Message from the President – Melanie Woodin
Dear CAN members,
In the current political climate, it is important to stand up for science and advocate for a strong Canadian scientific community. CAN believes a resilient, diverse and well funded scientific community is key to addressing many of the challenges Canada faces today, and we know our members are motivated to build a better and stronger Canada.
As we get ready for a federal election, I invite all our members to engage with electoral candidates and make sure they know the importance of supporting scientific research for the wellbeing of Canada. CAN supports the many opportunities for engagement available during the elections, and invites you learn about some of them in this newsletter. The more candidates hear about the role of science in Canada, the more likely they are of making this a priority of their government.
As scientists, we also have a role to play internationally, and I was happy to sign, on behalf of CAN, the “Science Matters!” statement bythe Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) and allies. The statement is available here: https://www.fens.org/news-activities/news/statement-from-fens-stand-up-for-science Scientific collaboration has always been a way to build bridges between countries, and it is important to stand in solidarity with colleagues whose scientific freedom is under threat.
Science knows no borders, and when we invest in science together, we build a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for everyone everywhere.
-excerpt from the “Science Matters” statement
Another way to support our community is by providing opportunities to build ties. The CAN meeting has grown to be a must attend event for the Canadian neuroscience community. Meeting Co-Chairs Matt Hil and Rose Bagot, with local chair Iva Zovkic, have put together a great program for the 2025 meeting. I invite you to visit the website to view the full program of events, and to register as soon as possible as the early bird deadline is fast approaching.
For the 2025 meeting, we are proud to announce we have doubled the budget of CAN professional development awards to travel to the meeting, and are offering dependent care subsidies for a second year. Congratulations to all the award winners!
Finally, I want to invite you to consider joining the CAN team by becoming a candidate for election to the CAN board of director or executive team. You will find all the details about the nomination process and elections on the next page.
I look forward to welcoming many of you in Toronto in May!
Melanie Woodin, President
Canadian Association for Neuroscience
Call for nominations – Board of Directors
CAN will be holding elections for the following Board of Direction positions:
- Vice-President (President elect)
- Treasurer-elect
- 2 board members
We are now sending a call for nominations for these positions. Please note that only members in good standing can submit nominations.
To submit a nomination, we invite you to reach out to potential candidate that are representatives of the strength and diversity of our community. We also aim to have geographical representation from across Canada.
View current members of the CAN Board of Directors
Nomination deadline is: April 1, 2025
Documents required:
- CV (any pdf format – a link will be shared on the candidate profile page)
- Nomination letter from a CAN member
- Picture (headshot) for the candidate presentation page
- Short text (max. 250 words) for the candidate presentation page (motivation, qualification).
Visit this webpage to submit a nomination:
CAN Meeting updates
2025 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting
May 21-24, 2025
Toronto – Sheraton Centre Hotel
Early-Bird registration deadline coming up March 24
Register today to take advantage of the best registration rates!
