Lab Managers

Peter Waisman

I am currently completing my B.Sc. in the Health Science and Psychology program at UTSC. I am specializing in Psychology and have enrolled in a minor for Anthropology. I took interest in working with Dr. Zakzanis in my senior year of high school. Some interests I have include, studying neural cognitive psychology, specifically focusing on applied research. I am deeply interested in studying the COVID-19 pandemic, in relation to severe anxiety and depression. I hope to gain valuable experiences throughout my time at UTSC, that I can apply in my future education and career.

Alecsandra Usachov-Goncharuk

I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at UTSC currently pursuing a specialist program in psychology and a minor in culture and music. Some of my academic interests include clinical neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience, as well as interests in behavioural psychology with an emphasis on educational settings and behaviour within the classroom. I am looking forward to continuing my path in education and further expand my knowledge within these fields as I finish my degree at UTSC and further pursue my interests in graduate school studies. 

 

Graduate Students

Zachariah Campbell

I received my H.B.Sc. in Neuroscience (Specialist) and Psychology (Major) from the University of Toronto Scarborough and my M.A. from the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto (Brain and Behaviour stream). I am currently completing my Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Toronto of which includes involvement in the Clinical Extension in Neuropsychology program. My interests are somewhat wide ranging and involve structural/functional neuroanatomy, the history of psychology, abnormal psychology, behaviour modification and all aspects of clinical neuropsychology (e.g., forensic evaluation along with cognitive and psychological interventions).

 

Melanie Mascarenhas

I am a PhD student in the Psychological Clinical Science program at the University of Toronto Scarborough and am currently co-supervised by Dr. Konstantine Zakzanis and Dr. Zindel Segal. I received my Hons. BSc. from the University of Toronto, where I majored in Psychology and Cognitive Science with a minor in Buddhism and Mental Health. My masters thesis examined whether dispositional traits like mindfulness can serve as protective factors for psychological, cognitive, and functional outcomes following mild TBI. My research interests also include performance validity in neuropsychological assessment and mindfulness-based processes such as experiential avoidance and interoceptive awareness in TBI. I have previously completed clinical practica at the UTSC Health and Wellness Centre, Sunnybrook Hospital’s Neuropsychology Consultation Service, and am currently at Toronto Western Hospital in the Neuropsychology Clinic.

Angie Sekely

I completed my B.A. and M.A. in psychology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington where I examined the psychological and neuropsychological concomitants of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury (TBI) in military personnel returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I then completed an M.A. in the Psychological Clinical Science Program at the University of Toronto Scarborough where I examined the psychological, neuropsychological, and functional effects of TBI. As a PhD student at the University of Toronto Scarborough, my program of research seeks to understand the relationship among psychological, neuropsychological, and functional outcomes in individuals with brain tumors. I am also investigating the impact of radiation dosimetry to specific brain regions and cognitive outcomes.

 

Sarah Saperia

I am currently a PhD student in the Psychological Clinical Science Program under the co-supervision of Dr. George Foussias and Dr. Konstantine Zakzanis. After receiving my B.A. Honours in psychology at Queen’s University, I worked at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in the Schizophrenia Division where I continue to conduct research on motivation deficits and related negative symptoms in severe mental illness. My Masters thesis examined individual differences associated with motivation impairments in schizophrenia and depression, with a specific focus on the mechanisms underlying effort-based decision-making. For my PhD dissertation, I’m researching the psychological pathways to negative symptoms in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. My goal is to develop and test a cognitive model of negative symptoms so to identify more precise and personalized treatment targets for this critical area of unmet therapeutic need.

Tyler Brown

I completed my Hons. B.Sc. specializing in Mental Health co-op at the University of Toronto Scarborough. I am currently completing my M.A. in the Psychological Clinical Science Program, also at the University of Toronto. I am supervised by Dr. Zakzanis, and have been an active member in his lab since 2016. I have a wide array of interests that encompass teaching, abnormal psychology, psychopharmacology, addictions, and clinical neuropsychology. My research is primarily focused on identifying the psychological and neuropsychological predictors of relapse in abstinent individuals with substance use disorder. Ultimately, I plan on pursuing a career where I can apply my theoretical knowledge in a clinical setting: clinical neuropsychologist.

Sanghamithra Ramani

I am currently completing my MA in the Psychological Clinical Science Program, under the supervision of Dr. Konstantine Zakzanis. I receivedmy Hons. BSc. in Psychology with a minor in Biology from the University of Waterloo, and an Experimental MA in Psychology fromCarleton University. During my current MA thesis at UTSC, I am focusing on the medical/legal side of neuropsychology. In particular, I am examining the cognitive and psychological outcomes of mild TBI after litigation resolution. Broadly speaking, my research interests also lie in increasing the scope of diversity in neuropsychological research and practice. During my training, I hope to develop my cultural competency and retain my cultural humility, to better serve diverse populations. I am also generally interested in various neurobiological treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, with prior research focusing on multiple sclerosis.

 

Undergraduate Students

Danyal Zaidi

I am a fourth-year undergraduate student currently pursuing programs in neuroscience and psychology with a minor in philosophy. I began working in Dr. Zakzanis’ lab in Winter 2022. My research interests lie within the realms of behavioral neuroscience and neuropsychology, specifically related to stress, anxiety, and trauma related behaviors in human and animal models and the hippocampus at large. I plan to further investigate the intersection of these topics in graduate school as well.

