This dynamic competition challenges postdoctoral fellows to summerize their research into an engaging three-minute presentation using only one slide. Presenters will be evaluated by a panel of three judges on clarity, engagement, and impact. Audience members will also play a role by voting for their favourite presentation live at the event.

Eight postdoctoral fellows are set to take the stage this year, ready to share their groundbreaking work in a way that is both understandable and inspiring.

• Dr. Asim Joshi – Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Dr. Mariela Rodriguez – Human Nutritional Sciences
• Dr. Masoomeh Gomroki – Food Science
• Dr. Michael Saley – Chemistry
• Dr. Monire Nobahar Ahari – Occupational Therapy
• Dr. Olabisi Akinlabi – Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
• Dr. Ruchira Nanasiri– Human Nutritional Sciences
• Dr. Taalia Khan – Art and Architectural History

“The 3MP competition showcases not only the depth of research happening at UM but also the creativity and communication skills of our postdoctoral fellows,” says Dr. Kelley Main, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. “The Faculty of Graduate Studies recent name change to The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies highlights the important role postdoctoral fellows play in the university community.”

The event is open to students, faculty, and the public, offering a glimpse into the research being done at UM across multiple disciplines.

Event Details:
Date: Friday, September 19, 2025
Location: Senate Chambers, E3-262 EITC
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Register to attend in person: https://forms.office.com/r/RUgFDMkg4V

For more information, visit the University of Manitoba’s Postdoctoral Achievements and Awards page. https://umanitoba.ca/graduate-studies/postdoctoral-achievements-and-awards

Meet the challengers who will take the stage on April 1 at the Robert B. Schultz Theatre:

Anne Manson
Human Nutritional Sciences, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Harold Aukema

Thesis Title: Using oxylipins to inform dietary omega-3 fat intake and heart drug development

Anne is a passionate researcher exploring the role of oxylipins in optimizing omega-3 intake for health and aiding in heart medication development. Fascinated by these powerful molecules that regulate numerous body functions, she investigates how diet, sex, and drugs influence oxylipin production—insights that can shape nutrition guidelines and therapeutic advancements. Holding a Bachelor of Science from the Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil, and a 2021 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship recipient, Anne will expand her research into epidemiology and human health during postdoctoral training. Her long-term goal is to become an independent researcher, leveraging oxylipin data to assess disease risk, inform treatments, and improve health outcomes.

Megan Crooks
Psychology, M.A.
Advisor: Dr. Renee El-Gabalawy

Thesis Title: Preventing invisible pain with the power of virtual reality

Megan is passionate about bridging psychological research and clinical practice. In the final year of her master’s degree in clinical psychology at the University of Manitoba, she has been able to do just that by working with real patients who try out the virtual reality treatment developed by her lab. Her ultimate goal is to become a clinical psychologist, using evidence-based interventions approved by her patients to improve mental health care.

Sanjana Grover
Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Ph.D
Advisor: Dr. Benjamen Lindsey

Thesis Title: Cracking the code of human brain repair using zebrafish as a model

Sanjana is a neuroscience researcher and a second year PhD student studying unique stem cells in the zebrafish brain that generate new neurons and enable brain repair, a process mammals cannot naturally achieve. Fascinated by the brain’s limited ability to regenerate, she uses zebrafish as a model to uncover insights into why brain repair fails in mammals. Sanjana holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Research from the University of Bristol, UK and has earned multiple research awards, including the Research Manitoba Master’s Studentship (2024). Actively involved in science outreach, she led a zebrafish workshop for MNN Brain Awareness Week 2024 & 2025 and currently serves as the Vice-President Internal for the HSGSA. She was also invited by the Canadian Association of Neuroscience (CAN) to represent as a neuroadvocate at the Parliament Hill, where she advocated for increased research funding. Sanjana plans to continue her research through postdoctoral studies.