Scientific program
View the full program here:
Satellite meetings
May 20:
Canadian Cerebellar Research Network Symposium
- Organizer: Julie L Lefebvre & Lu-Yang Wang
- Date: May 20, 2025, Full Day
- Location: SickKids Hospital
CANGlia Meeting 2025
- May 20, 2025 – Full day 8:00-20:00
- Organizers: Canadian Association for Neuroscientists who study Glia (CANGlia) (website: CANGlia.ca) Steering committee: Maryam Faiz, Baptiste Lacoste, Natalina Salmaso & Marie-Eve Tremblay
- Location: University of Toronto, Downtown campus
Xponential Growth: Scaling Fragile X Syndrome and Neurodevelopmental Research Collaboratively
- Organizer: Karen Kelm, President I Fragile X Canada
- Date: May 20, 2025, Full Day
- Location: University of Toronto
May 21:
10th Annual Canadian Neurometabolic meeting
- Organizers: Canadian NeuroMetabolic Club (Stephanie Fulton)
- Date: May 21, 2025
- Location: Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
Brain Canada satellite event
- Organiser: Brain Canada
- Date: May 21, 2025
- Location: Sheraton Centre Toronto
Circuits and Behaviour CAN Satellite Meeting
- Date: May 21, 2025 – 9AM – 4 PM
- Location: Toronto Sheraton Centre
- Organizers: Paul Frankland and Mark Cembrowski (co-organizers)
Neurodevelopment: Structure, function, and plasticity
- Organizer: Benjamin Lindsey
- Date: May 21, 2025 – full day
- Location: Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
New Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
- Organizer: Doug Crawford, Director, Centre for Integrative and Applied Neuroscience, York University
- Date: May 21, 2025, Full Day
- Location: York University, Toronto
- Website: https://www.yorku.ca/research/cian/can-satellite/
Stem Cells, Brain Development and Regeneration
- Organizers: Armen Saghatelyan, David Kaplan, Karun Singh, Anastassia Voronova
- Date: May 21, 2025, Full Day
- Location: Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
Science Advocacy session: Navigating Regulatory Frameworks for Research Models in Canada
Thursday May 22, noon – 1:30PM
Host: Tabrez Siddiqui, Co-chair of the CAN advocacy committee
Learn more about this important session here: https://can-acn.org/meeting-2025/science-advocacy-session-navigating-regulatory-frameworks-for-research-models-in-canada/
2025 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion session: Economic barriers to trainee achievement, retention and funding opportunities
May 23, 2025, 5:45 to 6:45PM
Session organized by the CAN Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee
This session is supported by the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO – https://ibro.org/)
The event will begin with a 15-20 min presentation by a representative from Support Our Science, a grassroots organization that played a monumental role in last year’s achievement of increased trainee funding for federal fellowships. This will be followed by an introduction of the panelists (a mix of senior and junior faculty as well as a graduate student and postdoctoral fellow). We will then move onto a question/answer period.
Canadian Association for Neuroscience Conference Childcare, Dependent, or Disability Care Subsidy
Funding under this program is intended to benefit Canadian Association for Neuroscience trainee members, postdoctoral fellows, and pre-tenure faculty (or equivalent) who attend the Canadian Association for Neuroscience conference by helping to alleviate the financial burdens of childcare or adult dependent care while attending the meeting for oral or poster presentations. Members who require a travel companion due to their own disability are also eligible for the subsidy.
Please note applications are evaluated on a rolling basis and attribution depends on availability of funds, so apply early
CAN 2025 Public Lectures: Neuroscience of memory and tools for making our memories stronger
Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 6:30PM to 8:45PM
Location: Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning (PGCRL), 686 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario , M5G OA4
Tickets: Free – registration will open end of April
Join us at The Hospital for Sick Children as part of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience 2025 Public lectures, titled: Neuroscience of memory and tools for making our memories stronger
This event, co-organized by the Canadian Association for Neurosciences and the Sick Kids Research Institute will bring together two memory experts from Toronto: Drs. Sheena Josselyn and Morgan Barense
The event will be hosted by Dr. Iva Zovkic, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga and Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Epigenetics.
Learn about the latest research from Canadian experts in the field!
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Hotel accommodation
The 2025 CAN Meeting will take place at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
Booking your room at the meeting venue allows you to:
- be present at the venue without commute for early morning sessionstake advantage of the preferential rates we have negotiated
- be present for many informal networking opportunities at breakfast and mealshelps CAN financially as each room booked by meeting attendees counts towards keeping costs down
Reserve your room today!
Please remember to reserve your hotel room(s) before the April 29 deadline as the CAN room block will not be extended beyond this point. There are a fixed number of rooms available to our group, so please reserve your room early to avoid disappointment.
Professional development and Travel awards to the CAN meeting
We are proud to announce the winners of the 2025 awardees!
We are grateful to IBRO and BrightFocus for their continued support for the participation of trainees from underrepresented groups.
We are proud to announce that CAN has doubled the amount of support we provide this year, compared to previous years.
Advocacy news
Opportunities to engage in the upcoming federal elections
Advocacy webinar – April 9, 2025 – 11AM (Eastern)
CAN is proud to announce we have partnered with Evidence for Democracy to present an advocacy webinar, open to all our members. In addition to useful tools for advocacy year-round, this event will focus on strategies to engage during the federal election period.
