¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥

An Bui

abui@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: 

Area of Study/Keywords: Stroke, Aging, Neutrophil, Inflammation, Transcriptome.

About

I completed my undergraduate study in Neuroscience at the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥. My PhD focus is investigating the role of neutrophil stalls in gene expression changes during and after stroke, and how they affect clinical outcomes (ie. age- and sex- based differences). Outside of the lab, I'm a passionate artist and sewing enthusiast.

Anna wilson

amw2@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

About

Anna Wilson has a Masters Degree in Library and Information Studies, from ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥. She also has a Masters Degree in Theoretical, Cultural and International Education Policy Studies. She is currently a PhD student in the Department of Psychiatry studying Indigenous Mental Health and working with Dr. Andrew Greenshaw, Dr. Yifeng Wei, and Dr. Noella Steinhauer on a nationwide Indigenous Youth Mental Health Literacy Resource written by Indigenous youth for Indigenous youth.

Belinda Agyapong

bagyapon@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

Chelsea Bedrejo Stellick, MA

bedrejo@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor:

About

I am a graduate student under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Greenshaw and Dr. Eldon Spackman at the University of Calgary. I hold a Master's Degree in Economics from the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ where I studied the indirect costs of anxiety disorder and depression, Bachelors Degree (¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥) in Political Science and Economics and a diploma in Global Management from IESEG School of Management. I will be pursuing my doctoral studies applying a cost-effectiveness model to anti-amyloid treatments for Alzheimer's Disease. I currently live in New York City working on Wall Street. On a day to day basis, I utilize my skills sets to analyze the market behaviour and trends in the biotech and healthcare space to make recommendations on stock price movements of public Biopharma companies. Speaking with CEO's and other members of senior management on several early stage (and late stage) development companies within the space is the most exciting part of the job. I enjoy using what I have learnt in my studies at the U of A in my professional life everyday.

Selected Recent Awards

• 2013 - Government of ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Graduate Citizenship Award
• 2012 - ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Outstanding Initiative Award
• 2011 - ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Gold Key Recognition Award
• 2009 - ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Lee Global Education Award

Domina Laurent

dlaurent@ualberta.ca

Current Program: MSc
Supervisor: , 

Areas of Study/Keywords: Cannabis Policies, Veterans & Cannabis Use, Cannabis Risks & Benefits.

About

As a MSc. in Psychiatry student, I am currently looking at the risks and benefits associated with medicinal and recreational cannabis use, as well as any potential mitigating effects of policies. Prior to this, I looked at the effects of fibromyalgia on SWB during my concurrent B.Sc. (honours)/B.A. (honours) in Biology and Psychology at the University of New Brunswick.

Award

• 2022 - Green & Gold Student Leadership and Professional Development Grant

Emilie Desnoyers

eadesnoy@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

Emily Ward

About: 

Emily completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Calgary, where she gained research experience in developmental psychobiology. Emily recently began working
towards a Master of Science degree in Psychiatry, aiming to explore the use of machine learning to recognize and prevent opioid-related adverse outcomes.

Ernest Owusu

eowusu2@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: 

Area of Study/Keywords: Improving resilience, personal recovery, and quality of life among patients discharged from acute care into the community in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ through supportive text messages and peer support.

About

I am dedicated to investigating the dynamics of resilience, personal recovery, and quality of life among individuals with mental health challenges transitioning into the community after discharge, with a particular emphasis on harnessing digital technology to mitigate the risk of readmission. Furthermore, my research delves into the profound impact of disaster-related trauma on the mental health of residents from affected areas. I have more than twelve years of experience working as a mental health nurse both in the clinical area and the community. Worked as a facilitator for psychiatric nursing in several health training institutions and universities. I have
worked as an advocate in reducing stigma and discrimination in persons living with HIV and AIDS, as well as in the LBGT+ community.