Lam Nguyen
Education, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Martha Koch

Thesis Title: Graph theory for children – an inclusive approach to developing mathematical identity in the classroom

Lam is a mathematics educator and school administrator exploring how school math experiences shape mathematical identities and how introducing advanced topics early can impact student perceptions. Their research examines the widespread negative attitudes toward mathematics and self-identified negative math identities, such as “I am not a math person.” With a Master of Education in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning at the University of Manitoba, he is passionate about improving math education and fostering confidence in learners. With a strong background in teaching and administration, his future goals are to work with prospective teachers and graduate students, helping future educators transform the way math is taught and perceived in schools.

Andy Van Domelen
Biochemistry and Medical genetics, m.sc.
Advisor: Dr. Britt Drögemöller

Thesis Title: The colour of risk: using genetics to predict hearing loss and dementia

Andy is using genetics to improve healthcare for aging populations. As a researcher analyzing genetic data from thousands of older Canadians, he develops predictive models for hearing loss and dementia, enabling early intervention. With a B.Sc. in Microbiology, Andy is driven by a deep curiosity about the genetic connections between diseases and their impact on aging. His goal is to bridge the gap between lab discoveries and clinical applications, ensuring that research translates into real-world benefits. He looks forward to collaborating with clinicians, policymakers, and the community, and aims to contribute to innovative, genetics-based solutions for age-related conditions in Canada.

Hayley Smith
Pharmacology and Therapeutics, M.Sc.
Advisor: Dr. Renée Douville

Thesis Title: It all started with a mouse….model to study neurodegeneration

Hayley is a Master’s student researching how DNA damage caused by a viral protein may contribute to ALS, and exploring antiviral therapies as a potential treatment. With a B.Sc. in Genetics from UM, her passion for neurodegenerative disease research stems from a personal family connection. After discovering the fascinating world of endogenous retroviruses, she joined Dr. Renee Douville’s lab and is enjoying the topics she studies. She is open to various career paths in health sciences, including considering medicine or furthering her current research with a PhD. Grateful for her lab and mentorship, she is focused on making meaningful contributions to neurodegenerative disease research while taking her career in science one step at a time.

Mia-May Grabovac
Biological Sciences, M.Sc.
Advisors: Dr. Patricia Ramey-Balci and Dr. Andrea Niemi

Thesis Title: Larval invertebrates in a changing Arctic ecosystem

Mia- May is a Master’s student researching seafloor invertebrate larvae and the impacts of Arctic climate change on their communities. Her interest in Arctic ecosystems began during an 8-month co-op at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, where she studied zooplankton abundance and later led zooplankton sampling in the Western Canadian Arctic (2023-2024). With a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences (Evolution & Biodiversity) from the University of Manitoba, she focusses on meroplankton, an understudied group with key ecological roles. As a Biological Sciences Graduate Students Association representative, Mia-May is dedicated to Arctic conservation and will continue studying invertebrates, their environmental interactions, and the effects of climate change on Arctic ecosystems.

Taylor Orchard
Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Jason Peeler

Thesis Title: Musculosketal education – the more a doctor knows, the better they treat

Taylor is a medical education researcher focused on enhancing musculoskeletal medicine training for Canadian doctors. With a passion for anatomy education and healthcare, she found the perfect fit in medical education research within the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences. Holding a B.Sc. from the University of Manitoba, she has earned prestigious awards, including the Canada Graduate Studentship – Masters (2023) and the University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship – PhD (2024). Actively engaged in academia, she serves as Vice-President of the Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences Student Council and a student representative for the Max Rady College of Medicine Council. Her goal is to secure an academic appointment in postsecondary and continue to advance clinical learning and knowledge retention among healthcare providers in Canada.

Rachele Molyneaux
Physiology and Pathophysiology, M.Sc.
Advisor: Dr Jeremy Chopek

Thesis Title: The Spinal Symphony: How V3 Neurons Help Orchestrate the Rhythm of Movement

Rachele is a researcher studying spinal V3 neurons using patch-clamp electrophysiology to understand their role in locomotion and spinal cord injury recovery. With a B.Sc. in Exercise Science from the University of Winnipeg, she combines her knowledge of movement and physiology through both research and hands-on experience. As a personal trainer, she focuses on functional fitness for older adults and aims to expand their practice by deepening their understanding of human physiology and spinal cord injuries. Rachele has worked as a sports director for immigrant and refugee girls, studying the relationship between early exposure to sports and increased self-confidence and overall wellbeing later in life. Her goal is to create a more inclusive, movement-focused approach to fitness and rehabilitation.

