Dr. Maryse Fortin, PhD, CAT(C)
 

Dr. Fortin's primary area of research and clinical expertise is in musculoskeletal spine imaging and rehabilitation. Her research focuses on  understanding the role of the paraspinal musculature in the development and recurrence of low back pain and neck pain, using structural and advanced MRI and ultrasound imaging applications, with the aim of quantifying changes in muscle function and temporal degenerative changes as possible factors in persistent pain and disability. A further interest of hers is to clarify the effects of different types of exercise  therapy on the size, asymmetry, and function of the paraspinal muscles in chronic low back pain.

Daniel Wolfe     PhD (c)

Dan  graduated  from Concordia University with a B. Sc. in Exercise Science in 2018 and is currently completing his Ph.D under the supervision of Dr. Maryse Fortin. He is the recipient of a 2020 Mitacs grant for research investigating the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on lumbar multifidus morphology and function in chronic low back pain patients. As a Certified Athletic Therapist, Dan is also particularly interested in the association between paravertebral muscle function and head injuries in athletes, and hopes his research can help identify muscle-related concussion risk factors.

Neda Naghdi     PhD (c) 

Neda graduated from  the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences with a Master's degree in Physiotherapy. She is currently completing her Ph.D under the supervision of Dr. Maryse Fortin. Her research deals with musculoskeletal spine imaging, health, and rehabilitation. She uses different imaging techniques including MRI,  ultrasound and shear-wave elastography to better understand the role the paraspinal musculature plays in the development of chronic low back and neck pain. Neda is also interested in deep learning algorithms, specifically in the development of a convolutional neural network for the automatic segmentation of cervical muscles.

Brent Rosenstein     PhD (c)

Brent is currently completing his Ph.D. in Health and Exercise Science under the supervision of Dr. Maryse Fortin, and is a Human Anatomy Lab Instructor. He obtained his Bachelor of Science (2014-2017) and Master of Science (2017-2019) in Exercise Science, where he studied the effects of three different exercise-training protocols on cognition in older adults suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His current projects study the effect of different therapeutic exercises on paraspinal muscle morphology and function in chronic low back pain. Overall, Brent is passionate about contributing to a healthier & happier society through research, teaching, community service, or participating in other positive initiatives. His research, combined with his unique experiences, have led him to establish a career goal of helping people live healthier lives, especially through exercise.

Chanelle Montpetit     PhD

Chanelle is currently completing her Ph.D. in Health and Exercise Science under the supervision of Dr. Maryse Fortin. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Health, Kinesiology and Applied Physiology with a specialization in Honours Athletic Therapy (2018-2022) and accelerated from her Master of Science (2022-2023) to pursue her Ph.D. As a Certified Athletic Therapist, she has a particular interest in evidence-based medicine, especially in the context of musculoskeletal health. Her projects investigate the impact of spine muscle sarcopenia on various spine pathologies, including chronic low back pain, degenerative cervical myelopathy, and cervical spine cancer. As a clinician-researcher, she aspires to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice, striving to make substantial contributions toward fostering a society that is both happier and healthier.

Leila Jamshidi     PhD

Leila Jamshidi graduated from the Islamic Azad University Tehran Medical Sciences with a Master's degree in Nursing. She has over a decade of clinical experience in various medical wards.  She is currently is Ph.D. student under the supervision of Dr. Maryse Fortin in Health and Exercise Science at Concordia University.  Currently, she is working on inflammatory biomarkers related to intra-muscular fatty infiltration.

Nicolas Vaillancourt     MSc (c)

Nicolas graduated from the Athletic Therapy program at Concordia University and became a Certified Athletic Therapist in July 2022 and a registered massage therapist in August 2022. He started his Master’s in the Fall of 2022, and his current research focuses on examining the effects of therapeutic aquatic exercise on chronic low back pain. He will also be examining the feasibility of incorporating mobile health applications to increase the adherence to healthcare interventions. Other outcomes of interest with his project will be to determine if aquatic therapy has beneficial effects on the psychological well-being of individuals with chronic low back pain.

Olivia Iorio     MSc

Olivia graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Honours Kinesiology and Clinical Exercise Physiology at Concordia University with a thesis titled “Relationship Between Paraspinal Muscle Cross-Sectional Area, Fatty Infiltration, and Muscle Strength in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain”. Olivia has always been interested in spinal research, back pain, and human anatomy, which led her to continue to study with Dr. Maryse Fortin. Olivia is currently completing her Masters of Science in Health and Exercise Science and will be continuing to look at the relationship between paraspinal muscle morphology and lumbar extensor muscle strength at each spinal level in subjects with and without chronic low back pain.

Owen Soontjens     MSc

Owen earned his Bachelor of Science in Health, Kinesiology, and Applied Physiology (2020-2023) at Concordia University and started his Master's program in the Fall of 2023. As a varsity Concordia athlete himself, he is passionate about providing evidence-based insights to enhance athletic performance. His research focuses on the dynamics of the Achilles tendon. He will use shear wave elastography to investigate the relationships between stiffness and various performance measures in athletes. Owen aspires to provide detailed information that can empower athletes and clinicians in optimizing athletic capabilities.

Cléo Bertrand     BSc

Cléo graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Minor in Behavioural Sciences in 2019. She is now in her final year of the Bachelor of Science Honours in Health, Kinesiology & Applied Physiology. She has always been been fascinated by the ways in which psychological and physical wellbeing influence one another, especially in the context of chronic pain. She completed a summer internship with Dr. Fortin examining the relationship between concussions and spinal health; currently she is looking at the effects of ultramarathon running on the lumbar spine.  She aims to learn more about the physiological mechanisms underlying lower back pain and explore how various interventions can improve overall health.

François-Philippe Caron     BSc

In his final year of his Bachelor of Science Honours in Athletic Therapy, François is also a certified massage therapist and previously a professional ballroom and contemporary dancer for years. He has long been fascinated by the intricate relationship between movement, the brain, and fascia, intrigued by their intertwining nature in producing complex global dysfunction. For his Honours project he will investigate the correlation between morphological changes in the thoracolumbar fascia, the presence of epimuscular fat around the erector spinae muscles of the lumbar spine, and chronic low back pain. His motivation stems from his desire to see rehabilitation move toward a more global and functional approach to achieved prolonged and improved movement capacities in patients.

Victor Kerin     BSc

 In his final year pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Honours Kinesiology & Clinical Exercise Physiology at Concordia University, Victor's passion for rehabilitation and addressing back pain led him to become a member of Dr. Fortin's lab. Since joining the INSPIRE Lab in September 2023, he has been researching the feasibility of integrating a mobile health application into clinical interventions and the satisfaction of users. Victor’s goal is to illuminate innovative technologies that not only benefit patients by enhancing treatment adherence, but also empower clinicians. Victor imagines his work contributing to a more collaborative and effective healthcare landscape, bridging the gap between technology and clinical care.

Cassandra Martin-Smith     BSc

Cassandra is a passionate alternative health professional with 13 years of experience as a Clinical Myotherapist. She has extensive experience in Aerial Arts Instruction and Gymnastic coaching who is an international student looking to expand her skills and knowledge base. Cassandra has a passion for helping people and is fascinated by the capabilities of the human body when trained correctly and well looked after.