Our team

Emilio I. Alarcón, PhD

Research lead

Dr. Emilio I. Alarcón is a Full Professor at the University of Ottawa and Principal Investigator at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, who develops biomaterials for soft tissue repair. As a scientist with a disability, he advocates for accessibility and inclusivity in science. He chairs the Royal Society of Canada's Working Group on Anti-Ableism and Accessibility.

Dr. Alarcón led uOttawa's Brain and Heart Interconnectome initiative, recognized for promoting Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Social Justice. He received the Faculty of Medicine's award for Leadership in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigeneity, and Accessibility. He has mentored over 150 trainees and was honoured as a Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award recipient.

Emilio Alarcón on LinkedIn

BioEngineering and Therapeutic Solutions (BEaTS) lab website

Nadine Wiper-Bergeron, PhD

Research lead

Dr. Nadine Wiper-Bergeron is a Full Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa and the Vice-Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at the Faculty of Medicine. With a background in biomedical research, she has become increasingly engaged in disability scholarship and accessibility initiatives, with a particular interest in how people with disabilities experience research, education, and healthcare systems.

She is passionate about creating environments where disability is recognized not as a barrier to participation, but as an important source of knowledge, innovation and leadership. Her recent work focuses on understanding the experiences of persons with disabilities within the biomedical research ecosystem and on developing more inclusive approaches to training, mentorship and knowledge creation.

Nadine Wiper-Bergeron on LinkedIn