uOttawa News

OTTAWA, July 3, 2012  —  The University of Ottawa proudly announces five of its doctoral students—three from the Faculty of Health Sciences, one from the Faculty of Medicine and one from the Faculty of Law—have received a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Award to support leading-edge research in the areas of rehabilitation, drug testing, environmental law and hip degeneration.

The scholarships, valued at $50,000 annually for a maximum of three years, are awarded to students who demonstrate leadership and a high standard of scholarly achievement in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering as well as health.

“The University community congratulates these outstanding young researchers who, tomorrow, will be stepping up to the plate to better the lives of Canadians and citizens of the world over,” says Mona Nemer, vice-president of Research.

The five scholarship recipients are:

Chris Cameron – Faculty of Medicine, Epidemiology

Under the supervision of George Wells, Chris Cameron is researching novel methods to assess drug safety. His research will investigate approaches to integrating disparate sources of drug safety data. The methods will be used to determine the safety of drugs earlier and identify patient populations where use of a drug may pose a high risk compared with the therapeutic benefits. Ultimately, the research is aimed at helping improve patient safety and the health outcomes of Canadians.

Alexandre Genest – Faculty of Law

Under the supervision of Professor Markus Gehring, Alexandre Genest is investigating the relationship of international investment law on environmental policy in an effort to balance economic development and environmental protection.

Marie Grandisson – Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences

Under the supervision of Michèle Hébert and Rachel Thibeault, Marie Grandisson is developing guidelines for evaluating community-based rehabilitation programs in low- and middle-income countries. The guidelines will include an evaluation procedure, a framework as well as standards for choosing a data-collection method. The goal of these guidelines is to ensure evaluations are both rigorous and respectful of the local community.

Dorothy Kessler – Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences

Under the supervision of Mary Egan, Dorothy Kessler is developing an approach to help people who have experienced a stroke return to activities that are important to them. Participating again in these valued activities is a key part of successful recovery following a stroke. Kessler’s findings will improve our understanding of the process and factors that can enhance this aspect of stroke recovery.

Giulia Mantovani – Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Human Kinetics

Under the supervision of Professor Mario Lamontagne, Giulia Mantovani is working on developing a musculoskeletal model of the hip joint to explore the causes of femoroacetabular impingement, an anatomical deformity of the hip affecting up to 25% of young active men. Her findings will contribute to clarifying strategies for preventing hip degeneration.

The University of Ottawa is committed to research excellence and encourages an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge creation, which attracts the best academic talent from across Canada and around the world. The University is an important stakeholder in the National Capital Region’s economic development.