Andrea Thalassinos

I am a fourth-year student enrolled in the Hons. B.Sc Psychological and Health Science program, specializing in Mental Health at the University of Toronto. Since Fall 2022, I have been a Research Assistant in Dr. Zakzanis’ lab. My academic pursuits centre around neuroimaging, clinical neuropsychology, and cognitive neuroscience. Moving forward, I aim to deepen my expertise in these areas of interest and integrate them into my future graduate studies.

Anahita Joshi

I am currently in my fourth and final year of my Hons B.Sc. specializing in psychology and also minoring in philosophy. I began working in the Zakzanis Lab in the Fall of 2022 as a thesis student. My thesis is a smaller part of a larger, long-form project that Zakzanis Lab is conducting. The project is about tackling the replication crisis. Specifically, it is trying to gauge the role effort and engagement may play in the replicability of research within psychology. I love many aspects of psychology, but I thoroughly enjoy clinical, cognitive, and developmental psychology. I hope to continue immersing myself in these topics in graduate school so that I can eventually join the clinical sector in some manner.

Fatima Azhar

I am a fifth-year undergraduate student, pursuing a double major in Biochemistry Co-op and Mental Health Studies, and minoring in Applied Statistics. I began working in the Zakzanis Lab in Fall of 2023 as a thesis student, where my focus is on tackling the replication crisis. My research interests include abnormal psychology, psychopharmacology, clinical neuropsychology, and am prone to develop an obsession about any topic within the field. I aim to pursue graduate studies in the field of clinical psychology.

Julia Lo

I am currently in my fifth year of undergraduate studies of my Hons. B.Sc. in Neuroscience, Psychology and Music & Culture. I started working at the Zakzanis Lab in Fall 2023 as a Research Assistant. My research interests are within neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience, and neuroimaging, specifically in the realm of music, culture, family and decision making. I aim to continue look into these topics in my future studies and hope to one day work within the clinical sector.

 

Lina Al Halabi

I am in my fourth year pursuing an Honours B.Sc. in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology. Since the fall of 2023, I have had the privilege of being a Research Assistant at the Zakzanis Lab. My research focus spans neuropsychology, cellular neuroscience, and disease modification, with a specific interest in understanding how neurodegenerative diseases influence both cognition and physical functions. I am enthusiastic about delving deeper into these areas in my future studies and aspire to play a more involved role in academia.

 

Lab Alumni

  • Dean Christidis, B.Sc.
  • Courtney Berezuk, Ph.D.
  • Marina Thalassinos, B.Sc.
  • Aqsa Zahid, B.Sc.
  • Sonya Dhillon, Ph.D.
  • Kyrsten Grimes, Ph.D.
  • Eliyas Jeffay, Ph.D.
  • Suweetha Thani, B.Sc.
  • Aalim Makani, B.Sc.
  • Shalini Bahl, B.Sc.
  • Mishal Dar, B.Sc.
  • Niroshica Mohanathas
  • Jaishree Nayyar, B.Sc.
  • Brahm Sanger, B.Sc.
  • Lenka Vojtila, B.Sc.
  • Lorlyn Chan, B.Sc.
  • Candice Richardson, B.Sc.
  • Manu Sharma, B.Sc.
  • Sabrina Adamo, B.Sc.
  • Mina Xie, B.Sc.
  • Gabriela Tanumihardja, B.Sc.
  • Elisabeth Lam, B.Sc.
  • Soni Prasad, B.Sc.
  • Monica Shah, B.Sc.
  • Jeff Garel, B.Sc.
  • Marco Sama, B.Sc.
  • Areti Apatsidou
  • Fabliha Prima
  • Claudia Szabuniewicz
  • Ramsha Khan
  • Annika Masangya
  • Bilun Naz Boke
  • Tania Mahendiran
  • Diana Jovanovski, B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D., C.Psych
  • Mark Boulos, B.Sc., M.D., FRCPC CSCN(EEG), M.Sc.
  • Kathryn Kalahani-Bargis, B.Sc.
  • Nikoo Norouzian, B.Sc.
  • Shakira Mohammed, B.Sc.
  • Ray Astaphan, B.Sc.
  • Paul Klas, B.Sc.
  • Steven Hanna, B.Sc.
  • Krysta Mc Donald, B.Sc.
  • Emnet Gammada, B.Sc.
  • Sathya Amirthavasagam, B.Sc.
  • Kelly An, B.Sc., M.A.
  • Matt Vandermeer, B.Sc.
  • Anosha Zanjani, B.A.
  • Anna Nagy, M.A.
  • Bannu Bala, B.A.
  • Fahim Kazemi, B.A.
  • Kristina Dragnea, B.A.
  • Sharon Yu, B.A.
  • Nana Aoki, B.A.
  • Carmen Hiploylee, B.A.
  • Emily Yueng, B.A.,
  • Lauren Forrest, B.A.
  • Gina Vareles, B.A.
  • Ruth Caballes, B.A.
  • Mamta Kapoor, B.A., M.D.
  • Alexandra Minea, B.A.
  • Albert Chan, B.A.
  • Alina Lemak, B.A.
  • Gulam Khan, B.A., M.A. (Clinical Neuropsychology)
  • Jordanne Amos, B.A.
  • Stefania Scanga, B.A.
  • Anik Patel, B.A.