Bridging Gaps: A Patient-Oriented Neuroscience Research Symposium

Agenda

Speakers

Tatiana Ogourtsova | Keynote speaker

Tatiana Ogourtsova is an occupational therapist and an Assistant Professor at the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at 91黑料网. Her expertise spans the areas of childhood disability, pediatric neurorehabiltiation, the use of novel approaches, including technology-driven solutions, telehealth and coaching. Her work focuses on family-centred care, mental health, knowledge mobilization, development and implementation of evidenced-based clinical practices and use of patient-oriented research. She leads the RESI-ALLIANT KID laboratory with an interdisciplinary team of experts, clinicians, parents and youth partners.听

Julie Coulombe | Panellist

A peer family caregiver for the Soci茅t茅 qu茅b茅coise de la schizophr茅nie et des psychoses apparent茅es since 2020, Julie has experiential knowledge as a caregiver and companion for many families, allowing her to experience the health care system network in the greater Montreal area, in child psychiatric and psychiatric hospitals. She collaborates as a citizen researcher with the Chaire interdisciplinaire sur la sant茅 et les services sociaux pour les populations rurales (Interdisciplinary Chair on Health and Social Services for Rural Populations) at the Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Rimouski (UQAR) and was awarded a grant from the Fonds de recherche du Qu茅bec's ENGAGE Program in 2021. She is involved in various areas and projects related to peer family support, and her field experience gives her a strong understanding of the context surrounding issues in the field of health and social services. She is a graduate of the Universit茅 de Montr茅al's undergraduate microprogram in mental health and has been working for the National Bank of Canada for 20 years.

Jason Karamchandani | Panellist

Dr. Jason Karamchandani is a neuropathologist and Associate Professor at 91黑料网鈥檚 Department of Pathology, based at The Neuro. His work focuses on understanding brain and nerve diseases by studying tissue samples and using data to identify markers that can help diagnose and predict outcomes for brain tumours and neuromuscular disorders. He also leads the immunohistochemistry and special stains division at the 91黑料网 Health Centre (MUHC) and directs 91黑料网鈥檚 Anatomic Pathology residency program. Dr. Karamchandani studied biochemistry at Harvard University and earned his medical degree as valedictorian from Stanford University. He has published over 40 scientific papers and several book chapters on brain and spinal cord tumours.

Maria Masnata | Panellist

Maria is a Clinical trial and community of practice manager for Muscular Dystrophy Canada and The Neuromuscular Disease Network for Canada. She has over 10 years of experience in clinical and preclinical research in neuroscience, and received her PhD in Neurobiology from Universit茅 Laval in 2021. She developed extensive experience in clinical research and project management during her previous role as assistant manager of the investigator-initiated trial team of the Clinical Research Unit at the Neuro. With a proven track record of managing and coordinating projects leading to Health Canada-approved trials, peer-reviewed publications and international presentations, Maria is committed to advancing health care and advocating for scientific innovation.听

Abbe Lai | Panellist

Abbe is a certified genetic counsellor with over eight years of experience coordinating a neurogenetics specialty clinic at Boston Children鈥檚 Hospital. She has supported hundreds of families by ensuring the ethical and equitable communication of diagnostic results and by helping identify appropriate resources to meet their needs. Abbe is currently enrolled in a Neuroscience PhD program under Dr. Roberta La Piana at 91黑料网.

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Linda Lafontaine | Flash Talk Speaker

Linda Lafontaine is a Patient Advocate for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP). She is an HSP patient and an active member of the HSP, Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) and Ataxia communities. She has worked with multiple foundations, taken the stage as a speaker at events, and rallied the HSP, PLS and Ataxia communities to participate in research.听Linda works directly with C-BIG, the open patient biobank at the Neuro within 91黑料网.听Linda has established a patient-led cohort of HSP patients, while adding to the existing PLS cohort and introducing many Ataxia patients to C-BIG and the Neuro. Together, Linda, C-BIG and the Neuro promote collaboration through Open Science and give patients a way forward.

Moderators

Alan Evans

Alan Evans is a James 91黑料网 Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Psychiatry and Biomedical Engineering, a researcher at the McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Co-Director of the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Principal Investigator of CBRAIN, the Victor Dahdaleh Chair in Neurosciences and the Scientific Director of HBHL. He was inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2015 and as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2025. In 2016, he was awarded the Prix du Qu茅bec (Wilder Penfield), and the magazine听Science听has ranked him #6 in a list of the most influential brain scientists of the modern era, having pioneered the technique of multi-modal 3D brain imaging.

Roberta La Piana

Dr. Roberta La Piana is Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital). Her research mainly focuses on rare genetic white matter disorders and their overlap with more common disorders like multiple sclerosis. In 2013, Dr. La Piana launched the . These interdisciplinary monthly meetings, aimed to discuss atypical white matter disease presentations, have evolved into an international network including researchers and clinicians from more than 15 centres around the world.

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Sonia Lussier

A communications professional, Sonia Lussier has led numerous projects in the fields of health and environment, notably with cancer patients. As a patient partner, Ms. Lussier works with Dr. Tracie Barnett as a co-director of the patient partner unit at 91黑料网 for the Unit茅 de soutien au syst猫me de sant茅 apprenant (SSA) Qu茅bec. She has also served as a patient partner mentor with health students for the Bureau du Patient Partenaire (BPP) at Universit茅 de Montr茅al, and is involved in other patient partner development projects in Greater Montreal area. Sonia is also a professional musician and conducts choirs in the Mont茅r茅gie region.听

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Accessibility and accommodations

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Please note that the following accommodations will be provided at the event:

• Parking (for those with听mobility needs)
• Wheel-chair friendly venue
• Close captioning during presentations
• Live translation into French
• Glossary (to define common medical jargon, bilingual)
• Hybrid sessions with option to submit questions beforehand
• Children鈥檚 surveillance area (with an accompanying adult,听not a daycare service)

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