Nafissa Ismail, University of Ottawa

Research

Active Living Healthy Aging Healthy Living Illness Prevention Mental Health Physical Health

Latest papers

Sex and stress paradigm influence behavioural, neuroimmune, and microbiome responses in pubertal CD-1 mice.
Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2026 · senior author
Autism and hormones: A perspective from the immune system and the gut microbiome.
Hormones and behavior · 2026 · senior author
The vaginal microbiome in bacterial vaginosis: Pathogenesis, reproductive impacts, and emerging therapies.
Journal of reproductive immunology · 2025 · senior author

All 61 publications

Latest funding

InfoRL/LRInfo capsules to promote healthy living and aging.
CIHR · 2023 · Nominated PI
$10,000
HIGH FREQUENCY ULTRASOUND FOR EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY IN SMALL VERTEBRATES
NSERC · 2022 · Co-investigator
$149,115
Mind the Gap: Hormonal Contraceptives and the Brain
CIHR · 2022 · Co-investigator
$10,000

All 7 grants and awards

61 publications.

01

Sex and stress paradigm influence behavioural, neuroimmune, and microbiome responses in pubertal CD-1 mice.

Dworsky-Fried M, Iqbal UH, Bronner S, Auger J, Mathieu O, Auclair-Ouellet N, Liang J, Ismail N

Brain, behavior, & immunity - health2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2026.101341 PMID: 42733488

02

Autism and hormones: A perspective from the immune system and the gut microbiome.

Veilleux C, Erenben ED, Ismail N

Hormones and behavior2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2025.105867 PMID: 41406883

03

The vaginal microbiome in bacterial vaginosis: Pathogenesis, reproductive impacts, and emerging therapies.

Dubé-Zinatelli E, Cappelletti L, Ismail N

Journal of reproductive immunology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2025.104804 PMID: 41275619

04

Impact of the maternal microbiome on neonatal immune development.

Dubé-Zinatelli E, Mayotte E, Cappelletti L, Ismail N

Journal of reproductive immunology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2025.104542 PMID: 40403512

05

The overlooked mental health burden of polycystic ovary syndrome: neurobiological insights into PCOS-related depression.

Dubé-Zinatelli E, Anderson F, Ismail N

Frontiers in neuroendocrinology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2025.101203 PMID: 40609837

06

Modulating effects of environmental enrichment on stress-induced changes in the gut microbiome.

Smith KB, Murack M, Butcher J, Hinterberger A, Stintzi A, Liang J, Tata DA, Ismail N

Brain, behavior, & immunity - health2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2025.101023 PMID: 40502530

07

Periovulatory neurohormone dynamics reveal an association between secretoneurin and GnRH across the mouse estrous cycle.

Lu C, Peng D, Smith KB, Uju C, Unniappan S, Duarte-Guterman P, Ismail N, Trudeau VL

Frontiers in endocrinology2025

DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1708570 PMID: 41659333

08

Animal models of hormonal contraceptives: Understanding drug-specific and user-specific variables.

Lacasse JM, Ismail N, Porcu P, Raval AP

Journal of neuroendocrinology2025

DOI: 10.1111/jne.13500 PMID: 39930611

09

Adolescent Chronic Sleep Disruption Increases Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability, but in a Time-, Region- and Sex-Dependent Manner in CD-1 Mice.

Hinterberger A, Esposito P, Cappelletti L, Wang L, Ismail N

International journal of developmental neuroscience : the official journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/jdn.70080 PMID: 41413780

10

Psychobiotics and the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis: Where Do We Go from Here?

Binda S, Tremblay A, Iqbal UH, Kassem O, Le Barz M, Thomas V, Bronner S, Perrot T, Ismail N, Parker JA

Microorganisms2024

DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040634 PMID: 38674579

InfoRL/LRInfo capsules to promote healthy living and aging.

Nominated PICIHR2023Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: Ismail, Nafissa

Keywords: Active Living; Healthy Aging; Healthy Living; Illness Prevention; Mental Health; Physical Health

$10,000

HIGH FREQUENCY ULTRASOUND FOR EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY IN SMALL VERTEBRATES

Co-investigatorNSERC2022Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Trudeau, Vance

$149,115

Mind the Gap: Hormonal Contraceptives and the Brain

Co-investigatorCIHR2022Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

Principal investigators: Galea, Liisa A

Keywords: Age; Cognition; Hormonal Contraceptives; Intersectionality; Major Depressive Disorder; Mental Health; Reproductive Health; Stress

$10,000

Mechanisms of age- and sex-specific stress and immune reactivity.

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Ismail, Nafissa

$275,000

Role of a Novel Probiotic in Immune Homeostasis and the Involvement of microRNAs at Brain and Gut Levels

Co-investigatorNSERC2018Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Principal investigators: Matar, Chantal

$276,000

Effect of pubertal probiotic treatment on LPS-induced changes in stress reactivity and anxiety-like behavior in male and female mice.

Principal investigatorNSERC2016Engage Grants Program

Principal investigators: Ismail, Nafissa

$24,940

Sex differences in response to an immune challenge

Principal investigatorNSERC2014Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Ismail, Nafissa

$234,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Interdisciplinary Studies
Nutrition Sciences
Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
Psychiatry
Innovation in Medical Education
Psychology
Veterinary Biomedical Sciences
Other

Co-authors at University of Ottawa, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Chantal Matar

Nutrition Sciences

10 shared papers, latest 2023

Alain Stintzi

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

3 shared papers, latest 2025

Maxwell Hincke

Innovation in Medical Education

1 shared papers, latest 2021

Suraj Unniappan

Veterinary Biomedical Sciences

1 shared papers, latest 2025

Georg Northoff

Psychiatry

1 shared papers, latest 2020

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Active Living Dear Professor Ismail, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Sex and stress paradigm influence behavioural, neuroimmune, and microbiome responses in pubertal CD-1 mice." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "InfoRL/LRInfo capsules to promote healthy living and aging." (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Nafissa Ismail

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Sex and stress paradigm influence behavioural, neuroimmune, and microbiome responses in pubertal CD-1 mice.

Autism and hormones: A perspective from the immune system and the gut microbiome.

The vaginal microbiome in bacterial vaginosis: Pathogenesis, reproductive impacts, and emerging therapies.

Impact of the maternal microbiome on neonatal immune development.

The overlooked mental health burden of polycystic ovary syndrome: neurobiological insights into PCOS-related depression.

Modulating effects of environmental enrichment on stress-induced changes in the gut microbiome.

Periovulatory neurohormone dynamics reveal an association between secretoneurin and GnRH across the mouse estrous cycle.

Animal models of hormonal contraceptives: Understanding drug-specific and user-specific variables.

Adolescent Chronic Sleep Disruption Increases Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability, but in a Time-, Region- and Sex-Dependent Manner in CD-1 Mice.

Psychobiotics and the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis: Where Do We Go from Here?

InfoRL/LRInfo capsules to promote healthy living and aging.

HIGH FREQUENCY ULTRASOUND FOR EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY IN SMALL VERTEBRATES

Mind the Gap: Hormonal Contraceptives and the Brain

Mechanisms of age- and sex-specific stress and immune reactivity.

Role of a Novel Probiotic in Immune Homeostasis and the Involvement of microRNAs at Brain and Gut Levels

Effect of pubertal probiotic treatment on LPS-induced changes in stress reactivity and anxiety-like behavior in male and female mice.

Sex differences in response to an immune challenge

Frequent collaborators

Chantal Matar

Andra Smith

Alain Stintzi

Paula Duarte Guterman

Maxwell Hincke

Suraj Unniappan

Georg Northoff