BrainWaves: The Neuroscience Graduate Program Newsletter - Brain Waves PostsBrainWaves: The Neuroscience Graduate Program Newsletter - Brain Waves Postshttps://www.mindsnews.ca/blogsWed, 10 Dec 2025 18:40:32 -0800http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Recognizing Our Best and Brightest MiNDS with the MiNDS Recognition Awards]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/Recognizing-Our-Best-and-Brightest-MiNDS-with-the-MiNDS-Recognition-Awards1

AUTHOR: Dr. Ryan Van Lieshout

We are proud to say that our program is comprised of some of the brightest students and most dedicated faculty on the entire campus.

It is not surprising then that we regularly hear of instances where students or faculty go above and beyond the call of duty, doing something a little extra that made someone take notice. We want to recognize these achievements with our monthly MiNDS Recognition Awards.

 

Maybe a student or faculty member published an interesting paper, got a grant, did something special on campus or in the community, or just helped you out in some other way. Nominations are solicited by Sandra at the beginning of the month and anyone can make one. Just send Sandra (smurphy@mcmaster.ca) their name and 1-2 sentences on why you think that they are deserving. It's as simple as that!

 

The deadline for submission is the Monday before our monthly colloquium. Winners receive a certificate at the colloquium and their names will be announced in the corresponding issue of Brain Waves.

 

Our 2015 winners were:

 

Elyse Rosa and Ritesh Daya (September)

Gabriella Mattina and Simon Beshara (October)

Jasmine Turna and Calan Savoy (November)

 

So don't delay, nominate a fellow colleague, student, or faculty member today! 

]]>Sat, 08 Jan 2022 21:01:21 -0500<![CDATA[Tips to Help You Prepare for SfN 2017!]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/Tips-to-Help-You-Prepare-for-SfN-2017

AUTHOR: Steven Mancini

As I approached the 2.6 million-square-foot San Diego Conference Center, my excitement, curiosity and sympathetic nervous system activity increased with every step. Neuroscience 2016 was my first Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. Though I heard several anecdotes and obtained vivid descriptions of conference proceedings from my lab team, I was completely taken aback as I experienced the spectacle for myself.

 

Neuroscience 2016’s diversity, grandeur and sheer magnitude were memorizing. Last year, the conference brought together more than 30,000 attendees from over 80 countries to collaborate, exchange ideas and discuss emerging science, technology and innovations in the field of neuroscience. 

 

After controlling my initial bewilderment and gaining an appreciation for the vast breadth of learning opportunities the conference had to offer, I found myself asking, “Where do I start and how do I go about navigating this plethora of events?” 

 

In an effort to help others address this daunting question, I have put together a list of useful tips and bits of information and advice I have learned along the way. I think you will find the following information useful whether you are a first-time attendee, a more experienced SfN-goer, or even just a person interested in attending the annual neuroscience conference in the future. 




Tip #1: Download The SFN Conference Neurosci17 Mobile App 

This mobile app can be downloaded on Apple and Android devices. It contains everything you need to schedule, plan and organize the lectures, symposia, poster sessions, exhibitor booths and other conference events that you want to attend. To briefly summarize, you can build a customized itinerary and search specific events by inputting keywords into the spotlight search or by using the browsing options listed on the app’s homepage. If you do download the app, I highly recommend watching the 8 minute tutorial that explains how to use the app and taking some time to explore the application’s features. 


            


How to Use the Annual Meeting Mobile App Link: 





Tip #2: Cultivate Relationships & Network 


There are several SfN-sponsored, theme-specific socials and professional development workshops aimed at connecting peers with one another. If I can offer one piece of advice to my fellow graduate students, it would be to network and connect with experts in the field and ask questions. Though sometimes intimidating, you have a rare opportunity to learn from, and exchange ideas with, some of the best minds the field of neuroscience has to offer. You may also wish to ask for email addresses, opening the door to ongoing communication. 




