Hsuan Megan Tsao, a PhD student in the Department of Human Genetics at McGill University received the Best PhD Oral Presentation Award at the Canadian Obesity Summit 2026, held in Montreal from March 25 to 29. The award recognizes outstanding research and excellence in scientific communication by an emerging leader in obesity science.
Tsao is supervised by Dr. Satoshi Yoshiji and is a member of the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Genomic Medicine. She received the honour for her presentation, “Beyond BMI: Clinical Obesity Missed by BMI Carries a Threefold Higher Risk of Coronary Artery Disease.” Presented during the Summit’s scientific program, her work drew attention to a major limitation in current obesity assessment: the reliance on body mass index (BMI) alone to identify health risk.
Her research showed that some individuals who do not meet conventional BMI thresholds for obesity nonetheless carry substantially elevated cardiovascular risk. In particular, those with clinical obesity not captured by BMI had a threefold higher risk of coronary artery disease, highlighting how BMI-based approaches can miss patients who would benefit from earlier recognition and intervention.
The findings support a more clinically meaningful framework for obesity assessment that goes beyond weight alone to consider body composition, fat distribution, and obesity-related complications. Tsao’s presentation emphasized that individuals with similar BMI values can have markedly different cardiometabolic profiles, with important implications for screening, prevention, and treatment.
The judging committee recognized not only the significance of the research, but also Tsao’s ability to communicate complex clinical and genetic concepts with clarity, rigor, and practical relevance. The award was conferred by Canadian Obesity Summit leadership, including Dr. Sanjeev Sockalingam, Scientific Director; Nicole Pearce, Director of Education & Partnerships; and Lisa Schaffer, Executive Director.
Hosted by Obesity Canada, the Canadian Obesity Summit is the country’s leading conference dedicated to obesity research, education, and policy. The 2026 meeting brought together researchers, clinicians, trainees, and policymakers from across Canada to advance evidence-based obesity care.
Tsao’s recognition reflects the growing impact of McGill research and CERC in human genetics, cardiometabolic health, and precision medicine.
Megan Tsao Receives Best PhD Oral Presentation Award at Canadian Obesity Summit 2026
