Carleton University’s Nafisa Jadavji, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Neuroscience, has been awarded a Postdoctoral Ontario Women’s Health Scholars Award for research in preventing strokes in women. The award is worth $40,000, plus a $5,000 research allowance.
“This is an extraordinary accomplishment that demonstrates the strong health research focus at Carleton,” said Prof. Patrice Smith. “Dr. Jadavji is an exceptional researcher and her research is innovative and groundbreaking. Her work will undoubtedly contribute significantly to promoting better health for Canadians and this award will be integral to her research success. I am absolutely delighted that Jadavji is a member of my lab.”
In Canadian women, stroke is the third leading cause of death and the risk for stroke increases with age. Jadavji’s research involves homocysteine which is associated with an increased risk for stroke. Her proposed research is multidisciplinary and will investigate the effects of age and elevated levels of homocysteine, a non-protein amino acid on stroke, as well as examine therapeutic options.
“I am grateful and humbled that my research has been recognize,” said Jadavji. “I hope my research findings will help with understand how folate deficiencies and elevated levels of homocysteine affect stroke in women. I am really excited about this research project and I am thankful for the support and encouragement from Dr. Patrice Smith, my supervisor.”
Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the Scholar Awards Program in women’s health was established to ensure Ontario attracts and retains pre-eminent women’s health scholars to ensure more effective health services and products for women.