Research Day 2023: Highlights from HEI’s annual flagship event

The Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI) hosted its first in-person Research Day in more than two years last week.

Considered the department’s flagship event and one of the largest research showcases within the Faculty of Health Sciences, Research Day serves as a forum for the HEI community to celebrate the timely and impactful health research happening across the department.

This year marked the 20th iteration of the annual event, which took place at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel and featured more than 100 oral and poster presentations, two engaging plenaries, a research spotlight session, and an interactive student session.

“Research Day is where we – conscientious and forward-thinking students and researchers – are presented with very real opportunities to translate meaningful ideas into concrete outcomes,” said Alfonso Iorio, chair of HEI, during his opening remarks.

“By working together to share ideas and produce the best available health research evidence, we give substance to our commitment to achieving impact at all levels within, as well as across, health systems, and further establish HEI as a global research powerhouse.”

For a detailed agenda of Research Day 2023, click here.

2023 Research Day Award Recipients

Mentoring/Supervision Award | Laura Anderson

“I am thrilled to receive HEI’s Mentoring/Supervision Award. It is especially meaningful now as we emerge from the pandemic, which presented many new challenges for our team’s public health and prevention research. I am incredibly grateful to all the amazing trainees who worked with me over the past year and I cannot wait to see what they accomplish next.”

Student Publication Award | Vanessa De Rubeis

“HEI includes a diverse range of researchers and trainees who generate scientific knowledge on an impressive breadth of topics and research areas. It is an honour to have won the HEI Student Publication Award, contributing to such a distinguished program of research alongside so many outstanding mentors.”

Student Publication Award | Anna Miroshnychenko

“It is an honour to be recognized for my contribution to the world by the HEI community – thank you! I am grateful to my supervisor, Dr. Romina Brignardello-Petersen, for her dedication to mentorship, and to everyone on the team for their tremendous efforts and expertise. I am thrilled to continue designing, analyzing, and sharing scientific knowledge to the highest standards in the years to come.”

Award for Best Paper on Health Equity for Indigenous, marginalized and racialized Peoples | Dipika Desai

“It is an absolute honour and privilege for me to accept this award on behalf of all my co-authors and the wider research team that makes all our research with equity deserving and racialized communities possible. The manuscript brings together years of research carried by this phenomenal research team who allowed me to stand on their shoulders and provided me with an opportunity to tell their story. This recognition further motivates me to continue working with the South Asian and other equity deserving communities to help close health and research equity gaps.”

David L. Sackett Award for Best Oral Presentation | Darly Dash

“I am honoured to win the David L. Sackett Award for best oral presentation for our study examining frailty in long-term care residents with COVID-19. Dr. Sackett was known for being the driving force in evidence-based medicine, and I am proud to be a member of the department he founded. Receiving this award encourages me that I am on the right path with my journey. Many thanks to the leadership of Dr. Aaron Jones and Dr. Andrew Costa and the contributions of our collaborators to this work.”

Michael Gent Award for Best Poster Abstract Presentation | Adam Komorowski

“I am extremely grateful for and humbled by HEI’s recognition of our team’s diagnostic research. Receipt of this award helps demonstrate the value and impact of small-scale changes in the microbiology laboratory that ultimately provide patients and physicians with more diagnostic test options.”

Murray Enkin Award for Best Poster | Shania Bhopa

“The opportunity to engage with my peers in person this year meant so much to me. This recognition is not just for me but for the entire team working on the SCORE! project. And a special thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Russell De Souza, for his support and encouragement. I am so happy to share the importance of a Community Advisory Board, and Healthy Active Living co-designed interventions.”