Amar K. Sen Memorial Award

Ahmed defended his PhD under the supervision of Dr. Rachel Tyndale. Inspired by the goals of precision medicine, his research which focused on the field of Pharmacogenomics, aimed at identifying genetic variation that can be used to better understand differences in smoking behaviours and improve smoking cessation outcomes. His primary research projects included developing CYP2A6 activity genetic risk scores and evaluating the intersection of racial ancestry and rare genetic variation on the performance of these scores. His research accomplishments as a PhD trainee included contributing eight publications, four as a primary author, along with several oral and poster presentations at international conferences, including ASHG, PGRN, SRNT, and MDO.

Beyond research, he was passionate to teach as exemplified by his teaching assistant posts for undergraduate and graduate courses. Ahmed was also an active member of multiple student organizations; he was a proud member of the Pharmacology’s Graduate Student Association for several years, including a term as president. He has also been an executive member/team lead for the Life Sciences Career Development Society.

Since graduating, Ahmed has leveraged his scientific training to pursue a career in medical affairs within the pharmaceutical industry, where he has worked for Novartis and AbbVie within the lung cancer and psychiatry therapeutic areas.

Ahmed is grateful to receive the Amar K. Sen Memorial Award, and will forever be thankful for the mentorship, training, and opportunities that he received throughout his time at the department.

Chidera completed his Honours Bachelor of Science (Specialist in Psychology/Major in Neuroscience) at the University of Toronto
Scarborough. In the Fall of 2016, he began his MSc in Pharmacology under the supervision of Dr. Bernard Le FolI at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). His thesis focused on  neuroimaging and behavioural experimental tools to explore the role of neurotransmitter systems in addiction. Eventually, he continued his graduate training as a PhD student in 2017, where he explored the influence of dopamine D3 and cannabinoid CBl receptors in substance use disorders. His thesis research led to three first-author published  research articles and three first-author book chapters.

During his doctoral research, he became interested in pursuing careers in business and explored opportunities to broaden his exposure outside the world of academia. He completed courses through the Rotman School of Management and took on leadership roles with the Graduate Management Consulting Association and the University Consulting Group. Following the completion of his PhD, Chidera successfully transitioned to a role with Oliver Wyman, a global top 10 strategy firm, as a management consultant.

Justin has always been interested in understanding how drugs impact brain function, so he came to the University of Toronto to pursue a PhD in Pharmacology & Toxicology under the supervision of Dr. Bruna Brands in the Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at CAMH. Justin’s research training emphasized human laboratory studies of acute cannabis effects, and he developed a passion for the cannabis and cannabinoid field. His PhD thesis focused on individual factors (such as sex/gender and cannabis product potency) that influence subjective and objective measures of acute cannabis intoxication in the human laboratory. 

Justin is honoured to receive the Amar K. Sen Memorial Award as a recognition of his doctoral work in pharmacology. He is eternally grateful to the Department and the Graduate Education Committee.

Justin is now a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Translational Addiction Research Lab at CAMH, under the supervision of Dr. Bernard Le Foll. He is excited to be continuing and expanding his cannabis and cannabinoid research, as well as gaining new training in clinical trials design, neuroimaging, and other related methodologies. His research goal is to integrate a range of methodologies (especially human lab experiments and clinical trials) to better understand both the potential harms and therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids. The Amar K. Sen Memorial Award will forever be a reminder of his incredibly impactful training in pharmacology and the Department’s commitment to graduate education and mentorship.

Myuri’s interest in pursuing a PhD in the department of Pharmacology and Toxicology was sparked during her time working with the Neuropsychopharmacology Group at Sunnybrook Research Institute. She witnessed how debilitating severe Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was to its patients, and the burden it posed to its caregivers and healthcare system. Under the supervision of Dr. Krista Lanctot, Myuri was encouraged to pursue her interest in identifying safe and effective treatment options for AD patients, and investigating biomarkers of interest.

Myuri is honored to receive the Amar K. Sen Memorial Award. It is a reminder to her that interdisciplinary and collaborative research is a necessary factor in moving the field forward. She hopes to continue striving to forge new collaborative relationships to further developments in drug and biomarker AD research.

Myuri recently started a post-doctoral fellowship funded by CIHR at Sunnybrook under the mentorship of Dr. Sandra Black. She is excited to be investigating neuropathological markers of behavioural symptoms in AD using the new skills and techniques she will be exposed to.

2019: Taraneh Taghavi 
2018: Julie-Anne Tanner
2017: Yuliya Lytvyn
2016: Meghan Chenoweth
2015: Andy Zhu
2014: Noufissa Kabli
2013: Meaghan Creed
2012: Vaneeta Verma
2011: Simerpal Gill
2010: Jill Mwenifumbo & Ameer Taha
2009: Lick Pui Lai
2008: Anna M. Lee
2007: Dennis Lee & Mary Erclik
2006: Diana Stempak
2005: Kerri Schoedel