Elderly, Neurostimulation and Pain Research Group
Chronic pain is a major health problem in Canada, affecting almost one in five individuals. This situation does not improve much with age, with more than one in two elderly individuals reporting persistent pain.
Description of the laboratory
Elderly, Neurostimulation and Pain Research Group
To better understand and relieve pain
Description of the principal investigator
Pr Guillaume Léonard’s team is interested in pain problem in elderly individuals. Their work aims to identify the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in pain chronicization and to improve assessment and treatment of pain in aging populations.
Pr Guillaume Léonard
Associate Professor at the Université de Sherbrooke
Researcher at the Research Centre on Aging
Researcher at the Research Centre on Aging
Francis Houde
PhD Student
Francis obtained his pharmacology degree from the University of Sherbrooke in 2014. During his master in Pr. Guillaume Léonard lab, he studied the impact of transcranial magnetic stimulation (virtual lesion paradigm) on pain perception and the development of chronic pain. He developed a growing interest on how the brain processes pain and about the neurophysiological changes that may lead to chronic pain. Aiming to better understand the impact of neurostimulation on the brain in pain, he added functional magnetic resonance imaging to his experimental paradigm during his PhD at the University of Sherbrooke in neuroimaging with Prs. Guillaume Léonard and Kevin Whittingstall.
Marylie Martel
PhD Student
Marylie graduated from the Université de Sherbrooke with a degree in Pharmacology in 2013. Throughout her academic formation, she completed several research internships which increased her interest towards the phenomenon of pain. She has undertaken postgraduate studies in the laboratory of Professor Guillaume Léonard and is currently pursuing her Ph.D, in co-direction with Pre Nathaly Gaudreault, in the Health Sciences research program. Her research interests focus on the interaction between pain and the motor system, as well as understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in pain and the chronicization of pain. In order to meet these research objectives, she uses innovative neurostimulation and neuroimaging techniques.
Matthieu Vincenot
PhD Student
After a degree in psychology at the University of Lyon (FRANCE), Matthieu obtained a Master Research in Neuropsychology and Clinical Neurosciences during which was interested in the modulation of memory during a painful stimulation. Afterwards, it was in clinic that he develops his first professional experience on elderly fragility and neurodegenerative disorders. Having joined the laboratory in early 2019, under the direction of Pr Guillaume Léonard, his research focuses on psychophysiological markers of endogenous pain mechanisms and their implications in personalized chronic pain medicine.
Marie-Philippe Harvey
PhD Student
Marie-Philippe obtained a bachelor’s degree in pharmacology and a master’s degree in clinical sciences at the Université de Sherbrooke. She is now pursuing her doctoral studies in health sciences research in Professor Léonard’s laboratory. The neurophysiology of pain is at the centre of her research interests both to understand it and to find alternatives to its relief. She is particularly interested in the use of a neurostimulation technique and of physical exercises in the aim to relieve chronic pain. Finally, in order to better understand the brain mechanisms involved in the perception and modulation of pain, Marie-Philippe uses innovative methods of neuroimaging and neurostimulation.
Carmen-Édith Belleï-Rodriguez
PhD Student
Carmen, Psychoeducator, obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Psychoeducation and Psychology in 2014, followed by her Master’s degree in Psychoeducation (clinical and research) in 2017 at the University of Montreal. The subject of her thesis was about the IQ and the student-teacher relationship, in relation to school dropout. She is now a PhD student in research in health sciences at University of Sherbrooke, under the supervision of Guillaume Léonard and Serge Marchand. Her research project is associated with the placebo effect, pain, and attentional cognitive abilities in children with ADHD. In order to better understand these elements and offer a better support to ADHD children, she uses various methods of magnetic resonance imaging, as well as transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Monica Sean
MSc Student
During her university journey, Monica completed several internships in different fields, which allowed her to discover her interest in pain research. This revelation encouraged her to pursue graduate studies, specifically by doing the new program B.Sc./M.Sc. of Université de Sherbrooke. She is currently finishing her last session of her bachelor’s degree in Pharmacology while starting her first master’s session in Physiology in the Pr Guillaume Léonard laboratory, in co-supervision with Pr Louis Gendron. Her research project focuses on a new personalized approach to improve the management of patients suffering from chronic pain by evaluating endogenous pain modulation mechanisms. She uses several tools such as a hot plate (thermode), a cold water bath and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).
Mael Gagnon Mailhot
MSc Student
Mael graduated from Bishop’s University with a degree in psychology. His interest in research developed under the supervision of Pr Serge Marchand when he researched pain modulation through non-conventional means during his bachelor’s degree. He then completed an internship at Oxford University where his interest in pain extended to suffering. Mael is now doing a Master’s degree on pain, hope and meaning in palliative care under the supervision of Pr Guillaume Léonard and in co-direction with Pr Dale Stout.
Arnaud Duport
PhD Student
After graduating in physiotherapy in 2014 in Paris, Arnaud practiced for several years in private practice and in clinic before taking a Masters in Health Engineering at the University of Picardie Jules Verne in 2017. During his academic career, he had the opportunity to complete a 6-month internship at the Sherbrooke Research Center on Aging, under the supervision of Prof. Guillaume Léonard, in order to perfect his knowledge in neurophysiology. He developed a great interest in the study and understanding of pain. Since the start of the 2020 academic year, Arnaud has been a doctoral student in Franco-Canadian co-supervision between the University of Sherbrooke and the Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale, under the supervision of Prof. Léonard and Dr. Hervé Devanne, and is studying the impact of kinesiophobia on endogenous pain inhibition systems, on motor control and on cortico-spinal excitability.
Alexia Coulombe-Lévêque
MSc Student
After completing a BSc in neuroscience at McGill University, Alexia went on to study physiotherapy at Sherbrooke University – where she met Pr. Léonard and joined his research team. Alexia now works as a physiotherapist (with specialties in women’s health and chronic pain), while working on a research master’s under Pr. Léonard. Her research project aims to develop a novel treatment for chronic pain based on recent advances in psychiatry and neuroscience.
Martine Bordeleau
Postdoctoral Student
After completing her PhD in neuroscience at Université Laval, Martine began her postdoctoral studies in virtual rehabilitation at Virginia Commonwealth University and then at Université de Sherbrooke in 2020. She is currently working under the supervision of Prof. Guillaume Léonard on various projects aiming to develop an immersive motor imagery prototype, improve sensory evaluation techniques, increase the accessibility of pain self-management tools, and inform the public and health care providers about chronic pain-related issues.
Marie-Claude Girard
Research Staff
Marie-Claude has expertise with neuromodulation devices such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), as well as with several clinical tests. Her tasks are more specialized in training and in the evaluations of participants in ongoing research projects.
Mathieu Hamel
Research Staff
Mathieu worked at the Research Centre on Aging since 2002 as a biomedical engineer and Axis coordinator. He has expertise in electronic and mechanical devices designing, programming and processing of biomedical signals.
Antoine Guillerand
Research Staff
Antoine is a research technician at the Research Centre on Aging since 2012. Specialized in electronics, he is involved in the technical aspect of projects, from designing to signal processing, as well as for training and support for students.
Catherine Pagé
Research Staff
Catherine is the research coordinator for the research team activities since the beginning of the laboratory in 2012. She has a master’s degree in clinical sciences (2010), as well as a certificate in journalism (2008), which gives her the expertise for the preparation of communications, grant applications, ethical documents and scientific publications.