Tip #3: Attend the Presidential Lectures

The Presidential Lecture Series is curated by the SfN president and is based on his/her individual area of interest.  It will take place each night at 5:15 pm from Nov. 11th -14th. This year’s lecture-set spans a broad range of topics including super-resolution imaging methods, insights from non-human animals into the evolution of language, the gut microbiota and childhood malnutrition, and the use of experimental approaches to study polygenetic psychiatric disorders.  



Tip #4: Visit the Exhibitors 


If you are interested in learning about the latest products vendors have developed, be sure to walk through the exhibit hall. Nearly 800 exhibits have been sold, which means there is an excellent chance that one of the representatives attending the conference will have an answer to your lab’s specific technological and methodological questions. Visiting the exhibitors will also provide you with an opportunity to collect neuroscience swag. 





Tip #5: Bring Comfortable Shoes & Snacks 


Prepare yourself for a substantial amount of walking. Conference sessions and events will be dispersed throughout the 2.3 million-square-foot convention center. Also, food stands are scarce and can be difficult to locate, therefore it is a good idea bring your own lunch, drinks and/or snacks. 





Tip #6: Explore The City - Discover Washington 


Though I have never been to Washington, I took the liberty of researching the schedules of the active Washington sports franchises. If you are a Capitals or Wizards fan, the evenings have much to offer. At least one Washington home game is taking place between Nov. 9th and 13th. If sports do not peak your interest, please refer to the ‘At the Meeting’ tab on the Neuroscience 2017 webpage and browse the additional resources for events in the city. 





Tip #7: Come Out & Support Your MiNDS Friends! 

The MiNDS program will be well represented at Neuroscience 2017. Below is a list of several MiNDS faculty and students who are presenting their research at the conference. Additional information can be found by searching for the respective author in the ‘Author Index’ search option of the NeuroSci 2017 App. 


Justin Balsor 

Session Type: Poster 
Presentation Title: Binocular vision restores glutamatergic and GABAergic proteins for regulating experience-dependent plasticity mechanisms to normal level 
Session Date and Time: Tuesday, November 14th - 1-5pm (Presenter at Poster 3-4pm) 
Location/Room: Halls A-C, Board no. EE23   

Ashley Bernardo  
Session Type: Nanosymposium 
Presentation Title: Development of potential new drugs targeting brain cyclin dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease 
Session Date and Time: Wednesday, November 15th - 9:00-9:15am 
Location/Room: 147B   

Aya Dudin 
Session Type: Minisymposium 
Presentation Title: Neural Response to infant pictures: Comparing depressed and not depressed mothers and non-mothers 
Session Date and Time: Monday, November 13th - 9:35 - 9:55 AM 
Location/Room: Ballroom B   

C. Francella, J. Ellegood, J. K. Y. Lai, K. C. Rilett, B. Darwin J. P. Lerch, J. A. Foster 
Session Type: Poster 
Presentation Title: An integrated analysis of microbiota composition on brain structure and social behaviour in mice 
Session Date and Time: Sunday, November 12th - 1-5pm (Presenter at Poster 3-4pm) 
Location/Room: Halls A-C, Board no. HH26   

J. A. Foster, J. Lai, K. Rilett, A. Bharwani, J. Ellegood, J. Lerch 
Presentation Title: Host genetics influence on microbiota composition and behaviour 
Session Date and Time: Sunday, November 12th - 1-5pm (Presenter at Poster 3-4pm) 
Location/Room: Halls A-C, Board no. HH27   

R. G. Horne, J. St. Pierre, S. Odeh, J. A. Foster
Session Type: Poster
Presentation Title: Host genetic effect on intestinal barrier function and microbiome 
Session Date and Time: Sunday, November 12th - 1-5pm (Presenter at Poster 2-3pm) 
Location/Room: Halls A-C, Board no. HH25   

M. Kapadia, F. Mian, D. Ma, E. Rosa, B. Michalski, P. Forsythe, B. Sakic, M. Fahnestock  
Session Type: Poster
Presentation Title: Systemic autoimmunity: A sex-specific factor in Alzheimer's-like disease 
Session Date and Time: Saturday, November 11th - 8am-12pm (Presenter at Poster 8-9am) 
Location/Room: Halls A-C, Board no. J12   

