‘Let’s create hope together’

When Nitesh Sanghai began his PhD research at the University of Manitoba in 2019, he didn’t know much about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Today, he is a recently minted PhD graduate, an award-winning advocate, and a postdoctoral researcher who considers the ALS community his family.

Recently, Nitesh’s remarkable journey was recognized with two major honours. He received the University of Manitoba Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Distinguished Dissertation Award in the Health Sciences category for his academic work, and the 2026 Premier’s Volunteer Service Award, for which he was nominated directly by the Winnipeg ALS patient community.

Reflecting on his path, Nitesh describes it as a journey from ‘grass to grace.’ He credits his supervisor and mentor, Dr. Geoffrey Tranmer, whom he calls a guiding ‘guru’ for bringing out the best in him. Under Dr. Tranmer’s mentorship, Nitesh's research focused on finding a molecule that might help buy precious time for those living with ALS.

But early on, Nitesh realized he needed to step out of the laboratory to truly understand the impact of his work.

‘I felt it was important to humanize my research by connecting with the ALS community here in Manitoba,’ Nitesh explains. ‘Through my first experience volunteering at the ALS Walk, I witnessed, for the first time, the remarkable resilience of people living with ALS, their caregivers, and community members. It was deeply moving and humbling to learn that there is still no cure for ALS. That realization gave my research a deeper sense of purpose.’

Balancing the workload of a PhD with raising a young family, Nitesh threw himself into community service. Since 2019, he has become a devoted leader, serving as an ALS Canada Community Ambassador, a NEALS Research Ambassador, and a board member with the ALS Society of Manitoba. Through his efforts, he has helped raise over $7,500 for the ALS Brummitt-Feasby House (the only home providing care and support for ALS/MND patients in North America) and has become a powerful voice for advocacy.

For Nitesh, science and people are inseparable. Each day he enters his research department, he carries with him the faces of the patients he has met.

Nitesh hopes his story will inspire fellow UM students to look beyond the classroom and to place community impact at the heart of their own work. Scientific research is filled with challenges and failures, but he believes that connecting with the people you are trying to help is the key to staying motivated.

Looking back on a thesis shaped by over seven years of dedication, Nitesh remains profoundly grateful to his family, his friends, his mentor, and most importantly, the patients who inspire his work.