Ciernia, Annie

Annie Ciernia, PhD

My overall research interest is in understanding epigenetic mechanisms of transcriptional regulation involved in brain plasticity and neurodevelopmental disorders. I have a broad background in neurobiology and behavioural neuroscience as well as epigenetics and neurodevelopmental disorders. My graduate work in Dr. Marcelo Wood’s laboratory at UC Irvine focused on examining the role of a neuron-specific nucleosome remodeling complex in regulating transcription subserving long-term memory formation. My postdoctoral work under Dr. Janine LaSalle at UC Davis focused on understanding how DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility impact gene expression in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). I have extensive experience in animal behavior, molecular neuroscience, bioinformatics and systems biology approaches for interpreting epigenomes. I was co-mentored in the Autism Training Program at the UC Davis MIND Institute by Dr. Jacqueline Crawley, an expert in animal models and behaviours related to neurodevelopment and ASD. I also have a long-standing collaboration with Dr. Paul Ashwood (UC Davis), an expert in ASD neuro-immunology and Dr. Carolina Tropini (UBC), an expert in the gut microbiome. My current research focus is on understanding how early-life perturbations to the epigenome alter microglia-neuron interactions in the developing brain and lead to life-long changes in cellular function and behaviour.

Keywords: neuroinflammation, gut-brain-axis, microglia, epigenetics, gene regulation, transcription

Email: annie.ciernia@ubc.ca

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ELCHA to Host Film Screenings Celebrating Creativity, Leadership, and Aging

The Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging is pleased to announce two upcoming documentary film screenings that explore aging through the lenses of creativity, advocacy, and cultural participation. These events are part of the Centre’s ongoing commitment to fostering inclusive conversations about later life and highlighting the diverse ways individuals continue to contribute to their communities over time. Both events are free and open to the public, and community members, students, researchers, and older adults are warmly encouraged to attend.

The first screening, Tough Old Broads, produced and directed by Stacey Tenenbaum will take place on February 21st at 1:00 pm at the AMS Student Nest. This inspiring new documentary features Kathrine Switzer, Siila Watt-Cloutier, and Sharon Farmer — trailblazing women whose achievements reshaped sport, environmental and human rights advocacy, and public life. The film celebrates determination, creativity, and lifelong purpose, inviting audiences to reflect on representation, opportunity, and the enduring impact of leadership in later life. The screening will be followed by a virtual talk-back panel moderated by age-studies scholar Dr. Julia Henderson, featuring director Stacey Tenenbaum; Siila Watt-Cloutier, Inuk climate and human-rights advocate; and Dr. Margaret Morganroth Gullette, an eminent cultural age-studies scholar. The panel will provide attendees with an opportunity to engage in discussion and ask questions. Register here.

The second event, a screening of Silver Screamers, will be held on March 29th at 12:30 pm at UBC Frederic Wood Theatre. This documentary offers a humorous, heartfelt, and spine-tingling glimpse at a group of older adults brought together to embark on the journey of creating a horror film. Through stories of friendship, expression, belonging, and learning new skills, and through flipping the script on the genre of horror, the film challenges stereotypes about aging and highlights the importance of social connection and cultural participation. The screening will also be followed by an in-person, interactive panel conversation including director Sean Cisterna and age studies scholar Dr. Julia Henderson and moderated by Dr. Kirsty Johnston — Professor and Head of UBC’s Department of Theatre and Film. Register here.

Together, these films explore themes of creativity, inclusion, social connection, and lifelong engagement — values that closely align with the Centre’s mission to support wellbeing, dignity, and opportunity across the aging journey. By showcasing older adults as innovators, artists, and advocates, the screenings aim to spark dialogue about ageism, representation, and the many ways people continue to shape society at every stage of life.

Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging Investigators Awarded CIHR Project Grants in Fall 2025 Competition

The Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging is pleased to announce that two of our investigators, Dr. Silvia Stringhini and Dr. Brent Page, have been awarded highly competitive Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grants in the Fall 2025 funding competition. These awards recognize outstanding research that advances our understanding of aging and supports the development of interventions to improve health and well-being across the lifespan.