Steven Mancini 
Session Type: Nanosymposium 
Presentation Title: Molecular changes induced by environmental enrichment in adult rat somatosensory cortex 
Session Date and Time: Sunday, November 12th - 8:00-8:15am 
Location/Room: 144A   

Melissa McCradden  
Session Type: Poster 
Presentation Title: Concussion and a single season of contact sport participation affect performance on a test of high  memory interference 
Session Date and Time: Monday, November 13th - 1-5pm (Presenter at Poster 2-3pm)   
Location/Room: Halls A-C, Board no. CC32     

Kathryn Reynolds 
Session Type: Poster 
Presentation Title: Alterations in astrocyte thrombospondin-1 expression in Fragile X syndrome 
Session Date and Time: Sunday, November 12th - 8am-12pm (Presenter at Poster 8-9am) 
Location/Room: Halls A-C, Board no. C36   

Caitlin Siu  
Session Type: Poster 
Presentation Title: Development of synaptic mechanisms in human extra-striate cortex 
Session Date and Time: Tuesday, November 14th - 1-5pm (Presenter at Poster 3-4pm) 
Location/Room: Halls A-C, Board no. FF10   

S. L. Thompson, J. Ellegood, K.-A. Mcvey Neufeld, J. A. Foster, J. P. Lerch 
Session Type: Poster 
Presentation Title: Brain volume changes in germ free mice 
Session Date and Time: Sunday, November 12th - 1-5pm (Presenter at Poster 8-9am) 
Location/Room: Halls A-C, Board no. HH19 
]]>Tue, 14 Nov 2017 19:16:00 -0500<![CDATA[Greetings from Dr. Flávio Kapczinski: The New Director of the MiNDS Program]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/Welcome-Address

AUTHOR: Dr. Flávio Kapczinski

Dear Students,

I would like to welcome you all to the new term! I hope you all enjoyed your vacation time and are looking forward to a very productive year. As many of you already know, I am the new Director of the program and my main goal is to maintain the wonderful atmosphere of productivity and collegial conviviality here in the MiNDS program.Neuroscience is probably one of the most dynamic fields of science and a lot of new developments, techniques and discoveries await you in our labs and Neuro 700 classes. I hope that a lot of good science and new and exciting connections develop in the months to come.

Welcome all and let's have a successful and enjoyable year!

Sincerely,

Flávio Kapczinski

]]>Tue, 12 Sep 2017 19:14:00 -0400<![CDATA[Back to School Teaching Assistant Tips]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/Back-to-School-Teaching-Assistant-Tips

Author: Shawna Thompson

As a new school year begins, many MiNDS students will begin their role as Teaching Assistants (TAs). For many, this might be their first teaching experience, while others may be assigned to new courses to TA with different instructors and a batch of new students. We’ve put together a few tips that will be useful for new and returning TAs.



1) Keep track of TA hours. While this may seem obvious for some, or like a complete waste of time to others, keeping track of hours throughout the semester can prevent headaches at the end of the term. I find recording hours based on the Hours of Work distribution categories makes filling out these forms much easier in following years.






2) Talk about teaching with other TAs. Discussing tutorial content, marking strategies, and any problems that might come up improves consistency in large classes, saves time, and makes teaching more enjoyable overall. It is always a good idea to have regular meetings with course instructors and interact frequently with students, but good communication with fellow TAs is also important!





3)  Be proactive with office hours. Chris Rowley, who has been a TA for a course outside of his main research interests, recommends having students email you ahead of office hours with what they want help with. This will give you time to prepare so you can be of the most assistance. Don’t be afraid to say you don't know something!





4)  Make use of McMaster’s resources for improving teaching skills. As a leader in developing new pedagogy, McMaster offers many opportunities for professional development in teaching, whether you have a couple of free hours or are interested in taking a course or two.




