The following are just some of the McGill 2011 Vanier Scholarship winners funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Kristina Kasparian: The neural basis of “first-language loss” in minority-language speakers who become more proficient in their second language.
McGill School of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Faculty of Medicine
Tell us about your research.
My PhD research uses electrophysiological measures of brain activity to study bilingualism/multilingualism and the changes that occur in the brain when we learn a new language, at different points in life. More specifically, I am exploring first-language loss in minority-language speakers (immigrants in Montreal whose native language is neither English nor French). These speakers are a unique group of bilinguals because many of them experience reduced exposure to their minority-status mother tongue, in favour of the more widely-spoken language in the community. As a result, they may experience a decline in their abilities in their first language and become stronger in the second language. I am studying what kinds of changes occur in the brain and in the linguistic behaviour of these individuals who have experienced a decrease in proficiency level in a language they had acquired from birth but which has gradually been “replaced” in their daily life by a language learned at a later age.
What makes this research so important?
In a linguistically and culturally diverse environment such as Montreal, second language learning and first language loss in minority-language populations is extremely relevant to many of us. This research will shed new light on the controversial question of whether there is a neurobiologically-programmed “critical period” for language learning in the early years of life, whereby one’s mother tongue remains the language one speaks best. This is the first study that uses brain measures and an innovative experimental design to study “language loss”. What we learn from this research will considerably advance our knowledge of how the brain learns, processes and – possibly – forgets languages. From a practical perspective, studying the language development of minority-language speakers is expected to have important consequences in Canada for clinical intervention, instruction and eventually for educational policy.
How will the Vanier Scholarship help your research?
I was touched and extremely honoured to receive such recognition, but especially grateful that young researchers are given such opportunities and encouragement to conduct important, cutting-edge research in Canada. Being awarded the Vanier has motivated me to continue my hard work and has made these long-term studies as comfortable and as exciting as possible, by alleviating some of the stresses associated with being in school for a long time. The Vanier will give me the flexibility to travel to recruit populations that I cannot find here (such as native-speaker groups of Italian or German), or the opportunity to visit researchers and labs outside of Canada to discuss my research plans. The Vanier also helps make this research publicly known, both in the scientific medium and in the community as a whole, through news releases and networking with Vanier Scholars from other disciplines, but also by allowing me more opportunities to present this work at conferences worldwide.
Ethan Gough: Understanding the environment and growth impairments in young children
McGill Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Occupational Health
Tell us about your research.
Early childhood under-nutrition significantly reduces child growth, resulting in poor mental and physical development, and causes about one-third of under-five-year mortality worldwide. Environmental enteropathy (EE) is a condition of the small intestine in which the surface area of the bowel decreases and the gut wall becomes “leaky”, allowing microbes to enter the bloodstream. In addition to decreasing nutrient absorption, these changes may result in chronic immune activation, which may impair child growth by diverting resources needed for growth to immune stimulation. The assembly and composition of the micro-organisms that live normally in the intestine may be critical to the development of TE and to growth.
What makes this research so important?
A more meaningful understanding of the causal pathway leading to growth impairment in infants may have profound implications for improving child health and quality of life worldwide.
How will the Vanier Scholarship help your research?
As a Vanier Scholar, I will be free devote my time and attention to my project without the distraction of working to meet financial responsibilities. The freedom to commit more fully to my research will also allow me to develop the skills I need for a life dedicated to seeking solutions to complex disease problems. The financial security will also allow me the flexibility to attend scientific conferences, which is essential for knowledge sharing and professional networking with researchers who are trying to address similar public health challenges.
Martha Shiell: Understanding brain reorganization in deaf people
McGill Integrated Program in Neuroscience
Tell us about your research.
My research examines large-scale reorganization in the brains of people who become deaf early in life. Because the brains of deaf people do not receive sound input, the sensory regions that typically process sound can be used for different functions. I am using magnetic resonance imaging techniques to investigate how typical sound-processing brain regions are organized anatomically and functionally in deaf people.
What makes this research so important?
Cochlear implants can be used to restore hearing in deaf people; however, if typical sound-processing regions have been reorganized, then these regions may not be available to process incoming sounds from a cochlear implant. Understanding brain reorganization in deaf people will contribute to the effectiveness of rehabilitation through cochlear implantation.
How will the Vanier Scholarship help your research?
By recognizing my achievements outside of academia, the Vanier program has given me the resources to tackle more challenging research questions. Big and complex research projects often take a long time to complete. With this funding, I am free to pursue bigger and more complex projects, without having to worry about temporarily compromising my output.
Mathieu Flamand: How RNAs are produced and how they act to shut down the expression of specific genes
McGill Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry and Goodman Cancer Research Centre
Tell us about your research.
Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, have been known since the 1950s for their roles as carriers of genetic information. In the 1990s, a ground-breaking discovery revealed that nucleic acids, such as certain kinds of RNA, can play a much more active role in the control of genetic information. Indeed, a new class of tiny nucleic acids later named small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can shut down the expression of genes. It is now known that a group of related mechanisms, altogether termed RNA interference (RNAi), plays a major role in development, and is required for the healthy maintenance of genetic material in living cells of all animals. The discovery of RNAi opened an entire new field of biology. siRNAs and the related nucleic acids microRNAs, are absolutely essential for a wealth of normal biological processes, but they are also deeply implicated in the genetic alterations that occur in cancers.
What makes this research so important?
RNAi represents a potential therapy for many kinds of diseases, as one can use RNAi to target ”bad” genes, but it also represents a new aspect of the biology waiting to be explored. My work aims to understand better how these RNAs are produced and how they act to shut down the expression of specific genes.
How will the Vanier Scholarship help your research?
Receiving the Vanier scholarship really helped me to focus on my research and gave me a great morale boost as I felt honoured to receive such a prestigious award. The financial support will enable me to attend more scientific conferences and meetings where I will be able to stay at the leading edge of my field of research.
Jimmy Peng: Helping spinal cord injuries and other ailments by understanding how genes guide neurons
McGill Department of Biology
Tell us about your research.
Since the left side of our brain controls the right side of our bodies (and vice versa), the millions of neurons that connect our brains to their targets need to cross over the midline of our bodies to the other side. For my research project, I am investigating the different “guidance” genes that help these neurons cross the midline by studying mice that have disruptions in these genes. For example, a disruption in a gene called “DCC” in the spinal cord causes “mirror movements”, where the mouse hops around like a rabbit because it is unable to move its left paw without also moving its right paw. Also, when a gene called “Sonic Hedgehog” is disrupted in the visual system, the mice seem to lose their depth perception and walk across a simulated cliff without any hesitation.
What makes this research so important?
It is quite fascinating that the disruption of a few of these guidance molecules can cause such drastic behavioural changes. Many of the genes I study are also involved in human diseases like glaucoma and cephalic disorders, and understanding how they work to normally guide neurons will allow us to treat these diseases and other ailments like spinal cord injuries in the future.
How will the Vanier Scholarship help your research?
It will be nice to be able to concentrate on my research and studies without worrying about any financial concerns.
Further Reading:
To read about the McGill 2011 Vanier Scholarship winners funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) visit http://publications.mcgill.ca/reporter/2011/08/meet-the-mcgill-2011-vanier-scholarship-recipients-sshrc/
To read about the McGill 2011 Vanier Scholarship winners funded by the by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) visit http://publications.mcgill.ca/reporter/2011/08/meet-the-mcgill-vanier-scholarship-recipients-nserc/