SRSA Team
Meet our team! Elections take place at the beginning of every academic year. We also recruit non-elected Site Representatives on a rolling basis.
About Our Team
SRSA elections take place at the beginning of every academic year!
We also recruit non-elected Site Representatives on a rolling basis. Please click here to find out more.
Current Team Members
Neetu Rambharack
Chair
Hi everyone! My name is Neetu, and I’m so excited to be serving as the Chair for SRSA this year. Last year, I had the pleasure of working as Co-Director of Communications, which gave me a great opportunity to connect with students and keep up with all the exciting initiatives SRSA put together. Stepping into this new role, I’m looking forward to continuing that momentum while working to engage even more students, strengthen our sense of community, and make SRSA events as accessible and welcoming as possible. Outside of SRSA, I’m a second-year MSc student in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto, working under the supervision of Dr. Katalin Szaszi. You can usually find me on the 6th floor of LKSKI. Feel free to stop by and say hello anytime (I’m always happy to chat about research, SRSA, or even swap coffee shop recommendations!).
Vida Maksimoska
Vice Chair
Hey everyone, I'm Vida! I've been part of SRSA for four years and continue being involved because it allows me to give back to our research community, support collaboration, and help build a strong community for the next generation of researchers, trainees and leaders at St Michael’s. I hope to continue to advocate for student needs and professional growth during my time here. I’m a fourth year PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, supervised by Dr. Katalin Szaszi. My research bridges fundamental cell biology with translational medicine, aiming to uncover new therapeutic targets for inflammatory skin diseases. I also have experience in working in biotech startups and digital marketing. I’m always happy to chat about academia, industry, or life at St. Mike’s, so feel free to say hi anytime! Excited to be back with SRSA and looking forward to everything we’ll accomplish this year.
Jonathan Monteiro
Vice Chair
I'm Jonathan Monteiro, one of the Vice Chairs with SRSA this year. I am currently a third year MD/PhD and second year PhD student in Immunology at UofT. I study the role that brain immune cells play in instigating and propagating neurodegeneration. Excited to be part of leadership this year and plan great events to bring everyone in the building together!
Gabriela Blaszczyk
Treasurer
I am a second-year PhD student at the University of Toronto and St. Michael's Hospital. I have always been interested in the use of human models to improve translatability of basic research findings. I completed my MSc in 2022, where my project focused on using human stem cells to model brain repair following damage as seen in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My current project focuses on prognostic blood biomarkers for MS using clinical samples.
Holly Stibbe
Director of Communications
Hello! I’m one of the Directors of Communications for SRSA this year! I hope to foster a sense of community at St. Michael’s Hospital and its associated research buildings, and to boost engagement. I’m happy to talk about SRSA, school, work, or life, so feel free to say hi anytime! Outside of SRSA, I am a 1st-year MSc student in the Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology program at the University of Toronto, working under the supervision of Dr. Katalin Szászi in LKSKI. I look forward to a great year!
Amin Manji
Director of Communications
I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Warren Lee's lab looking at vascular mechanisms of atherosclerosis (i.e. understanding how fat accumulates in the walls of our arteries). Given that this is the second leading cause of death in Canada, we're trying to identify new molecular targets for treatment potential.
Dana Huang
Academic Director
Hello! My name is Dana, and I am one of the Directors of Academics this year. I'm a first-year Master's student in IMS doing neuroimaging research. I'm excited to organize events that promote academic development for the students at St. Michael's Hospital. Looking forward to a great year! :)
Luis Pérez Dávalos
Academic Director
I obtained my M.D. degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 2019. Then, I completed a Research Internship in a Laboratory of Nanomedicine studying inorganic nanoparticles for the treatment of chronic wounds. Later, I fostered a collaboration with a Canadian laboratory startup to validate and commercialize the chronic wound treatment. I am currently a third-year Ph.D. Candidate at Labouta Lab; my research aims to develop a placenta-on-a-chip model of preeclampsia, and a therapy based on lipid nanoparticles and siRNA to prevent severe complications of preeclampsia.
Francis Fernandes
Director of Community Outreach
Hi everyone, my name is Francis and I'm excited to be the co-director of community outreach this year! Looking forward to working with you all to help set-up fun initiatives to give back to the community at large. Outside of SRSA, I am 2nd year MSc student at the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto. My current work is focused on using neuro-imaging biomarkers in neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer's under the supervision of Dr. Tom Schweizer (8th floor LKSKI). Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
Jayne Owston
Director of Community Outreach
I am a recent graduate from the University of Toronto, where I completed a double major in Human Biology and Physiology. This past September, I have joined the Zhang Lab at St. Michael's hospital as a Master’s student at the Department of Physiology at UofT. I am passionate about conducting research that drives meaningful progress in human health.
Babishaa Sauntharrajan
Director of Student Equity
Hi Everyone! My name is Babishaa and I am a first-year PhD candidate in Dr. Warren Lee's lab. I hold an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in the Neuroscience Specialist Co-operative program from the University of Toronto. I completed my Master of Science degree in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology also at UofT, where I mapped and characterized a novel lymphatic drainage pathway implicated in glaucoma. For my PhD, I will be leveraging and investigating the manipulation of endothelial permeability in the diagnosis and therapy of lung injury.
Rajiv Sanwal
Director of Student Equity
I'm a 6th year PhD candidate in the Warren Lee lab. My research focuses on developing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to inflammatory lung injury.
Aria Afsharian
Director of Student Life
I’m a 2nd year MSc student in the Kapus Lab, studying the regulation of antiviral cell signalling pathways. As incoming Director of Student Life, I am happy to engage with the St. Michael’s community and foster an exciting year of fun events! Outside the lab, I enjoy art, reading, and working out.
Catherine Dong
Director of Student Life
Hi everyone! I'm a second-year PhD student in Dr. Alan Lazarus' lab, where my research focuses on understanding how therapeutic antibodies like anti-D can inhibit the immune response to red blood cells to treat autoimmune disease. I'm passionate about finding balance in graduate school and enjoy exploring fun ways for us to recharge outside the lab. I'm always open to new activities and would be happy to chat anytime—so feel free to reach out and share your ideas. Let's make this year a fun, supportive, and energizing one!
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