Asa Lau

Director of Communications

Hi! My name is Asa and I am one of the Directors of Communications this year. I am currently a second year MSc student with the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology working in the lab of Dr. Kelsie Thu. My research is focused on delineating the mechanisms of innate immune check point inhibitors in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Vida Maksimoska

Director of Communications

My name is Vida Maksimoska, and I am the Director for Communications at SRSA. I completed a Master in Translational Scientific Research from UofT. I am currently a PhD candidate at the Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto (UofT) under supervision of Dr. Katalin Szaszi in the Keenan Research Centre. My work is focused on evaluating the effect of a novel drug on human keratinocytes and aiming to identify the drug’s mechanism of action. Simultaneously I am looking at the importance of growth factors in wound healing and their role in regulating small proteins that are vital in collective cell migration.

1. If you had a theme song that played upon entering any room, what would it be?
   Happy by Pharrell Williams!!
2. What is a place (real or fictional) that you would like to visit and why?
   It’s my bucket list to camp in Patagonia, Chile for some time in the mountains.
3. What scientific instrument best describes you and why?
   A P1000 multichannel – good at multi-tasking but loses accuracy when I’m tired

1. If you had a theme song that played upon entering any room, what would it be?
   My theme song might be Dreamer (Axwell/Ingrosso).
2. What is a place (real or fictional) that you would like to visit and why?
   I would love to visit Macedonia; I really want to see the little village my dad was raised in, meet my family there. I have grown up speaking Macedonian and learning the Macedonian culture, but money has prevented up from going back hopefully one day we can go visit with my dad.
3. What scientific instrument best describes you and why?
   Great Question, I have never really through about this…maybe I am an bunsen burner. I like to bring a spark of energy and fire to the lab and to life in general. I can look a little cold sometimes, but I am warm and friendly on the inside. I am pretty neat just like a Bunsen burner and I like to keep my lab bench clean.

PAST STARS

November – Priyal Shah and Noa Chazot (Directors of Student Life)

March – Christopher Zhang and Kayla Schumacker (Directors of Community Outreach)

February – Farbod Khorrami and Jason Lo Hog Tian (Directors of Academics)

January – Omar Kanny (Director of Student Equity)

December – Priyal Shah and Avinash Mukkala (Directors of Student Life)

November – Andreea Furdui & Victoria Ki (Directors of Communications)