Post-doc Profile: Dr Lyna Kamintsky
Dr. Lyna Kamintsky
Dr. Lyna Kamintsky is developing exciting new technology to study and diagnose brain disorders. She recently completed her PhD in Medical Neuroscience at Dalhousie University, having joined the Brain Repair Centre during her research.
“The work we are doing is really exciting,” says Dr. Kamintsky. “We are discovering why patients with similar diseases can have very different neurological outcomes. For example, why certain patients with lupusexperience cognitive decline, while others do not or why certain patients with bipolar disorder respond to medications, while others continue to experience repetitive cycles of mania and depression. We are studying the mechanisms that underly these differences.”
To study these differences, Dr. Kamintsky is developing new brain imaging tools. “We are developing a technique for looking at the microvessels of the brain – the small blood vessels that supply nutrients to brain cells,” she says.
“We discovered that when these microvessels are leaky, patients are far more likely to have neurological symptoms and worse disease outcomes. Based on these findings, we are now developing new treatments that repair the brain’s microvessels.”
Dr. Kamintsky’s work was recognized with the Mitacs Award for outstanding innovation and the McNee award for outstanding achievements in neuroscience research. She credits the success of this work to the wonderful people around her. “I have been really lucky to collaborate with brilliant minds – Alon Friedman, Steven Beyea, Chris Bowen, Ronel Veksler, Cynthia Calkin, John Hanly, John Fisk and David Clarke have all been really influential and informative,” she says. “I still can’t believe that I get to brainstorm ideas with them. I feel very fortunate.”
An important part of the work for Dr. Kamintsky includes helping to remove the stigma of brain injury and illness. “I want to help reassure patients that what they are experiencing is real. I hope that demystifying the underpinnings of mental health and cognitive decline can help people better understand and accept themselves, and help others accept them too,” she says.
Dr. Kamintsky is very passionate about her work and sees herself in neuroscience in the future. “I love what I do, but I’ve learned not to plan too far ahead,” she says. When asked about the advice she would give people considering this type of research, Dr. Kamintsky says she “would encourage others to not be intimidated by the journey. This work is accessible. Step by step, your understanding of the field will grow until, before you know it, you see a fuller picture. It’s also important to remember that no one has the complete picture, and that we’re all discovering new things as we go.”
“I really appreciate the BRC and all the initiatives it has developed to support our work, such as poster day and community involvement,” says Dr. Kamintsky. “Vic Rafuse and Bill Baldridge have a true spirit of adventure – it’s exciting to be surrounded by open-minded, forward-thinking people in leadership.”