Publications

• Owusu, E.; Shalaby, R.; Elgendy, H.; Mao,W.; Shalaby,N.; Agyapong, B.; Nichols, A.; Eboreime, E.; Nkire, N.; Lawal, M.A.; et al. Comparison of Resilience, Personal Recovery, and Quality of Life Measures Pre- and Post-Discharge from Inpatient Mental Health Units in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥: Analysis of Control Group Data from a Randomized Trial.Healthcare 2023, 11, 2958. https:// doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11222958.
• Owusu, E.; Oluwasina, F.; Nkire, N.; Lawal, M.A.; Agyapong, V.I.O.  Readmission of Patients to Acute Psychiatric Hospitals: Influential Factors and Interventions to Reduce Psychiatric Readmission Rates. Healthcare 2022, 10, 1808. https://doi.org/10.3390/ healthcare10091808.
• Owusu E, Shalaby R, Eboreime E, Nike N, Lawal MA, Agyapong B, Pazderka H, Obuobi-Donkor G, Adu MK, Mao W, Oluwasina F and Agyapong VIO (2022) Prevalence and Determinants of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms in Residents of Fort McMurray 12 Months Following the 2020 Flooding. Front. Psychiatry 13:844907. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.844907.
• Owusu, E.; Shalaby, R.; Eboreime, E.; Nkire, N.; Agyapong,B.; Obuobi-Donkor, G.; Adu, M.K.; Mao, W.; Oluwasina, F.; Lawal, M.A.; et al. Prevalence and Predictors of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms in Residents of Fort McMurray Five Years after the Devastating Wildfires. Trauma Care 2022, 2, 282?297.
• Elgendy, H.; Shalaby, R.; Owusu, E.; Nkire, N.; Agyapong,V.I.O.; Wei, Y. A Scoping Review of Adult Inpatient Satisfaction with Mental Health Services. Healthcare 2023, 11, 3130. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/healthcare11243130.
• Mao W, Shalaby R, Owusu E, Elgendy H, Shalaby N, Agyapong B, Nichols A, Eboreime E, Nkire N, Agyapong VIO. Status after Hospital Discharge: An Observational Study of the Progression of Patients’ Mental Health Symptoms Six Weeks after Hospital Discharge. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023; 12(24):7559.
• Mao W, Adu M, Eboreime E, Shalaby R, Nkire N, Agyapong B, Pazderka H, Obuobi-Donkor G, Owusu E, Oluwasina F, Zhang Y. Post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and wildfires: a fifth-year post disaster evaluation among residents of Fort McMurray. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2022 Aug 8;19(15):9759. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19159759.
• Mao W, Eboreime E, Shalaby R, Nkire N, Agyapong B, Pazderka H, Obuobi-Donkor G, Adu M, Owusu E, Oluwasina F, Zhang Y. One year after the flood: Prevalence and correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder among residents in Fort McMurray. Behavioral Sciences. 2022 Mar 2;12(3):69. doi: 10.3390/bs12030069.
• Oluwasina F, Eboreime E,Shalaby R, .. Owusu E, et al. Evaluating the prevalence and correlates of major depressive disorder among residents of Fort McMurray, Canada, one year after a devastating flood. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. doi:
• Obuobi-Donkor, G.; Eboreime, E.; Shalaby, R.; Agyapong,B.; Adu, M.K.; Owusu, E.; Mao, W.;Oluwasina, F.; Pazderka, H.; Agyapong, V.I.O. Evaluating Community Resilience and Associated Factors One Year after the Catastrophic Fort McMurray Flood. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022,19, 16153.
• Eboreime, Ejemai, Reham, Shalaby, Wanying Mao, Ernest, Owusu, Wesley Vuong, Shireen Surood, Kerry Bales et al. "Reducing readmission rates for individuals discharged from acute psychiatric care in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ using peer and text message support: Protocol for an innovative supportive program." BMC health services research 22, no. 1 (2022): 1-11.
• Pazderka H, Shalaby R, Eboreime E, Mao W, Obuobi-Donkor G, Agyapong B, Oluwasina F, Adu MK, Owusu E, Sapara A and, Agyapong VIO (2022) Isolation, Economic Precarity, and Previous Mental Health Issues as Predictors of PTSD Status in Females Living in Fort McMurray During COVID-19. Front. Psychiatry 13:837713. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.837713 

Awards & Funding

2024 - Dr. Adil J Nazarali Memorial Travel Award in Neuroscience.
2024 - Graduate Travel Award
2024 - ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship (PhD. category)
2023 - ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship (Masters category)
2021-2022 -Graduate Research Assistantship Fellowship.

