Living Well Conference – Walkerton

Dr. Ravi Menon is Professor of Medical Biophysics and Medical Imaging at Western University, where he is also a member of the Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering graduate programs. He is founder and Scientific Director of Canada’s National ultra-high field MRI facility. He is also Co-Scientific Director of Western’s Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) Award. Dr. Menon’s research is in the development and application of MRI techniques to structural and functional imaging with a focus in neuroscience.  He is a Senior Fellow of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Canada’s highest academic honour in the arts and sciences.

Dr. Menon now sits on the Executive Committee for the TRIDENT Initiative. TRIDENT aims to improve the process of pre-clinical trials for new medications that could help those living with Parkinson’s and other neurological disorders. During his presentation, Dr. Menon will describe how the TRIDENT initiative will standardize the use of brain imaging and humanized cognitive behavioral testing in animal models, and implement sex-based assessments to dramatically improve the odds of successful clinical trials for neurotheraputics.

Deepha started her career as an in-house physiotherapist for the department of Neurosurgery and trauma care in a hospital. Over the last 20 years she has worked as a physiotherapist in different community settings, including retirement and long- term care homes. She has always been intrigued by brain organization, motor control, learning and neuroplasticity, leading her to specialize in the field of neurology. She has advanced level certification in both NDT and Bobath techniques. For the past decade, she has owned and operated two private practice clinics in Grey Bruce. She is active within the Community Stroke Collaborative and brain injury services. She also enjoys mentoring co-op students, physiotherapy students from Western University and nursing students. She is a mother of two teenagers and enjoys swimming, pickle ball and reading.
During her presentation, you will learn about 1) the neuroscience of movement, plasticity and types of learning; 2) Procedural learning and skill acquisition: how we can ensure our movements benefit us; and 3) the transient events that affect the nervous system and how movement can help to recover function.