Meet our Students
Meet our Translational Medicine Graduate Students
2023 Candidates

Sophia Linton, PhD ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisors: Dr. Anne Ellis
Thesis Title: Investigating the role of the local microbiome in allergic rhinitis

Joe Nashed, PhD ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. DJ Cook
Thesis Title: Understanding and facilitating recovery in a non-human primate model of stroke

Edwin Ocran, PhD ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Paula James
Thesis Title: Understanding the Role of von Willebrand Factor in Angiodysplasia

Quentin Tsang, PhD ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisors: Drs. Stephen Vanner, David Reed and Prameet Sheth
Thesis Title: The effects and mechanism of cannabinoids and opioids on nociception in inflammatory bowel disease

Dr. Caitlyn Vlasschaert, PhD ’23 (Candidate)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. Michael Rauh and Dr. Matthew Lanktree
Thesis Title: Clonal hematopoiesis in kidney disease

Samantha Ables, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. David Reed and Dr. Alan Lomax
Thesis Title: Antibiotic rifaximin on the gut microbiota and visceral pain signaling in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

Cassandra Brand, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. Jacob Rullo and Dr. Alan Lomax
Thesis Title: The role of the ocular microbiome in dry eye disease

Nolan Breault, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Stephen Archer
Thesis Title: Preclinical investigation of the efficacy of a mitochondrial fission inhibitor (Drpitor1a) in regressing pulmonary arterial hypertension

Alyssa Burrows, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Anne Ellis
Thesis Title: The impacts of COVID-19 (infectious disease/public health aspects) on immunology and allergy in Health Care Professional students and translate findings into how it can impact public health policies.

Pierce Colpman, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Stephen Archer
Thesis Title: Peripheral and Midzone Mitochondrial Fission Variability in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Emmanuel Fagbola, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Mark Ormiston
Thesis Title: Exploring the Impact of Endothelial BMPR2 Loss on Phosphoinositide Dynamics and the Pathobiology of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Georgia Kersche, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Amer Johri
Thesis Title: Combining Intraplaque Neovascularization with Risk Stratification by Carotid Stress ECHO

James King, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. David Reed and Dr. Alan Lomax
Thesis Title: The role of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels, specifically TRPM3 and TRPC5 in normal visceral sensation and visceral pain

Katie Lindale, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. Amber Simpson and Dr. David Berman
Thesis Title: Connections Between Histological Features and Clinical Endpoints: A Digital Pathology Approach to Optimizing Risk Thresholds and Care Pathways in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

Trinity Vey, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Karen Yeates
Thesis Title: To understand and develop culturally appropriate COVID-19 public health strategies for Indigenous communities of the Mushkegowuk Territory in Northern Ontario

Bethany Wilken, MSc ’23 (Candidate)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. Yuka Asai and Dr. Lynne Postovit
Thesis Title: Implementing a pictorial eczema education tool for improvement and management of the disease
2024 Candidates

Rachel Bentley, PhD ’24 (Candidate)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. Stephen Archer and Dr. Charlie Hindmarch
Thesis Title: Exploring the mechanism of impaired oxygen responsiveness in patent ductus arteriosus using transcriptomics

Marty VandenBroek, PhD ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Mark Ormiston
Thesis Title: A transcriptional analysis of the BMP9-induced hyperproliferation in BMPR2-deficient endothelial cells: Implications for pulmonary arterial hypertension

Isaac Emon, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Stephen Archer
Thesis Title: The inflammatory role of DNMT3A mutations and decreased expression in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Abigail Davis, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Anne Ellis
Thesis Title: The open-label use of a monoclonal antibody (Tezepelumab) that targets thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in the treatment of co-morbid allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma

Samantha Delios, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Donald Maurice
Thesis title: How targeting mechanisms involving primary cilia-specific cAMP and hedgehog signaling within PVAT-resident adipogenic progenitor cells can promote adipogenesis in expanding PVAT and protect vascular functions.

Jill Greenlaw, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Prameet Sheth
Thesis Title: Evlauating the Protective Capacity of Bacteroides species against Clostridioides difficile infection

Noah James, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Karen Yeates
Thesis Title: Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of the new HPV DNA self-sampling screening strategies that is launching for secondary prevention of cervical cancer in Tanzania

Maria Korovina, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Diane Lougheed
Thesis Title: Examining sensory-mechanical responses to eucapneic voluntary hyperventilation, hypertonic saline, and mannitol in individuals with cough variant asthma and chronic cough

Jana Livingston, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Jacob Rullo
Thesis Title: Characterizing the role of the eye in inducing systemic immunity by looking at the immunological profile of the eye and associated lymphoid tissues throughout the course of infection and finally as a potential site for topical immunization against coronaviruses.

Matti McFarlane, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Diane Lougheed
Thesis Title: Promoting Evidence-based Asthma Care using Digital Knowledge Translation Tools: Impact of Provider Assessment Form and Severe Asthma Algorithm (PEACKT-PAAF)

Abby Mocherniak, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. David Reed and Dr. Alan Lomax
Thesis Title: Investigating nanoparticle delivery of a PAR-2 antagonist for treating abdominal pain in IBD

Nicole Morris, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Kerstin de Wit
Thesis Title: A pilot study to assess feasibility of evaluating the safety and efficiency of a simplified diagnostic approach for pulmonary embolism

Martha Ortega Santos, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Jacob Rullo
Thesis Title: Regulating local intraocular ergothioneine within the retina and optic nerve as a therapeutic target for global neuro-retinal disease

Hailey Schincariol, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Stephen Vanner and Dr. David Reed
Thesis Title: Investigation of a novel pH sensitive opioid analgesic for the treatment of colitis-induced pain

Abhishek Shastry, MSc ’24 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Kimberly Dunham-Snary and Dr. Charles Hindmarch
Thesis Title: Mitochondrial bioenergetic and metabolomic fingerprinting in cardiometabolic disease
2025 Candidates

Melinda Chelva, PhD '25 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Karen Yeates
Thesis Title: Assessing the Implementation of Patient Navigation to the Smartphone-Enhanced Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (SEVIA) Program.

Lubnaa Hossenbaccus, PhD ’25 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Anne Ellis
Thesis Title: The evaluation of cat allergen-induced allergic rhinitis using experimental models

Kyla Tozer, PhD ’25 (Candidate)
Supervisor: Dr. Prameet Sheth
Thesis Title: Impacts of 17BIPHE2 on the female genital tract - A potential multipurpose technology to prevent HIV transmission in women

Dilakshan Srikanthan, PhD ’25 (Candidate)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. John Rudan and Dr. Parvin Mousavi
Thesis Title: Improving oncosurgical care in glioblastoma using a multiparametric machine learning platform.
2026 Candidates

Tarrah Ethier, PhD ’26 (Candidate)
Co-Supervisors: Dr. Mark Ormiston
Thesis Title: Exploring sex differences in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension