Spring 2025 events brought together scientists, clinicians and trainees across multiple disciplines to share discoveries, foster collaboration and advance The Institute's vision for precision health.

SOURCE: The Institute
June 12, 2025

Spring 2025 marked an exciting period of knowledge exchange and collaboration at The Institute, as multiple research programs hosted their annual Research Days. These events brought together scientists, trainees, clinicians, and experts from across disciplines to share innovative discoveries, foster meaningful discussions, and celebrate the next generation of scientific leaders.

2025 BRaIN Symposium: Bright Futures in Neuroscience

The annual Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program (BRaIN) Symposium brought together The Institute's diverse neuroscience community for a day of discovery and inspiration. With 22 posters and 4 oral presentations, trainees shared the exciting future of brain research.

Keynote speaker Robert Froemke, PhD, captivated attendees with his pioneering work on synaptic plasticity, auditory perception, and maternal behavior. The event also featured the Brain Bee competition, a neuroscience challenge that tests high school students on their knowledge of the brain and nervous system spotlighting exceptional young talent and future leaders in brain research

"The 2025 BRaIN Symposium was an extraordinary success, bringing together researchers across from all career stages. The enthusiasm and engagement were truly inspiring, fostering collaboration, curiosity, and innovation," shared Alexandra Kindrat, BRaIN program manager.

RESP Research Day 2025: Respiratory Research Excellence

The 34th annual Research Day for the Translational Research in Respiratory Diseases (RESP) Program featured the extensive scope of respiratory research at The Institute. Trainees delivered oral and poster presentations along with early-stage project proposals, demonstrating the program's robust scientific pipeline. One highlight of the event was the Seymour Heisler Memorial Lecture delivered by Bernard Thébaud, MD, PhD, who captivated the audience with his work on cell and gene therapies aimed at rescuing the newborn lung.

"Our annual Respiratory Research Day continues a proud tradition of discovery and collaboration, with over 50 abstracts presented by graduate students, postdocs, and medical residents. It's an event that everyone looks forward to attending," noted Inga Murawski, RESP program manager.

CHHD Research Day 2025: Driving discoveries in child health

The 10th edition of the Child Health and Human Development (CHHD) Program Research Day was a vibrant gathering of scientists, trainees, and experts dedicated to advancing child health. Trainees presented their work through poster sessions and oral presentations, receiving valuable feedback to refine their research and communication skills.

Two inspiring keynote speakers energized the audience:

• Elin Grudberg, PhD, from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, gave a talk titled "Complete placental genome sequencing: functional signatures and developmental determinants of disease," offering novel insights into developmental biology.
• Brett Burstein, MD, a CHHD scientist at The Institute, challenged existing clinical practices in his talk titled "Emergency evaluation of fever in newborns," prompting reflection and discussion in the field of neonatal care.

"With over 180 attendees, this year's Research Day was a powerful reminder of the strength of our program. The presentations reflected the dedication of our trainees and the high quality of our research. It was a meaningful opportunity to reconnect and spark new collaborations," commented Fanny Toussaint, CHHD program manager.

IDIGH-CRP Joint Research Day: Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

For the first time, the Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health (IDIGH) Program joined forces with the Cancer Research Program (CRP) for a joint Research Day, fostering a multidisciplinary exchange of ideas.

The day featured an inspiring keynote by Mamatha Bhat, MD, PhD, an associate professor from the University of Toronto, on integrating artificial intelligence with liver transplantation. Presentations were also by IDIGH researchers Alexandra De Pokomandy, MD and Matthieu Allez, MD, PhD, along with CRP's Livia Garzia, PhD and Éva Michaud, PhD. Trainees demonstrated their work in a lively poster session, complemented by a vendor show highlighting the latest technologies to support research.

"Combining our research days was incredibly rewarding. Cancer, immunity, and infection share much in common, and this event promotes learning and growth across disciplines," affirmed Eric Beliveau, IDIGH program manager.

SIS Research Day 2025: Advancing Surgical Sciences

The Surgical and Interventional Sciences (SIS) Program hosted a day of groundbreaking research at Livingston Hall, Montreal General Hospital. Highlights included:

• A keynote address by Damijan Miklavčič, PhD, from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, on the role of electrical engineering in surgery.
• Lisbet Haglund, a senior scientist from the SIS program, sharing her findings in fundamental research in musculoskeletal biology.
• Trafford Crump, PhD, scientist from the SIS program, discussing patient-centered surgical care.
• Anthony Bozzo, MD, a junior scientist from the SIS program presenting on multimodal AI improving sarcoma patient outcomes.

Trainees' poster presentations sparked engaging discussions, underscoring the program's commitment to innovation and collaboration.

"An incredible day of learning and inspiration at the Surgical and Interventional Sciences Research Day—we had remarkable presentations from students and speakers, showcasing the exciting advancements and innovative projects shaping the future of surgical and interventional sciences," remarked Anne Mathiot, SIS program manager.

Maurice McGregor Cardiovascular Research Day 2025: Celebrating Innovation

On May 29, The Institute welcomed around 200 cardiovascular experts from McGill University, the Jewish General Hospital, and the Lady Davis Institute for a day of insightful presentations and collaboration.

Key highlights included the Lucian Award Lecture by Joseph C. Wu, MD, PhD, Director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, who delivered a presentation entitled "Stem Cells & Genomics: From Precision Medicine to Clinical Trials in Dish." Trainees exhibited their latest research in oral and poster sessions, highlighting the breadth and depth of ongoing scientific inquiry.

"This event brought together surgeons, clinicians, researchers, fellows, and trainees from our network to discuss new findings, technologies, and approaches in cardiovascular disease detection and management," said Mohsen Damavandi, Cardiovasular Health across the Lifespan program manager.

Looking Ahead

These Research Days reflect the strength and spirit of The Institute's research community, where collaboration fuels innovation across disciplines. They also embody the goals of The Institute's 2030 Vision—advancing precision health across the life course, supporting the next generation of scientists, and turning discoveries into impact. A heartfelt thank you to all program managers, volunteers, speakers, trainees, and all those whose dedication made these events such a success.