Adewunmi Giwa
Food Science, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Rotimi Aluko

Thesis Title: Stripping cancer’s armor: how pea bioactive peptides trigger cancer self-destruction

Adewunmi is a passionate food scientist and Ph.D. student investigating how pea-derived bioactive peptides inhibit Glutathione Peroxidase IV (GPX4), triggering ferroptosis in cancer cells. Her interest in plant-based functional foods and nutraceuticals stems from a blend of scientific curiosity and personal experiences, including her mother’s use of herbal remedies and her father’s struggle with diabetes. These influences inspired her to explore how natural food components can contribute to disease prevention and treatment. Committed to sustainable and innovative therapies, Adewunmi aims to improve cancer treatment by developing solutions that are effective, sustainable, accessible, and safe.

Hannah Zhang
Physiology and Pathophysiology, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Amir Ravandi

Thesis Title: Lipids as early markers of cardiogenic shock

Hannah is an MD/PhD student passionate about cardiovascular disease and metabolism. Despite being a leading cause of mortality worldwide, heart disease still requires deeper exploration, especially through a precision medicine lens. Fascinated by translational research for its direct clinical impact, she chose cardiovascular lipidomics—a field that merges all of her interests. Her work focuses on using lipids to detect cardiogenic shock in heart attack patients, utilizing advanced lipidomic technology with both human patients and animal models. With a Master of Science in Cell Biology from McGill University, she has earned multiple accolades, including the Martin Morad Young Investigator Exchange Award (2024). Her goal is to become a clinician-scientist, advancing heart disease treatment and precision medicine.

Madhushani Ariyadasa
Civil Engineering, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. M.T. Bassuoni

Thesis Title: Nano-based coatings: a way to make Canadian concrete last longer

Madhushani is a researcher in materials engineering whose work explores how the inclusion of nanoparticles in coatings can be tailored to combat different concrete durability problems—a crucial advancement to increase the service life of old and new concrete. She previously achieved a Master of Science in Materials Engineering and worked several years as a full-time researcher at National Building Research Organization in Sri Lanka where her keen interest on construction materials started. She believes novel materials as a key enabling technology in construction. Dedicated to both research and education, she aspires to become a university professor, shaping future engineers and advancing the field of materials science and to contribute to the development of stronger, more resilient infrastructure through cutting-edge materials research.

With an exciting lineup of finalists and a distinguished panel of judges, the 2025 3MT® final promises to be an inspiring showcase of graduate research at the University of Manitoba. Colleen Bready, CTV News weather specialist and host of Spotlight Entertainment, will return as emcee, guiding the evening with her signature energy. Judges Loren Oschipok, Moses (Moe) Levy, and Renée Cable will determine the winners of the top cash prizes, while the audience—both in-person and online—will cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award. Prizes for Dr. Archie McNicoll Prize for first place $2000, UM Retirees Association Prize for second place $1250 and Blenham & Associates prize for third place $500.

Don’t miss this exciting event on Tuesday April 1 at 7 p.m., at the Robert B. Shultz Theatre in St John’s College at the Fort Garry campus.

Register to attend in person at or watch online live.

“Congratulations to the UM researchers who secured CIHR funding for their cutting-edge work in health and well-being,” said Dr. Mario Pinto, UM vice-president, research and international. “This recognition highlights the impact of UM’s innovative health research. These researchers are driving solutions for better health care in Manitoba and globally.” 

Dr. Peter Nickerson, vice-provost (health sciences) and dean of the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, said the funded projects show the diversity of health research taking place across UM ranging from investigating gut health and HIV/HPV progression to reducing inequities in trail use for urban First Nation and Métis people and examining the interaction of dietary flaxseed with blood pressure medication. 

“The researchers who received project funding are from eight different Max Rady College of Medicine departments, the College of Pharmacy, the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences,” Nickerson said. “CIHR funding is vital to the research that takes place at UM. And it’s essential in advancing science with provincial, national and global implications.”  

