Meet Brain Canada’s new Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research

Twenty-six early-career scientists will each receive $100,000 to pursue bold high-risk, high-reward ideas in brain and mental health research, from eating disorders to chronic pain to neurodegeneration.

MONTREAL, Sept. 28, 2026 /CNW/ — Brain Canada’s flagship Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research program is built to equip early-career researchers to take high-risk, high-reward approaches to advance brain and mental health. Since 2019, this program has supported 157 emerging scientists, bolstering Canada’s research ecosystem and giving the next generation of leaders the resources to pursue bold ideas and big discoveries.

The Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research program is made possible thanks to an anchor gift from the Azrieli Foundation, matched by Brain Canada through the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF), a unique arrangement between the Government of Canada (Health Canada) and Brain Canada, with the support of additional generous donors and partners.

"This was a terrific program that launched a totally new direction for my lab. Without this support we would not have started to explore the gut-brain axis, which is now a major focus of my group." – Annie Ciernia, Ph.D., 2021 Future Leader in Canadian Brain Research

This year, 26 bold minds will receive $100,000 each to advance knowledge with the potential to improve brain and health outcomes for Canadians and beyond. Their research spans eating disorders, substance use disorder, neurodegeneration, neurodevelopment, chronic pain, and more to support prevention, early detection, better treatment options, and clearer pathways to recovery.

"Brain Canada is proud to invest in this latest cohort of trailblazers. The Future Leaders program is about more than individual projects. It’s a collective effort and a shared vision toward a future where brain disorders are better understood, better prevented and better treated." – Viviane Poupon, Brain Canada CEO and President

"Behind every scientific breakthrough are resilient researchers driven by curiosity and determination. We are delighted to welcome the newest cohort of Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research and look forward to seeing how their ideas and discoveries will help shape the future of brain research, for years to come." – Naomi Azrieli, Azrieli Foundation Chair

Congratulations to the recipients:

1. Alex Wiesman – Simon Fraser University
2. Ali Golestani – University of Calgary
3. Ana Nikolic – University of Calgary
4. Annemarie Dedek – University of Waterloo
5. Antoine Godin – Centre de recherche CERVO, Université Laval
6. Benjamin Davidson – Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto
7. Brandon Helfield – Concordia University
8. Sahara Khademullah – Centre de recherche CERVO, Université Laval
9. Édith Breton – Centre Intersectoriel en Santé Durable, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi
10. Faith Brennan – Queen’s University
11. Jessica Rosin – University of British Columbia
12. Jonathan Michaels – York University
13. Ke Peng – University of Manitoba
14. Leah Mayo – University of Calgary
15. Mathieu Flamand – Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval
16. Maxwell Shafer – University of Toronto
17. Mohamad Khazaei – University of Toronto
18. Pascal Tétreault – Université de Sherbrooke
19. Sami Obaid – Université de Montréal
20. Samira Ghorbani – University of Toronto
21. Sandra Fucile – Queen’s University
22. Serena Orr – University of Calgary
23. Shady Rahayel – Université de Montréal
24. Thomas Parmentier – Université de Montréal
25. Victor Tang – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto
26. Zachary Pennington – Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia

Learn more about Brain Canada’s Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research program. 

About Brain Canada

Brain Canada Foundation is a national registered charity that enables and supports excellent, innovative, and paradigm-shifting brain research in Canada. We increase the scale and scope of funding to accelerate the pace of discovery and maximize impact. Learn more: https://braincanada.ca/

About the Azrieli Foundation

For more than 35 years, the Azrieli Foundation has been dedicated to strengthening communities and improving people’s lives through strategic and impactful giving in Canada and Israel. We are proud of our work, which is guided by Jewish values and supports people of all faiths, ages, backgrounds and abilities to reach their full potential and drive positive change in their communities. Learn more: https://azrielifoundation.org/

SOURCE Brain Canada