Ethan Hagen

evhagen@ulberta.ca

Current Program: MSc
Supervisor:

Area of Study/Keywords: Psychedelics, Zebrafish, Addiction

About

I am a Master’s student in the department of psychiatry working with Dr. Yanbo Zhang. In 2021, I received my BSc (Honours) Psychology at MacEwan University with a thesis on the effects of microdosing LSD in zebrafish. My primary focus is the study of psychedelics and their possible uses for different treatments, like addiction treatment. I collaborate with Dr. Trevor Hamilton at MacEwan University to research psychedelics and other substance interactions in zebrafish, focusing on behaviour.

hossam elgendy

hossamel@ualberta.ca

Current Program: MSc
Supervisor: 

Istuti Gupta

istuti@ualberta.ca

Current Program: MSc
Supervisor: 

About

I joined the Master's program in the Department of Psychiatry
in Fall 2023 as an international student under Dr. Satyabrata Kar. My research explores the impact of native PLGA nanoparticles on
Alzheimer's Disease pathology. I previously earned a Bachelor of
Technology in Biotechnology from India, where I worked on the
synthesis and functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles.

jacquelyn paquet

paquet1@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

Jennie Vegt

jvegt@ualberta.ca

Current Program: MSc
Supervisor: 

About

I joined the Department of Psychiatry in January 2023. With the guidance of Dr. Pamela Brett-MacLean, my research is focused on the patient experience of a hospital-based art program that is similar to the Arts on Prescription programs in the UK or Social Prescribing programs in Canada. I'm also interested in exporing arts-based research to facilitate ongoing value co-creation and health knowledge dissemination within healthcare environments. After completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2012 at the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥, my career as an artist has integrated community and well-being through roles, such as Artist in Residence in City Hall and Artist on the Ward in the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Hospital. These experiences informed my later studies in Psychology at Athabasca University, ultimately leading me to the privilege of participating in this Psychiatry program. 

Awards

• Balanced Student Award, 2021 (Athabasca University SA)
• Academic Achievement Award, 2021(Athabasca University SA)

Publications

• Mathura P, Li M, Vegt J, Penrod Z, Suranyi Y, Osborne C, Kassam N. Through the eyes of hospital-based healthcare professionals: exporling their lived experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ Open Qual. 2022 Aug;11(3):e001878. doi: 10.1136/bmjoq-2022-001878. PMID: 35961682; PMCID: PMC9378944.

jian Shan Chen

jiansha1@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: 

julie tian

jtian10@ualberta.ca

Current Program:  PhD
Supervisor: , ,

Area of Study/Keywords: Machine Learning, Health Monitoring

About

Julie Tian is a PhD student specializing in the field of Computational Psychiatry. Her educational background includes a BSc degree in Pharmacology and Computer Science from McGill University, which has equipped her with a diverse skill set to excel in her research endeavors. With a keen interest in leveraging machine learning techniques, Julie focuses on uncovering insightful patterns and predictive trends within administrative healthcare patient data and individual’s smartwatch health data. Through her research, Julie is dedicated to enhancing individualized healthcare delivery and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Kylie Johnston

Current Program: MsC

About

I joined the department of Psychiatry’s MSc program in September 2024, where I have been working on a project focused on the implementation and evaluation of a mental health literacy curriculum in elementary schools under the supervision of Dr. Yifeng Wei as well as Dr. Andrew Greenshaw. In May 2024, I graduated from the Bachelor of Science program with a major in Psychology from UBC Okanagan, where I had the opportunity to collaborate with various interdisciplinary researchers. My previous research covered a variety of topics, including substance use and harm reduction, chronic disease, youth mental health, travel patterns of children living in the Interior Health region of BC, and social support. I am passionate about empowering youth to have a voice in healthcare decisions and improving their access to mental health resources, so I look forward to contributing to this meaningful project as part of the Psychiatry MSc program.

Lei (Oliver) Qian

lq3@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

LuJie Xu

lujie2@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor:

Area of Study/Keywords: Psychiatry, Cognitive impairment, HIV, gender roles

About

Lujie Xu is a PhD student in the Department of Psychiatry. In 2017, Lujie earned her BSc/MD from the Faculty of Medicine, Taizhou university, China. In 2020 she earned her MSc from the Faculty of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, China. During her master’s degree, she conducted research training at the Peking University Mental Health Institution under the supervision of Dr. Xin Yu and Dr. Huali Wang. In addition, Lujie passed the China Physician Qualification Exam in 2019.  She is currently working on a multi-aspect project that aims to improve the current understanding of 1) cognitive impairment in people living with HIV and 2) the role of gender in health outcomes.  

