use challenges, and promoting health equity through stronger community and health system responses.
Learn more about the funded projects:
Wesam Farag
Project title: Targeting G Protein-Coupled Receptors to Improve Neurovascular Coupling in Alzheimer’s Disease
Supervisor: Dr. Khaled Abdelrahman
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that affects many Canadians. It causes problems with memory and thinking due to the insufficient blood supply to the brain. The cause of this poor blood supply is unclear. Therefore, we will study how this occurs in brain cells, by testing the ability of an interesting molecule present in the brain, known as metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), to reduce blood supply to the brain by attaching to another toxic molecule called tau, which is commonly found in Alzheimer’s brain. We will isolate brain cells from male and female mice and use them to study how tau binds to mGluR5 and affects its function. We will also use mice sick with Alzheimer’s disease to study how this attachment between mGluR5 and tau causes the reduction in blood supply to the brain. We will then test if drugs acting on mGluR5 can correct the poor blood supply. This research will show if drugs acting on mGluR5 could be a promising treatment option for management of Alzheimer’s disease and how this varies between sexes. Findings will be shared via presentations at national and international conferences, with outreach for press releases and social media platforms.
Talia Salzman
Project title: ACTIVE: Adding Life to Years in Cognitive Frailty by Preventing Falls and Promoting Cognitive Function
Supervisor: Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose
With age, some individuals experience physical frailty and difficulties in their thinking abilities (i.e., cognitive frailty). This increases the risk of falls and dementia, both of which negatively impact one’s ability to function and quality of life. Falls are a major reason why older adults suddenly go from independent living to long-term care. Thus, it is important to find ways to reduce falls and promote cognitive health in cognitively frail older adults.
Past research shows exercise can reduce falls and promote cognitive function in older adults. However, it is not known whether these benefits apply to those with cognitive frailty. To address this knowledge gap, we will conduct a 12-month home-based exercise program, delivered by physical therapists (PTs), in 328 community-dwelling adults aged 70-89 with cognitive frailty and a history of falls. To increase participation and follow through with the home-based exercise program, PTs will work with each older adult to set exercise goals and create action plans.
Given the immense health burden of falls in cognitively frail older adults, our study could have major health benefits and guide future strategies that positively add life to years among those with cognitive frailty.
Stefano Sorrentino
Project title: Alzheimer brain through 3D bioprinting patient-derived stem cells
Supervisor: Dr. Haakon Nygaard
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, affecting over 55 million people worldwide. With no cure or prevention, AD remains a high priority challenge for the Canadian health care system. researchers struggle to develop effective treatments due to poor lab models that do not fully mimic the human brain. This project will create an advanced 3D brain model using patient-derived stem cells to better study early AD stages, focusing on the role of the Amyloid beta protein. By creating a more accurate brain model, this research will help us understand AD more clearly and find new treatment options without the need for animal testing. Findings will be shared widely with stakeholders and patients’ organizations. A group of people with dementia and their caregivers will share their experiences to help guide the research, ensuring it stays patient-focused and promotes mutual learning.
Printha Wijesinghe
Project Title: Unraveling Apolipoprotein E’s Role in Alzheimer’s Disease: Insights into miRNA & Glial Regulation and Amyloid Pathology
Supervisor: Dr. Joanne Matsubara
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a brain disorder that some people develop as they age. It affects memory and thinking. A protein called ApoE is important in managing fats in the body and supporting brain health. An abnormal variant of APOE4, increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, but scientists don’t know why.
Research shows that mice without ApoE or with human APOE4, and humans with APOE4, have similar problems with fat metabolism, memory, and brain health. Since the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, connects directly to the brain, studying it can provide important clues about how Alzheimer’s affects the brain.
We will analyze brain, retina, and tear samples from mice without ApoE and those with human APOE4 to look for cell-level changes linked to inflammation, harmful protein buildup, and nerve damage. Tear samples from AD patients with and without APOE4 will also be studied. Results will be shared through workshops, scientific papers, and policy briefs.
Our goal is to identify early warning signs of AD and understand how ApoE contributes to brain and eye damage. The findings may lead to simple, risk-free tear tests for early AD detection and inspire new treatments targeting ApoE pathways.
Emad Yuzbashian Sharifabad
Project Title: Personalized nutrition for inflammatory bowel disease: Predicting dietary responses based on gut microbiome and baseline factors
Supervisor: Dr. Deanna Gibson
Every patient with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) wonders what to eat to improve their symptoms. Many believe that diet affects disease progression and no one-size-fits-all diet exists for everyone. Our controlled trial in adults with IBD supported this idea when the symptoms of almost 50% of adults with IBD in either standard dietary therapy or the Mediterranean-style diet group were ameliorated, though to varying extents. This variability arises because each patient’s biology and lifestyle are unique. People’s gut microbiota, trillions of microbes living in intestine, is highly personalized and can mediate their physiological responses to diet. However, remaining concern is that chronic inflammation in IBD disrupts the gut microbiome, allowing harmful bacteria to thrive and beneficial ones to vanish. Diet alone or conventional probiotic treatments can’t fix this imbalance. I will investigate how patients’ specific characteristics and gut microbes influence their response to certain diets and how these synergize with a newly engineered probiotic designed to thrive in an inflamed gut. These findings will be used for a future clinical trial using our derived algorithm to prescribe personalized diets and a bioengineered probiotic.
