41st Annual Research Congress of the CHU Sainte-Justine
A Landmark Event Showcasing Excellence in Mother-Child Health Research
This year marks the 41st edition of the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Congress—an enduring cornerstone of our Research Centre and a vital forum for scientific exchange. Dedicated to highlighting the contributions of the next generation of scientists in mother-child health, the congress fosters dynamic dialogue among researchers, students, postdoctoral fellows, and research professionals. It also promotes interdisciplinary dialogue across our six research axes:
Brain and Child Development
Immune Diseases and Cancer
Infectious Diseases and Acute Care
Fetomaternal and Neonatal Pathologies
Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health
Musculoskeletal Health, Rehabilitation and Medical Technologies
Each year, nearly 300 members of our scientific community gather to share discoveries, exchange expertise, and explore new frontiers in mother-child health. The congress serves as a prestigious platform for students and postdoctoral fellows to present their work with rigor, creativity, and passion. The active engagement of seasoned researchers and professionals enriches the dialogue, drives excellence, and inspires the next generation.
Join us in celebrating 41 years of dialogue, curiosity, and commitment to advancing knowledge in mother-child health. Be part of a vibrant community dedicated to shaping the future of research and care.
Calendar
Opening of registration: November 1st, 2026
Oral Submission: December 7, 2026
Poster Submission: January 11, 2027
Confirmation of applications selected for presentations: February 12, 2027 (at the latest)
Conference registration: February 24, 2027
Conference: March 24 and 25, 2027
Meet Our Plenary Speaker
Bianca Dumitrascu joined Columbia University in the Spring 2023 as an Assistant Professor of Statistics and Herbert and Florence Irving Assistant Professor of Cancer Data Research (in the Herbert and Florence Institute for Cancer Dynamics and in the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center). Before Columbia, Bianca was an Affiliated Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Technology (Computer Laboratory) at the University of Cambridge. Bianca was a Departmental Early Career Fellow in the Accelerate Programme for Scientific Discovery. Bianca works at the intersection of machine learning and genetics. Her main research interest is understanding how local molecular rules give raise to emergent spatial patterns in the context of biological dynamical systems. To this end, Bianca uses techniques from statistical optimization, statistical physics and domain adaptation to identify contextual phenotypes in spatial transcriptomic data and to understand the identity of single cells and their interactions in early developement. She is also interested in active learning and graphical neural networks as models to study message passing in multi-agent systems.
Previously, Bianca was a Member in the School of Mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study and she attended the semester long program in deep learning at the Statistical and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute, where she was graciously hosted by David Dunson in the Duke Statistical Science Department. She received my PhD in Computational Biology at Princeton University, under the mentorship of Barbara E. Engelhardt. Her PhD research focused on the effect of experimental design in single cell gene expression studies and on method development for structured, high-dimensional medical and genomic data. Bianca did her undergraduate studies in Mathematics at MIT.
Research Interest: Computational Biology, Statistics, Data Science, Computer Science and AI, Systems and Quantitative Biology
Highlights
The Annual Research Congress - Combining knowledge, celebrating excellence.
March 25, 2:45 pm
More details to come.
Come share your experiences, listen to others, and engage in collective reflection to explore concrete and inspiring solutions on various themes related to the realities of life in research. Registration required.
2027 Themes:
- To come.
Excellence Awards are an initiative to highlight the outstanding contributions of individuals working within our Research Center. Nomination deadline: Novembre 1, 2026
Award Categories:
Engagement: Remarkable involvement fostering an inclusive environment and advancing research or services.
Outreach: Excellence in scientific contribution, innovation, and dissemination, including public science communication and national or international collaborations.
Impact on the Next Generation: Exceptional commitment to mentoring and supporting students and trainees.
THANK YOU to everyone who contributes to the success of this event!
Organizing Committee: Amandine Vergnaud, Anaïs Defois, Anaïs Medouni, Catherine Goulet-Cloutier, Eva Correia, Lisa Bianchin, Louis Berillon, Manon Nayrac, Marianne Arteau, Mathidle Tardif, Pauline Labbe, Sara Marullo, Thomas Dupas.
Moderation of thematic discussions:
Session Chairs:
Evaluation of Oral Presentations:
Preselection of Oral Presentations:
Evaluation of Poster Presentations:
And to all presenters and participants!
Our Partners
Thank you to our partners, whose support makes this event possible.
Location
CHU Sainte-Justine
3175 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine
Montréal, QC
Canada, H3T 1C5
Dates
Registration period:
November 1, 2026 - 12:00 AM EDT - February 24, 2027 - 11:59 PM EST
Submission period:
November 1, 2026 - 12:00 AM EDT - January 11, 2027 - 11:59 PM EST
Contact us
If you have any questions, please contact congres.etudiant.crhsj.hsj@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
