Building a healthier future

The EPIC-AT Health Research Training Platform congratulates its second cohort of Fellows. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, EPIC-AT is powered by AGE-WELL and hosted at the University of Toronto. The platform is led by researchers from 11 universities and research institutes across 6 provinces and supported by 42 collaborating organizations across the country.

Keely Barnes

Twenty-three master’s and doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows and early career researchers from 16 institutions across Canada have been awarded one-year Fellowships. These Fellowships are valued at over $323,000 in salary funds and also include access to the exclusive EPIC-AT training and mentorship program. The program will prepare recipients to be the leaders in developing and implementing digital health solutions for older adults with complex health needs.

Dr. John Acharibasam

For Keely Barnes, receiving the EPIC-AT Fellowship is an opportunity to build her knowledge and expertise in digital health solutions for older adults living with neurological conditions. “I feel very honoured to be taking part in the fellowship program and am grateful that I have this opportunity to challenge myself and gain skills that will support my PhD pursuit and beyond,” Barnes reported. “Gaining access to training and mentoring associated with EPIC-AT will provide a valuable opportunity and support my growth as a researcher and innovator.”

Postdoctoral fellowship recipient Dr. John Acharibasam is no stranger to the EPIC-AT Platform – his postdoctoral supervisor, Dr. Cari McIlduff, was one of three early career researchers awarded Fellowships in the platform’s inaugural year. Like Barnes, Dr. Acharibasam is excited to participate in the new training and mentorship opportunities through the platform and sees it as a stepping stone to making real-world impact. “The EPIC-AT Fellowship means I can continue with the good work in enhancing access to culturally safe technologies for Indigenous older adults in remote communities.”

Patrick Odnokon

EPIC-AT is grateful to the 10 platform partners that provided matched and top up funding to this year’s cohort of Fellows. “SHRF’s partnership with AGE-WELL and the EPIC-AT Platform is an important investment in the next generation of health researchers in Saskatchewan” said Patrick Odnokon, SHRF CEO. “Congratulations to Vivian Tran (Thomas Hadjistavropoulos, University of Regina) and John Acharibasam (Cari McIlduff, University of Saskatchewan) on being selected for this opportunity. The fellowship will position you to be leaders in both AgeTech research and development, as well as provide you the opportunity to co-create and implement relevant age-at-home solutions for older adults in Saskatchewan.”

Fellows began their EPIC-AT journey in Toronto at the EPIC-AT Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with AgeTech Innovation Week. The meeting brought Fellows together with 30 researchers and stakeholders from industry, community, and government for a day of engaging interactive workshops and mentorship sessions. Activities focused on the theme “Building A Healthier Future” and emphasized the importance of stakeholders and inclusive research to making real-world impact.

Full list of 2023-2024 Fellows:

Recipient Institution
John Acharibasam University of Saskatchewan
Anna Andrianova Université Laval
Keely Barnes Bruyère Research Institute
Hui Chen Université de Sherbrooke
Jiamin Dai University of British Columbia
Reihaneh Derafshi University of Calgary
Erica Dove University of Toronto
Ezinne Ekediegwu McGill University
Madison Huggins University of British Columbia Okanagan
Viviane Josewski University of Northern British Columbia
Daimen Landori-Hoffmann Ontario Tech University
Pratik Mishra University of Toronto
Aisha Raji University of Toronto
Aastha Relan McMaster University
Poonam Sehgal University of Victoria
Amika Shah University of Toronto
Farah Tahsin University of Toronto
Thomas Tannou Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal
Nathalie Todam Nguepnang University of  Ottawa
Vivian Tran University of Regina
Ben Tripp Carleton University
Haixin Wang McMaster University
Aaron Yurkewich Ontario Tech University