Megan Vierhout, a PhD student at St. Joe’s Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health (FIRH), is the recent recipient of three awards announced at the Faculty of Health Sciences’ (FHS) Graduate Plenary. Her awards include the McMaster FHS Graduate Programs Outstanding Leadership Award and the Outstanding Achievement Award, as well as the McMaster Health Sciences Graduate Student Association Impact Award.
Over the course of her studies, Megan has received numerous accolades, ranging from conference and travel awards to scholarships and leadership recognition. In the past year, she has received five communication awards for presenting her research at scientific conferences. Supporting her PhD research throughout the years, Megan has received funding scholarships including the CIHR Doctoral Award (2020-2023), Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2023-2024), and McMaster Immunology Research Centre Scholarship (2024).
“I am extremely fortunate to be surrounded by exceptional mentors and colleagues who lead by example and support me in pursuing exciting endeavours, both in and out of the lab,” said Megan.
Working under the supervision of Dr. Martin Kolb and Dr. Kjetil Ask, Megan studies idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) – an incurable, fatal lung disease that involves scarring of the lung tissue. Her research is focused on specific white blood cells, called monocytes and macrophages, and their role in the complex landscape of IPF.
“Megan has been a special graduate student since day one,” said Dr. Martin Kolb, Research Director of the FIRH. “She is a role model for others, through her inquisitive mind, her diligent work, her leadership skills, and her personality. No surprise these attributes were recognized by several different organizations who gave her these awards.”
Grateful for the encouragement from her mentors, Megan stressed the importance of advancing her scientific communication skills by participating in conferences and other research forums.
“For many years I’ve also been involved with the McMaster Demystifying Medicine Program, which is centred around knowledge translation on diverse medical and scientific topics with a worldwide reach,” she said. “I’m also grateful for the communication-specific mentorship I received, including that from the late Dr. John Bandler who I met through the McMaster 3 Minute Thesis Competition, which taught me the importance of effectively engaging your presentation audience.”
"Searching for a “Slice” of Fresh Air: Using Precision-Cut Lung Slices to Combat Lung Disease" (Megan Vierhout / McMaster Demystifying Medicine)
In addition to her scientific training, Megan was a founding co-president of the FIRH Society of Trainees (FIRHst) and served as the McMaster Medical Sciences Student Association co-president for four years.
“I have had the privilege of collaborating with some amazing co-presidents and student leaders, working towards the common goal of making a positive impact in our community,” said Megan.
“Working with Megan over the past six years has been an absolute pleasure. We’ve witnessed her remarkable growth as a scientist firsthand,” said Dr. Kjetil Ask, Research Director at Novartis and adjunct member of the FIRH. “Megan embodies the qualities we all aspire to – scientific curiosity, joyful enthusiasm, unwavering determination, and a selfless commitment to the team. Clearly, she is poised to become a compassionate scientist and a future leader.”
Upon her graduation, Megan will begin a four-year Discovery Postdoctoral Fellowship with Novartis Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There, she will join Disease Area eXploratory (DAx) and Discovery Sciences (DSc), focusing on applying innovative approaches to address unmet medical needs and ultimately improve the lives of patients living with incurable illnesses.
“I’m extremely excited for this next step in my career journey, and can’t wait to see what the future holds,” she said.
“I've always said that a PhD is a degree in leadership and Megan is an exemplar of an emerging leader,” said Dr. Dawn Bowdish, Executive Director of the FIRH. “She has an unusual talent for science communication. She's able to communicate the importance of her research to patients, experts in the field, and everyone in between. She is also a mentor, advocate, and trusted leader for her peers. Megan exemplifies the bold, kind, and community-focused leaders that The Research Institute is known for. I'm delighted to see her acknowledged for her research and service to the Firestone and St. Joe’s communities and I have no doubt I'm witnessing the launch of an impressive career.”
When asked if she had any advice for current and prospective grad students, Megan says that failure, especially in research, is normal. “Learning from these experiences is what makes a strong scientist.”
She added a second piece of advice – connect with your community. “Graduate school, and scientific discovery overall, are journeys best travelled together,” she says. “Science can be challenging and it’s okay to feel discouraged at times – remember you are not alone!”