Ward Research Day 2025

University and Program: University of British Columbia - Biomedical Engineering

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Jan Andrysek

Bio: Arthur is going into his third year of biomedical engineering at the University of British Columbia. He hopes to specialize in biomechanics and cellular engineering. He is currently working at the PROPEL lab at Holland Bloorview, where he hopes to learn more about prosthetics design and gait analysis. In the future, he would like to study neural engineering.

University and Program: University of Toronto, Medicine

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou

Bio: Basile Favel is a 2nd year medical student studying at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Prior to starting Medical School, Basile attained an undergraduate degree in Cognitive Sciences from McGill University and worked as an educator in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut. Basile is interested in exploring autism neurodevelopment and the social determinants that shape neurodiverse lives. In his free time Basile enjoys reading, road cycling, and rock climbing.

University and Program: McMaster University, Life Sciences

Supervisor and Principal Investigator: Dr. Jan Andrysek and Dr. De-Lawrence Lamptey

Bio: Bhumika Rahulan is entering her fourth year of the Honours Life Sciences program at McMaster University. She has a strong interest in health research, particularly projects with direct patient impact that aim to improve quality of life. At Holland Bloorview, she is contributing to pediatric health research and hopes to advance knowledge in this area. During this Summer she is especially interested in learning more about children’s experiences with mobility challenges and how innovative solutions can support their independence. In the future, she aspires to continue making a meaningful difference in patients’ lives.

University and Program: McMaster University, Integrated Science, Interdisciplinary Minor in Latin American & Latinx Studies 

Supervisors and Lab: Dr. Melanie Penner

Bio: Gabriela is entering her fourth year at McMaster University in the Integrated Science (iSci) Program, with an Interdisciplinary Minor in Latin American & Latinx Studies. She is deeply passionate about advocating for those whose voices are often overlooked in STEM and health studies research. Her work at Holland Bloorview will be focused on evaluating and improving systems of care and diagnosis for children with disabilities in Ontario. Gabriela aspires to become a pediatrician and help research move towards advancements that are inclusive for all children with disabilities.

University and Program: Queen's University, Life Sciences Specialization

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Danielle Baribeau 

Bio: Ghazal is entering her fourth year of a Life Sciences specialization degree at Queen’s University. She will be completing her undergraduate thesis in the upcoming year, focusing on cardiovascular imaging and disease. Her previous research has explored risk stratification for major adverse cardiovascular events, as well as the use of virtual reality interventions for managing chronic pain and anxiety. Her current research at Holland Bloorview focuses on the genetic predispositions of Autism Spectrum Disorder with Dr. Danielle Baribeau. Her two years of volunteer experience at Holland Bloorview has deepened her passion for advancing research in this field. Student.

University and Program: University of Toronto, Life Sciences, Human Biology and Psychology Major

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Danielle Baribeau

Bio: Jiya is an undergraduate psychology student at the University of Toronto Scarborough with a passion for pediatric mental health and neurodevelopment. Her past research at St. Michael’s Hospital focused on traumatic brain injury, and cognitive functioning. She is excited to contribute to the current research at Holland Bloorview exploring psychopharmacology in children with neurodevelopmental differences, including autism and rare genetic conditions. She also supports children with ADHD and autism through her tutoring role. She hopes to learn more about individualized interventions in pediatric mental health and the role of early supports in developmental outcomes.

University and Program: McMaster University, Biochemistry

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou

Project Title: Understanding recommendations to policy, practice, and removal of barriers to enhance the experiences of youth with disabilities from minoritized groups

Bio: Navreen graduated from McMaster University this year with a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Biochemistry. Her previous research at McMaster University focused on the detection of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) using a versatile electrochemical biosensor assay. Her current research at Holland Bloorview focuses on exploring physical and mental health in Neurodivergent children and youth. She hopes to deepen her understanding of pediatric health, neurodiversity and inclusive research methods to better support children’s well-being in both clinical and community settings.

University and Program: McMaster University – Health Sciences (Honours), Child Health Specialization

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Sarah Munce

Bio: Persephone is entering her fourth year of the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) program at McMaster University, specializing in Child Health. Her previous research has focused on patient-informed outcomes in pediatric rehabilitation and the psychosocial impact of chronic conditions. She has volunteered with Holland Bloorview since 2023 and is excited to begin her time at the Bloorview Research Institute. This summer, she will conduct a secondary analysis of qualitative data on pediatric-to-adult healthcare transitions to update an empirical model of compassionate care. She is eager to advance research that integrates the voices of children, families, and clinicians in health care.