5)  Check out mygradskills.ca for online modules on the topics of your choosing, or participate in the Teaching and Learning forum or certificates of completion programs through the MacPherson Institute for Leadership, Innovation, and Excellence in Teaching (https://mi.mcmaster.ca/). It’s all offered free to current graduate students.

Get Started Now
]]>Tue, 12 Sep 2017 19:10:00 -0400<![CDATA[Dont Take It for Granted: Crafting a Successful Scholarship Application]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/Dont-Take-It-for-Granted-Crafting-a-Successful-Scholarship-Application

Author: Kathryn Reynolds

With the start of a new fall semester comes that busy time of year… scholarship season! A key component of any successful scholarship application is to prepare a compelling research proposal. The following tips will help you fine-tune your proposal-writing skills in preparation for CIHR and NSERC application deadlines.


1) Start early! Be aware of your deadlines and plan accordingly. Check the MiNDS program deadlines (Sandra sends these out well in advance) to ensure you’re giving yourself ample time to produce a quality proposal draft for faculty review. Complete administrative tasks as soon as possible – update your Canadian Common CV (https://ccv-cvc.ca/), order your transcripts, and aim to contact your references at least one month in advance. It can be helpful to refresh your references’memories by providing your CV and a brief list of recent and/or noteworthy activities.






2)  Draw inspiration from others. If possible, read several research proposals (the more successful the better) before starting your own. Identify the strengths of these proposals, as well as areas for improvement. Keep these insights in mind as you begin writing.



 


3)  Craft your content. Consider collecting your thoughts and creating an outline before you begin writing. Remember, a good research proposal is comprised of clear objectives supported by sound evidence. Tailor your proposal to emphasize your key points:


a.                        What is your overarching research question or goal?

b.                        Why is this an important question to ask? How will it advance the field of neuroscience? What makes it particularly relevant at this moment in time?

c.                        What background information is essential for the reader to understand your proposal? Identify important gaps to help the reader come to the conclusion that your work needs to be done.

d.                        What are your research objectives? What evidence supports these objectives?

e.                        How will you accomplish these objectives?



4)  Be concise. It’s easy to fall into the trap of explaining your research in excessive detail. Remember that your reviewers will not necessarily be experts in your specific field. Their goal is to assess your ability to clearly and logically communicate an idea, so convey your research plans succinctly without jargon.





5)  Write with clarity and persuasion. Once you’ve nailed down your content, fine-tune your writing style to sell your proposal. Capture the reader’s attention with a compelling first paragraph that highlights the uniqueness/scope/potential impact of your research. You may wish to consult a writing guide to help you create an organized, logical, and persuasive flow of ideas throughout the body of your proposal. A good place to start is William Zinsser’s guide “On Writing Well”.




6)  Revise. Then take a breather… get feedback, and then revise again. Be ruthless in your revisions. Once you’re satisfied, put down your proposal for a few days, and then conduct a final edit to catch minor mistakes.

]]>Tue, 12 Sep 2017 19:03:00 -0400<![CDATA[What's Happening the Hammer? SUMMER EDITION]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/Whats-Happening-the-Hammer-SUMMER-EDITION

AUTHOR: Jasmine Turna

It’s the summer and even graduate students sometimes need a break to enjoy the amazing weather. Maybe you’ve recently moved to Hamilton or have lived here for quite some time. Fortunately for you, there are always exciting things happening, so get outside and explore what this city has to offer!

Check out the green space:

Living in the middle of the greenbelt comes with its perks. Take a chance and explore the many green spaces Hamilton has to offer. If you’re on campus, take a stroll through Cootes Paradise (there are access points behind the residence buildings) or head out to Dundas Peak and get an amazing picturesque view. The city has also put a lot of work into revitalizing the waterfront, so take advantage of Bayfront and Pier 4 Park. For anyone living downtown, Gage Park may also be of interest.

Art Crawl: Every SECOND Friday of the month is Art Crawl on James St N (north of Jackson Square). Artists open up their studios for you to explore, galleries and restaurants extend their hours, food trucks are everywhere and the street is blocked off making it pedestrian friendly. The next Art Crawl date for the summer is August 11th, 2017. I hope to see you there!


