Asia Akther – PhD Student
Asia (pronounced Aaazia) is a second-year PhD candidate in Epidemiology at the School of Epidemiology and Public Health (SEPH), under the supervision of Dr. Tara Elton-Marshall and Dr. Ian Colman. She holds an Honours BSc in Neuroscience and Mental Health from Carleton University, with dual minors in Psychology and Statistics. Her research interests lie in psychiatric epidemiology, with a particular focus on mental health, substance use, and behavioural addictions among equity-deserving populations. Outside of academia, Asia is an avid traveller and self-proclaimed shopaholic.
Brianna Frangione – PhD Student
Brianna Frangione is a second-year PhD Candidate in Epidemiology. She previously obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences from Carleton University in 2022. Her thesis focuses on the association between occupational exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation and dementia among Canadian nuclear power plant workers. Outside of school, she loves reading and playing video games while hanging out with her two cats, Mako and Aelin.
Sara Siddiqi – PhD Student
Sara is a PhD Candidate in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health and APEAL laboratory. She has a MSc in Neuroscience and Bachelor of Health Sciences from Carleton University. Her work in neuroscience evaluated the role of ethno-racial factors in Parkinson’s Disease prevalence and advocated for diversity in research. She hopes to bring a unique background with neuroscience, biomedical sciences, and equity work to the field of Epidemiology. Also supervised by Dr. Jess Fiedorowicz, Head and Chief of the Department of Mental Health at The Ottawa Hospital, Sara’s doctoral thesis will investigate the relationship between mental disorders and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Outside of the lab she enjoys baking, hiking, and skating!
Nicole Hammond – PhD Candidate
Nicole is a PhD candidate in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa, and a research trainee in the APEAL laboratory. Nicole has a diverse educational background, having obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law & Psychology (2010) and Masters in Experimental Psychology (2012) at Carleton University, followed by a Masters of Science in Epidemiology & Community Medicine (2018) at the University of Ottawa, before pursuing her PhD. Nicole also has a varied research and professional work history, which she believes equips her with a unique skillset to contribute to advancing the field of Psychiatric Epidemiology. Nicole’s doctoral research focuses on family-level risk and protective factors for suicidal behaviours among Canadian adolescents, and is funded by a Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Shannon Thompson – PhD Student
Shannon is a Ph.D. student in Dr. Ian Colman’s APEAL laboratory. She holds a B.Sc in Behaviour, Cognition and Neuroscience from the University of Windsor, and an M.Sc in Neuroscience from the University of Ottawa. In her master’s work, Shannon investigated hippocampal postnatal neurogenesis and its association with the cognitive impairments affecting Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients. Under the supervision of Dr. Michael Martin, Manager of the Mental Health Epidemiology branch at Correctional Services Canada (Adjunct Professor, University of Ottawa; APEAL alumni), Shannon’s doctoral research will be to evaluate suicidality in Canadian Federal Penitentiaries