University and Program: University of Toronto, Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience & Applied Statistics

Supervisor and Principal Investigator: Dr. Jacob Ellegood

Bio: Rafaela is pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience with a minor in Applied Statistics at the University of Toronto. She recently completed her second year of undergraduate study. At Holland Bloorview, her research involves analyzing clinical MRI datasets to investigate how structural differences in the brain may relate to behaviour across developmental disorders. She also contributed to a systematic review of artificial intelligence models for clinical prediction in healthcare, where she gained experience evaluating models and synthesizing findings. Rafaela is interested in how brain circuits involved in emotion, memory, and the regulation of conflicting emotional signals develop over time and intends to build on these interests through graduate-level research.

University and Program: University of Guelph, Bio-Medical Science

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Jacob Ellegood

Bio: Reem recently graduated from the University of Guelph with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Bio-Medical Science. She aspires to pursue medicine and is particularly interested in pediatrics. At Holland Bloorview’s Autism Research Centre, her work focuses on MRI-based research exploring neurodevelopmental heterogeneity in children. Reem has supported patient populations as a hospital volunteer and pharmacy assistant. She hopes to integrate her academic and clinical experiences to better understand and support children with neurodevelopmental conditions.

University and Program: Queen’s University, Health Sciences

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Laura McAdam

Bio: Salony is pursuing her Bachelor of Health Sciences at Queen’s University. Salony’s interest in the diverse determinants of youth health has inspired her involvement in research analyzing adolescent vaping habits, the intergenerational impact of parental incarceration, and student mental health during COVID-19, alongside her contributions to national cohort studies examining child health behaviours. Beyond her research, Salony has enjoyed founding a non-profit music lesson program for children and leads a charity that delivers health literacy workshops in local schools. At Holland Bloorview, she is contributing to the development of a practical therapy resource to support children with spinal muscular atrophy.

University and Program: McMaster University, Electrical and Biomedical Engineering

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Tom Chau

Bio: Samantha recently completed her third year in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University. With a background in competitive sports, and having coached gymnastics for five years, she developed a passion for working with children. Samantha is excited about combining her engineering knowledge with this passion to help children live fulfilling lives through applied technology and innovation. 

 

University and Program: Queen's University, Biology and Psychology 

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Tom Chau

Bio: Selina Chalmers is an undergraduate student at Queen’s University completing her HBSc in Biology and Psychology. She works as a research assistant in both an attentional dynamics lab and a cognitive neuroscience lab, gaining hands-on experience with eye-tracking, MRI, and biosensing technologies. Her research interests include cognitive and computational neuroscience, and she aspires to pursue graduate studies focused on exploring and advancing neurotechnology. This summer, she will gain hands-on experience working with brain-computer interface (BCI) technology through a research placement at Holland Bloorview, allowing her to apply her skills in a real-world setting and contribute to innovative cutting-edge research.

University and Program: University of Toronto, Neuroscience and Psychology 

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Shannon Scratch 

Bio: Sophie is graduating this June from the University of Toronto with a HBSc in Neuroscience and Psychology. She will be working in the NOvEL lab this summer, focusing on active rehabilitation for persistent post-concussion symptoms. Previously, she has worked at the Minnesota Tic and Compulsivity Lab, focusing on implementing TMS as a supplement to Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics. Additionally, she volunteers as a clinical research trainee in the SickKids Emergency Department, enrolling participants and collecting data for various studies. In the future, she hopes to pursue graduate studies in Neuropsychology. She is looking forward to learning more about the impacts of TBI on children and further developing her research skills at Holland Bloorview.

University and Program: Laurentian University, Psychology 

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. De-Lawrence Lamptey

Bio: Stella will graduate from Laurentian University in June this year with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. In the fall, she will commence her Master's in Applied Psychology, also at Laurentian University. For her undergraduate thesis, she examined how the reality television show, Love on the Spectrum, constructs and communicates meaning about the dating abilities of  autistic youths. Her research at Holland Bloorview focuses on the intersectionality of childhood disability and racial identity /ethnicity. Stella is excited to broaden her knowledge and research abilities on autism and family adaptations to neurodevelopmental disorders.

University and Program: University of Waterloo, Psychology

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Tim Ross and Dr. Melanie Penner

Bio: Tiffany is entering her third year at the University of Waterloo for a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her previous research experience has centered on social and developmental psychology, but she is also passionate about improving healthcare access for those who are neurodivergent, have disabilities, or are from minority backgrounds. This summer, her research with Drs. Ross and Penner aims to explore how physicians’ understandings of disability affect how they treat their patients. She is grateful for this opportunity and hopes to attend graduate school to reduce barriers in the healthcare and educational systems for underprivileged children and their families.

University and Program: McMaster University, Software and Biomedical Engineering

Supervisor and Lab: Dr. Tom Chau

Bio: Zuhair has completed his second year in the Software and Biomedical Engineering program at McMaster University. Over the past few years, he has gained diverse research experience, including projects focused on developing biological tools to track Alzheimer's disease progression and on characterizing sociodemographic correlates of adaptive functioning in neurodiverse children. He is eager to further explore the applications of software and data science to neurological research and eventual therapeutic development, especially in care for vulnerable populations.