Lower City Runners: Need to let off some steam? The LCR is an inclusive community of runners that hosts weekly runs that start at City Hall (Tuesday evening, 7pm) and finish at a bar in the city.

                                                

Supercrawl: Although this technically signals the end of summer, Supercrawl is a 3-day festival (held September 8th-10th) bringing a mix of music, art and food to Hamilton. In addition to a number of local Hamilton bands and acts like Basia Bulat, Billy Talent and the Sam Roberts Band will also be performing. Check out this link for more details: http://supercrawl.ca/


Hamilton Fringe Festival: The 14th annual Hamilton Fringe Festival is scheduled to take place July 20th-30th of this year. Over 40 companies are performing musicals, magic shows, dramas and dance/comedy performances in historic buildings all over Hamilton. Click here for more details: www.hamiltonfringe.ca

            

Finally both the Hamilton Greek Fest (www.hamiltongreekfest.com) and Dundas Cactus Festival (www.dundascactusfest.ca/) are scheduled for August 18th to 20th with food, entertainment and other fun events planned for both!

                                                                          Did we miss something? Let us know and we’ll include it in the next edition of BrainWaves for everyone to enjoy!

]]>Tue, 11 Jul 2017 18:50:00 -0400<![CDATA[What's on my Mind as an Incoming MiNDS Student: The Summer Before Starting Grad School]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/what-s-on-my-mind-as-an-incoming-minds-student-the-summer-before-starting-grad-school

AUTHOR: Patricia Al-Salom

Hello Everyone! My name is Patricia Al-Salom, and I am a new graduate student entering the MiNDS program this coming September. I’m starting this little "blog-style" column to share with you my progress during my first year in graduate school and even try to provide you with some tips and tricks I gather along the way. I'm hopeful that these insights will be of value to other incoming students, as well as those who join the program in future years.


Graduate school is fast approaching… find out how I'm preparing for the upcoming year as a new graduate student!

I met with an upper year graduate student in my lab, Lisa, who gave me a bunch of tips and tricks on how to adjust to grad school and what I should expect coming in. I highly recommend doing the same if you are a first year student — another student’s perspective is extremely valuable and different than anything you could read online. For example, Lisa told me about different scholarships (CIHR, OGS and many others) and how/when to apply for them. She also taught me about balancing work and your personal life and how to avoid burnout in grad school by taking some evenings off to do fun things with family and friends so that you are energized for the next day and can continue your research with a positive outlook.


I also picked up a book “57 Ways to Screw up in Grad School” which offers some common mistakes students make and how to avoid them. It is both an informative and hilarious read - I definitely recommend picking it up from Chapters if you get the chance!

                        

Lastly, I would like to thank Daniel D, a fellow graduate student, who recommended the 1010 Bistro which is close to campus. It has delicious food and a great atmosphere!

                        

P.S. Don’t forget that course registration is coming up soon… keep on the lookout for that email! Other than that, enjoy your summer and soak up some sunshine!


- Patricia A.

]]>Tue, 11 Jul 2017 18:48:00 -0400<![CDATA[The 2nd Annual Jack Diamond Memorial Lecture Date: May 25th, 2017 ]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/Jack-Diamond-Memorial-Lecture-May-2017

SAVE THE DATE!

Commemorating the Scientific Contributions of Dr. Jack Diamond: The 2nd Annual Jack Diamond Memorial Lecture

Date: May 25th, 2017 @ 3 pm in MDCL 1105


AUTHOR: Crystal Mahadeo

This year marks the second annual memorial lecture in honour of Dr. Jack Diamond. Dr. Diamond was a world-renowned neuroscientist who graduated from University College London (UK) with both medical and doctoral (Physiology) degrees. He continued in research, obtaining a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard University and then a position in the Physiology Department at University College before joining McMaster in 1970 as the first Chair of the Department of Neuroscience (now the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences). He is remembered for his energetic speaking style, quick wit and enthusiastic love of science. For those who never had the pleasure of meeting him, his colleagues describe him as a larger-than-life presence. He was an outspoken, hard task master who expected a lot from his students but knew how to have fun with them as well. He had the opportunity to work at a dynamic time in science in the fledgling field of neuroscience.                                     

