Meet the NMD4C Team

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee provides overall scientific leadership, direction, and oversight. Its members are responsible for overseeing progress and coordination between the different work strands, operations, administration, budget, and interaction with knowledge users. They are accountable for the delivery of the scientific milestones and the effective administration of the project.

Natasha Chang

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, McGill University

James Dowling

Professor, Pediatrics and Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto | Pediatric Neurologist, Senior Scientist, Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children

Cynthia Gagnon

Professor, Rehabilitation, Université de Sherbrooke; Researcher, FRQS Centre de recherche du CRCHUS | Visiting Professor, uOttawa and CHEO-RI

Lawrence Korngut

Neuromuscular Neurologist, Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary

Hanns Lochmüller

Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute | Professor of Neurology, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine and The Ottawa Hospital Department of Medicine

Homira Osman

VP of Research & Public Policy at Muscular Dystrophy Canada

Jodi Warman Chardon

Clinician-Scientist, Director of the Ottawa Neuromuscular Centre, The Ottawa Hospital; Associate Scientist, OHRI; Scientist, CHEORI | Associate Professor of Neurology, Co-Director of the Centre for Neuromuscular Disease, University of Ottawa

Investigators

Agessandro Abrahao

Assistant Professor of Medicine (Neurology) at  University of Toronto | Staff Neurologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre | Associate Scientist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Alberto Aleman

Neurologist, The Ottawa Hospital

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Reshma Amin

Director of Sleep Medicine and Long-term Ventilation, Respirologist and Sleep Physician, The Hospital for Sick Children | Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto | Clinician Investigator, Senior Associate Scientist, Child Health and Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research, Theme 4: Knowledge Translation & Impact Assessment

Bernard Brais

Professor, Neurology and Human Genetics, McGill University | Neurologist and Director of the Rare Neurological Diseases Group, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science, Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Theme 5: Open Science

Vera Bril

Professor of Neurology at University of Toronto | Neurologist and Director of the Neuromuscular Section at University Health Network and the University of Toronto | Senior Scientist at the Toronto General Research Institute

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Craig Campbell

Head of Pediatric Neurology, Chair of Pediatrics, Medical Director - Neuromuscular Clinic, Thames Valley Children’s Centre, - Pediatric Neurophysiology Laboratory, Children’s Hospital London Health Sciences Centre | Professor of Pediatrics, Epidemiology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University; Scientist, Children’s Health Research Institute

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Theme 5: Open Science

Élise Duchesne

Professor, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Université Laval | Researcher, Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires (GRIMN)

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science, Pillar 2: Clinical Research

Nicolas Dumont

Associate professor, Rehabilitation department, University of Montreal | Principal Investigator, Musculoskeletal health research axis, Sainte-Justine Hospital research center

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Patrick Frosk

Associate Professor, Pediatrics and Child Health, Biochemistry, and Medical Genetics, Director of Medical Genetics and Genomic Residency Program, University of Manitoba | Clinical Geneticist, Investigator, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba

Network Involvement: Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Benoit Gentil

Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Physical Education at McGill University | Associate Member of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Penney Gilbert

Associate Professor, University of Toronto | Canada Research Chair in Endogenous Repair Institute of Biomedical Engineering | Primary Appointment Donnelly Centre, Cross-Appointed | Department of Cell and Systems Biology, Cross-Appointed

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Hernan Gonorazky

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, University of Toronto | Pediatric Neurologist, Director of Neuromuscular Fellowship Program, The Hospital for Sick Children

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research, Theme 1: Early-Career, Theme 5: Open Science

Victoria Hodgkinson

Executive Director, Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research, Theme 5: Open Science

Aaron Izenberg

Neurologist, Director of Rapid Neurology Clinic and Neurology Education, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, and Neurology Education Committee member, University of Toronto

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Bernard Jasmin

Dean and Professor at faculty of Medicine UOttawa | | Vice-President, Research, at the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC)

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Kristina Joyal

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health at University of Manitoba | Neuromuscular Pediatric Neurologist for the Neuromuscular Clinic at the Rehabilitation Center for Children | Pediatric Neurologist at the Winnipeg Clinic and HSC Winnipeg Children's Hospital | Researcher with the Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Marta Kaminska

Associate Professor of Medicine at McGill University | Pulmonologist and Scientist at McGill University Health Centre | Medical Director of the Quebec National Program for Home Mechanical Ventilation

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Jason Karamchandani

Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, McGill University | Clinical Neuropathologist, Scientific Director of C-BIG Repository, The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science, Theme 5: Open Science

Mireille Khacho

Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, the University of Ottawa | Canada Research Chair tier2 in Mitochondrial Dynamics and Regenerative Medicine University of Ottawa | Neuromuscular disease center and the Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology (OISB) member

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Alexandra King

Internal Medicine Specialist at Saskatchewan Health Authority | Adjunct Professor, Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. |  Nipissing First Nations woman | Cameco Chair in Indigenous Health and Wellness at the University of Saskatchewan

