Sep 21, 2026

2026 MBP Retreat a Success!

Group of people with luggage near a parked bus on a sunny day.

Conference room with a group of people listening to speakers at the front.

Speaker at a seminar podium, audience seated, large presentation screen in background.

Narrow gravel path with lampposts leads through a tranquil lake scene under a cloudy sky.

Speaker at podium presenting a slideshow in a conference room.

Speaker at podium presenting scientific diagram to audience.

People socializing in a conference room, holding papers and chatting.

Speaker at podium presenting to seated audience with projected slide.

Speaker presenting a timeline in front of an audience in a conference room.

People socializing in a conference room with chairs and a flipchart.

Audience listening to a panel discussion on stage with a projected screen.

Audience watching a presentation in a conference room.

Busy restaurant with people dining and chatting at tables.

Conference room with speaker presenting a chart on a large screen.

Lakeside view with ducks and a tree, sandy beach, bright blue sky.

Panel discussion in a conference room with audience listening attentively.

Presentation on student life, with audience seated at tables.

People playing giant chess outdoors, surrounded by tall trees.

Audience watching a presentation in a lecture hall with a panel discussion.

People standing and talking in a meeting room, holding papers.

Calm lake with people in kayaks, under a cloudy sky.

Large group smiling outdoors in front of lush, leafy trees.

The 2026 Medical Biophysics (MBP) Retreat was held from Friday, September 18 to Saturday, September 19 at Fern Resort on beautiful Lake Couchiching. The two-day event brought MBP students and faculty members together to engage in meaningful knowledge-sharing activities in a relaxed and bucolic setting.

Approximately 100 MBP graduate students and 30 MBP faculty participated in the 2026 event, which featured opportunities for MBP students and faculty to network, learn more about the MBP Graduate program and engage in team-building and social activities.

Throughout the three days, MBP-focused research presentations were provided by:

PhD Exit Talks were given by:

Catherine Song
Jamiel Nasser
Guocheng Jiang
Ruiyan Ni

The MBP Retreat also featured a very special MBP Awards ceremony.

Walker-Marshall Prize

The award is given to a student who has completed a PhD in the Department during the past year or is expected to have completed the PhD by December of this year. It recognizes a combination of academic excellence, scientific impact from thesis work and participation in and contribution to the culture, student life and student welfare in the Department.

The 2026 Walker-Marshall award was awarded to Sasha Main, from Dr. Scott Bratman’s lab.

MBP PhD Achievement Award

These awards recognize PhD students for outstanding academic achievements, annually. Selection criteria are based on the overall quality of students’ PhD theses, with a specific focus on publications, patents, development of devices/methods, contributions to clinical practice and knowledge translation.

The 2026 MBP PhD Achievement Award recipients: