2026 Awards

“I am deeply grateful to the ISSCD for this M-in-M grant and the opportunity to receive mentorship from Dr. Elena Verdú. This award will make it possible for me to visit McMaster University in Canada to learn new research methodologies and expand my technical skills.”

Mentor:

• Prof Elena Verdu, Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, McMaster University, Canada

“I’m honored to receive the ISSCD M-in-M grant and so grateful for this opportunity. Working with Dr. Amélie Therrien will provide invaluable mentorship, help me advance my research in celiac disease, and foster meaningful international collaborations. Thank you to the ISSCD for your generous support! ”

Mentor:

• Dr. Amelie Therrien, Director of Research at the Celiac Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, USA 

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the International Society for the Study of Celiac Disease (ISSCD) for awarding me the M-in-M grant. This support is instrumental in my research and provides an invaluable opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Iris Jonkers and her team. I look forward to contributing to the advancement of celiac disease research. ”

Mentors:

• Dr. Iris Jonkers, Department of Genetics, 
  University of Groningen, Netherlands

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity provided by Takeda, Chugai and the ISSCD M-in-M Programme to train with Drs. Daniel Agardh and Carin Andrén Aronsson at Lund University in Malmö, Sweden.

This experience will allow me to gain valuable expertise in the design and conduct of celiac disease prevention trials, complementing my current research focused on celiac disease screening and early detection.

I look forward to learning from one of the world’s leading prevention research groups and establishing collaborations that will accelerate future studies aimed at preventing celiac disease and improving outcomes for children at risk. ”

Mentors:

• Dr Daniel Agardh and Dr Carin Andrén Aronsson at Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

“As a PhD student from Brazil dedicated to translational research in celiac disease, this opportunity represents much more than scientific training – it is a chance to learn from internationally recognized experts, build lasting collaborations, and contribute to improving the lives of people living with celiac disease.

The programme will strengthen my research by fostering collaboration between the Celiac Disease Research Center (CeliRes), Tampere University,
and the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), promoting knowledge exchange between Finland and Brazil. I hope this partnership will generate
high-quality scientific evidence and open new opportunities for future international collaborations.
I am sincerely grateful to the ISSCD, Takeda Development Center Americas Inc. and Chugai Pharmaceutical for investing in early-career researchers and for creating an environment where mentorship, collaboration, and scientific excellence come together to advance the field of celiac disease
research.”

Mentor: 

• Professor Katri Lindfors, Tampere University, Finland

‘I am deeply honoured and grateful to ISSCD, Takeda and Chugai for selecting me to join the M in M cohort for 2026–2027. I look forward to being mentored by Dr. Anne Lee, a pioneering Dietitian and Researcher at Columbia University’s Celiac Center, USA. Her mentorship will be pivotal in helping me develop the research skills necessary to conduct rigorous, high-impact, and relevant doctoral research in Coeliac disease and beyond. With 22 years of clinical experience as a Dietitian, the persistent challenges posed by research gaps on optimal clinical care continues to reinforce my commitment to advancing evidence-based solutions.”

Mentor:

• Dr Anne Lee, EdD, RD, LDN, Assistant Professor of Nutritional Medicine, Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, New York

“I am grateful to ISSCD, Takeda and Chugai, for the opportunity to participate in the M-in-M programme under the mentorship of Professor Jason Tye-Din and Dr Melinda Hardy at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, Australia. In addition to developing my scientific skillset through training in gluten challenge trials and immunological assays for investigating the acute response to gluten, this mentorship opportunity will also help me expand my international network and strengthen inter-institutional collaborations, contributing to my professional development as an early career researcher in the celiac disease field. 

Mentors: 

• Professor Jason Tye-Din and Dr Melinda Hardy at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, Australia.

“I am sincerely grateful to the ISSCD for awarding me an M- in -M Grant. This opportunity will allow me to learn advanced laboratory techniques and gain invaluable scientific insights in celiac disease research within a world-leading research environment. It will also strengthen the international collaboration, fostering future research opportunities and active participation in the global celiac disease scientific community through international conferences and collaborative projects.”

Mentors:

• Dr. Maureen Leonard, Director of the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment at MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC) and Associate
  Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.
• Dr. Alessio Fasano, Director of the Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center and Professor at Harvard Medical School.

“Being selected for the ISSCD M-in-M Program is an incredible honour and a milestone in my professional journey. I am deeply grateful to the ISSCD, Takeda and Chugai for this opportunity.

My interest in celiac disease began when I realized that many patients were not receiving the care and attention they needed and deserved, often because of limited awareness and knowledge about the disease. Since then, I have dedicated my career to improving patient care through clinical practice, research, education, and by sharing knowledge with healthcare professionals.

This award gives me the unique opportunity to learn from and collaborate with outstanding leaders in the international celiac disease community. I feel especially privileged to be mentored by Dr. Maria Ines Pinto-Sanchez and Dr. Edgardo Smecuol, two individuals whose work I have admired for many years. I am confident that this experience will not only shape my own career but will also allow me to bring new knowledge, stronger collaborations, and better care to patients with celiac disease in Brazil and beyond.”

Mentors: 

• Dr. Maria Ines Pinto-Sanchez, Director of the Celiac Clinic at McMaster University, Canada.
• Dr. Edgardo Smecuol, Hospital B Udaondo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.