One of the 12 grant recipients is Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin, assistant professor of physiology and pathophysiology at the Max Rady College of Medicine. She and her team received $1,032,750 over five years to study what could one day lead to new treatments to reduce the risk of heart disease in people with disrupted circadian rhythms.  

Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that regulate changes in the body, including heart rate and blood pressure. When the circadian rhythm is disrupted by things like shift work, poor sleep or jet lag, it has a negative impact on the heart and could lead to heart disease, Rabinovich-Nikitin said.  

“It’s known that shift workers have a 40 per cent higher risk of heart attacks, but we can’t do without shift work, so our research is working to develop treatments to help people with disrupted circadian rhythm, such as shift workers,” said Rabinovich-Nikitin, who is also a researcher with the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, a joint St. Boniface Hospital Research and UM institute.  

Rabinovich-Nikitin’s preliminary studies suggest that a disrupted circadian rhythm results in abnormal lipid metabolism and accumulation of lipids in the heart, and this might be the underlying cause of heart failure following a heart attack.  

“The goal of the newly funded project is to determine how circadian genes affect lipid metabolism following a heart attack and to understand how modulation of circadian proteins can improve lipid metabolism and cardiac function following a heart attack,” she said.   

“We know how diet and exercise contribute to one’s health, but circadian rhythm is a neglected area of research. It’s very important to have a normal circadian rhythm, and we’re working hard to better understand its impact on our health.”     

UM CIHR project funding recipients 

Dr. Michel Aliani, professor of food and human nutritional sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences; principal investigator, nutritional metabolomics research, division of neurodegenerative disorders, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre 

Project: The capacity for dietary flaxseed to inhibit the metabolism of antihypertensive drugs 

Grant: $1,189,575 (five years) 

Using state-of-the-art instrumentation, Aliani’s study aims to prove that flaxseed ingested in the diet can interact with drugs that control blood pressure. Data from the study will explain the action of dietary flaxseed in lowering blood pressure and provide important safety data on the interaction of flaxseed in one’s diet with drugs that lower blood pressure.  

Dr. Marissa Becker, professor of community health sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; director of technical collaborations at the Institute for Global Public Health 

Project: Prioritizing Place in Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infection prevention in Kenya: Reframing prevention programs through Program Science 

Grant: $975,375 (five years) 

Using a program science approach, Becker and the team will develop a deeper understanding of how physical, organizational, social and relational dimensions of “place” shape ecologies of risk and safety for prioritized adolescent girls and young women (15-24 years), female sex workers and their male sexual partners in Nairobi County, Kenya. This work will generate contextualized knowledge for prioritizing place-based strategies to optimize sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection prevention program coverage and address unmet needs.  

Dr. Lucy Delgado, assistant professor of educational administration, foundations and psychology, Faculty of Education 

Project: The impact of Métis-specific spaces on the health and wellness of Métis women and Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer people 

Grant: $1,017,452 (four years)  

Through data collected as part of a series of gatherings, interviews and qualitative surveys, Delgado’s project will measure the outcomes for Métis women and Two-Spirit/Indigiqueer peoples engaged in Métis-specific spaces and provide a framework for post-secondary institutions in their creation of Métis-specific spaces. The final stage of this project will be an evaluation of the efficacy of the framework when taken up by new institutions. 

Dr. Jason Kindrachuk, associate professor of medical microbiology and infectious diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; Canada Research Chair in molecular pathogenesis of emerging viruses; researcher, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba 

Project: Characterization of long-term sequelae and immune signatures in Ebola virus disease survivors from 1976-2014 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 

Grant: $100,000 (one year) 

Kindrachuk’s study will determine whether long-term health impacts following Ebola virus disease are conserved across geographic locations and what epidemiologic or biological factors might be linked to more severe complications and immune durability. The team will focus on disease survivors from multiple historic Ebola virus disease outbreaks within the Democratic Republic of the Congo and will also examine this through questionnaires and analysis of historical samples.  

