Awards and Achievements

PhD students Zeyu Yang (far left), Sarah Jarvis (third from right), Samer Hamaji (second from right) and Nadia Flexner (far right) were finalists in the Canadian Nutrition Society's Nutrition Graduate Student and Trainee Award Oral Competition for 2022. Zeyu received 3rd place.

MSc students Emily Ziraldo (far left), Yahan (Hailey) Yang (second from left) and Michelle Nguyen (third from left) were finalists in the Canadian Nutrition Society Poster Competition for 2022. Michelle and Hailey received 2nd and 3rd place, respectively.

Sarah Jarvis, a PhD student (pictured) and Dr. Vasanti Malik, Assistant Professor, received the 2022 Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism Award for Nutrition Translation from the Canadian Nutrition Society.

Matineh Rastegar-Panah, a PhD student, received the 2022 Clinical Nutrition Research Abstract Award from the Canadian Nutrition Society.

Samer Hamamji, a PhD student, received the 2022 George Beaton Award for Student Work in Public Health Nutrition from the Canadian Nutrition Society.

Zeyu Yang, a PhD student, received the 2022 Gordon F. Mutch Young Investigator Award in Diabetes Research from the Canadian Nutrition Society.









Faculty Awards
2022
World Hypertension League
Graham MacGregor Excellence Award in Dietary Salt Reduction at the Population Level
- Dr. Mary L'Abbe
American Society for Nutrition
E.V. McCollum Award
- Dr. David Jenkins
Gairdner Foundation
John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award
- Dr. Zulfiqar Bhutta
2021
Canadian Nutrition Society
2021 Fellow
- Valerie Tarasuk
Khursheed Jeejeebhoy Award for Best Application of Clinical Nutrition Research Findings to Clinical Practice
- John Sievenpiper
American Society for Nutrition
2021 Fellow
- Mary L'Abbé
Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
2021 Fellow
- David Jenkins
Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
2022 Inductee
- David Jenkins
Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Faculty of Medicine Graduate Teach Award for Mid Career Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Mentorship Award
- Richard Bazinet
Dean's Alumni Award: Insulin100 Emerging Leader Award
- John Sievenpiper
University of Toronto
Connaught New Research Award
- Jacqueline Beaudry
- Vasanti Malik
2020
Canada Research Chairs
Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention, Tier 2
- Vasanti Malik
Canadian Nutrition Society
Inaugural 2020 Fellow
- Harvey Anderson
- David Jenkins
- Mary L'Abbe
Earle W. McHenry Award for Distinguished Service in Nutrition
- Deborah O'Connor
American Oil Chemists' Society
Ralph Holman Lifetime Achievement Award
- Richard Bazinet
NutraIngredients
Personalized Nutrition Initiative Award
- Ahmed El-Sohemy
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Top Reviewer of 2019 Award
- Vasanti Malik
2019
Order of Canada
Member (CM)
- Mary L'Abbe
Canadian Nutrition Society
Young Investigator Award for Outstanding Research
- John Sievenpiper
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Rusted-Bayley Visiting Professor Award
- Mary L'Abbe
NutraIngredients
Personalized Nutrition Initiative
- Ahmed El-Sohemy
Dietitians of Canada
Honourary Patron
- David Jenkins
2018
American College of Nutrition
Stanley Wallach Award
- Ahmed El-Sohemy
Honorary Doctorate Recipients
Queens University
- Valerie Tarasuk
University of Ottawa
- Thomas Wolever
Temerty Faculty of Medicine/University of Toronto
Early Career Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Mentorship Award
- John Sievenpiper
Faculty of Medicine Graduate Teach Award for Mid-Career Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Mentorship Award
- Elena Comelli
Sustained Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Mentorship Award
- David Jenkins
Faculty of Medicine Teaching Excellence Award
- David Jenkins
Rundle-Lister Lectureship in Transformative Nutritional Medical Education
- David Jenkins
Chinese Association for Health Promotion and Education
Award for Spreading Knowledge in the Health Sciences to the Grand Chinese Public
- Richard Bazinet
American College of Nutrition
Stanley Wallach Award
- Ahmed El-Sohemy
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
College of Reviewers
- Anthony Hanley
Health Research Foundation
Medal of Honour
- David Jenkins
2017
Canadian Nutrition Society
Earle Willard McHenry Award for Distinguished Service in Nutrition
- Valerie Tarasuk
American Society for Nutrition
Robert H. Herman Memorial Award
- David Jenkins
2016
Canadian Nutrition Society
Khursheed Jeejeebhoy Award
- Harvey Anderson
Young Investigator Award for Outstanding Research
- Richard Bazinet
American College of Nutrition
Mark Bieber Award
- Ahmed El-Sohemy
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Rusted-Bayley Visiting Professor Award
- Deborah O'Connor
University of Alberta
President's Society
- Harvey Anderson
Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Graduate Teaching Award for Continuing Excellence in Graduate Teaching & Mentorship
Anthony Hanley
Graduate Student Awards
2022
Canadian Nutrition Society
Clinical Nutrition Research Abstract Award
- Matineh Rastegar Panah - PhD student, El-Sohemy lab
George Beaton Award for Student Work in Public Health Nutrition
- Samer Hamamji - PhD student, L'Abbe lab
The Gordon F. Mutch Young Investigator Award in Diabetes Research
- Zeyu Yang - PhD student, Anderson lab
Nutrition Graduate Student and Trainee Award / Christine Gagnon Memorial Travel Award
- Nadia Flexner - PhD student, L'Abbe lab (Finalist)
- Samer Hamamji - PhD student, L'Abbe lab (Finalist)
- Sarah Jarvis - PhD student, Malik lab (Finalist)
- Zeyu Yang - PhD student, Anderson lab (3rd place)
CNS Poster Award
- Michelle Nguyen - MSc student, Malik lab (2nd place)
- Yahan (Hailey) Yang - MSc student, L'Abbe lab (Finalist)
- Emily Ziraldo - MSc student, L'Abbe lab (3rd place)
Nutrigraphic Award Competition
- Curtis D'Hollander - PhD student, Maguire lab (3rd place)
- Samer Hamamji - PhD student, L'Abbe lab (Finalist)
- Alison Mildon - PhD graduate, Sellen/O'Connor labs (Finalist)
American Society for Nutrition
Graduate Student Research Award Competition
- Arooj Asrar - MSc student, Comelli and Bandsma labs (Winner)
Emerging Leaders in Nutrition Science Abstract Recognition Award Program
Nutritional Microbiology/Microbiome Topical Area
- Arooj Asrar - MSc student, Comelli and Bandsma labs (Finalist)
Dietary Bioactive Components Topical Area
- Diana Wu - MSc student, Comelli and Thompson labs (Finalist)
Canadian Research Data Centre Network (CRDCN)
National Policy Challenge
- Samer Hamamji - PhD student, L'Abbe lab (2nd place)
2021
Canada Graduate Scholarship
Doctoral Award (CIHR)
- Jennifer Lee - L'Abbe lab
Master's Award (CIHR)
- Amna Ahmed - Sievenpiper lab
- Michaela Kucab - Maguire lab
- Rebecca Simonian - Anderson lab
- Courtney South - Maguire lab
Ontario Graduate Scholarship
- Sabrina Ayoub-Charette - PhD student, Sievenpiper lab
- Nicole Bando - PhD student, O'Connor lab
- Kira Lai - MSc student, Hanley lab
- Dandan Li - PhD student, Vuksan lab
- Paraskevi Massara - PhD student, Comelli lab
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
- Katherine Pullella - PhD student, Kotsopoulos lab
- Sara Shama - PhD student, O'Connor lab
Canadian Nutrition Society
George Beaton Award for Student Work in Public Health Nutrition
- Maria Tinajero - MSc student, Malik lab
The Gordon F. Mutch Young Investigator Award in Diabetes Research
- Sarah Jarvis - MSc student, Malik lab
Nutrition Graduate Student and Trainee Award/Christine Gagnon Memorial Travel Award
- Rola Hammoud - PhD student, Anderson lab (2nd place)
- Laura Vergeer - PhD student, L'Abbe lab (3rd place)
- Maria Tinajero - MSc student, Malik lab (finalist)
CNS Poster Competition
- Christine Mulligan - PhD student, L'Abbe lab (2nd place)
American Society for Nutrition
Student Interest Group 3 Minute Thesis Competition Finalist
- Zhila Semnani-Azad - PhD student, Hanley lab
Emerging Leader in Nutritional Sciences Award
- Rola Hammoud - PhD student, Anderson lab
- Lorena Lopez Dominguez - Comelli and Bandsma labs (finalist)