   A leader in his field, he focused on developmental neuroscience and worked to understand the maintenance and development of the nervous system and its degeneration in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Among his many accomplishments was serving as one of the founders of the Society for Neuroscience and, later, as the Scientific Director for the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada.  He traveled widely as a spokesperson for basic research in Alzheimer’s disease and neuroscience in general, galvanizing the public with his enthusiasm. Whether it was playing squash with his colleagues, working on a research project or trying to get an extension for a grant deadline, Dr. Diamond brought passion and determination to everything that he did.  After Dr. Diamond’s passing in August of 2014, a generous gift from his wife Dusica was matched by his department to support a memorial lecture annually in Dr. Diamond’s honor. This lecture is organized by students from the MiNDS Neuroscience program, with the help of his colleague, Dr. Margaret Fahnestock, to host guest speakers whose work reflects Dr. Diamond’s passion for neuroscience. The lecture is a tribute to Dr. Diamond’s extensive career and body of work, but is also a tribute to a special man from his family- his children, Alison (Jorge) and Gareth (Debbie), grandchildren and his stepchildren Matthew, Michael and Laura Marks.

In May 2016, the inaugural Jack Diamond Memorial lecture was held at McMaster with Dr. Robert Malenka from Stanford University as our first honoured guest speaker. Dr. Malenka is the Pritzker Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences and deputy director of the Stanford Neurosciences Institute. His talk, “Exploring circuits underlying reward and aversion” gave us a wonderful insight into his work and was received enthusiastically by a large audience of researchers and students.


This year we are thrilled to have Dr. Bernardo Sabatini, the Alice and Rodman W. Moorhead III professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, as our guest speaker. His research examines the relationship between synapse function and animal behaviour.  Specifically, his lab studies how multi- and single- synaptic circuits develop and function. 

 

Please join us in celebrating a research career that spanned a half-century with visiting lecturer Dr. Bernardo Sabatini’s talk, “Multi-transmitter neurons in the mammalian brain: more than just an oddity”. All are invited to attend.

 

The 2nd Annual Jack Diamond Memorial Lecture will be held May 25th at 3 pm in the Michael G. DeGroote Center for Learning and Discovery (MDCL) Room 1105. More details will be sent out in the following weeks. We hope to see you all there.

 

Get Started Now
]]>Tue, 09 May 2017 22:18:00 -0400<![CDATA[Knowledge Translation: Partnerships between Neuroscience and the broader Community]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/Knowledge-Translation-Partnerships-between-Neuroscience-and-the-broader-Community

AUTHOR: Fiza Arshad

Hello everyone, my name is Fiza Arshad and I am a master's student in the laboratory of Dr. Iris Balodis. Over the past year, I have been working on a project in collaboration with Alcohol, Drugs & Gambling Services (ADGS) of the city of Hamilton. Our goal is to create five interactive and accessible clinical handouts for individuals with gambling problems, their families, their friends, and the counselors who work with them. These products present evidence-based knowledge in a narrative style, followed by clinical exercises that bridge the gap between the science and personal experience.

In theory, this knowledge translation process sounds like a dream – proof of concept of a happy ending to a dystopian nightmare. The reality though is that this has been a grueling process that requires on-the-ground work, the building of networks, shifting conversations, and working with the community for the community. One of the clinicians at ADGS*, Andrea Strancaric says, “[although] knowledge translation is a process that is vital to bringing research findings to populations of interest, to bring the knowledge to a level that can be understood by the average person and not at a level that is too technical or difficult to comprehend [has been challenging]”. Moving from a technical piece to a well-formed narration involves careful attention to language, understanding the perspective of the target audience, and the overall look of the product.