Title: Bridging Science and Policy: Tools for Effective Advocacy
Description: Join Evidence for Democracy (E4D), Canada’s leading voice for science, evidence-informed public policy, and transparent decision-making, for an engaging and interactive workshop titled “Bridging Science and Policy: Tools for Effective Advocacy.” This session is designed to equip scientists and researchers with the knowledge and skills to become effective advocates for science. Participants will gain insights into the basics of science policy, the importance of evidence in policy-making, the fundamentals of science advocacy, and how to engage with elected officials. Whether you are new to advocacy or looking to enhance your existing skills, this workshop will provide valuable tools to make your voice heard and ensure science and evidence are at the forefront of public decision-making.
Vote for Brain Health – a campaign by the Canadian Brain Research Strategy
Millions of Canadians are affected by brain conditions—yet brain health is missing from the national conversation. With an election on the horizon, let’s change that.
Visit the https://www.vote4brainhealth.ca/ website to sign the call to action and join the campaign!
Evidence for Democracy – Vote Science Campaign
The Vote Science campaign, launched during the 2019 federal election, is a non-partisan, bilingual initiative designed to elevate science and evidence-informed decision-making in Canadian elections. We believe science doesn’t get enough attention during election cycles, and we’re working to change that.
E4D’s Vote Science portal will contain a variety of resources and actions to pursue, including a letter-writing campaign, party platform analyses, a toolkit on how to engage with candidates, and potential questions to ask.
CORE-COEUR Canada – Coalition for Research Excellence – Coalition pour l’excellence en recherche
CORE-COEUR : the Coalition for Research Excellence in Canada is an informal non-partisan coalition of researchers agreed that a robust research ecosystem is in the common interest and should be a strategic priority for the next Canadian Parliament and federal government.
Visit the https://core-coeur.ca/ website for more!
CAN endorses Science Matters! A Statement from FENS – the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies & Allies
Read this important statement in support of science on the FENS website: https://www.fens.org/news-activities/news/statement-from-fens-stand-up-for-science
Apply for a CAN trainee outreach/advocacy award today
Do you have a great project or initiative to promote neuroscience research in Canada? We can provide support. Applications are accepted at all times, and reviewed every three months (March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1). Awards will be given based on adherence to award criteria and be contingent on budget availability.
Apply for advocacy & outreach awards
Share your science!
Are you interested in science communication? Would you want to share your research story?
We are looking for contributors for the Canada Brain Power website.
Contact us to learn more
Visit the website:
https://canadabrainpower.com/
Upcoming events
View our calendar for a list of upcoming events. Get in touch if you would like your event listed
| April 3, 2025 12:00 – 13:00 | Canadian Neuroscience Seminars – Post-doc series April 3: Patcharaporn Srisaikaew & Abassi Etienne |
| April 9, 2025 11:00AM-1PM | Election preparedness workshop, presented by Evidence for Democracy – details TBA |
| May 1, 2025 12:00 – 13:00 | Canadian Neuroscience Seminars – Post-doc series May 1: Ghazaleh Eskandari-Sedighi & Alban Voppel |
| May 20-21, 2025 | Satellite meetings – CAN2025 |
| May 21-24, 2025 | 2025 CAN meeting |
| June 5, 2025 12:00 – 13:00 | Canadian Neuroscience Seminars – Post-doc series – June 5: Vincent Hervé & Dotun Adeyinka |
Opportunities
New initiative in development: Canadian Sciences Speakers Network
Dr. Imogen Coe and Dr. Katherine Borden are co-leading a new platform, the Canadian Sciences Speakers Network (CSSN) platform, designed to showcase the rich community of diverse experts across Canada. The platform will be a database of researchers, across all disciplines, that will produce more robust and effective identification of colleagues than traditional “word of mouth” approaches. Further, this platform will also highlight the diversity and talent in our research community. This is a made-in-Canada initiative for Canadian researchers and is not-for-profit, founded by researchers, for researchers and with researchers, who are keen to enhance our collaborative potential and catalyze excellence by leveraging diversity across all dimensions within the research community.
