MBP Researchers Awarded Canada Research Chairs

Two MBP researchers have been awarded Canada Research Chairs by the Government of Canada. Dr. Eno Hysi has been named as a new Research Chair, and Dr. Meaghan O’Reilly has had her Canada Research Chair renewed.

The Canada Research Chairs Program reinforces and recognizes academic research and training excellence in Canadian postsecondary institutions. Chairholders aim to achieve research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities, and social sciences. 

Dr. Hysi, a new tier 2 Chair, is recognized for his development of new imaging and sensing techniques that use quantitative ultrasound and quantitative photoacoustic approaches to visualize and quantify chronic organ injuries. He and his team are investigating the biophysical principles of light and sound propagation and their impact on the ultrasound and photoacoustic radiofrequency signals detected from injured organs. They are also building new techniques that have the potential to detect and quantify structural and functional changes in injured organs. Ultimately, their work could help clinicians diagnose fibrovascular injuries early enough to provide life-saving treatments.

Dr. O’Reilly, a renewed tier 2 Chair, is recognized for her teams’ evaluations of the effects of focused ultrasound on spinal cord tumours. They are assessing the safety of this treatment at the clinical scale in preparation for testing it in humans for the first time. At the same time, O’Reilly and her team are investigating the use of focused ultrasound to improve neuro-regeneration in injured tissue. Their findings could improve outcomes and reduce recovery times for patients with spinal cord problems and traumatic brain injury.

Please join the Department in congratulating Dr. Hysi and Dr. O’Reilly for these outstanding achievements.