Dana Small, McGill University

Research

Dopamine Signaling Eating Behavior Eating Rate Food Environment Food Reward Gut-Brain Axis Neuroplasticity Nutrient Absorption Kinetics

Latest papers

Differential brain response to a highly palatable drink in chronic low back pain patients.
Journal of neurophysiology · 2026

All 1 publications

Latest funding

The ''Absorption Hypothesis'': Linking Ultra-Processed Foods to Metabolic and Brain Health
CIHR · 2026 · Nominated PI
$10,000
Effects of GLP1-agonist induced weight loss on brain, metabolic, and cerebrovascular health measures.
CIHR · 2024 · Co-investigator
$1,346,400
Effects of GLP1 agonist-induced weight loss on cerebral and blood markers of neurodegeneration in individuals with obesity and genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.
CIHR · 2024 · Co-investigator
$1,057,080

All 5 grants and awards

1 publications.

01

Differential brain response to a highly palatable drink in chronic low back pain patients.

Mahlen C, Mreydem H, de Araujo I, Stanley G, Small D, Geha P

Journal of neurophysiology2026

DOI: 10.1152/jn.00532.2025 PMID: 42275234

The ''Absorption Hypothesis'': Linking Ultra-Processed Foods to Metabolic and Brain Health

Nominated PICIHR2026Team Grant: Health Effects of Ultra-Processed Foods-Mechanisms of Health Eff-LOI

Principal investigators: Small, Dana M; Dagher, Alain; De Araujo, Ivan E; Décarie-Spain, Léa; Fulton, Stephanie

Keywords: Dopamine Signaling; Eating Behavior; Eating Rate; Food Environment; Food Reward; Gut-Brain Axis; Neuroplasticity; Nutrient Absorption Kinetics; Obesity And Metabolic Health; Ultra-Processed Foods

$10,000

Effects of GLP1-agonist induced weight loss on brain, metabolic, and cerebrovascular health measures.

Co-investigatorCIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Dagher, Alain

Keywords: Brain Health; Cerebrovascular Disease; Dementia; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Metabolic Syndrome; Neurodegeneration; Obesity

$1,346,400

Effects of GLP1 agonist-induced weight loss on cerebral and blood markers of neurodegeneration in individuals with obesity and genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Co-investigatorCIHR2024Team Grant: CCNA Phase III: Nutrition and Metabolic Health in Aging

Principal investigators: Dagher, Alain

Keywords: Alzheimer'S Disease; Brain Health; Cerebrovascular Disease; Dementia; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Metabolic Syndrome; Neurodegeneration; Obesity; Weight Loss

$1,057,080

Canada Research Excellence Chair in Metabolism and the Brain

Nominated PICIHR2022Canada Excellence Research Chair

Principal investigators: Small, Dana M

Keywords: Cerc

$8,000,000

Ghrelin and the CNS control of appetite.

Co-investigatorCIHR2010Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Dagher, Alain

Keywords: Fmri; Ghrelin; Obesity; Reward; Stress

$745,410

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

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

Mention their CIHR grant from 2026

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Dopamine Signaling Dear Professor Small, 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 "Differential brain response to a highly palatable drink in chronic low back pain patients." (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 "The ''Absorption Hypothesis'': Linking Ultra-Processed Foods to Metabolic and Brain Health" (2026), 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]