Recent Publications

• Xu L, Li T, Xiong L, Wang X, Ismail Z, Fukuda M, Sun Z, Wang J, Gauthier S, Yu X et al: Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of Mild Behavioral Impairment Checklist in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021, 81(3):1141-1149.
• Xu L, Wang J, Xiong L, Yu X, Wang H. The progress of mild behavioral impairment for neurodegenerative disorder. Chinese Journal Of Geriatric Heart Brain And Vessel Diseases, 2020,22(07):771-773.
• Sun Z, Wang Z, Xu L, Lv X, Li Q, Wang H, Yu X: Characteristics of Cognitive Deficit in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment With Subthreshold Depression. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2019, 32(6):344-353.
• Xu N, Xu T, Tan X, Xu L, Ye M, Pan Y, Tong P, Hu X, Xu M: Fluid Homeostasis May Predict the Prognosis of Non-infectious Fever After Total Knee Arthroplasty Within 7-Day: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Front Surg 2021, 8:690803.

Selected Recent Awards

• 2020 - Outstanding Graduation Award, Wenzhou Medical University & Zhejiang Province
• 2017 - Government of Zhejiang Province Award

Mallory Minerson

minerson@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor:  

About

Mallory is a PhD student under the supervision of Dr. Pamela Brett-MacLean. Her research focuses on a discursive analysis of decolonization of medical and mental health documentation. Mallory lives in Inuvik, Northwest Territories and is a Regional Clinical Supervisor for Mental Health and Addictions for the Beaufort Delta Region. She is a Registered Drama Therapist with an MA from New York University, as well as a Certified Canadian Counsellor, Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator-Clinician (Brené Brown’s work), Clinical Traumatologist (Traumatology Institute) and Licensed Practical Nurse. Mallory’s background includes working in Forensic mental health, community outreach, grief, trauma and loss, with an all-ages population in community-based, individual and school-based sessions. Mallory’s work is multimodal and trauma-focused and is guided by embodied arts-based research. Ms. Minerson is passionate about moving drama therapy and performance into the quantitative research domain and is curious about the ways the inherent benefits of embodiment and art-based healing engagement intersect. Mallory has also completed the first level training in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University and is interested in the overlap of medical humanities, arts-based research, drama therapy and narrative medicine.

Publications

• Minerson, M. (2022). Reflections on action: An intervention triptych. Drama Therapy Review. 8(1), 121-127. 
• Minerson, M. (2021). An opening in the ice: Community connection and recovery in the time of COVID-19. Journal of Recovery in Mental Health, 4, 48-52.   
• Minerson, M. (2020). Meeting in isolation: A drama therapeutic processing of isolation during COVID-19, Polyphony: Journal of the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists. Available at: 
• Minerson, M. (2018). Till the soil: A clinical commentary on finding metaphor and meaning in the ecotone of therapeutic gardening and drama therapy. Drama Therapy Review, 4, 295-301.doi: 
• Minerson, M.  (2017). Destination: Home - A conversation with Robert Landy on the current state of integration and the Hero's Journey, Drama Therapy Review, 3, 149-154. doi: 
• Minerson, M. (2016). Musica Humana: A Therapeutic Musical Theatre Performance Thesis – The Somatic Journey from Dissociation to Integration-New York University. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. 10182161. Available at: 

Robert McWeeny

mcweeny@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

Areas of Study/Keywords: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Education, School-based Mental Health, Musical Neuromodulation

About

I am a PhD student in the department of psychiatry, teacher for Edmonton Public Schools, and professional musician & music educator. My MSc focus is school-based mental health for children and adolescents. I strive to investigate relationships between mental health literacy, public institutions that commonly interact with youth (e.g., schools, law-enforcement, social services), and psychiatric dispositions and outcomes in children and adolescents. Long-term I am interested in epigenetic mechanisms for endophenotype expression during childhood maturation, 2S+LGBTQ mental-health care delivery, and continuing my work with school & institutional mental health.

Roxy Tsisar

roxolian@ualberta.ca

Current Program: MSc
Supervisor: , , Dr. Melanie Robles

About

I am a Master's student supervised by Dr. Andrew Greenshaw, Dr. Adam Abba-Aji, and Dr. Melanie Robles. Along with the rest of the Psychosis Family Psychoeducation team, my research is dedicated to developing and evaluating a psychoeducational program for families and caregivers of young adults living with severe mental illness.

Setayesh Modanloo

modanloo@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

About

I am a dedicated scholar and researcher deeply engaged in the exploration of mental health. My academic journey includes a successful Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a subsequent Master's degree in Clinical Psychology. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychiatry, my strong commitment lies in advancing our understanding of mental health challenges.

My research focus centers on the mental and physical well-being of remote workers, where I actively seek innovative solutions to monitor and enhance their health. Alongside my research endeavors, I maintain a keen interest in clinical work, integrating theoretical knowledge with practical applications. In addition to my academic pursuits, I am currently undergoing training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) at the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEFT). Simultaneously, I am in the process of receiving registration from the College of ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Psychologists, a testament to my commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards in my field.

As I progress in my Ph.D. studies, my dedication lies in bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical solutions. I see myself as a promising figure in the field, poised to make meaningful contributions through both research and clinical practice, while continually advancing my skills and expertise.

Sidney Yap

syap@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

Areas of Study/Keywords: Military Member, Veteran, and Public Safety Personnel Mental Health

About

I am currently a graduate student working under the supervision of Dr. Lisa Burback and Dr. Suzette Bremault-Phillips. I hold a BSc in Biology and Psychology from the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥. Along with the rest of the Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC), my research aims to develop, evaluate, and help implement solutions to improve the resilience, readiness and growth, as well as health and wellbeing, of military members, Veterans, public safety personnel, and their families. Currently, I am investigating the experiences of military members, Veterans, public safety personnel and clinicians who began using virtually delivered trauma therapies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Publications

• Yap S, Luki J, Hanstock CC, Seres P, Shandro T, Hanstock SEC, Lirette A, Zhao H, Aitchison KJ and Le Melledo J.M. (2021) Decreased Medial Prefrontal Cortex Glutamate Levels in Perimenopausal Women. Front. Psychiatry

Wanying Mao

wmao2@ualberta.ca

Current Program: MsC
Supervisor: ,

About

I am a graduate student under the supervision of Dr. Vincent Agyapong and Dr. Yanbo Zhang. My undergraduate degree is in psychology from the University of British Columbia, and my master's is in psychology and education from the University of Warwick, UK. 

A major focus of my research is using innovative Supportive Text Messages and Peer Support interventions to ease anxiety and depression symptoms and improve well-being in patients who have been discharged from inpatient psychiatric care in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥. Through my research, I hope to assist patients and their caregivers in resolving challenges associated with the transition from inpatient to outpatient treatment in the mental health field and hopefully enhance individuals' well-being with e-based innovative technologies and interventions.

Publications

• Mao, W., Shalaby, R., Owusu, E., Elgendy, H. E., Agyapong, B., ... & Agyapong, V. I., Depression, Anxiety, and Poor Well-being at Discharge from Psychiatric Hospitals: Prevalence and Risk Factors.Frontiers in Psychiatry, 15, 1408095. 2024. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1408095
• Mao W, Shalaby R, Agyapong B, Obuobi-Donkor G, Da Luz Dias R, Agyapong VI. Devastating Wildfires and Mental Health: Major Depressive Disorder Prevalence and Associated Factors among Residents in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Nova Scotia, Canada. Behavioral Sciences. 2024 Mar 5;14(3):209. doi: 10.3390/bs14030209.
• Mao W, Shalaby R, Owusu E, Elgendy H, Shalaby N, Agyapong B, Nichols A, Eboreime E, Nkire N, Agyapong VI. Status after Hospital Discharge: An Observational Study of the Progression of Patients’ Mental Health Symptoms Six Weeks after Hospital Discharge. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023 Dec 7;12(24):7559. doi: 10.3390/jcm12247559.
• Mao W, Adu M, Eboreime E, Shalaby R, Nkire N, Agyapong B, Pazderka H, Obuobi-Donkor G, Owusu E, Oluwasina F, Zhang Y. Post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and wildfires: a fifth-year postdisaster evaluation among residents of Fort McMurray. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2022 Aug 8;19(15):9759. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19159759.
• Mao W, Eboreime E, Shalaby R, Nkire N, Agyapong B, Pazderka H, Obuobi-Donkor G, Adu M, Owusu E, Oluwasina F, Zhang Y. One year after the flood: Prevalence and correlates of post-traumatic stress disorder among residents in Fort McMurray. Behavioral Sciences. 2022 Mar 2;12(3):69. doi: 10.3390/bs12030069
• Mao W, Agyapong VI. The role of social determinants in mental health and resilience after disasters: Implications for public health policy and practice. Frontiers in public health. 2021 May 19;9:658528. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.658528.