Graduate Student Research Award Competition
- Rola Hammoud - PhD student, Anderson lab
Obesity Canada
Rising Star Award
- Laura Vergeer - PhD student, L'Abbe lab
WW Student Abstract Award
- Laura Vergeer - PhD student, L'Abbe lab
Infographic Competition Winner
- Arin Deveci - MSc student, Birken lab
International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids
New Investigator Award
- Mackenzie Smith - PhD student, Bazinet lab
American Association for Cancer Research
Women in Cancer Research Scholar Award
- Katherine Pullella - PhD student, Kotsopoulos lab
Margaret McNamara Education Grants
US-Canada Program FY21 Grantee
- Isabel Potani - PhD student, Bandsma lab
University of Toronto
Student Leadership Award
- Laura Vergeer
Kwok Sau Po Scholarship
- Hailey Yang - MSc student, L'Abbé lab
Temerty Faculty of Medicine (U of T)
Peterborough K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation Graduate Award
- Curtis D'Hollander - MSc student, Maguire lab
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
Dalton Whitebread Scholarship
- Nagam Anna Yehia - Msc student, Hanley and Bazinet labs
GSEF Merit Scholarship
- Hailey Yang - MSc student, L'Abbé lab
Dr. Bernaud Lau Memorial Scholarship
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
Al and Hannah Perly Graduate Student Scholarship
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
Dr. Jesse Kechin Graduate Student Award
- Meghan Kavanagh - PhD student, Sievenpiper lab
- Nagam Anna Yehia - MSc student, Hanley and Bazinet labs
TFOM GSEF Merit Scholarship for International Students
- Hailey Yang - MSc student, L'Abbé lab
Banting and Best Diabetes Centre (U of T)
Tamarack Graduate Studentship
- Nagam Anna Yehia - MSc student, Hanley and Bazinet labs
Novo-Nordisk Studentship
- Negar Mir - MSc student, Beaudry lab
Department of Nutritional Sciences (U of T)
Michael Archer Research Award
- Michelle Asbury - PhD student, O'Connor lab
Lilian Thompson Graduate Seminar Award
- Michael Pitino - PhD student, O'Connor lab
Class of '69 Nutritional Sciences Award
- Nagam Anna Yehia - MSc student, Hanley and Bazinet labs
Sharon Zeiler Nutrition Award
- Adrianna Greco - MSc student, O'Connor lab
Nora Martin Fellowship in Nutritional Sciences
- Sarah Jarvis - PhD student, Malik lab
2020
Canada Graduate Scholarship
Master's (CIHR)
- Matthew Kaspy - Hanley lab
- Maria-Elena Lautatzis - Roth lab
- Sarah Rae - Birken lab
- Maria Tinajero - Malik lab
Master's (NSERC)
- Colleen Farrell - O'Connor lab
Ontario Graduate Scholarship
- Sabrina Ayoub-Charette - PhD student, Sievenpiper lab
- Nicole Bando - PhD student, O'Connor lab
- Bianca Carducci - PhD student, Bhutta lab
- Curtis D'Hollander - MSc student, Maguire lab
- Andrea Glenn - PhD student, Sievenpiper lab
- Sarah Jarvis - MSc student, Malik lab
- Matineh Rastegar-Panah - PhD student, El-Sohemy lab
- Bijun Wen - PhD student, Bandsma lab
Canadian Nutrition Society
Poster Competition
- Beatriz Franco-Arellano - PhD student, L'Abbe lab (3rd place)
American Society for Nutrition
Emerging Leaders in Nutritional Sciences Award (Finalist)
- Guanlan Hu - PhD student, Bansma lab
- Paraskevi Massara - PhD student, Comelli lab
Graduate Student Research Award (Finalist)
- Paraskevi Massara - PhD student, Comelli lab
Society for Pediatric Research - Pediatric Academic Societies
PhD Student Award
- Shelley Vanderhout - PhD student, Maguire lab
Women's College Research Institute (Women's College Hospital)
Enid Walker Graduate Student Award in Women's Health Research
- Katherine Pullella - PhD student, Kotsopoulos lab
SickKids Centre for Global Health (The Hospital for Sick Children)
Child Impact Health Catalyst Grant
- Isabel Potani - PhD student, Bandsma lab
University of Toronto
Student Leadership Award
- Zhila Semnani-Azad - PhD student, Hanley lab
Banting and Best Diabetes Centre (U of T)
BBDC Tamarack Graduate Award in Diabetes Research
- Matthew Kaspy - MSc student, Hanley lab
- Jennifer Lee - PhD student, L'Abbé lab
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
Temerty Faculty of Medicine (U of T)
