Jul 29, 2021

First Annual MHSc in Medical Physiology Award Given to Two Students

Photo of Students Natalie Mercuri and Rebecca Goldberg

The Department of Physiology has created a new award for students enrolled in the MHSc in Medical Physiology program. This annual award will honour the accomplishments of one student in the program who has achieved excellence not only in PSL4010Y (Mentored Literature Review in Physiology) but also across their entire MHSc program (excluding the practicum). The award will support the costs of publishing their mentored literature review in an appropriate journal.   

For this inaugural year of both the program and the award, the competition was incredibly close and the MHSc Advisory Committee (who assesses the applications) decided to give the award to two deserving students, Rebecca Goldberg and Natalie Mercuri. Read on for details on their winning papers.

Photo of MHSc student Rebecca Goldberg

"I've been working on a systematic review evaluating the role of surgical tumour removal as a treatment for recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer, a rare ovarian cancer subtype that accounts for less than 5% of all cases. Due to its rarity, few evidence-based treatment options exist for women with this cancer type. The goal of my paper is to summarize the existing literature to provide patients and clinicians alike with an updated perspective on this surgery in this patient cohort. I’m thrilled to have been awarded the MHSc in Medical Physiology Award so that my paper can contribute to the body of work combatting this rare cancer type. A big thank you to Dr. Miliotis, Dr. Brubaker, the Department of Physiology, and my mentor Dr. Ted Brown, for all your help and guidance!"

“Dr. Brian Cox and I conducted a review of the reproductive science research landscape. Our research displays the knowledge gap in reproductive science in comparison to other disciplines and how this gap affects our ability to achieve comprehensive healthcare. Throughout this review, we dive into possible sources of this continued knowledge gap, such as sexual stigma, funding, and the type of research available (fundamental vs. practical). By providing insight into the discrepancies in reproductive science advancement, we hope all researchers, funding organizations, and the public will recognize the importance in correcting this issue. I am honoured to be a recipient of this year’s MHSc in Medical Physiology award among an amazing group of peers. This award supports our research and my goal to impact the field of reproductive physiology. I want to thank Dr. Cox, Dr. Miliotis, Dr. Brubaker, and the Department of Physiology for their continued support and guidance throughout the program.”

MHSc student Natalie Mercuri