Several rising stars from St. Boniface Hospital Research were recognized last week at the 2025 Manitoba Student Health Research Forum (MSHRF), held over three days at the University of Manitoba’s Bannatyne Campus. The annual event brings together top graduate students from across the province to showcase their health research through poster presentations, panel discussions, and an awards ceremony that recognizes excellence in health sciences training.
UM trainees working in labs at St. Boniface Hospital Research were well represented among the award recipients, highlighting the calibre of mentorship and research excellence at the centre.
Poster Presentation Awards
The forum began with a series of poster presentations on Monday, where students had the opportunity to share their research findings and engage with peers, faculty, and invited experts. Several SBRC students stood out:
- Pranav Mishra, under the supervision of Drs. Paul Fernyhough and Benedict Albensi received the Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) Poster Award.
- Hannah Zhang (Dr. Amir Ravandi), Leena Regi Saleth (Dr. Sanjiv Dhingra), and Sikta Chattopadhyaya (Dr. Michael Czubryt) were awarded Manitoba Medical Service Foundation (MMSF) Poster Awards.
- Ruzzell Flores, a trainee in the lab of Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin, and Master’s student Sumha Alie from Dr. Davinder Jassal‘s lab earned honourable mentions for their poster presentations.
Additionally, four students were awarded the Dr. Ed Kroeger Travel Award, which covers full expenses to attend the International Congress on Academic Medicine (ICAM) in Ottawa in 2026:
- Hannah Zhang
- Leena Regi Saleth
- Pranav Mishra
- Sikta Chattopadhyaya
Major Research Awards
Among the most prestigious recognitions of the forum were the major research awards:
- Keshav Narayan Alagarsamy (Dr. Dhingra) received the Manitoba Medical Service Foundation Award for Research Excellence at the PhD Level.
- Sikta Chattopadhyaya, already celebrated for her poster work, was also presented with the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation Award for Research in Cardiovascular Biology, honouring outstanding contributions in heart-related research.
HSGSA Student Awards
The Health Sciences Graduate Students’ Association (HSGSA) also honoured excellence in leadership and academic achievement:
- The Dr. Forough Khadem Award (PhD Level) was presented to Keshav Narayan Alagarsamy (Dr. Dhingra).
- Tim Rozovsky, a trainee under Dr. Jassal, received the Graduate Student Excellence Award at the MSc Level.
Faculty Recognition: Kenneth Hughes Young Investigator Award
Rounding out the celebration was a special recognition of Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin, who received the Kenneth Hughes Young Investigator Award for Medical Research. This award honours outstanding early-career investigators for their contributions to medical science.
A Tradition of Excellence
The MSHRF continues to serve as a vital platform for graduate students to share their work and gain recognition for their efforts. The outstanding performance of SBRC trainees this year reflects both the strength of their scientific contributions and the support of dedicated mentors across our institute.
We congratulate all participants and winners for their achievements and for representing the spirit of excellence and innovation at St. Boniface Hospital Research.
Related links:
UM Today – Celebrating Manitoba’s next generation of health scientists