Instructions from the CSSN Team:
If you wish to join the growing community of researchers being showcased by CSSN, please follow the instructions below to register your CSSN account, create your profile and submit. The profile will eventually be publicly accessible so kindly review it with that lens in mind. Note that your profile will be visible to other registrants in this first wave of the launch. We are initially reaching out to trusted colleagues, such as CAN members, as early adopters. Note that we have had interest in the platform from the federal funding agencies and other organizations , and we believe the time is right for Canadian researchers to be showcased and celebrated.
Process:
- Register your account here (https://cssn-rcps.ca/registration/)
- Click Submit a Profile on the top right of the page
- Review your profile
- If you would like to edit your profile, click Edit on the top right of your profile
- Once you are done editing your profile, click Preview Changes to see how your profile looks
- We’ll review and publish your profile within 1-3 business days
If you have any question, please contact Dr. Imogen Coe imogen.coe@torontomu.ca or Adnan Syed @ m2syed@torontomu.ca.
SfN Outstanding Career and Research Achievements Awards
The nomination period is March 24 – May 8.
These awards honor the work of dedicated scientists who make outstanding contributions to the field of neuroscience – through research, mentorship, and more.
- Julius Axelrod Prize Awarded to scientists for standout achievements in neuropharmacology, or a related area, while mentoring younger scientists. Supported by the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation. More
- Peter Seeburg Integrative Neuroscience Prize The Peter Seeburg Integrative Neuroscience Prize awarded by the Schaller-Nikolich Foundation, FENS, and SfN honors original and groundbreaking achievements in neuroscience. More
- Ralph W. Gerard Prize in Neuroscience The highest honor that we bestow, this award recognizes the achievements of a scientist throughout the course of his or her lifetime. More
- Jacob P. Waletzky Award Recognizes young scientists whose research has significantly furthered the understanding of drug addiction. Supported by The Waletzky Prize Award Fund. More
- The Swartz Prize for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Granted to a scientist who greatly impacted the field through sustained contributions or recent breakthroughs. Supported by The Swartz Foundation. More
Women scientists are highly encouraged as nominees. Geographically diverse nominations are encouraged.
SfN Early Career Awards
The nomination period is March 24 – May 8.
For students, postdoctoral fellows, and scientists in the field for a decade or less who have contributed remarkable research or achievements.
- The SfN Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Young Investigator Award Recognizes the outstanding achievements and contributions by an early career neuroscientist who has demonstrated scholarly independence. More
- Donald B. Lindsley Prize in Behavioral Science Awarded to a young neuroscientist’s outstanding PhD thesis in the area of behavioral neuroscience. Supported by The Grass Foundation. More
- Jennifer N. Bourne Prize in Brain Ultrastructure The Jennifer N. Bourne Prize in Brain Ultrastructure, funded by Kristen M. Harris, recognizes an early-career neuroscientist for outstanding work that advances our understanding of brain structure and structure-function relationships at the nanometer scale. More
- Janett Rosenberg Trubatch Career Development Award Honors young neuroscientists who exhibited creativity in their research and successful academic transitions on the path to tenure. Supported by The Trubatch Family. More
- The Nemko Prize in Cellular or Molecular NeuroscienceRecognizes a young neuroscientist’s standout PhD thesis on the various mechanisms of higher brain function and cognition. Supported by The Nemko Family.More
- Peter and Patricia Gruber International Research Award Awarded to a young neuroscientist whose research and academics have excelled in an international setting. Supported by The Gruber Foundation .More
Neurojobs
View recent advertisements from our website
- Electroneurophysiology Technologist I / Neurophysiologist 2025/03/14
- Neurologist (General & Stroke Specialist) – Fraser Health: Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre 2025/03/13
- Funded PhD opportunity in the Invertebrate Neuroethology Laboratory – University of Manitoba 2025/03/06
- Scientist in Neuroimaging and Precision Child Youth Mental Health – Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute 2025/02/19
- PhD & MSc Positions in Molecular Neuroscience – Unlocking the Genetic and Metabolic Roots of Epilepsy – CERVO Brain Research Centre, Université Laval 2025/02/14
- PhD student positions: raphe nuclei neuromodulatory circuits in sleep regulation, memory and stress – Université de Montréal 2025/02/14
- Assistant or Associate Professor in Neuroendocrinology – University of Guelph 2025/02/14
- Tenure track position in comparative physiology – University of Ottawa 2025/02/13
- Postdoctoral positions: neural circuits underlying motor skill acquisition – Chen lab – University of Ottawa 2025/02/04
- Postdoctoral position in Neuroimmunology – Mccauley lab – University of Alberta 2025/02/03
- Principal Investigator in neurodevelopment/Assistant Professor – CHU Sainte-Justine Azrieli Research Centre, Université de Montréal 2025/01/27
- Graduate Student position at the Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan. 2025/01/24
View the neurojobs webpage here: https://can-acn.org/neuro-jobs/
CAN members can submit advertisements for free
Congratulations
Congratulations Patricia Conrod, new SD of CIHR-INMHA
Congratulations to Patricia Conrod, appointed Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction for a term of four years, starting July 1, 2025.
