The University of Ottawa is pleased to announce the awarding of three University Research Chairs, highlighting exceptional achievements in research. One of the chair was awarded to Nafissa Ismail, Associate Professor at the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Social Sciences.
University Research Chair in Stress and Mental Health
Dr. Ismail aims to understand why adolescents are more vulnerable to developing mental health conditions. Using male and female human and rodent models, she investigates how age and sex modulate the stress response and influence stress-induced changes in the pubertal/adolescent brain. Her research also investigates how the gut microbiota influences the physiological stress response and brain neurochemistry.
“Research in health, the environment and law are of strategic importance to the University of Ottawa,” said Sylvain Charbonneau, vice-president, research. “Awarding these chairs will allow these experienced researchers to continue to build on their momentum in these research areas.”
We would like to express our congratulations Dr. Ismail!