Dr. Silvia Stringhini, Associate Professor, School of Population and Public Health and Investigator, Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging

Grant Title: Unequal Ageing Trajectories Across the Life Course: Environmental Pathways, Protective Factors, and Actionable Levers

Dr. Stringhini’s four-year project examines how social and economic conditions across the life course shape biological and functional aging, and why some individuals experience poorer health outcomes as they grow older. While prior research has often focused on lifestyle and behavioural risk factors such as smoking or diet, this study places particular emphasis on the cumulative impact of environmental conditions — including air pollution, housing quality, and access to green space — as well as the protective factors that enable some people to age more healthily despite lifelong social adversity.

Drawing on data from six large population cohorts across five countries and representing nearly 350,000 individuals, the project will investigate how early-life and adult socioeconomic conditions influence disease onset, functional decline, and biological markers of aging. It will also estimate which realistic policy and lifestyle interventions could most effectively reduce inequalities in aging outcomes. By comparing countries with different social policies and cultural contexts, the research will generate actionable evidence on how environments and systems can either accelerate or buffer the aging process.

This work is especially important for healthy aging because it moves beyond individual behavior to address structural and environmental drivers of health disparities, helping inform policies and community-level strategies that can support more equitable aging for current and future generations.

Dr. Brent Page, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Investigator, Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy aging

Grant Title: Novel Therapeutics for Neurodegeneration – Targeting NUDT5 in Alzheimer’s Disease

Dr. Page’s project focuses on developing new therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia and a growing public health challenge in Canada and worldwide. With more than 750,000 Canadians currently living with Alzheimer’s disease — and millions more diagnosed globally each year — there remains an urgent need for treatments that can slow or halt disease progression rather than only manage symptoms.

This research targets NUDT5, a recently identified protein that plays a central role in cellular stress signaling linked to neurodegeneration. Dr. Page and his collaborators have already identified promising inhibitor compounds that are non-toxic and capable of reaching effective concentrations in the brain in pre-clinical mouse models. The CIHR-funded project will focus on improving the stability and safety of these compounds to identify candidates suitable for future clinical trials.

By bringing together expertise in Alzheimer’s biology, dementia research, and drug discovery, this interdisciplinary effort aims to advance the development of next-generation therapeutics that could meaningfully improve both the quality and length of life for individuals living with neurodegenerative disease. As dementia prevalence increases with population aging, breakthroughs in this area are critical to supporting healthy cognitive aging and reducing the societal and personal burden of disease.

Together, these projects reflect our Investigator’s commitment to advancing research that addresses both the biological mechanisms of aging and the social and environmental contexts that shape health across the lifespan. We congratulate Drs. Stringhini and Page on this significant achievement and look forward to the impact their work will have on promoting healthier, more equitable aging.

McCarron, Elaina

Elaina McCarron

Elaina is a part-time PhD candidate at the School of Audiology and Speech Sciences under the supervision of Dr. Tami Howe and is a practicing speech-language pathologist. She has extensive clinical experience in acute, rehabilitation, and community settings, working with adults and older adults in Prince George, BC. Her work focuses on supporting quality of life and facilitating community reintegration. She works with a non-profit organization that provides virtual aphasia conversation groups for people with aphasia across BC. This program includes undergraduate volunteers whom she trains and supports to facilitate online conversations and promote meaningful communication, connection, and peer support in a safe and supportive virtual environment. Her research focuses on gaining an in-depth understanding of the lived experience of living alone with aphasia post-stroke in Northern BC, from an insider’s perspective. Her other interests include knowledge translation, novel service delivery models, and interdisciplinary education.

