Hamilton Teen Wins Gold at Record-Breaking CIHR Brain Bee
The 2026 CIHR Brain Bee was the 18th—and the largest—competition in the event’s history, but for Canadian champion Josephine Ankomah of Hamilton, Ontario, it marks the beginning of an exciting journey in neuroscience.
“When I found out about the Brain Bee in Grade 7, I couldn’t wait to participate! Applying my neuroscience knowledge to answer challenging questions, see real brain specimens, learn from neuroscience students and professors, and meet other students who are just as excited about neuroscience are what make the Brain Bee so special to me,” she says.
Ankomah, a 15-year-old student, competed against more than 800 other students in Grades 9 to 12 in regional Brain Bees hosted by universities across Canada. After advancing to the regional championships, she earned a spot in the national finals, where she defeated second-place finisher Arman Ahlawat, of Edmonton and third-place finisher Tessa Nitescu, of Toronto, to become the Canadian Brain Bee champion. By correctly answering that the structures that join endothelial cells in the blood-brain-barrier are “tight junctions,” Ankomah squeezed past her competitors to cinch the top prize.
Ahlawat, who volunteers at a hospital, hopes to pursue a career in medicine. “I aspire to be a doctor because I want to have a direct impact on my community through my job,” he says. He also values the profession for offering “a stable career that still manages to provide unique experiences every day.”
Nitescu is interested in a career in neuroscience research. She wants to “contribute to research advancing our understanding of neurodegenerative disease and explore the biological basis of identity.”
Ankomah would like to pursue a career in neuroscience research as well. “I am particularly interested in preventing neurodegenerative diseases,” the 2026 National Brain Bee champion says. Outside of neuroscience, she enjoys sports, spending time with her family, reading fiction, and braiding hair, but for now, her focus will be on training for the World Brain Bee Championship in the fall.
- Date modified: