NMD4C Hosts 3rd Annual Basic Research Summer School at uOttawa!
From June 8 to 10, 2026, we hosted the 3rd annual NMD4C Basic Research Summer School at the University of Ottawa. The program supported 28 neuromuscular research trainees (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) from across Canada and focused on developing practical skills, strengthening core knowledge in neuromuscular research, and providing opportunities to present and discuss their work. Through a combination of tutorials, lectures, hands-on workshops in cutting-edge wet lab techniques, flash talks, and both structured and informal networking, participants engaged with faculty, exchanged ideas, and built connections across institutions and career stages.
Thank you to all trainees who attended for your thoughtful participation and contributions to the program. We acknowledge our sponsors, Stem Cell Network and Lucid Scientific, whose support helped make the program accessible. We thank the Resipher team, Silke Grainger and Ghainaa Abousleiman, for their hands-on session on cellular metabolism and its applications in neuromuscular research.
We are also grateful to our patient partner, Jenna Keindel, for sharing her lived experience and perspective. Her contribution highlighted the importance of open science and communicating research in ways that are accessible to patients and the broader community.
Finally, we thank our organizing team, Dr. Mireille Khacho (lead), Dr. Vahab Soleimani, Dr. Keir Menzies, Dr. Michael DeLisio, Dr. Junio Dort, Dr. Yan Burelle, Dr. Jean-Philippe Leduc-Gaudet, Dr. Emma Sutton, Rebecca Yaworski, Dr. Sally Spendiff and Ricardo Carmona, Dr. Alex Green, and Jonathan Mesiano-Crookston (patient partner), for their roles in planning and delivering the program. NMD4C remains committed to supporting trainee development and strengthening collaboration across the neuromuscular research community in Canada.
See photos from the event in our event gallery!
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Scheduled Maintenance
Please note that this website, imPORTND, and the NNLS training platform will undergo maintenance from July 23 until July 27, 2026.
Discover Neuromuscular Talent Across Canada
The NMD4C Neuromuscular Talent Pool is now live with new trainees! We invite supervisors and research groups to explore the Talent Pool to identify candidates whose skills, experience, and interests align with your work and upcoming positions. Trainees interested in being included in the Neuromuscular Talent Pool can register by completing the short form, uploading a CV and brief personal statement outlining their experience, interests, and career goals. For more information and to access the Talent Pool, please visit our website.
Join Us at the 2026 NMD4C Annual Meeting on 25 September
The 2026 NMD4C Annual Meeting will take place in Calgary on Friday, September 25, 2026. The agenda will feature a brief network update, trainee and early-career recognitions, flash talks, a health economics research showcase, and a series of cross‑disciplinary and parallel clinical/pre‑clinical discussion sessions to explore key topics, including advocacy and therapy access, strategies to sustain and strengthen pre-clinical programs, and network sustainability and strategic planning.