Researchers

She is the Co-Founder and CEO of MIMOSA (Multispectral Mobile tiSsue Assessment device) Diagnostics. This technology can predict an ulcer before it is visible to the naked eye. She has spent over 24 years as a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon and a PhD scientist studying why do certain people heal their skin and others do not. Building the next generation of medical technology to assess skin viability has been her passion. Breaking down barriers in access to care, whether it is geographic or community-based, has been her mission.

Dr. Kaberi Dasgupta’s studies focus on the remission, prevention, and management of gestational diabetes, type 2 diabetes and related complications. In collaboration with her multidisciplinary team, including patient partners, she develops and tests strategies to enhance self-management support. This includes the creation of VPN, a virtual peer support group for youth with type 1 diabetes, formed after demonstration of high levels of stigma in this population, associated with both elevated A1C and severe hypoglycemia (JMIR, 2018).

Dr. Charles de Mestral’s goal is to pursue population-based health services research focusing on people living with diabetes who undergo lower limb amputation. He is interested in better characterizing the epidemiology, outcomes, health-resource use and costs of lower limb amputation in people living with diabetes as well as limb preservation therapies. The purpose of this work is to inform population-level interventions to reduce diabetes-related foot complications.

Dr. Jean-Pierre Després is a professor at the Department of Kinesiology at Université Laval in Québec City, Canada. Dr. Després’ research interests include obesity, adipose tissue distribution, visceral obesity, type 2 diabetes, lipids, lipoproteins, cardiovascular disease and their prevention through physical activity and healthy living. More than 30 years ago, he was the first to report that an excess of fat in the abdominal cavity (visceral obesity), was particularly harmful to health. He is personally involved in major education and mobilization activities to prevent chronic societal diseases.

Dr Sophie Desroches, PhD, RD, is Professor at Université Laval School of Nutrition, in Quebec City, Canada. She is also a research scientist at the Centre Nutrition, santé et société (NUTRISS) at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods of Laval University. Her research program aims to identify, develop and evaluate knowledge translation strategies that will optimize adherence to dietary advice for preventing and managing chronic diseases.

As a clinician-scientist she, educates and advocates for patients living with diabetes who represent immigrant populations often underrepresented in the medical literature, as well as other underserved communities that experience disproportionately high rates of the condition. Dr. Dogba’s work centres on the patient’s voice, focusing on how patients can be effectively engaged in their own healthcare experience.

Her research interests are centered around frailty and vulnerability in patients with peripheral arterial disease. She holds several grants and over 30 peer-reviewed publications and is directing research efforts for the Division of Vascular Surgery at the CHUM.

Arnaud Duhoux worked 6 years as a Registered Nurse, mainly with the homeless population. He is trained in epidemiology and public health and is an expert in quantitative analysis of administrative health data to measure performance in primary care. He is also the director of the strategic grouping on population mental health of the Quebec Population Health Research Network.

He is a clinician scientist who leads the technological development of the Health Data Research Network (hdrn.ca) and is the His research program is also developed in collaboration with French colleagues through his position as an associate researcher at INSERM. This led to the creation of the French-Canadian Ensemble network for rare diseases which he co-leads with Dr. Anita Burgun.

He is leading groundbreaking research on the underlying mechanisms of nerve damage in patients with diabetes and the link between Alzheimer’s disease and Type 2 diabetes. Through his studies, Dr. Fernyhough is identifying key signaling pathways that are impaired in animal models of neuropathy and Alzheimer’s disease, with the goal of developing new treatments for these debilitating conditions.