The Canada Research Chairs program is part of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world’s top countries in research and development. Chairholders aim to achieve research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities, and social sciences. Tier 2 Chairs are tenable for five years and renewable once, are for exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field.
Below is a sample of reviewers’ comments of her application:
Dr Boyd, a neuroscientist with a clinical background in physiotherapy, first became known for her work on behavioral strategies to promote motor learning after stroke and the effects of motor skill acquisition on brain plasticity. Her work while holding a CRC has been extended to examining how to drive positive neuroplastic change in the brain beyond that seen with behavioral practice alone. She uses techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation to track the changes in brain activity and decipher the relationships between brain damage and recovery.
Since arriving at UBC in December 2006, Dr Boyd has a remarkable record of accomplishments that amply meet the expectations of Tier 2 Canada Research Chair holder. She has published a number of important research papers detailing neuroplastic changes that are augmented by experiential factors (i.e. Rehabilitation) or by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This research has caught the interest of both basic and clinical scientists both nationally and internationally. The interdisciplinary nature of her research involving techniques of TMS, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and detailed behavioural analysis put her at the forefront of her research area. Her research program is highly innovative because it attempt so link principles and mechanisms of motor learning with stroke recovery. She has done pivotal work related to the dose of rehabilitation necessary for stroke recover. All of these findings have major implications for conceptualizing and designing more effective rehabilitation regimes.
Not surprisingly, Dr. Boyd has attracted a number of highly qualified students to her lab who have flourished in the stimulating research environment. She obviously invests a great deal of time in each student as reflected by her open door policy of talking to student whenever they encounter difficulties. Her trainees are productive, progress through their programs in a timely fashion and several have received national awards and/or academic positions.