Over 50 graduate research trainees receive vital funding toward their education.

In 2023, the Faculty of Medicine introduced a new harmonized studentship process to support research excellence across the faculty. The goal was to increase funding capacity and build on the existing opportunities to help research trainees at Dalhousie get the financial support they need to conduct world-leading medical research.

The new scholarship application program allows students to apply for multiple funding streams at once—creating efficiency in the process and saving valuable time for students to focus on their studies. The process is supported and approved by the Faculty of Medicine’s Research Advisory Committee and the Scholarship and Awards Committee, who reviewed 85 applications, funding 49 and presenting honorary awards to an additional eight graduate student research trainees—for a total value of $1.41 million. Program applications were evaluated with a heavy focus on the research excellence of the candidates, including academic strength, proposal quality, and overall research potential.

This funding is instrumental in providing much-needed support to Dalhousie’s best and brightest students in the earliest stages of their careers. When research trainees study at Dalhousie, they work here, grow their families here, and help grow the research ecosystem in the Maritimes.

How can you help?

When you support research trainees, you support the future of healthcare. Learn more and donate here.

A message of thanks

Here’s what some of the top-ranked recipients had to say about receiving studentship support:

“I am extremely grateful and honoured to have received this award and I would like to thank the Kilpatrick Trust and the Faculty of Medicine for awarding me this opportunity. As an international student and as a member to a new lab, this funding is helpful in making our start-up funding go further and gives us a bit more space and freedom as to the experiments we can perform.” Toni-Ann Dixon, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

"I’ve been able to make considerable progress on developing an improved ultrafast-doppler ultrasound imaging system thanks to the funding provided by the Faculty of Medicine. This funding allows me to focus more time and energy on my research. Development of this imaging system will provide information on the location of small blood vessels providing an alternate way to differentiate tumours from healthy tissue. This is especially important in brain surgery aimed at removing tumours where a surgeon’s goal is to maximize tumour resection." Nicholas Campbell, Biomedical Engineering

"The funding I’ve received has been tremendously consequential in allowing me to pursue this MSc degree. With my thesis project centred around the costly techniques of neuroimaging, my lab depends on this funding to finance both these types of projects and the accompanying students. Put simply, this funding is the reason I’m here today – something I am immeasurably thankful for." Isaiah Burton, Psychiatry

"I thank the DeWolfe Research Fund for their generous funding support of my studies, as well as the Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry for believing in my aspirations. This funding will support my project extending the PROSIT app to detect problematic anxious feelings and behaviours in youth in adults as they occur, in real-time. It will also support my long-term goal of becoming a clinical psychologist, so that I can dedicate my career to mental health research and practice.” Nicholas Murray, Psychiatry

“I am honored to be recognized as one of the top-ranked awardees in this field. The support and funding that I have received have been instrumental in propelling my research forward.

The generous funding that I have received from donors has granted me access to resources that I will use to explore new avenues that may have not been possible without their support. Their gracious donations help to amplify the positive outcomes of the cutting-edge research being conducted at Dalhousie.

Moreover, the encouragement and validation that come with donor support have motivated me to strive for excellence in my work. Knowing that my efforts and those of other researchers in the Faculty of Medicine are being recognized and endorsed by individuals who believe in our vision, serves to bolster our enthusiasm.” Ellie Langston, Pharmacology

“I am very thankful for my funding, as it allows me to fully devote my attention to my research looking at birthing parent and fetal characteristics related to labour inductions in Nova Scotia and which characteristics are the biggest drivers of inductions over time. Better understanding perinatal healthcare procedures is crucial to giving all Nova Scotian's the best start in life as well as improving health outcomes in childbearing individuals. I hope my research will both provide answers to a common question regarding increasing induction rates, with relatively little research available, as well as spur on further topics for future research on health outcomes in different groups receiving inductions.” Rachelle Entz, Community Health & Epidemiology

"As the recipient of two graduate studentships provided by both the Harry and Imogen Miller Cardiovascular Award Fund and the Macdonald Graduate Studentship, I am writing to express my sincere thanks. I am deeply grateful for your support of my research. I cannot express enough my gratitude for your generous support in helping me conduct my research. Funding one’s graduate degree is becoming more and more difficult each year—your investment in my future will not be forgotten. Thank you." Ahmed Ramadan, Cardiology

“I am truly honored to be selected as a recipient of the 2023 Faculty of Medicine Graduate Studentship. With this funding, I am able to delve deeper into my research, forging new avenues of understanding and potentially paving the way for novel interventions.

The Faculty's commitment to medical research and education at Dalhousie not only accelerates scientific progress but also demonstrates a profound belief in the potential of knowledge to transform lives. Once again, thank you to the Faculty of Medicine and the donors for this remarkable opportunity. I look forward to sharing the outcomes of my work, made possible by your generosity, and contributing to the legacy of excellence at Dalhousie's Faculty of Medicine.” Sarah DeGrace, Psychiatry

"This award will support me in my pursuit of a master’s degree in Community Health and Epidemiology to acquire foundational knowledge required to conduct medical research and to enrich the exploration for my niche in geriatric medicine research through the Clinician Investigator Program. Through my work, I hope to help establish the foundation for the transformation of our approach to dementia from reactive to proactive. I would like to express my most sincere gratitude towards the donors." Lucy Eum, Community Health & Epidemiology

"The funding I have received has been an incredible catalyst for my work in Microbiology and Immunology. It is not just financial support but also a support in spirit. With this funding, I am able to turn hypotheses into discoveries and ideas into solutions. Every experiment I conduct, every breakthrough I accomplish, is a testament to the invaluable role of donors in driving scientific advancement forward.

To our donors, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Your belief in the power of research echoes through every breakthrough and fuels our collective determination to make a meaningful difference in the world." Yizhu Mu, Microbiology and Immunology

“I feel incredibly grateful to Dalhousie University, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Medical Research Development Office for the funding I have received. This funding validates the importance of my project and encourages me to continue working hard so that my research can help those who are affected by ALS. ALS is a devastating disease and by funding projects like my own I hope that we can improve outcomes for patients. Graduate school can be a financial burden for students, and this funding helps to ease some difficulties that arise throughout my degree. As a result of this support, I can commit more time and energy to my work.” Jack Guthrie, Medical Neuroscience

“The generous donor support we’ve received for our research on pancreatic cancer has had an incredibly positive impact on our work. It has allowed us to expand our project and delve deeper into understanding the genetics and immunology of pancreatic cancer. Not only that, but the contributions from donors has facilitated both learning opportunities and collaborations that enhance the depth of our work. Overall, the funding we receive from donors is helping drive progress in our research." - Riley Arsenault, Pathology