NAR grant recipients

Catalyst Grant

The following eleven faculty members were awarded catalyst grants in April 2019

Project title: "Changes in neuronal cellular membrane composition in aging and Alzheimer's disease". Principal Investigators: Michael Beazely (Pharmacy) & Ken Stark (Kinesiology). Co-Investigators: Zoya Leonenko (Physics and Astronomy; Biology) & Morgan Robinson (Pharmacy)
Project title: "Evaluation of an intergenerational and technological intervention for social isolation". Principal Investigators: Karla Boluk (Recreation and Leisure Studies) & Kelly Grindrod (Pharmacy). Co-Investigator: Uzma Rehman (Psychology)
Project title: "Utilization of social robots for the care of people with dementia". Principal Investigators: Kerstin Dautenhahn (Systems Design Engineering) & Moojan Ghafurian (Computer Science). Co-Investigator: Jesse Hoey (Computer Science)
Project title: "Do sex differences in reactive oxygen species production influence post-exercise glucose control in older men and women". Principal Investigator: Michaela Devries-Aboud (Kinesiology). Co-Investigator: Kayleigh Beaudry (Kinesiology)
Project title: "Designing aerobic exercise to protect knee cartilage in older adults with knee osteoarthritis". Principal Investigator: Monica Maly (Kinesiology). Co-Investigator: Michael Noseworthy (McMaster University, Electrical and Computing Engineering)
Project title: "Aging with a brain injury: Impact on visuomotor function and community participation". Principal Investigators: Ewa Niechwiej-Szwedo (Kinesiology) & Lisa Christian (Optometry and Vision Science). Co-Investigator: Robin Duncan (Kinesiology)
Project title: "Optimizing remote measurement of activity and sleep for health assessment in older adults". Principal Investigator: Karen Van Ooteghem (Kinesiology). Co-Investigator: William McIlroy (Kinesiology)

The following eleven faculty members were awarded catalyst grants in July 2018

Uzma Rehman (Psychology) Project title: "Barriers to safer sex communication in older adults"
Jennifer Boger (Systems Design Engineering) & Laura Middleton (Kinesiology) Project title: "Virtual reality exergames to improve access to strength and range of motion exercise among people living with dementia"
Mark Oremus (School of Public Health & Health Systems) & Jane Law (School of Planning) Project title: "Social support availability and cognitive function in middle- and older-aged adults"
Susan Elliott (Geography and Environmental Management) & Rhona Hanning (School of Public Health and Health Systems) Project title: "Healthy aging for all: A case study in Uganda"
John Mielke (School of Public Health and Health Systems) Project title: "An exploration of how stress might help to set the foundation for Alzheimer's disease"
Martine August (School of Planning) Project title: "The financialization of seniors' housing in Canada: Impacts on age-friendly communities"
Siby Samuel (Systems Design Engineering) Project title: "Investigating the effects of automation on older drivers' visual scanning mechanisms"
Jonathan Kofman (Systems Design Engineering) Project title: "Mobility aid for prevention of freezing of gait episodes in older adults with Parkinson’s disease"

The following three faculty members were awarded catalyst grants in March 2018:

Randy Harris (English Language and Literature) Project title: "Phonological indicants of very early dementia"
Stewart McLachlin (Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering) & Clark Dickerson (Kinesiology) Project title: "Efficacy of a smartwatch for exercise performance evaluation during conservative management of rotator cuff tears"

The following nine faculty members were awarded catalyst grants in June 2017:

Marina Mourtzakis (Kinesiology) Project title: "Identifying and characterizing poor muscle health in an aged population: exploring new uses for ultrasonography"
Suzanne Tyas (School of Public Health and Health Systems) & Colleen Maxwell (Pharmacy) Project title: "Predictors of cognitive state trajectories in longitudinal studies of aging"
Zoya Leonenko (Physics and Astrology; Biology) Project title: "The role of lipid membrane and melatonin protection in amyloid toxicity and Alzheimer's disease"
Thomas Willett (Systems Design Engineering) & Andrew Laing (Kinesiology) Project title: "Macro-and tissue-level investigation into the effects of age and disease on bone quality, bone collagen connectivity, fracture toughness and hip strength"
Peter Hall (Kinesiology/School of Public Health and Health Systems) Project title: "Examining effects of acute exercise on cortical resilience among older adults"
Chris Perlman (School of Public Health and Health Systems) Project title: "Alcohol use among older adults in Ontario: Individual and community factors related to problematic use"
John Mielke (School of Public Health and Health Systems) Project title: "An exploration of the cellular mechanisms underlying stroke-related injury in the brain"

The following ten faculty members were awarded catalyst grants in January 2016:

Lora Giangregorio (Kinesiology) Project title: "Exploring weight and body image concerns in older adults and their contributions to
weight management and fracture prevention"
Heather Keller (Kinesiology) Project title: "C.H.O.I.C.E- a relationship-centred mealtime training intervention for long-term care: Proof-of-concept study"
Andrew Liang (Kinesiology) Project title: "Dynamic balance recovery in older adults - Predictors of stability restoration after a simulated trip"
Mark Oremus (School of Pubic Health and Health Systems) Project title: "The effect of religious involvement on cognition in middle- to old-age adults: A life-course perspective"
Joe Quadrilatero (Kinesiology) Project title: "Autophagic mechanisms in exercise-mediated muscle health"
Ian McGregor (Psychology) Project title: "Curbing ageism: Prejudice mechanisms and anti-ageism intervention"
Todd Holyoak (Biology) Project title: "Regulating PEPCK activity as a novel approach to the design of new cancer therapeutics"
Zoya Leonenko (Physics and Astrology; Biology) Project title: "Development of novel inhibitor drug for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease"
Praveen P Nekkar Roa (Pharmacy) Project title: "Development of novel therapies for Alzheimer's disease"
Pascal Poupart (Computer Science) Project title: "Adaptive recognition and promotion of physical activity for older adults, including stroke survivors"

Emerging Scholar Mentorship Grant

The following eight faculty members were awarded seed grants in May 2015:

Michael Barnett-Cowan (Department of Kinesiology) - Project title "Temporal integration of multisensory events in later years"
Robin Duncan (Department of Kinesiology) - Project title "A new pathway for cardiolipin synthesis"
Chris Perlman (School of Public Health and Health Systems) - Project title "Exploring the use of spatial analysis for understanding health services utilization and access among older adults with mental health conditions"
Igor Grossmann (Department of Psychology) - Project title "Wise acculturation and aging: Role of thinking style and emotion regulation in attenuating post-immigration health decline among older adults"
James Tung (Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering) - Project title "Advanced mobility aid designs for the elderly: Building capacity for translational research"
Tammy Labreche (School of Optometry and Vision Science) - Project title "Rehabilitation post-stroke with visual midline shift syndrome"
Sherilyn Houle (School of Pharmacy) - Project title "The provision of home care by pharmacists: Current practice in Canada"
Colleen McMillan (School of Social Work) - Project title "Can the use of a Qi Gong Wellness & Exercise app be a protective factor against depression and frailty among older adults in the community?"