To make the products engaging, attractive, and something our intended audiences will want to pick up and read, we worked with a team of graphic designers, headed by Lloyd MacKenzie, at the Community Centre for Media Arts in Hamilton. The team works with the content that I, Dr. Iris Balodis, Deirdre Querney and Andrea Strancaric have developed. They create graphics and use their expertise to make the final product visually appealing. As Dr. Balodis concedes, “it’s been amazing to see how adding visual aspects to the handouts highlights the information and enhances the work. The handouts have a completely different look and feel once the designers put everything together.”

All of this does involve a lot of back and forth with the design and how it best represents the content. Lloyd Mackenzie confesses, “the content is pretty challenging, making sure everything is conveyed in clear and consistent way presents challenges from a design and space perspective”. 

Despite the challenges, this project has received positive early feedback. Many have liked our ‘neurocons’ and are excited at the prospect of finally having an evidence-based, clinical tool. For an aspiring researcher who has just started out, it is a reminder of what kind of research needs to be done to help out those who need it. 

Even Dr. Balodis, a seasoned neuroscientist, shares, “This process has really made me think about what we can concretely say about the neurobiological findings in addiction research: What knowledge is usable and helpful to someone? How are the findings of a given study meaningful in the day-to-day experience of an individual suffering with an addictive disorder?”.

This project has been an enlightening and rewarding experience that not only puts into context what implementation and application of neuroscience research means, but also rekindles hope for the future of  research in the community. 


*The other clinician, Deirdre Querney, who has been a part of the team since its conception in 2016, is on maternity leave as of March 2017 to spend time with her newborn Charlotte Rose.

*These were developed by Alessandra Petti, a media and communications students who interned with us last year.

]]>Tue, 09 May 2017 22:12:00 -0400<![CDATA[Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery]]>https://www.mindsnews.ca/blogs/post/do-no-harm-stories-of-life-death-and-brain-surgery

AUTHOR: Ashley Bernardo

 Do No Harm is a novel by Dr. Henry Marsh, a world-renowned neurosurgeon. Each chapter recounts one of his surgical cases in detail, but this book isn’t full of your typical life-saving, miracle work, Hail Mary intervention stories. Dr. Henry Marsh describes the hardships, daily struggles and not so glamorous side of the operating room. 


 Each chapter gives a little more insight into the daily life of neurosurgeons, but most importantly each patient’s story shares a lesson. Dr. Marsh uses  clinical cases to emphasize the importance of details that are often overlooked, things we take for granted or the real possibility of a lifesaving surgery going horribly wrong. He acknowledges the different surgical settings around the globe and discusses mistakes and the importance of discussing those mistakes. In one chapter, he describes a surgical case where a very large tumor at the base of the skull was affecting the patient’s brainstem and cranial nerves. The tumor was tightly intertwined with blood vessels and after several long hours of surgery, the tumor was almost completely removed. The final portion of the tumor was risky to remove so he considered leaving it, but then again if he continued, he could say he had removed it all. As a leader in his field he opted to remove the remainder of the mass despite his reservations. I won’t share the outcome of the surgery but Marsh discusses living with making these life or death decisions for others. 


 Throughout the remaining chapters, he describes his interactions with patients, how his words will be things that patients take to heart and remember, and how sometimes it is the family that has the hardest time coming to terms with a diagnosis. One of the  ideas that resonated with me the most was when he explained the responsibility of knowing when you are doing more harm than good. His patients and their families believe in him, and therefore he believes he has to help, but sometimes it is better to acknowledge he is only human. He believes that being a good surgeon involves coming to terms with potentially ruining people’s lives and making mistakes, feeling terrible about it, but persevering despite the guilt in order to do good by other patients. 


 There are so many amazing stories in this book that despite not always having a happy ending (although there are lots of those too), the take home messages are really important and made me appreciate the finer details and put reality into perspective. 


This is definitely a book I would recommend to others as I was entertained and educated simultaneously.

]]>Tue, 09 May 2017 18:41:00 -0400