Dr. Jonathan McGavock, professor of pediatrics and child health, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; researcher, Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba 

Project: Honoring Ourselves and the Land – Reducing inequities in trail use for First Nations and Métis people in urban centres in Manitoba 

Grant: $1,266,075 (five years) 

With the help of Elders and Indigenous families, McGavock and his team will deliver and evaluate four main themed urban trail cultural events: 1) Full Moon ceremony walk/ride for girls, women and two-spirited people. 2) Land-based teachings with Elders/Knowledge Keepers. 3) Medicine teachings. The team will work with non-governmental organizations to plant gardens and/or traditional medicines in parks adjacent to the trails. 4) Youth-led teachings about local Indigenous cultures, languages and traditions. 

Dr. Donald Miller, professor of pharmacology and therapeutics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences; researcher, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre 

Project: Improving therapeutic outcomes in medulloblastoma through optimizing brain delivery of agents targeting inhibitors of apoptosis proteins 

Grant: $592,876 (four years) 

Miller’s medulloblastoma research will use a method his laboratory has developed and tested to selectively and reversibly open the blood-brain barrier to increase brain and tumour levels of chemotherapeutics and the XIAP sensitizing drugs to allow both radiation and chemotherapeutic agents to kill the tumour cells in the brain more effectively. Using peptides that target cadherin, the team will temporarily loosen the connections between the brain capillary endothelial cells to allow increased delivery of drugs and sensitizing agents to the brain tumour.  

Dr. Thomas Murooka, associate professor of immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: Role of mucosal neutrophils in driving HIV/HPV infection and disease progression 

Grant: $1,139,850 (five years) 

Murooka’s project will focus on specific bacteria linked to inflammatory disease in the lower female genital tract and identify the immune cells that further exacerbate this disease process. The team will use an animal disease model to better understand how this inflammatory process increases HIV and HPV infection, with the overall goal of defining why some individuals are more prone to sexually transmitted infections and to test drug candidates that can lower acquisition risk.  

Dr. Liam O’Neil, assistant professor of internal medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: Cigarette smoking induced neutrophilic inflammation as a modifiable risk factor for Rheumatoid Arthritis in First Nations 

Grant: $100,000 (one year)  

O’Neil will investigate the way cigarette smoking interacts with the immune system, leading to rheumatoid arthritis. The team believes neutrophils, a common immune cell, are particularly prone to inflammation, leading to abnormal immune responses in people at high risk for rheumatoid arthritis development.  

Dr. Dake Qi, associate professor, College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: TAAR1 in adipose tissue is a novel therapeutic target to combat atypical antipsychotics (AAPs)-induced metabolic dysfunction via downregulation of MIF 

Grant: $849,150 (five years) 

Qi’s project will investigate how trace amine-associated receptor (TAAR1) downregulates the release of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in fat cells and its impact on metabolic dysfunction induced by the classic atypical antipsychotics (AAP), olanzapine, by utilizing a combination of molecular and cellular biology techniques and physiological animal models. The team believes that TAAR1 agonists will improve the clinical psychiatric treatment with AAPs. 

Dr. Deanna Santer, assistant professor of immunology, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: Role of type III interferons in regulating mucosal immunity in a healthy gut versus ulcerative colitis 

Grant: $967,725 (five years)  

Santer will study fresh gut tissues and blood collected from people with or without ulcerative colitis during routine clinic visits. The team will use a combination of their novel human biopsy culture model, 3D “mini-guts” and immune cells to find out exactly how type III interferons (IFN-L) promote gut health but also how IFN-L could dampen the overreactive immune cells causing symptoms.  

Dr. Jarret Woodmass, assistant professor of surgery, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences 

Project: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty with and without subscapularis repair: Randomized controlled trial evaluating patient-reported and clinical outcomes 

Grant: $455,175 (five years)  

The aim of Woodmass’ study is to conduct a high-quality, randomized trial comparing outcomes of reverse total shoulder replacement (RTSA) with and without subscapularis repair. This ground-breaking study will provide evidence to support or negate the ongoing use of subscapularis repair in RTSA to optimize patient outcomes and manage scarce health-care resources.