Aylia Mohammadi

Topic

Optimal nutrition is a moving target and must consider biological, social, and psychological determinants of diet which is especially important in times of grief. Dr. Aylia Mohammadi empowers people to find joy during their darkest times doing something they have to do anyway; eat. She encourages those not grieving themselves but may know someone who is, how it is even better to reach out and empathize if they do so over breaking bread.

Bio

Dr. Aylia Mohammadi (BSc, MSc, PhD) is a scientist and entrepreneur who combines her background in physics, biology, and health with her passions for food, movement, and the sensory experiences therein. She is the Founder and Scientific Director of Genotique, a personalized nutrition company integrating DNA-based dietary advice with key lifestyle, behavioral and psychological factors to promote and sustain optimal health. She is passionate about helping people find nourishment and thrive while enjoying the pleasures of food and not sacrificing quality of life. She obtained her PhD in Biological Physics from the Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto, where she currently lives.

Growing up in Winnipeg, her childhood encouraged her career as a scientist and her love of food. She had a natural curiosity and an exploratory nature and was exposed early to culturally diverse cuisines found in Winnipeg’s vibrant food scene. Although, as a kid, this “scene” was mostly eating a friend’s house or at a school event. Still, these moments as well as sharing a home cooked meal every night at the dinner table with her family were the early beginnings of appreciating our unique determinants of diet, and the value of social connections through food.

Her favourite moments are still with the people she loves enjoying a great meal together, whether it be exploring more grown-up dining scenes and food cultures when traveling, or gathering around a table at home.

Some of Aylia’s favorite things are: having a great cup of coffee in the quiet of the morning, shocking people at the gym with how many pull-ups she can do (she’s like an ant when it comes to size/strength ratio), breaking out the steps to Rhythm Nation when taking a break from her desk, hugs, laughing, and of course, genuinely enjoying a delicious meal.