Yahya Ayoub

yayoub@ualberta.ca

Current Program: MSc
Supervisor: 

Yiqing Wu

Current Program: MSc
Supervisor: ,

Area of Study/Keywords: Psychiatry, Digital health

About

Yiqing Wu is currently a MSc student in the Department of Psychiatry. She majored in Clinical Medicine during undergraduate and earned with a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine. Later she specialized in Psychiatry and Mental Health and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Medicine under the supervision of Dr. Zhiqian Tong. She has work experience in physician and has Medical Practitioner’s Qualification Certificate in China. At present, she is studying in psychiatry and digital health under the supervision of Dr. Greenshaw and Dr. Hayward.

Recent Publications:

• Ye Yuan*, Yiqing Wu* , et al. Zhiqian Tong * . Tropospheric formaldehyde levels infer ambient formaldehyde-induced brain diseases and global burden in China 2013–2019. Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jul 20:883:163553.
• Ye Li *, Yiqing Wu*, et al. Zhiqian Tong * . Neuropsychiatric Behavioral Assessments in Mice After Acute and Long-Term Treatments of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2024 Jan-Dec:39:15333175231222695.
• Danrui Zhao*, Yiqing Wu* , et al. Zhiqian Tong * . Midbrain FA initiates neuroinflammation and depression onset in acute and chronic LPS-induced depressive model mice. Brain Behav Immun. 2024 Mar:117:356-375.
• Zuting Ye*, Yanming Liu*, Xingjiang Jin, Yiqing Wu et al. Zhiqian Tong * . Aβ-binding with alcohol dehydrogenase drives Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis: A review. Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 Apr;264(Pt 2):130580.

Yutong (Jessica) Li

yutong5@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor:

About

Jessica Li is a PhD student at the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ in the Computational Psychiatry Group at the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. Her main research is working with administrative health records (AHRs) and longitudinal population level big data to create decision support tools with machine learning.

Yuying Lei

yuying11@ualberta.ca

Zahra Ghofrani Jahromi

Current Program: MSc

About

I began my master's studies in the Department of Psychiatry at the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ in 2024. Currently, I am working on a project with multiple different aspects aimed at enhancing our understanding of emotion-cognition interactions and mental health comorbidities among people with HIV compared to healthy populations. My ultimate goal is to understand how to improve mental well-being for individuals living with HIV. I am an adventurous person both in science and nature! Therefore, in my spare time, I enjoy hiking, camping in jungles, and mountain climbing.

Zijia Yu

zijia4@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

Area of Study/Keywords: Glutamate, neurotransmitters, NMDAR dysfunction

Publications

• Luo, M., Deng, M., Yu, Z., Zhang, Y., Xu, S., Hu, S., & Xu, H. (2020). Differential Susceptibility and Vulnerability of Brain Cells in C57BL/6 Mouse to Mitochondrial Dysfunction Induced by Short-Term Cuprizone Exposure. Frontiers in neuroanatomy, 14, 30.

Awards

• 2021-2025 Chinese scholarship council (CSC) scholarship

Zitong Wang

zitong13@ualberta.ca

Current Program: PhD
Supervisor: ,

Area of Study/Keywords: Depression, Cognition, Anxiety, Multiple Sclerosis, Psychedelics

About

Zitong Wang is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Psychiatry. In 2013, Zitong got his B.Sc. in Biotechnology from Beijing Institute of Technology and earned his M. Sc. in Health Science from the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan in 2020. Zitong’s current research focus on the therapeutic potential and underlying mechanism of low-dose and single use of psychedelics in treating treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and demyelinating diseases.

Publications

• Wang Z, Baharani A, Wei Z, Truong D, Bi X, Wang F, Li XM, Verge VMK, Zhang Y. Low Field Magnetic Stimulation Promotes Myelin Repair and Cognitive Recovery in Chronic Cuprizone Mouse Model. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2021 Feb 26. doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.13490. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33638234.
• Wang Z, van Bruggen R, Sandini T, Hagen EV, Li XM, Zhang Y. Wistar-Kyoto rats and chronically stressed Wistar rats present similar depression- and anxiety-like behaviors but different corticosterone and endocannabinoid system modulation. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2023 Jul 10;127:110825. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2023.110825.Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37437836.
• Zierfuss B*, Wang Z*, Jackson AN*, Moezzi D, Yong VW. Iron in multiple sclerosis - Neuropathology, immunology, and real-world considerations. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2023 Aug 9;78:104934. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104934.Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37579645.