St. Joe’s is proud to announce that Sudeshna Dhar, a PhD student in Dr. Mark Larché’s lab, has won the Dr. Mary Keyes Leadership Award. Her award was presented at the 2024 Graduate Student Recognition Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
This award is named in memory of Dr. Mary Keyes, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs at McMaster University from 1992 to 2002. It recognizes graduate students who dedicate themselves to McMaster student societies, university committees, or governing bodies, all while demonstrating excellence in leadership, a generous spirit, and an initiative for bettering the McMaster community and graduate student experience.
(Pictured left: Sudeshna Dhar. Credit: Brandon Kaiser, McMaster University)
“It’s such an honour to receive this recognition,” said Sudeshna. “Dr. Keyes was a profound professor, an excellent community builder, and a devoted supporter of the McMaster community. This award represents so many of Dr. Keyes’ qualities and encourages people to give back to their community.”
Sudeshna is in her fourth year in McMaster University’s Medical Sciences PhD program. Through researching vaccine immunology and immunotherapy for allergies and autoimmune diseases in her studies, she aims to reduce inequalities in accessing vaccines. The title of her thesis is “Characterizing mechanisms of vaccine-induced antigen-specific T cell responses within inflammatory and regulatory processes.”
“I'm originally from Fiji and although we may commonly know it as a beautiful destination to go on holiday, there are many communities there that have inadequate access to vaccines,” Sudeshna said. “This issue is not just unique to Fiji; this is an inequity that we have in communities all over the world, including in Canada. I feel very grateful that I'm able to participate in this research because I've seen firsthand the impact that it could have on people.”
One research project she’s working on is discovering vaccine options that can be administered through an oral strip instead of through a needle that needs to be stored in a freezer. This can make vaccines more accessible for people living in communities with limited access to power and freezers.
Sudeshna is carrying on Dr. Keyes’ legacy through her dedication to building supportive communities, both at McMaster University and at St. Joe’s. Since 2020, she has served as the co-president of the McMaster Medical Sciences Student Association (MMSSA), the Director of Communications of the McMaster Medical Sciences Mentorship Group, and the International Council Liaison of the McMaster International Graduate Students Association.
“Sudeshna epitomizes true leadership through her exemplary commitment to student success,” said Dr. Judith West-Mays, a professor of Health Sciences at McMaster University. “During her time in the MMSSA, Sudeshna demonstrated her commitment to excellence by redesigning multiple platforms to improve engagement within the student community. The impact was substantial, with engagement across MMSSA's social media platforms witnessing a remarkable 350 percent increase, and event attendance doubling.”
Sudeshna first joined St. Joe’s in 2017 as a Research Technician at the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health (FIRH). Since then, she has made a lasting impact by co-founding the FIRH Society of Trainees (FIRHst). The FIRHst is a society that works to foster a collaborative community within the FIRH as well as promote the Institute as a global leader in respiratory research. It includes trainees of all levels and areas, including undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other clinical learners associated with the FIRH.
“I wanted to create a community where it’s easier for researchers who are working on the bench to be able to connect and collaborate with people who are working in clinics,” said Sudeshna about co-founding this society. “There are a lot of Firestone trainees who might not see each other often because they’re working at different research sites. The FIRHst encourages collaboration and mentorship, especially between clinicians and researchers. Science is a team sport, and having a multidisciplinary approach in our research can lead to a much larger impact.”
The FIRHst doesn’t just benefit the scientific activities happening at the FIRH, but it has functioned as a support system for students, especially those who are new to the Institute.
“Sudeshna aspires to be a rising tide that lifts all boats,” said Dr. Dawn Bowdish, Executive Director of the FIRH. “As someone who is keenly attuned to the needs of incoming students, she and the FIRHst executives developed a ‘welcome package’ for new students, for which I have received lots of positive feedback. There is nothing more disorienting than arriving at a new institution, and in our case a hospital, and not knowing who to contact for help or what resources are available. Through these welcome packages, Sudeshna is helping new students feel supported from day one.”
Sudeshna Dhar and Dr. Dawn Bowdish at the 2024 Graduate Student Recognition Awards Ceremony.
The Dr. Mary Keyes Leadership Award is not the first recognition Sudeshna has received for her hard work and dedication. In April 2024, Sudeshna was part of the first cohort who earned a PhD Fellowship from the collaborative program between McMaster University’s Global Nexus and Pfizer. The program awarded these fellowships to researchers with the goal of advancing equitable and accessible vaccine research. She also won the Teaching Assistant Excellence Award from the McMaster Faculty of Health Sciences at their Graduate Plenary Awards ceremony held in May 2024, the Faculty of Health Sciences Leadership Award in 2023, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship from 2021-2024, and has received many other awards throughout her academic career.
St. Joe’s is proud to continue supporting Sudeshna in both her graduate studies and her dedication to community-building.