Wei, Kevin

Kevin Wei, PhD

Dr. Wei is an assistant professor in the Department of Zoology at The University of British Columbia. He received his PhD from Cornell University and postdoctoral training from the University of California Berkeley. Dr. Wei started his lab at UBC in 2023 and his research group uses genomics, population genetics, evolutionary, and developmental biology to decipher how selfish genetic elements like transposable elements and Mendelian cheaters drive the evolution of genome complexity (e.g. sex chromosome differentiation) and fundamental developmental processes (e.g. embryogenesis and meiotic recombination). Of particular interest is how such evolutionary processes lead to differences in aging between the sexes. Commonly seen across the tree of life, the sex with the heterogametic sex chromosome (e.g. the Y chromosome in humans) has shorter lifespan. On-going projects in the Wei lab seek to understand whether disproportionate amounts of selfish elements on the Y chromosome contributes to faster male aging.

Keywords: Genetics, genomics, Drosophila, evolution, sex chromosomes, transposable elements, meiotic recombination

email: wei.kevin@ubc.ca

Exploring GLP-1 Drugs as Therapies for Brain and Biological Aging

Aging is the strongest risk factor for many chronic diseases, including frailty and neurodegenerative conditions. Geroscience research shows that these conditions share common biological mechanisms—often called the “hallmarks of aging”—that may be modified to improve health across the lifespan. Rather than targeting individual diseases, an emerging strategy is to repurpose existing medications that may act on these underlying aging processes.

This study examines the gerotherapeutic potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists, a class of drugs widely prescribed for type 2 diabetes and obesity. GLP-1 agonists, such as semaglutide (Ozempic), also act in the brain and have shown promising neuroprotective effects in both human trials and animal models. However, their broader effects on biological aging, frailty, and brain health—particularly in individuals at elevated risk of neurodegeneration—remain poorly understood.

Using mouse models, this project investigates whether long-term treatment with a GLP-1 agonist can slow biological aging, preserve cognitive and physical function, and reduce markers of neurodegeneration. The study includes both healthy aging mice and a well-established model of Huntington’s disease, representing accelerated aging and neurodegenerative risk. Researchers will assess functional outcomes such as cognition and frailty, alongside blood-based biomarkers of aging—including epigenetic aging, inflammation, and neurofilament light chain—as well as detailed analyses of brain pathology.

By integrating functional, molecular, and neurological measures, this research aims to clarify how GLP-1 agonists influence aging across multiple systems. The findings will inform whether these widely used medications have the potential to extend health span and guide the design of future clinical trials targeting aging and neurodegenerative disease in humans.

Members Involved: Dr. Mahmoud Pouladi, Dr. Michael Kobor, Dr. Ramon Klein Geltink

How Social Robots Are Supporting Patients Across the Lifespan: Interview with ELCHA Investigator Dr. Julie Robillard

The Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging is pleased to welcome Dr. Julie Robillard as a new Investigator. Dr. Robillard recently appeared in a CTV News Vancouver interview highlighting how social robots are being used to support comfort, engagement, and emotional well-being in healthcare settings.

In the interview, Dr. Robillard discusses her team’s work using social robots with pediatric patients at BC Children’s Hospital. These robots—ranging from interactive plush companions to more expressive humanoid devices—help reduce stress, support procedural comfort, and offer children a safe, playful way to express and regulate emotions.

Supporting Well-Being Across the Life Course

While much of the segment focuses on pediatric care, Dr. Robillard notes (at 2:25 in the interview) that these technologies have tremendous potential for older adults as well.

For older adults, social robots may help [1][2]:

reduce loneliness and social isolation
support cognitive and emotional engagement
offer companionship in long-term care and home settings
assist with prompting daily routines
reduce anxiety during medical procedures

This aligns strongly with ELCHA’s mission to advance technologies that promote independence, connection, and well-being throughout aging.

Watch the Interview

📺 CTV News Video — “Social Robots Comforting Patients at BC Children’s Hospital.”
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/video/2025/11/20/social-robots-comforting-patients-at-bc-childrens-hospital/

About Dr. Robillard’s Research

Dr. Julie Robillard is an Associate Professor in UBC’s Department of Medicine and a national leader in the ethical development and evaluation of socially assistive technologies. Her work explores how emerging technologies—such as social robots, conversational agents, and AI tools—can be designed and deployed responsibly to support people. Read more about Dr. Robillard’s work on our feature news article: https://healthyaging.med.ubc.ca/news/welcome-dr-julie-robillard

[1] Hung, L., Liu, C., Woldum, E. et al. The benefits of and barriers to using a social robot PARO in care settings: a scoping review. BMC Geriatr 19, 232 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1244-6

[2]2 Martin SE, Zhang CC, Tam MT, et al “That’s me at my best”: perspectives of older adults on involvement in technology research Medical Humanities 2024;50:648-656.

Welcome, Dr. Natasha Lane!

Please join us in welcoming investigator Dr. Natasha Lane to the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging.

Natasha Lane, MSc MD PhD FRCPC, is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia, Geriatric Medicine and Internal Medicine Physician at Providence Health, and a Research Fellow at ICES. She completed her PhD in Health Services Research at the University of Toronto, as a part of the combined MD/PhD program, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at ICES. She completed her medical residency training in internal medicine at the University of British Columbia, and subspeciality training in geriatrics at the University of Toronto. She holds a Master’s in Health Studies and Gerontology at the University of Waterloo.

Dr. Lane’s research focuses on older adults with depression, delirium, and dementia, and uses clinical and health administrative data to seek to improve quality of life and explore best practices in care, in both community and hospital settings. Her current projects focus on access to specialist care in long-term care settings, minimization of the use of physical restraints for hospitalized older adults, treatment of insomnia in older adults, and management of the behavioural and psychiatric symptoms of dementia.

When asked about her passion for working with older adults, Dr. Lane spoke to the unique and valued roles that older adults play in our society: “they are knowledge keepers, family leaders, and guardians of tradition. Each person’s life experiences shape them differently, making every older adult’s journey distinct, even when facing common challenges of older age, such as insomnia, falls, or dementia. As a geriatrician and scientist, my goal is to honour older adults’ dignity and personhood by delivering effective, person-centred care—whether at home, in the hospital, or in long-term care.”

The Centre’s holistic approach to aging science sparked Dr. Lane’s interest in joining as an investigator. She looks forward to collaborating with the Centre’s experts in geroscience and translational research, adding that “science is best when it incorporates diverse perspectives from across clinical and research disciplines, and this collaborative spirit is clearly embedded in the Centre for Healthy Aging’s mission and structure.”

Dr. Lane has been recognized for her professional excellence with several awards, including the prestigious Vanier Scholarship, Waterloo Faculty of Health Alumni Achievement Award, and, recently, the Outstanding Graduate Scholar Award from the University of Toronto Department of Medicine. She is an Associate Editor at the Canadian Geriatrics Journal.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Lane to the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging and look forward to her involvement in the Centre!

To read more about Dr. Lane’s work related to healthy aging, view select publications below:

Elliott, Keenan

Keenan is a Research Scientist working with the Stringhini Laboratory at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health. Before joining UBC, he completed his BSc in Molecular Biology and MSc in Parasitology at Simon Fraser University. His MSc research employed bioinformatic methods to investigate the molecular basis of dengue virus infections, piquing his interest in using data to address complex health issues and leading him to pursue an MPH degree in Epidemiology. His work with the Stringhini lab examines the biological and health implications of different exposures across the lifespan to better understand which environments, systems, and behaviours support healthier ageing trajectories.

Overview of research:
Keenan’s current research utilizes longitudinal cohort data from multiple Nations to address the question of why some individuals maintain functional health later in life, while others age more rapidly.

Jalali, Saba

I am Saba Jalali, a PhD candidate in Human Nutrition at the University of British Columbia, supervised by Dr. Mahsa Jessri. My research focuses on diet quality, chronic disease prevention, and population health, with an emphasis on dietary patterns and adherence to the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide. In parallel, I am developing predictive dietary patterns using machine-learning techniques to inform personalized guidance and population-level risk assessment. I am passionate about translating nutrition research into actionable strategies for healthier aging.