Dr. Ruchira Nandasiri, a distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow with the Canadian Centre of Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) here at St. Boniface Hospital Research, has recently achieved two remarkable milestones in his academic and professional journey.
Acceptance into the McCall MacBain Postdoctoral Fellows Teaching and Leadership Program
Nandasiri was selected as one of only 20 postdoctoral fellows from across Canada to join the prestigious McCall MacBain Postdoctoral Fellows Teaching and Leadership Program that began this September. Designed to cultivate the next generation of educators, researchers, and leaders by enhancing teaching skills, leadership capabilities, and interdisciplinary collaboration, the program will provide him with valuable training and experiences to further his development as a leading scholar and innovator in his field, under the supervision of Dr. Miyoung Suh, Professor Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba.
Research Manitoba Research Connection Grant Award
In addition to his program acceptance, Nandasiri has been awarded the Research Manitoba Research Connection Grant. This $6,500 grant will support his travel to the OCN (Opaskwayak Cree Nation) for crucial research activities related to his project, “Empowering Communities: The Collaborative Journey to Health Equity.”
This funding will aid in advancing his innovative work on profiling bioactive compounds in smart farm vegetables and exploring their efficacy in combating type 2 diabetes. His research also aims to enhance nutritional offerings for First Nation communities through functional vegetable-fortified Indigenous foods.
His ongoing research and these new achievements reflect his commitment to advancing the field of agri-food health and medicine. His aspiration to pioneer precision agriculture-based nutrition highlights his dedication to addressing critical health issues and contributing to community well-being.
“We are delighted for Ruchira and know he will move onto greater and greater achievements as his career progresses,” said Dr. Miyoung Suh, Principal Investigator Nutrition and Neurological Diseases, CCARM, as well as a Principal Investigator with the Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Albrechtsen Research Centre.