2025 Rising Stars Trainee Award Recipients 

Brain Canada is proud to announce the 2025 Rising Star Trainee Award recipients, a new cohort of trainees (master’s students, PhD  students and postdoctoral fellows) whose work is advancing our understanding of brain health across Canada. Through its flagship Rising Stars Trainee Awards program, Brain Canada is supporting a new generation of  scholars pursuing impactful neuroscience-focused questions and driving tomorrow’s breakthroughs.  

These awards reflect Brain Canada’s commitment to investing in researchers at critical stages of their careers. By providing stipend and travel support, Rising Stars helps emerging researchers deepen their expertise, explore novel approaches, and advance discoveries to improve the lives of people affected by neurological and mental health conditions.  

The Rising Stars program is essential to building the future of the brain research landscape. By supporting researchers in the early stages of their careers, we help establish strong foundations that enable breakthroughs and advance the future of brain science for all.

Dr. Viviane Poupon, President and CEO of Brain Canada.

The 2025 Brain Canada Rising Stars Trainee Awards have been made possible through the generous support of:   

• Linda Auger Morissette & Friends, in honour of Pierre Auger Morissette  

• Naomi Azrieli, François Blanc & Family, in memory of Madeleine Blanc 

• Allan Kliger, Aviva Rajsky & Family, who lovingly power the Olivier Goy Rising Star Trainee Award in ALS Research  

• Mireille & Murray Steinberg Family Foundation  

• Naomi Azrieli, in memory of Vivian Distler  

• M. Wayne and J. Coleman Family Fund  

• Seger-van Tol Family  

The projects supported by Brain Canada and its donors and partners include:   

 
1. Brain Canada Rising Stars in ALS Research Award  

The Rising Stars in ALS Research Award recognizes outstanding trainees dedicated to advancing research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This year’s recipients are contributing to a growing national effort to better understand ALS and accelerate progress toward improved diagnostics, treatments, and care.    

Brain Canada Rising Stars in ALS Research Award 2025 recipients  

• Antoine Desmeules, Université Laval  

• Arpita Adhikary, Université de Montréal  

• Aurore Martin, Université Laval  

• Colin MacKay, Dalhousie University  

• Yasmeen Alshehabi, University of Waterloo  

• Ziqi Yu, McGill University  

These awards are made possible with support from Linda Auger Morissette and Friends in honour of Pierre Auger Morissette; Naomi Azrieli, François Blanc and Family in memory of Madeleine Blanc; and Allan Kliger, Aviva Rajsky & Family who lovingly power the Olivier Goy Rising Star Trainee Award in ALS Research. 

2. Brain Canada Next Gen Award in Parkinson’s Disease Research  

The Brain Canada Next Gen Award in Parkinson’s Disease Research supports trainees conducting research in the field of Parkinson’s disease. The 2025 recipients highlight the diversity of Parkinson’s research across the country.

Brain Canada Next Gen Award in Parkinson’s Disease Research 2025 recipients  

• Hannah Shariati, University of British Columbia   

• Laura Menegatti Bevilacqua, Université Laval   

• Marie Filiatrault, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal  

• Nikolai Reyes, University of Toronto  

These awards are made possible with support from the Mireille and Steinberg Foundation. 

3. Rising Star Award in Mental Health Research, in memory of Vivian Distler  

Established in memory of Vivian Distler, the Rising Star Award in Mental Health Research supports trainees committed to advancing research on the neuroscience of mental illnesses and disorders. This award strives to support trainees’ efforts to better understand the fundamental mechanisms of mental illnesses and disorders in such a way that will enhance our knowledge on the nature, onset, and/or progression.   

Rising Star Award in Mental Health Research, in memory of Vivian Distler 2025 recipients  

• Matthew Dawson, University of Calgary  

• Mohammad Amin Kamaleddin, University of Toronto  

These awards are made possible with support from Naomi Azrieli, O.C. 

4. CCIC Neuroscience Fellowship in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research  

By supporting trainees conducting brain-related research in the field of cannabis and/or cannabinoids, the CCIC Neuroscience Fellowship in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research contributes to advancing research in this important and evolving field of research.  

CCIC Neuroscience Fellowship in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research 2025 recipients  

• Christina Pereira, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health  

• Mohammed Sarikahya, The Hospital for Sick Children   

These awards are made possible with support from the M. Wayne and J. Coleman Family Fund.

5. Dr. Hubert van Tol Travel Fellowship  

The Dr. Hubert van Tol Travel Fellowship enables trainees to pursue educational opportunities by providing financial support to attend an international conference, symposium or training course. The fellowship helps trainees gain new skills, access specialized expertise, and build lasting professional networks at a critical stage of their academic and professional development.  

Dr. Hubert van Tol Travel Fellowship 2025 recipients  

• Amirhossein Jahani, University of Montreal  

• James Wang, McGill University  

• Jenna Hanrahan, Memorial University of Newfoundland  

• Lu Wang, McGill University  

• Sofia Gentile, University of Toronto  

• Timothy Friedman, University of British Columbia  
   

The Dr. Hubert van Tol Travel Fellowship was created in memory of neuroscientist Dr. Hubert van Tol and is funded by the generous support of the Seger-van Tol family and Brain Canada. 

The Rising Star Trainee Awards have been made possible by the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF), an innovative arrangement between the Government of Canada (through Health Canada) and Brain Canada, and Brain Canada’s donors and partners.