A male researcher doing research

CNMD Researchers

The CNMD provides a highly collaborative and interactive environment to enhance opportunities for basic researchers, clinician-scientists and trainees to conduct groundbreaking research. Our Centre strives to foster collaborations between basic and clinical researchers, stimulate bench-to-bedside translational research, and accelerate the advancement of promising therapies into clinical trials.

CNMD Leadership

The CNMD is co-directed by two Canada Research Chairs: Dr. Hanns Lochmüller and Dr. Mireille Khacho. They see the coming years as a galvanizing time for the field of neuromuscular disease research and believe the CNMD’s diverse community is poised to lead the way.

Dr. Mireille Khacho
Dr. Khacho  holds a Canada Research Chair in Mitochondrial Dynamics and Regenerative Medicine and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa. Her research is focused on understanding key mitochondrial signaling pathways that are crucial for stem cell maintenance during aging and degenerative diseases. She also serves as director of the Metabolomics Core Facility at the University of Ottawa.
Dr. Hanns Lochmüller
Dr. Lochmüller is an internationally renowned neurologist and clinician-scientist who specializes in genetic neuromuscular disorders and rare disease. He holds a Canada Research Chair in Neuromuscular Genomics and Health. His  research lab is based primarily at the CHEO Research Institute and is supported by a CIHR Foundation Grant on Precision Health for Neuromuscular Diseases and by a CIHR Network Grant (jointly funded by Muscular Dystrophy Canada) for NMD4C, the neuromuscular disease network for Canada.
Dr. Khacho and Dr. Lochmüller officially began their leadership tenure on November 25, 2024 at the CNMD’s 25th Anniversary celebration.

Past Leadership

  • Dr. Jodi Warman-Chardon and Dr. Robin Parks (2014-2024)
  • Dr. Lynn Megeney (2009-2014)
  • Dr. David Picketts and Dr. Stephen Gee (2004-2009)
  • Dr. Bernard Jasmin and Dr. Rashmi Kothary (founders, 1999-2004)

CNMD Researchers

6 Doctors and Researchers
12 Doctors and Researchers
7 Doctors and Reseachers

Basic Scientists

  • Dr. Steffany Bennett: Professor; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Alexandre Blais: Associate Professor; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Tuan Bui: Professor and Chair, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Yan Burelle: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Jocelyn Cote: Professor and Vice Dean of Research, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Michael De Lisio: Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Human Kinetics and Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa.
  • Dr. Junio Dort: Assistant Professor, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Derrick Gibbings: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine; Associate Vice-President, Research Support and Infrastructure, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Stephen Gee: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Patrick Giguère: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Mary-Ellen Harper: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa*
  • Dr. Bernard Jasmin: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Robert Korneluk: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and  Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa | Senior Scientist, CHEO RI
  • Dr. Rashmi Kothary: Professor,  Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Department of Medicine | Senior Scientist and Deputy Scientific Director, OHRI**
  • Dr. Gerd Melkus: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Division of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Ottawa | Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Physics, Carleton University | Clinician Investigator, OHRI
  • Dr. Keir Menzies: Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences and Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Johnny Ngsee: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine,  Department of Medicine and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa | Senior Scientist, OHRI
  • Dr. Robin Parks:  Associate Professor,  Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa | Senior Scientist, OHRI
  • Dr. Izabella Pena: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa | Scientist, CHEO RI
  • Dr. Theodore Perkins: Professor; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa | Senior Scientist, OHRI
  • Dr. David Picketts: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa | Senior Scientist, OHRI
  • Dr Aymeric Ravel-Chapuis: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Maxime Rousseaux, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa | Affiliate Investigator, OHRI*
  • Dr. Michael Rudnicki: Professor, Department of Medicine and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine | Senior Scientist and Director of Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research, OHRI*
  • Dr. Luc Sabourin: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa | Senior Scientist, OHRI
  • Dr. Vahab Soleimani: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Ilona Skerjanc: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa
  • Dr. Nadine Wiper-Bergeron: Professor and Vice-Dean of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa

Clinicians and Clinician Scientists

  • Dr. Hana Alazem: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa | Clinical Investigator, CHEO RI | Pediatric Rehabilitation Specialist, CHEO and TOH
  • Dr. Alberto Aleman: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of Ottawa | Neurologist, CHEO and TOH
  • Dr. Matti Allen: Clinician Investigator, Neuroscience Program, The Ottawa Hospital
  • Dr. Alison Anton: Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa | Physiatrist, The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre
  • Dr. Pierre Bourque: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Neurology Division, University of Ottawa | Clinician Investigator, TOH
  • Dr. Kym Boycott: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa | Senior Scientist and Chair of the Department of Genetics, CHEO RI | Clinical Geneticist, CHEO***
  • Dr. Ari Breiner: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Neurologist, The Ottawa Hospital**
  • Dr. Usha Buenger: Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa | Physiatrist, The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre
  • Dr. Mark Campbell: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Neurologist, TOH | Clinician Investigator, The Ottawa Hospital
  • Dr. Carole Dennie: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Department of Medicine in Cardiology | Head of Department of Medical Imaging, TOH
  • Dr. Sue Dojeiji: Physiatrist, The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, The Ottawa Hospital
  • Dr. David Dyment: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Clinician, Neurogenetics Program, CHEO | Clinician Investigator, CHEO Research Institute
  • Dr. Karen Earlam: Respirologist, The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre, The Ottawa Hospital
  • Dr. Leslie Hamilton: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, University of Ottawa | Pathologist, CHEO
  • Dr. Sherri Katz: Professor, Faculty of Medicine and School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Division Chief, Pediatric Respirology, CHEO | Senior Scientist, CHEO Research Institute
  • Dr. Alex Mackenzie: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa | Attending Pediatricia, CHEO | Senior Scientist, CHEO RI
  • Dr. Hugh McMillan: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa | Pediatric Neurologist, CHEO | Clinical Investigator, CHEO RI
  • Dr. Doug McKim: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Clinician Investigator, Inflammation & Chronic Disease, OHRI | Medical Director, CANVent Respiratory Rehabilitation Centre and The Ottawa Hospital Sleep Centre, TOH
  • Dr. Anna McCormick: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Ottawa | Medical Director of Pediatric Rehabilitation, CHEO | Rehabilitation Consultant, The Ottawa Rehabilitation Centre
  • Dr. Vivien Parker: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Associate, Division of Neurology, TOH
  • Dr. Elana Pena: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of Ottawa | Cardiothoracic Radiologist, Department of Medical Imaging, TOH
  • Dr. Elizabeth Pringle: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Neurologist, TOH
  • Dr. Kawan Rakhra: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of Ottawa | Head of Muscoskeletal Imaging, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, TOH
  • Dr. Marcos Sampaio: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of Ottawa | Lead of Muscoskeletal Ultrasound, Department of Radiology, TOH
  • Dr. Grant Stotts: Associate, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Neurology, University of Ottawa | Director, Ottawa Stroke Program | Neurologist, TOH
  • Dr. Guy Trudel: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery and Biochemistry | Senior Scientist, Inflammation and Chronic Disease, OHRI | Director, Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, TOH
  • Dr. Leanne Ward: Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa | ; Scientific Director of the Ottawa Pediatric Bone Health Research Group, the Medical Director of the Pediatric Bone Health and Rare Bone Disease Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), a Senior Scientist at the CHEO Research Institute, and a Pediatric Endocrinologist in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at CHEO ***
  • Dr. Jodi Warman Chardon: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Associate Scientist, Department of Medicine, OHRI | Clinician Scientist, Neurology, TOH
  • Dr. John Woulfe: Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, University of Ottawa | Associate Scientist, Neuroscience, OHRI | Neuropathologist, Department of Laboratory Medicine, TOH
  • Dr. Amanda Yaworski: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics | Pediatric Neurologist, CHEO | Investigator, CHEORI
  • Dr. Jocelyn Zwicker: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa | Neurologist, TOH

*Canada Research Chair
**University Health Research Chair
***Clinical Research Chair