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Research Chair will advance innovative aging research, strengthen community partnerships and inform policies that support healthy aging in New Brunswick and beyond.

The University of New Brunswick is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Nick Bray as the inaugural Shannex Research Chair in Aging Transitions at the School of Integrated Health.

Having assumed the role on July 1, Dr. Bray will lead research on aging as a series of changes people experience in their health and social lives. He will lead research projects focused on healthy aging in both community and residential settings, examining all aspects of health, including physical, cognitive, emotional, and social determinants of quality of life.

“Research chairs funded through industry and community partnerships reflect both the strength of a university’s expertise and the importance of the issues being addressed,” said Dr. David MaGee, vice president research at UNB.

“Our strategic partnership with Shannex, and its investment in this position, reflects the growing importance of supporting healthy aging in New Brunswick and Atlantic Canada. Dr. Bray’s appointment as the inaugural Shannex Research Chair in Aging Transitions positions UNB to advance research that will help improve support for older adults as they age.”

As an integrative physiologist, Dr. Bray’s research focuses on two related areas: mapping brain function and its relationship to frailty and dementia, and both drug-based and non-drug approaches that support healthy aging. Across his research, he takes a strong focus on fairness and equity, paying special attention to sex-related disparities, as well as between people living in cities versus rural areas.

“I’m excited to join the School of Integrated Health and UNB’s Saint John campus, and broader community at such an exciting time,” said Dr. Bray. “The Chair position represents an incredible opportunity to conduct research that not only advances scientific understanding but also enhances the lives of older adults and the communities in which they live. My vision is for the Chair to be recognized for its leadership, impact, and sustainability. I look forward to mentoring trainees, building new research collaborations, and working alongside clinicians, community organizations, policymakers, and people with lived experience.”

Dr. Bray joins UNB with an impressive record of research excellence and funding success, having secured more than $1.7 million in support from provincial and national funding agencies.

Dr. Bray earned his PhD in Integrative Biosciences from Western University, where his research examined how interventions such as exercise and cognitive training can improve brain function, as well as physical and cognitive health, among older adults living with frailty and mild cognitive impairment. Previously, during his master's research at the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus, he explored the use of multi-component exercise programs to help reverse frailty in older females.

Most recently, he served as a Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Health Data Research Network Postdoctoral Fellow at Memorial University of Newfoundland, where he investigated the relationship between frailty, brain function and clinical outcomes in aging and neurological disorders.

"As the Shannex Research Chair in Aging Transitions, Dr. Bray will advance research that explores the many factors influencing healthy aging,” said Dr. Lisa Best, dean of the School of Integrated Health. “His expertise complements existing strengths within the School of Integrated Health and positions us to build meaningful collaborations that will improve the lives of older adults in New Brunswick and beyond."

The chair was created through a landmark partnership between Shannex RLC Ltd. and UNB. Through a $1 million investment, Shannex is supporting expanded education and research related to aging and life transitions. Of that commitment, $500,000 was dedicated to establishing the chair, while an additional $100,000 supports the creation of the Shannex Aging Transitions Lab within the Health and Social Innovation Centre, the future home of UNB’s Integrated Health Initiative.

"At Shannex, we embrace the long, healthy, engaged life,” said Jason Shannon, President of Shannex. “The appointment of Dr. Nick Bray as the inaugural Shannex Research Chair in Aging Transitions reflects our shared commitment with UNB to advancing research that helps people live well, for longer. We look forward to the impact of his work as he explores the physical, cognitive, emotional and social factors that influence aging and wellbeing, helping to improve quality of life for older adults today and for future generations.”

Individuals interested in pursuing research under the supervision of Dr. Bray can contact him at nick.bray@unb.ca.

Media contact: media@unb.ca