Department of Nutritional Sciences Receives National Recognition at CNS 2026

The Department of Nutritional Sciences demonstrated exceptional presence and scholarly excellence at the Canadian Nutrition Society Conference, held from May 7–9, 2026, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This premier national meeting brought together leading researchers, clinicians, and trainees in nutrition science to share cutting-edge advances, and the department contributed prominently across speaker sessions, awards, and trainee research showcases.

A major highlight of the conference was the recognition of departmental leadership in nutrition science. Dr. Jessie Hulst, Associate Professor at the department and Sick Kids was awarded the prestigious Khursheed Jeejeebhoy Award, celebrating outstanding contributions to the translation of clinical nutrition research into practice. In addition, Dr. Laura Chiavaroli, Assistant Professor received the CIHR-INMD / CNS Early Career Researcher Partnership Prize, underscoring her impactful and innovative work in advancing nutrition research and knowledge translation. The department also celebrated the achievements of Dr. Joanne Arcand, a former PhD student and postdoctoral fellow in the department and now Associate Professor (Status Only) at the department and Ontario Tech University. She was awarded the CNS Young Investigator Award, recognizing her early-career excellence and leadership in nutrition research.

Faculty contributions were strongly featured across multiple high-profile scientific sessions. Dr. John Sievenpiper delivered a sponsored satellite session titled “Whole Grains: A Powerful Punch – Why We Can't Forget Them,” highlighting the evolving evidence supporting whole grain consumption in cardiometabolic health.

Dr. Vasanti Malik presented in a session focused on health equity and co-design in nutrition research, titled “Addressing health equity through co-design: Community-based research frameworks for implementing nutrition guidelines to practice.” Her talk emphasized the importance of iterative co-design throughout the research cycle, shared decision-making with communities, and the application of qualitative frameworks such as CFIR to systematically structure implementation feedback and improve translation into practice.

Dr. Richard Bazinet delivered a thought-provoking presentation, “Critical Thinking in Nutrition Science: Evaluating Evidence from Bench to Bedside,” emphasizing reproducibility in nutrition research, the importance of replicating influential findings, and strengthening scientific rigor. His broader seminar discussion on omega-3 metabolism further underscored the value of revisiting established conclusions using transparent and robust methodologies to advance scientific integrity in the field.

Additional scientific contributions included a compelling presentation by Dr. Mavra Ahmed titled “Bridging Nutrient Adequacy and Diet Quality: Evidence & Implications for Dietary Guidance,” which explored how nutrient adequacy and diet quality frameworks can be integrated to better inform dietary policy and public health recommendations.

Graduate students and trainees from the department also played a central role in the conference program through oral presentations, flash talks, and poster sessions, reflecting the department’s strong commitment to developing future leaders in nutrition science. Student flash presentations featured work by Gabrielle Viscardi (Chiavaroli Lab), Sarah Jarvis (Malik Lab), and Katrina Geronimo (Hanley Lab), showcasing the breadth of research across multiple laboratories.

Several trainees received notable recognition for their outstanding work. Amy Symington from the Bazinet lab was a finalist in the Graduate Student and Trainee Travel Awards and secured second place. Sarah Jeong from the L'Abbe lab earned second place in the Nutrigraphic category and third place in the Poster Award competition, highlighting the strength of trainee scholarship in public health nutrition and food policy research.

Collectively, these achievements reflect the Department of Nutritional Sciences’ strong national and international presence and its continued leadership in advancing nutrition science through rigorous research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and impactful knowledge translation. The department’s contributions at the Canadian Nutrition Society Conference reaffirm its commitment to improving public health and shaping the future of nutrition science in Canada and beyond.