by Julie Dufresne | Oct 17, 2025 | Award / Prize, Students
Jasmine Allain, a master’s student in health sciences research at the Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, has been awarded the Excellence Scholarship from the Centre de recherche sur le vieillissement as part of the Université de Sherbrooke’s Excellence Scholarship Program. Her work, conducted under the supervision of Professors Saïd Mekari and Myles O’Brien, focuses on improving cardiovascular health through community-based programs that promote physical activity among aging populations. This two-year, $35,000 scholarship recognizes the excellence of her academic record and will serve as an important lever for the continuation of her future projects. Bravo Jasmine !
by Julie Dufresne | Oct 15, 2025 | Award / Prize
Congratulations to Carson Halliwell from the Université de Sherbrooke, who has been awarded a $40,000 fellowship award as part of Arthritis Society Canada’s 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Under the supervision of Professors Myles O’Brien (FMSS – UdeS) and Rebecca Moyer (Faculty of Health – Dalhousie), Carson is studying the progression of frailty in individuals with hip or knee osteoarthritis. His project, “Beyond the Joint: Investigating Frailty Progression in Males and Females with Lower-Limb Osteoarthritis,” draws on data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.
by Julie Dufresne | Oct 15, 2025 | Award / Prize
Madeline Shivgulam has been awarded the 2025–2026 BrightRed Paul and Mary O’Regan Graduate Student Research Award from the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada. This award recognizes emerging researchers who excel in the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular fields. Madeline’s research journey is supported by Professor Myles O’Brien (Université de Sherbrooke) and Professor Olga Theou (Dalhousie University).
by Julie Dufresne | Oct 15, 2025 | Students
Pamela Tanguay is the most recent member of the team to have defended her doctoral thesis, on September 19. Her study, which compares a hybrid cardiac rehabilitation program (combining in-center and at-home sessions) with a traditional program, was conducted across all cardiac rehabilitation centres of the Vitalité Health Network under the supervision of Prof. @Mathieu Bélanger and Prof. Nicole Marquis from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Université de Sherbrooke. The study stands out, among other things, for its human-centered approach, where patients and healthcare professionals were involved throughout the research process. The findings show that the impacts of the hybrid and traditional programs on patients are similar. Given that the hybrid program partially reduces pressure on the healthcare system and offers greater flexibility to patients, this is a very encouraging result for the Vitalité Health Network. The study also provides several avenues for enhancing the current hybrid program, if needed.
by Julie Dufresne | Oct 15, 2025 | Uncategorized
Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Muhammad Bensalim holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from Université Sainte-Anne, where he developed a strong foundation in human physiology and cellular health. His deep interest in the connection between science and human performance has shaped his academic journey and continues to drive his current research. As part of his research-based master’s program in health sciences at Université de Sherbrooke and supervised by Professors Saïd Mekari and Myles O’Brien, Muhammad is investigating the effects of hypertrophy training on autonomic cardiovascular function. His thesis project aims to better understand how resistance training, beyond its impact on muscle mass, can influence heart health and overall well-being — an approach that bridges exercise physiology with preventive health. Outside of academia, Muhammad is actively involved in the fitness and strength sports community. A nationally ranked powerlifting athlete, he also shares his expertise as an online coach, helping athletes and enthusiasts reach their goals.
