Sunnybrook fellow honoured for Alzheimer's research

Sunnybrook post-doctoral fellow Dr. Brandy Callahan was recently honored as one of the recipients of the 12th annual L' Oréal Canada-UNESCO for Women in Science Awards.

Specifically, she received one of two Excellence in Research Fellowships, which enables two Canadian women scientists to pursue and expand their research projects. “This award will allow me to focus all my time and energy on my research and continued learning,” says Dr. Callahan.

Trained as a clinical neuropsychologist at the Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Dr. Callahan is a Life Sciences laureate whose research is focused on finding out more about the role of cerebrovascular disease in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

At Sunnybrook, she is using specialized neuroimaging techniques in an attempt to measure biomarkers of small vessel disease in the brain, hoping to find out more about how those biomarkers of small vessel disease can be related to the risk of developing AD or other types of dementia.

“In order to prevent Alzheimer’s, it is imperative to first identify those at high risk for the disease, and that’s what we are trying to do,” adds Dr. Callahan.

More than 45 women in scientific fields in Canada have received this award to date. “These awards do not simply recognize the exceptional work of young women in science who are passionate about their research; they also encourage women in science to expand the frontiers of their respective disciplines,” says Virginie Hotte-Dupuis, Manager External Communications & Philanthropy at L' Oréal Canada.

The For Women in Science program provides support for women researchers on all continents, in more than fifty countries, and at different points in their careers. This may come in the early stages of a young researcher’s vocation or be in celebration of a full career committed to scientific advancement.

Watch an interview with Dr. Callahan: