Concentration Director: Natalia Jaworska

The Clinical Psychiatry concentration in CTM centers on advancing  understanding and treatment of psychiatric illness, and improving mental well-being. The need for rigorous and impactful research in mental health/psychiatry is of paramount importance given the ever-increasing mental health concerns of the Canadian and global population. This program, and the clinicians and researchers involved, aims to address this concern.

This Clinical Psychiatry concentration encompasses work involving clinical trials, multimodal bio-typing (e.g., neuroimaging, genetic, cognitive, clinical), as well as basic aspects related to human cognition and emotional functioning (e.g., EEG/fMRI/PET-associated profiles during reward processing). Example research project topics could include assessing neural features associated with auditory hallucinations in psychosis; the effects of psychedelic or fast-acting antidepressants on treatment-resistant depression; impacts of aerobic exercise intervention on brain and mental health; and, the use of AI in predicting suicide risk.

Applicants with a background in neuroscience, psychology and/or biological sciences would be the most natural fit for the Clinical Psychiatry concentration. However, given the emphasis on translational research, candidates from diverse backgrounds (e.g., computational neuroscience) are encouraged to apply.

The Clinical Psychiatry stream comprises of researchers and clinicians affiliated with various Departments, including the Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience. Most of our personnel are affiliated with the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at The Royal.

The Clinical Psychiatry stream is constructed ‘around the student’ with a curated study plan, and largely ‘customized’ course-work, leading to many transferable skills in clinical care, NGOs, and industry focused on psychiatric illness. 

Concentration Director: Aymeric Ravel-Chapuis

This concentration will encompass both the neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems.

It will provide an overview of the most common neuromuscular disorders, with a specific focus on diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and congenital myasthenic syndromes. Additionally, it will address muscle-wasting conditions caused by cancer cachexia, disuse, and aging, as well as rhabdomyosarcoma. It will explore various therapeutic strategies for these neuromuscular disorders. Graduate students will benefit from the expertise of basic scientists and clinician-scientists from the Eric Poulin Centre for Neuromuscular Disease and Ottawa Neuromuscular Centre.

The musculoskeletal component of this concentration will focus on degenerative conditions affecting joints and tendons. It will cover fundamental principles of joint mechanics, and factors contributing to joint dysfunction and pain. It will also examine post-surgical infections following trauma or joint replacement procedures, with a focus on pathomechanisms and available antibiotic and surgical treatments. Graduate students will have the opportunity to learn from expert clinicians and clinician-scientists from the University of Ottawa Division of Orthopedic Surgery, a leading center in musculoskeletal care.

The MSK concentration welcomes applicants with a BSc or MSc in sciences and an interest in neuromuscular disorders, as well as residents from the orthopedic surgery department. 

Concentration Director: Coming Soon

Pharmaceutical sciences encompass an interdisciplinary field dedicated to the discovery, development, and translation of medications that improve the quality of life. The pharmaceutical sciences concentration integrates chemistry, biology, pharmacology, including recent technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, nanomedicines, and targeted drug delivery. Our researchers investigate diverse pharmaceuticals, such as small molecule drug design, biologics, nanoparticles, drug formulation strategies, and work in cooperation with the school of pharmacy.

Competitive applicants should have a background in life sciences, chemistry, engineering, or computational sciences. The concentration aims to provide students with an environment that enables proficient understanding of the pharmaceutical landscape, from conceptual design, through research and development, and finally to clinical translation. Students completing the Pharmaceutical Sciences concentrations will not only attain an MSc or PhD degree in a focused pharmaceutical research domain, but be well-versed to apply the skills gained in diverse sectors impacted by pharmaceutical sciences. 

Concentration Director: Thirusha Naidu

The Interdisciplinary Social Studies in Medicine concentration in CTM centers on understanding how psychological, social, cultural, political, and historical forces shape health, illness, and medical practice. This stream recognizes that effective clinical and translational medicine must engage not only with biological mechanisms but also with the behavioural, social and structural conditions that influence health outcomes. By bridging the social sciences and clinical medicine, this program aims to generate new forms of knowledge that improve health equity, patient care, and system-level transformation in Canada and globally.

This concentration encompasses research on behavioural and social determinants of health, health systems, professional identity formation, patient experience, and the psychological, ethical and political dimensions of medical knowledge production. Areas of inquiry include but are not restricted to the affective influences in healthcare learning and performance; the intersection of race, gender, class, and coloniality in medicine; and the role of narrative, arts, and humanities in clinical transformation.

Applicants with backgrounds in sociology, anthropology, psychology, global health, public health, or health professions education are particularly suited to this concentration. However, given the interdisciplinary and translational focus, candidates from diverse academic and professional backgrounds—including medicine, nursing, social work, and the humanities—are encouraged to apply.

The Interdisciplinary Social Studies in Medicine stream includes researchers and clinicians affiliated with the Departments of Innovation in Medical Education, Medicine, Family Medicine as well as researchers with expertise in Social Sciences, This concentration is designed ‘around the student,’ offering a curated and customizable course of study. Areas of inquiry may be studied using qualitative and quantitative approaches. Graduates will gain transferable skills applicable across the understanding of how human experiences and concerns intersect in medicine and health, equipping them to address the behavioral and social dimensions of medicine with intellectual depth and translational impact. 

Concentration Director: Rebecca Thornhill

Advances in medical imaging and associated technologies have transformed modern medicine. These advances have transcended diagnostic applications to lead to new therapies in the form of image guided interventions in surgery and radiation oncology, as well as novel applications of artificial intelligence and virtual reality.  

With these advances comes an increase in the numbers and complexity of deployed systems. There will be a need for individuals who can understand these technologies and contribute to research that optimizes their clinical application.  

This proposed concentration in Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences will bring together technical and clinical experts to enable multidisciplinary research. This concentration is looking for appropriately qualified individuals in clinical research involving medical imaging, radiation-based therapy, and other diagnostic and therapeutic applications of technology. Students would have undergraduate degrees in science (physics, engineering, computer science, chemistry, biology) OR a bachelor’s degree and appropriate clinical expertise as a licensed medical radiation technologist or board certification in an aligned medical discipline including but not limited to diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, or radiation oncology.