Bridging Gaps: A Patient-Oriented Neuroscience Research Symposium
Bringing together neuroscience researchers, trainees, patients and caregivers to highlight brain health research in an accessible format.
Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives (HBHL)'s Trainee Committee is pleased to present Bridging Gaps: Patient-Oriented Neuroscience Research Symposium 2025. This Symposium is the HBHL EDI Trainee Committee's flagship event, designed to centre the voices and experiences of people living with neurological disorders.
The Symposium will feature a keynote, a poster session and a panel discussion, all surrounding the themes of health care, rare diseases of the nervous system and patient partnerships.
Attendees will include trainees, patients, caregivers, 9I制作厂免费 faculty and representatives from partner organizations such as听,听听and the听.
This event aims to foster patient-researcher partnerships by making science more accessible to people with lived experience, and to increase awareness and inclusivity for rare diseases of the nervous system.
Agenda
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 11:00-11:05 a.m.听 |
Opening remarks Speaker: Alan Evans, Scientific Director of Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives |
| 11:05 a.m.-12:00 p.m. |
Keynote:听The value of patient partnerships in translational research on developmental disorders Speaker: Tatiana Ogourtsova, 9I制作厂免费 |
| 12:00-1:00 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1:00-2:00 p.m. | Poster presentations (15 posters on brain health-related topics) |
| 2:00-2:15 p.m. | Intermission |
| 2:15-3:15 p.m. |
Panel: Navigating the health care system with rare diseases of the nervous system Panellists:
Moderators:
|
| 3:15-3:30 p.m.听 |
Flash Talk Speaker:听Linda Lafontaine, Canadian ambassador for the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation |
| 3:30-3:45 p.m.听 | Awards ceremony and closing remarks听 |
Speakers
Tatiana Ogourtsova | Keynote speaker
Tatiana Ogourtsova is an occupational therapist and an Assistant Professor at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at 9I制作厂免费. Her expertise spans the areas of childhood disability, pediatric neurorehabiltiation, the use of novel approaches, including technology-driven solutions, telehealth and coaching. Her work focuses on family-centred care, mental health, knowledge mobilization, development and implementation of evidenced-based clinical practices and use of patient-oriented research. She leads the RESI-ALLIANT KID laboratory with an interdisciplinary team of experts, clinicians, parents and youth partners.听
Julie Coulombe | Panellist
A peer family caregiver for the Soci茅t茅 qu茅b茅coise de la schizophr茅nie et des psychoses apparent茅es since 2020, Julie has experiential knowledge as a caregiver and companion for many families, allowing her to experience the health care system network in the greater Montreal area, in child psychiatric and psychiatric hospitals. She collaborates as a citizen researcher with the Chaire interdisciplinaire sur la sant茅 et les services sociaux pour les populations rurales (Interdisciplinary Chair on Health and Social Services for Rural Populations) at the Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Rimouski (UQAR) and was awarded a grant from the Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec's ENGAGE Program in 2021. She is involved in various areas and projects related to peer family support, and her field experience gives her a strong understanding of the context surrounding issues in the field of health and social services. She is a graduate of the Universit茅 de Montr茅al's undergraduate microprogram in mental health and has been working for the National Bank of Canada for 20 years.
Abbe Lai | Panellist
Abbe is a certified genetic counsellor with over eight years of experience coordinating a neurogenetics specialty clinic at Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital. She has supported hundreds of families by ensuring the ethical and equitable communication of diagnostic results and by helping identify appropriate resources to meet their needs. Abbe is currently enrolled in a Neuroscience PhD program under Dr. Roberta La Piana at 9I制作厂免费.
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Sonia Lussier | Moderator
A communications professional, Sonia Lussier has led numerous projects in the fields of health and environment, notably with cancer patients. As a patient partner, Ms. Lussier works with Dr. Tracie Barnett as a co-director of the patient partner unit at 9I制作厂免费 for the Unit茅 de soutien au syst猫me de sant茅 apprenant (SSA) Qu茅bec. She has also served as a patient partner mentor with health students for the Bureau du Patient Partenaire (BPP) at Universit茅 de Montr茅al, and is involved in other patient partner development projects in Greater Montreal area. Sonia is also a professional musician and conducts choirs in the Mont茅r茅gie region.听
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