Azrieli Accelerator Impact
Supporting innovative research and strengthening unique collaborations to advance understanding in neurodevelopment and support individuals affected by neurodevelopmental conditions.
Azrieli Accelerator Professorships
The Azrieli Accelerator professorship holders are advancing research in neurodevelopment across the lifespan from diverse disciplinary perspectives.
Dr. Tamara Bodnar, PhD
Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Transdisciplinary Neurodevelopment Research, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science
Dr. Stephanie Chipeur, JD
Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Law & Disability Policy, Faculty of Law and School of Public Policy
Dr. Maryam Faiz, PhD
Azrieli Accelerator Associate Professor in Neurodevelopment, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Cumming School of Medicine
Dr. Eli Kinney-Lang, PhD
Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Inclusive Biomedical Engineering Technologies for Neurodevelopment, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering
Dr. Chunlong Mu, PhD
Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Microbiome and Neurodevelopment, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine
Dr. Linda Nguyen, PhD
Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Youth, Sibling, and Community Engaged Research, Faculty of Social Work
Dr. Laura St. John, PhD
Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Exercise and Health Research for Neurodiverse Women & Girls, Faculty of Kinesiology
Dr. Ami Tint, PhD
Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Neurodiversity & Intersectionality, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
Azrieli Accelerator Catalyst Grants
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 2025 Catalyst Grant recipients span the accelerator’s keystone areas: brain circuitry, microbiome influences, and supports, services and systems:
2025 Catalyst Grant Recipients
Investigating the microbiota in prenatal alcohol exposure models: Relevance for children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Principal Investigator: Tamara Bodnar, PhD, Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Transdisciplinary Neurodevelopment Research, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), the umbrella term used to describe the conditions that can occur as a result of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), is the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder and yet there are minimal treatment options available and extensive gaps in our understanding of the condition. The proposed research takes a transdisciplinary approach to explore whether microbiota changes are a critical driver of the behavioural and physiological alterations that occur in FASD. A better understanding of the impact of disturbances in the microbiota could pave the way for innovative treatment options, such as pre/probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplants.
Miss. Diagnosed: Social-Emotional Wellbeing and Strengths of Canadian Girls and Women with ADHD
Principal Investigator: Emma Climie, PhD, Associate Professor, Werklund School of Education, Specialization, School and Applied Child Psychology
This project aims to gather insights into the experiences of girls and women with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a group that is often mis or under-diagnosed. There is an urgent need to better understand the social and emotional needs of this population in order to provide targeted supports and interventions. The data gathered will serve as a critical first step in informing the development of interventions at both the individual and group levels, ultimately fostering positive changes in community and educational services for girls and women with ADHD across the lifespan.
Frozen in fear: circuit mechanisms underlying cortical network activity during innate defensive response
Principal Investigator: Ning Cheng, PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Fear is an essential survival mechanism that helps animals avoid danger. However, dysregulated fear response can interfere with daily functioning and manifest as anxiety disorders in humans. They pose one of the biggest threats to mental health, and they predominantly emerge early in life, often beginning during childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. Gear and anxiety during postnatal development has not been well studied, and existing treatments have been developed based on adult models which highlights the importance of understanding neural mechanisms of fear regulation in children and youth. A deeper exploration of the hardwired circuits for innate fear could provide critical insights into the fundamental survival mechanisms as well as anxiety disorders, and inform the development of mechanism-based interventions.
Targeted Probiotics in Dup15q: A Novel Approach to Neurological Stability
Principal Investigator: Jane Shearer, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology
Dup15q syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests in infancy and can be characterized by developmental delays, intellectual disability, epilepsy, and autism spectrum disorder. Despite its significant impact on affected individuals and their families, research into the underlying mechanisms, effective treatments, and supportive interventions are limited. This project seeks to advance scientific understanding and therapeutic approaches for Dup15q syndrome by supporting research efforts aimed at alleviating symptoms and a better understanding of neurological underpinnings via a gut-based approach.
Understanding the Needs and Hopes of Black Immigrant and Refugee Families with Youth or Young Adult with a Neurodevelopmental Disability
Principal Investigator: Roz Zulla, PhD, Assistant Professor, Cumming School of Medicine and Werklund School of Education
In Canada, immigrant families report that caring for a child with a neurodevelopmental condition becomes difficult due to challenges at the individual, interpersonal, organizational, structural and systemic level. Knowledge of the experiences of Black children/youth with an NDD and their families remains limited including those who are immigrants or refugees. This project seeks examines Black immigrant and refugee youth and young adults who have a neurodevelopmental condition and their families to explore: what are the experiences, needs, assets and future hopes of Black immigrant and refugee families who have a youth or a young adult with an NDD and their families who care for them?; What are the experiences, needs, assets and future hopes of community providers who support Black immigrant and refugee families who have a youth or a young adult with an NDD? and; What are the promising strategies to better support Black immigrant and refugee families who have a youth or a young adult with an NDD?
Evaluation of an Acceptance and Commitment Training Program for Autistic Adults
Principal Investigator: Ami Tint, PhD, Azrieli Accelerator Assistant Professor in Neurodiversity & Intersectionality, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
This project addresses the urgent need for evidence-based mental health supports for autistic adults, who face elevated risks of co-occurring mental health challenges. Traditional therapies like CBT may not align well with autistic individuals’ needs, prompting the development of a novel, virtual Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) program. Co-produced by researchers, clinicians, and autistic self-advocates, the program emphasizes mindfulness, personal values, and peer-led facilitation. The project aims to pilot and adapt the program while assessing its feasibility, with the goal of improving support systems in community and healthcare settings.
Previous Catalyst Grant Recipients
Explore all of the teams that have received Catalyst Grant funding
| Project | Principal Investigator and Research Team | Year |
|---|---|---|
| The impact of viral maternal immune activation-induced changes in microbiota composition, metabolite profile, and intestinal permeability on neurodevelopment in offspring | Markus Geuking, PhD, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine; Dr. Henry H. Nguyen, Dr. Shokouh Ahmadi | 2024 |
| Investigating the early life gut microbiome of children at risk for autism | Gerald Giesbrecht, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine; Dr. Sarah MacEachern, Dr. Catherine Lebel, Dr. Marcel van de Wouw, Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen, Dr. Marie-Claire Arrieta, Dr. Leila Rezaei | 2024 |
| Neurodevelopmental disorders and aging in Alberta | Julia Kirkham, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine; Dallas Seitz, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine; Dr. Lilian Thorpe, Dr. Rebecca Barry, Dr. Vivian Ewa, Dr. Jeremy Quickfall MD, Dr. Howie Wu MD | 2024 |
| AI-driven augmented reality agents to support communication for nonspeaking Autistic people | Dr. Diwakar Krishnamurthy, PhD, PEng, Department of Electrical and Software Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering; Dr. Mea Wang, Dr. Vikram K. Jaswal | 2024 |
| Autistic Voices, Inclusive Choices: Shaping the Future of Sexual Health Education | Dr. Alan Martino, PhD, Department of Community Health Services, Cumming School of Medicine; Jordan Parks, Rufi Oswaldo, Thomas Tri, Hannah Maleski, Lyndon Parakin | 2024 |
| Investigation of dopamine in ADHD using Neuromelanin sensitive MRI | Dr. Kara Murias MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine; Dr. Ashley Harris, Dr. Alex McGirr, Dr. Signe Bray, Dr. Marilena DeMayo, Ryan Verbitsky | 2024 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |