The second Café Scientifique from the Brain-Heart Interconnectome fostered a vibrant exchange of ideas, bringing together experts from the University of Ottawa, Institut du Savoir Montfort, and Bruyère Health Research Institute. The presentations centred on a range of critical topics: from empowering patients through decision aids, addressing the role of digital communication in social connection, to refining support for patients navigating both heart failure and mental health challenges.

Hosted in partnership with the Faculties of Medicine and Health Sciences, this two-day event featured 2025 Gairdner Momentum Award laureates Drs. Daniel De Carvalho (University of Toronto) and Jennifer Stinson (SickKids). The program opened with an informal networking reception on October 20, followed by a public lecture and Q&A on October 21, providing researchers and faculty a unique opportunity to engage with global leaders in health research.

A passion project led by the Ottawa restaurateur Stephen Beckta has expanded our conversation around patient nutrition and hospital food service. Launched in 2024, the Patient Food Transformation Project brought together a multidisciplinary team focused on improving the nutritional quality of meals served to the patients at The Ottawa Hospital by increasing fibre and protein content. During the Lunch and Learn Seminar in November 2025, Beckta and Sarah Becker (4th-year dietetics student) presented the framework and findings from a pilot trial of the proposed model conducted at the General Campus in April 2025. The project aims to reduce rates of patient malnutrition, support faster recovery times, and enhance the overall patient experience.

On World AIDS Day, community members, advocates, and health leaders gathered on Parliament Hill for a public event organized by the AIDS Committee of Ottawa. Among the speakers was Professor Patrick O'Byrne (School of Nursing), principal investigator of Getakit, who urged the community to confront and remove barriers that continue to affect HIV prevention, testing, and care. Another impactful event, co-hosted by the Honourable Sénateur René Cormier, the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), took place in early May. Together, the events underscored a shared commitment to promoting equity, improving access, and supporting community-driven solutions in the ongoing response to HIV.

The Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue is deepening the link between research and real‑world impact by supporting six new academic events focused on urgent social issues, from mental health, human rights to public governance and health crises. As part of this initiative, Professor Raywat Deonandan (Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences) contributed to a discussion on Vaccines, Trust and Misinformation, reflecting the Forum's commitment to bringing evidence-based insights into public conversations. Through these events, the Forum enables researchers to work with government officials, share data with decision‑makers, and bring academic expertise directly into public discussions.

In a pioneering collaboration, the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, the School of Human Kinetics, and the School of Nursing partnered for the first time to host a vibrant day of shared discovery and academic exchange. Through posters, presentations, and conversations, this full-day event showcased the diverse ways in which the students and professors are advancing knowledge across the health sciences. This year’s program also featured Professor Nancy Edwards (School of Nursing) as the keynote speaker. Her solo performance, Rethinking Good Intentions, transported the audience to rural villages in Sierra Leone, West Africa, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Through her heartfelt storytelling, she invited us to reflect on our shared humanity and the complexities of global health work.