Peterborough K.M. Hunter Foundation Award
- Michelle Asbury - PhD student, O'Connor lab
- Andrea Glenn - PhD student, Sievenpiper lab
- Lorena Lopez-Dominguez - PhD student, Comelli lab
- Paraskevi Massara - PhD student, Comelli lab
Dr. Bernard Lau Memorial Scholarship
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
Al and Hannah Perly Graduate Student Scholarship
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
Department of Nutritional Sciences (U of T)
Michael Archer Research Award
- Andree-Anne Fafard St-Germain - PhD student, Tarasuk lab
Mary H. Beatty Fellowship
- Guanlan Hu - PhD student, Bandsma lab
Faculty of Food Sciences Class of '69 Nutritional Sciences Award
- Michaela Kucab - MSc student, Maguire lab
- Nagam Anna Yehia - MSc student, Hanley and Bazinet labs
Loblaw Food as Medicine Graduate Award
- Michelle Asbury - PhD student, O'Connor lab
- Jennifer Lee - PhD student, L'Abbé lab
- Paraskevi Massara - PhD student, Comelli lab
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
- Rebecca Simonian - MSc student, Anderson lab
- Mackenzie Smith - PhD student, Bazinet lab
Nora Martin Award
- Sarah Jarvis - MSc student, Malik lab
2019
Canada Graduate Scholarship
Doctoral Award (CIHR)
- Christine Mulligan - L'Abbe lab
- Laura Vergeer - L'Abbe lab
Master's Award (CIHR)
- Sabrina Ayoub-Charette - Sievenpiper lab
- Laura Elliott - Maguire lab
- Xuedi Li - Birken lab
- Zoe Lofft - Comelli lab
- Nema McGlynn - Sievenpiper lab
- Katherine Pullella - Kotsopoulos lab
- Jong Yup Sa - O'Connor lab
Ontario Graduate Scholarship
- Michelle Asbury - PhD student, O'Connor lab
- Jane Francis - PhD student, O'Connor and Sellen labs
- Rola Hammoud - PhD student, Anderson lab
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
- Stephanie Nishi - PhD student, Sievenpiper lab
- Matineh Panah - MSc student, El-Sohemy lab
- Michael Pitino - PhD student, O'Connor lab
- Mackenzie Smith - PhD student, Bazinet lab
- Shelley Vanderhout - PhD student, Maguire lab
Canadian Nutrition Society
Mohammed Moghadasian Award for Student Research in the Application of Nutrition in Cardiovascular Disease
- Beatriz Franco-Arellano - PhD student, L'Abbe lab
Nutrition Graduate Student and Trainee Award/Christine Gagnon Memorial Travel Award
- Joy Hutchinson - MSc student, Tarasuk lab
Poster Competition
- Beatriz Franco-Arellano - PhD student, L'Abbe lab
- Scott Lacombe - PhD student, Bazinet lab
Obesity Canada
Pecha Kucha Presentation Award
- Laura Vergeer - L'Abbe lab
Women's College Hospital
Enid Walker Graduate Student Award
- Katherine Pullella - PhD student, Kotsopoulos lab
University of Toronto
Hilda and William Courtney Clayton Paediatric Research Fund
Shelley Vanderhout - PhD student, Maguire lab
New College (U of T)
New College Senior Doctoral Fellowship
Zhila Semnani-Azad - PhD student, Hanley lab
Banting and Best Diabetes Centre (U of T)
6th BBDC-Joslin-UCPH Conference Abstract Award
- Zhila Semnani-Azad - PhD student, Hanley lab
BBDC Tamarack Graduate Award in Diabetes Research
- Andrea Glenn - PhD student, Sievenpiper lab
Temerty Faculty of Medicine (U of T)
Peterborough K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation Graduate Awards
- Michelle Asbury - PhD student, O'Connor lab
- Jane Francis - PhD student, O'Connor and Sellen labs
- Hiliary Monteith - PhD student, Hanley lab
- Stephanie Nishi - PhD student, Sievenpiper lab
Dalton Whitebread Scholarship Fund
- Stephanie Nishi - PhD student, Sievenpiper lab
Department of Nutritional Sciences (U of T)
Lilian Thompson Seminar Award
Allison Daniel - PhD student, Bandsma lab
Michael Archer Research Award
Nanci Guest - PhD student, El-Sohemy lab
Sharon Zeiler Nutrition Award
Izabela Soczynska - PhD student, Maguire lab
Loblaw Food as Medicine Graduate Award
- Sabrina Ayoub-Charette - MSc student, Sievenpiper
- Dandan Li - PhD student, Vuksan lab
- Mackenzie Smith - PhD student, Bazinet lab
Nora Martin Award
- Sarah Jarvis - MSc student, Malik lab
For a list of awards received by undergraduate students in the Nutritional Sciences major program, click here.