Congratulations to our 2024 VAST summer scholars!
As we ramp into the Vascular Training (VAST) Platform’s third year, we’d like to announce and welcome our new cohort of (all female!!) summer trainees who have received VAST funding!
Esther Dazogbo, undergraduate trainee in Biomedical Sciences, University of Ottawa
Esther is a Biomedical Sciences student at the University of Ottawa. This summer, she will be working under the supervision of Dr. Steffany Bennett and Dr. Miroslava Cuperlovic-Culf to test whether it is possible to detect cerebral amyloid angiopathy using the circulating lipidome. She is excited to contribute to this research because as she would love to one day become a medical researcher in neuropathology. During her free time, she enjoys creating art, playing the piano and doing outdoor activities.
Bhavana Gill, BSc in Psychology, University of Calgary
Bhavana is graduating this year with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology from the University of Calgary. She has been working with Dr. Philip Barber to identify and examine early biomarkers of dementia. Personal experiences with cognitive impairment motivated her passion to contribute to not only improving the care of individuals experiencing cognitive impairment but also exploring ways to detect it earlier, thereby providing the opportunity for preventing or delaying progression. This summer, she will be co-supervised by Dr. Sayeh Bayat and Dr. Barber to collect high-resolution spatial and temporal data on the activity patterns of individuals with mild neurocognitive decline and controls to examine the feasibility of digital markers developed through advanced tracking technologies. With her intention of pursuing a career in neuropsychology, this project combines her research interests in novel approaches for the early detection of dementia-related diseases with the early expression of cognitive syndrome. Outside of research, she enjoys spending time with her two dogs and exploring new hiking trails!
Georgia Polomski, undergraduate trainee in Biology, St. Francis Xavier University
Georgia is finishing her third year of BSc Biology at St. Francis Xavier University. This summer she will be working in the Mazerolle Lab under the supervision of Dr. Erin Mazerolle and Dr. Jodie Gawryluk. She will be investigating the reproducibility of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measurements of cerebrovascular reactivity to move towards clinical applications. She is very excited for the opportunity to contribute to the field of VCI. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, golfing, and reading.
Milla Shakleva, undergraduate trainee in Biology, Concordia University
Milla is a biology student at Concordia University in Montreal. This summer, she will be working with Dr. Claudine Gauthier’s team. Her project will involve looking at the effect of obesity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cerebral blood flow parameters on cognition (specifically executive function and processing speed), particularly highlighting the difference between cardiovascular disease patients and healthy controls. The themes of this project resonate deeply with her personal interests in fitness and its myriad positive effects, which she experiences firsthand every single day. Understanding how these factors intersect and influence cognitive health aligns perfectly with her passion for promoting wellness and optimizing cognitive function through lifestyle interventions.
Mckenna Stuart, undergraduate trainee in Biology, University of British Columbia
Mckenna is entering her final year of her Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She is very interested in dementia and cognitive impairment, which drove her to complete a Co-Op work placement in the Wellington Lab. This summer, she is very excited to be continuing her work with Dr. Cheryl Wellington along with Dr. Bojana Stefanovic to explore vascular damage and cognitive impairment following traumatic brain injury. In her free time, Mckenna enjoys being outside, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
Ibadat Warring, undergraduate trainee in Biological Sciences, University of Calgary
Ibadat is entering her fourth year in the Honours Biological Sciences program at the University of Calgary. She is currently an undergraduate researcher with Dr. Ismail at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute looking at behavioural markers associated with dementia. This summer, her research will explore vascular risk factors and their potential links to mild behavioral impairment prior to dementia onset. Her passion for geriatrics and dementia-related research is driven by her volunteer work and employment in senior homes. Looking ahead, she aspires to become a geriatric clinical scientist dedicated to improving the quality of life for residents in nursing home settings!