Network Involvement: Theme 2: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity (EDII)

Rashmi Kothary

Deputy Scientific Director and Senior Scientist, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute | Professor, University of Ottawa

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science, Theme 5: Open Science

Alex MacKenzie

Professor of Pediatrics, uOttawa | Pediatrician, CHEO | Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Jean Mah

Pediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine | Pediatric Neurologist and the Director of the Pediatric Neuromuscular Program at the Alberta Children’s Hospital

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Theme 5: Open Science

Rami Massie

Associate Professor of Neurology at McGill University | Neurologist at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Montreal General Hospital Neuropathy Clinic

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Hugh McMillan

Professor, Pediatric Neurology, University of Ottawa | Pediatric Neurologist and Neuromuscular specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research

Cam-Tu Émilie Nguyen

Pediatric Neurologist, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal | Medical Director of the Neuromuscular clinic, Marie Enfant Rehabilitation Centre of CHU Sainte-Justine | Neuromuscular and EMG fellowship director at CHU Sainte-Justine

Network Involvement: Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research and Education

Colleen O’Connell

Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Dalhousie University | Physiatrist, Medical Director and Research Chief at Horizon’s Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research, Theme 5: Open Science

Maryam Oskoui

Pediatric Neurologist, Neurophysiologist and Epidemiologist, Clinician Scientist and Director of Pediatric Neurology, Montreal Children’s Hospital | Associate Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University | Scientist, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research

Kessen Patten

Professor - Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie | Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science, Theme 5: Open Science

Christopher Perry

Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences at York University in Toronto, ON, Canada | Director of the Muscle Health Research Centre at York University in Toronto, ON, Canada

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Gerald Pfeffer

Associate Professor, Clinical Neurosciences, Medical Genetics, and Neurologist, University of Calgary | Full Member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science, Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Theme 2: EDII

Stephanie Plamondon

Clinical Professor of Clinical Neurosciences at University of Calgary | Physiatrist at South Health Campus Neuromuscular Multidisciplinary Outpatient Clinic team | member of Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Aymeric Ravel-Chapuis

Assistant Professor in the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Ottawa

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Xavier Rodrigue

Associate Clinical Professor, Rehabilitation, Université Laval | Chief Physiatrist, CIUSSSCN

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Fabio Rossi

Professor, University of British Columbia

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Michael Rudnicki

Professor of Medicine and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, and Program Director of Regenerative Medicine at uOttawa | Scientific Director of the Canadian Stem Cell Network | Senior Scientist and Director of the Regenerative Medicine Program and the Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Kerri Schellenberg

Neuromuscular Neurologist at University of Saskatchewan | Associate Professor at University of Saskatchewan | Medical Director of the ALS/MND clinic and the Royal University Hospital EMG lab | co-chair of the Canadian ALS research network

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Theme 2: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity (EDII), Theme 5: Open Science

Kathryn Selby

Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, University of British Columbia; Pediatric Neurologist, BC Children’s Hospital | Medical Director, Pediatric Neuromuscular Program of BC and the Yukon; Investigator, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research, Theme 3: Expert Patient Capacity Building, Theme 4: Knowledge Translation & Impact Assessment, Theme 5: Open Science

Christen Shoesmith

Associate Professor, Neurology, Western University; Neuromuscular Neurologist, Director of Neuromuscular Fellowships and Motor Neuron Diseases Clinic, London Health Sciences Centre | Medical Director, Motor Neuron Diseases Clinic, University Hospital in London

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Mark Tarnopolsky

Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Director of Neuromuscular and Neurometabolic Clinic, McMaster University Medical Center | CEO/CSO Exerkine Corporation

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Martine Tetreault

Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience at Université de Montreal | Researcher, CRCHUM

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Kednapa Thavorn

Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at uOttawa | Senior Scientist and Scientific Lead of Health Economics at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute | Adjunct Scientist at ICES

Network Involvement: Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Daria Trojan

Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University | Professeure associee in the Department of Medicine at the Université de Montréal | Physiatrist at the Montreal Neurological Hospital, Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital, and Constance-Lethbridge Rehabilitation Centre

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research

Leanne Ward

Professor of Pediatrics and Tier 1 Clinical Research Chair in Pediatric Bone Disorders at uOttawa | Medical Director of the CHEO Genetic and Metabolic Bone Disease Clinic | Scientific Director of the Ottawa Pediatric Bone Health Research Group | Pediatric Endocrinologist at CHEO

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research

Toshifumi Yokota

Professor of Medical Genetics and The Friends of Garrett Cumming Research & Muscular Dystrophy Canada Endowed Research Chair at the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry

Network Involvement: Pillar 1: Preclinical Science

Jocelyn Zwicker

Neuromuscular Neurologist at The Ottawa Hospital Neuromuscular Centre | President of the The Ottawa Hospital Medical Staff Association

Network Involvement: Pillar 2: Clinical Research, Pillar 3: Clinical Practice Research