Azrieli Accelerator Catalyst Grants
The Azrieli Accelerator Catalyst Grant is hands down the only way we can answer our scientific question."
Dr. Marie Arrieta, PhD
Associate Professor, Cumming School of Medicine, 2023 Azrieli Accelerator Catalyst Grant Recipient
2024 Azrieli Accelerator Catalyst Grant Recipients
Catalyst Grants support research teams that are unlocking discoveries and supporting children and adults with autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Representing basic science, clinical research and social and population health, each project brings a diverse range of expertise to understanding neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental conditions across the lifespan.
The 2024 Catalyst Grant recipients span the accelerator’s keystone areas: brain circuitry, microbiome influences, and supports, services and systems:
Principal Investigator: Dr. Gerald Giesbrecht, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine.
Investigating the early life gut microbiome of children at risk for autism
This project aims to identify gut microbes or metabolic pathways that are differentially abundant in children at risk for autism.
Co-applicants: Dr. Sarah MacEachern, Dr. Catherine Lebel, Dr. Marcel van de Wouw, Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen, Dr. Marie-Claire Arrieta, Dr. Leila Rezaei.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Alan Martino, PhD, Department of Community Health Services, Cumming School of Medicine.
Research team: Jordan Parks, Rufi Oswaldo, Thomas Tri, Hannah Maleski, Lyndon Parakin.
Autistic Voices, Inclusive Choices: Shaping the Future of Sexual Health Education
By exploring and enhancing sexual health education for Autistic adults through workshops and interviews, this research aims to dismantle stereotypes, embrace unique perspectives and create more inclusive, impactful educational materials.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Diwakar Krishnamurthy, PhD, PEng, Department of Electrical and Software Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering.
Co-applicant: Dr. Mea Wang
Collaborator: Dr. Vikram K. Jaswal
AI-driven augmented reality agents to support communication for nonspeaking Autistic people
About 30 per cent of Autistic people are nonverbal. This project explores AI-driven augmented reality tools that allow people to complete spelling exercises independently.
Principal Investigators: Julia Kirkham, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine; Dallas Seitz, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine.
Neurodevelopmental disorders and aging in Alberta
This project brings together researchers and partners focused on improving care for people with neurodevelopmental disorders as they age.
Co-investigators: Dr. Lilian Thorpe, Dr. Rebecca Barry, Dr. Vivian Ewa, Dr. Jeremy Quickfall MD, Dr. Howie Wu MD
Principle Investigator: Dr. Kara Murias MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine.
Co-investigators: Dr. Ashley Harris, Dr. Alex McGirr, Dr. Signe Bray.
Research team: Dr. Marilena DeMayo, Ryan Verbitsky
Investigation of dopamine in ADHD using Neuromelanin sensitive MRI
Using a new neuroimaging technique, neuromelanin MRI, this project aims to understand how dopamine production in the brain stem relates to brain networks and executive function in children to better understand the effects of ADHD medications.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Markus Geuking, PhD, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine.
Research team: Dr. Henry H. Nguyen, Dr. Shokouh Ahmadi.
The impact of viral maternal immune activation-induced changes in microbiota composition, metabolite profile, and intestinal permeability on neurodevelopment in offspring
This project investigates how changes that happen in intestinal permeability during viral infection can impact neurodevelopment of the fetus.
Past recipients of Azrieli Accelerator Catalyst Grants
Collaborations across UCalgary exploring neurodevelopment
First recipients of Azrieli Accelerator Catalyst Grants leverage expertise and partnerships to advance important research
| Project title | Research team | Recipient |
|---|---|---|
| Influence of microbiome maturation in preterm infants on brain growth and neurodevelopment | Marie-Claire Arrieta, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology; Jeff Dunn, Department of Radiology; Van Orega, Postdoctoral Fellow | 2023 |
| Gene regulation in brain development and disease | Guang Yang, Department of Medical Genetics; Micheil Innes, Department of Medical Genetics; Xiao-Ru Yang, Genomics and Neurogenetics Fellow | 2023 |
| Exploration of perinatal inflammatory market profiles in moderate to late preterm infants | Lara Leijser, Department of Pediatrics; Michael Esser, Department of Pediatrics; Donna Slater, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology; Xing-Chang Wei, Department of Radiology; Tekougang Theirry Chekouo, Department of Mathematics & Statistics; Amy Metcalfe, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology; Debbie McNeil, Department of Community Health Sciences | 2023 |
| Language, social communication and fluency in children with Tourette Syndrome | Tamara Pringsheim, Department of Clinical Neurosciences; Davide Martino, Department of Clinical Neurosciences; Angela Feehan, Speech pathologist, PhD student; Monique Charest, University of Alberta | 2023 |
| Ready Player One - Incorporating gamification into an online tutorial to support the transition to postsecondary education for students who are neurodivergent | Meadow Schroeder, Werklund School of Education; Richard Zhao, Department of Computer Science; Lauren Goegan, University of Manitoba; Tanya Keto, Foothills Academy Society | 2023 |
| Addressing the mental health of neurodiverse youth - The role of community-based adapted physical activity programming | Carolyn Emery, Faculty of Kinesiology; Daniel Kopala-Sibley, Department of Psychiatry; Meredith Maroney, Werklund School of Education; Kelly Arbour-Nicitopoulos, University of Toronto; Laura Brunton, Western University; Amy Latimer-Cheung, Queen’s University; Jennifer Leo, University of Alberta; Janet McCabe, Ontario Tech University; Nancy Quinn, Western University | 2023 |
| Machine learning-based interpretable pediatric brain age prediction using multimodal neuroimaging data: A powerful tool to analyze neurodevelopment | Matthias Wilms, Department of Radiology; Nils Forkert, Department of Radiology; Signe Bray, Department of Radiology; Catherine Lebel, Department of Radiology; Ashley Ware, Department of Psychology; Keith Yates, Department of Psychology | 2023 |