2025 Maud Menten Prize recipients
Wei-Hsiang Huang
Dr. Wei-Hsiang Huang is an Associate Professor at the Centre of Research in Neuroscience (CRN) at McGill University, and a Scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. He completed his Ph.D. training at Baylor College of Medicine with Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator Dr. Huda Zoghbi, who discovered the genetic causes of Rett syndrome and Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. During his postdoctoral training at Stanford University, he worked with an HHMI Investigator, Dr. Liqun Luo, to study the molecular and neurobiological bases of the genetic disorder, Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS).
Dr. Huang's lab at McGill University integrates cutting-edge neuroscience and stem cell techniques to understand how the copy number variants (CNVs) impact brain development and dysfunction, using SMS as a test case. His research utilizes human stem cell and mouse models to understand how CNVs impact gene expression, neural development, circuit wiring, and neurocognitive functions. The focus of his lab is to apply the knowledge gained from basic research to develop novel therapeutic interventions, such as using CRISPR (gene editing tool) activation systems to normalize gene expression and reverse genetic brain disorders.
Dr. Huang is a recipient of the Maud Menten New Principal Investigator Prize in Genetics (Spring 2025) for the project titled: Molecular pathogenesis of Smith-Magenis syndrome and developing therapy using hiPSC-derived neuronal models.
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Julie Hussin
Dr. Julie Hussin earned her PhD in Bioinformatics at Université de Montréal, where she studied how evolutionary forces shape genetic variation in human populations. She then pursued postdoctoral training at the University of Oxford, expanding her expertise in statistical genetics. Her early research integrated computational biology and large-scale genomic data to explore human adaptation, population history, and genetic risk for disease.
Dr. Hussin leads a research program at Université de Montréal and the Montreal Heart Institute that looks at the intersection of genomics, cardiology, and artificial intelligence. Her and her team develops computational models that integrate genetic, clinical, and lifestyle data to improve disease risk prediction and advance precision medicine. Current projects include linking electrocardiogram signals to genetic variation for earlier detection of heart conditions and studying the evolution and function of Cytochrome P450 genes, which play a key role in drug metabolism. A central goal of her work is to design tools that work equally well across diverse populations, ensuring that genomic medicine benefits people from all backgrounds.
Dr. Hussin is a recipient of the Maud Menten New Principal Investigator Prize in Genetics (Spring 2025) for the project titled: Harnessing the Interplay between Genomics and Electrocardiograms for Equitable and Precise Cardiovascular Health.
Learn more:
- Julie Hussin | Institut de cardiologie de Montréal (in French only)
- Julie Hussin's Computational Biomedicine Lab – MHI-omics
Ahilya Sawh
Dr. Ahilya Sawh, Assistant Professor at University of Toronto and Canada Research Chair in 4D Genomics, is a recipient of the Maud Menten New Principal Investigator Prize in Genetics (Fall 2024) for the project titled: Defining the spatiotemporal links between genome organization and cell lineage decisions in C. elegans embryos.
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