Dr. Conrod is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work on neurocognitive and personality risk factors for substance use and mental disorders. Her research has also significantly contributed to understanding the harmful effects of social media and cannabis use on adolescent brain development and mental health, which has helped inform drug and online safety policies in Canada and internationally.
Read the full announcement on the Canada.ca website
Congratulations to 2025 Brain Prize winners Michelle Monje and Frank Winkler
Pioneering research into brain cancer is awarded the world’s largest brain research prize, The Brain Prize
Gliomas are types of cancers that arise in the brain and are extraordinarily difficult to treat. They are the leading cause of brain tumour-related deaths in both children and adults. Two pioneering scientists are awarded The Brain Prize 2025 for their discoveries that open up an entirely new way of thinking about and understanding these lethal diseases, and the potential strategies to treat them.
Copenhagen, Denmark, March 5th, 2025. Neuroscientists, Professors Michelle Monje (USA) and Frank Winkler (Germany), have made transformative discoveries by showing that neural activity in the brain can promote cancer initiation, growth, spread and treatment resistance. Thus, the everyday activity that takes place in the brain promotes the development of cancers within it. Striking recent studies further show that the influence of the nervous system is not limited to tumours in the brain, but also tumours throughout the body.
Congratulations to the winners!
Learn more on the Brain Prize website: https://brainprize.org/
Renew your membership or become a member today!
If you have not already done so, we invite you to renew your annual membership or become a member of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience. Your membership helps support our activities which aim to promote neuroscience research and advocate for increased funding for research in Canada.
CAN continuously strives for the betterment of the Canadian Neuroscience community by:
- Advocating for increased funding for basic research in Canada (https://can-acn.org/advocacy/) and supporting grass-roots advocacy initiatives
- Promoting Canadian neuroscientists and neuroscience research, through awards, our website and social media
- Strengthening the Canadian neuroscience community by providing opportunities to connect and network
- Supporting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Neuroscience in Canada, through the efforts of the CAN-EDI committee, and by supporting grass-roots actions proposed by neuroscientists (https://can-acn.org/equity-diversity-and-inclusivity-in-neuroscience/)
- Developing partnerships to help us achieve our goals – Examples include a Memorandum of Understanding with the Society for Neuroscience, which provides significant funds for advocacy in Canada; with CIHR-INMHA to manage the Brain Star awards; with IBRO and BrightFocus to support participation of underrepresented groups in the CAN meeting through Travel award attribution.
Your membership helps support these initiatives and many more. To learn more about us and the benefits of being a CAN member, please visit: https://can-acn.org/become-a-member/
CAN membership is open to all scientists, principal investigators and students actively involved in neuroscience research from across Canada and around the world. CAN membership dues are paid annually and cover the calendar year from September 1st to August 31st.
We hope we can count on your participation and support this year!
Thank you for reading our newsletter to the end!
