VIU Welcomes Award-winning Researcher and Neuroscientist

Dr. Sandy Shultz has received a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar Award to continue his research at VIU.

Improving treatment for people with traumatic brain injuries is the focus of an award-winning researcher joining Vancouver Island University (VIU) this year.

Dr. Sandy Shultz, an Adjunct Professor in the Health and Human Services faculty, is VIU’s first recipient of the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) Scholar Award.

“This award demonstrates VIU’s capability and commitment to lead research efforts that will result in meaningful outcomes to both local and global communities,” says Shultz. “It would not have been possible without the tremendous support from the VIU research office team, as well as our partners at the Nanaimo Brain Injury Society, Island Health and BC Support.”

The award provides funding for 75 per cent protected research time for Shultz, and is $90,000 per year for five years.

Originally from Saskatchewan, Shultz obtained his undergrad at the University of Saskatchewan, before completing his Master’s degree and PhD at the University of Western Ontario. He then moved to the University of Melbourne for post-doctoral training, where he obtained several grants from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. Then, in 2018, he started his own lab at Monash University focusing on improving treatment for traumatic brain injury – work he will continue at VIU.

“My lab at VIU will do similar research as I did in Australia, but will also have a particular focus on brain injury that occurs as a result of intimate partner violence,” he says. “Unfortunately, this is a very common problem around the world and has only grown worse during COVID-19 due to lockdowns. Even though survivors of intimate partner violence often report symptoms of a brain injury, it is rarely screened or detected.”

Shultz’s research at VIU will aim to identify “new and reliable methods” to detect brain injury in these situations, as well as develop interventions that will improve recovery.

His connection to VIU harkens back to his time at the University of Saskatchewan, where he had the opportunity to do research in Dr. Deborah Saucier’s lab, who is now VIU President and Vice-Chancellor.

“We’ve kept in contact over the years and through this connection, I began having conversations with VIU’s VP of Research, as well as the Deans of Health and Human Services and Social Sciences,” says Shultz, adding that VIU seemed like a good fit, prompting his decision to apply for the MSFHR award.

Currently, Shultz is splitting his time between Australia and BC. He plans to start setting up his lab at VIU and applying for grants over the next six months and will formally begin his research at VIU in July.

“Everyone at VIU has been incredibly engaged and supportive, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work within VIU’s growing research community,” he says.