Thanh Dang-Vu honoured by the Royal Society of Canada

A neurologist since 2013 and Associate Director for Clinical Research since 2015 at the Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Thanh Dang-Vu is a member of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) Class of 2021. He joins 50 other candidates in the RSC College of New Researchers and Creators in Art and Science in recognition of his contribution to the field of sleep neuroscience. The RSC’s mandate is to recognize the outstanding work of scholars and researchers in the arts, literature and science who advance knowledge and represent Canadian excellence.

Dr. Thanh Dang-Vu, is a Full Professor at Concordia University and heads the Sleep, Cognition and Neuroimaging Laboratory, which is located at both Concordia and CRIUGM. He and his team are interested in neuroimaging and sleep. The national recognition of the CRS underlines the excellence and the major impact of his research for the Canadian society but also the new horizons that it draws. Indeed, sleep has an impact on well-being and health as a whole since it affects mental and physical health, memory and the immune system. Professor Thanh Dang-Vu’s work focuses on the impact of sleep on cognition and brain function, as well as on the brain processes involved in the development of sleep disorders.

The neurologist is also working to identify the role of sleep disorders in cognitive decline and the development of neurodegenerative diseases. His team is also evaluating the effects of treatments to improve sleep, which can be done either in person or remotely through the development of online platforms. Thanh Dang-Vu’s passion for sleep neuroscience began with her training at the University of Liege in Belgium. An expertise in the field was developed there with the use of brain imaging and sparked an interest that continues today. He puts it this way: “In essence, the field of sleep neuroscience is at the crossroads of many health disciplines. It is a field of research that is conducive to collaboration and very stimulating scientifically. This field touches on consciousness, dreaming, brain activity, sleep functions… The discipline is relatively young and many questions are still waiting to be answered!” The neurologist says he is very honored by his appointment to the RSC College and by the visibility it brings to his research discipline and his work. The ceremony to welcome the new Fellows into the RSC will take place on November 19.

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