Child Health and Human Development
Trainee Committee
The goal of the Trainee Committee is to plan events for CHHD trainees and assist with the organization of various CHHD events.
In 2020-2021, the Trainee Committee was mandated to host the Work-In-Progress Seminar Series.
The Committee meets regularly to plan fun activities for trainees, such as ice skating, taco night, or trivia night. They also help plan fundraising events such as Pedal for Kids.
Your CHHD Trainee Committee is there to make your time and experience at the RI more enjoyable.
If you want to get more out of your experience at the CHHD, and want to interact with more than just your lab, reach out to us at: chhd.traineecommittee@rimuhc.ca
Meet our 2024-2025 Trainee Committee Members
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I completed my BSc in Chemistry with a concentration in Analytical Biochemistry at Mount Royal University in 2023. I am currently a first year Human Genetics Master’s student working in Dr. Aimee Ryan’s Lab. My project is entitled “Characterizing the Claudin-3 interactome to understand Claudin-3's role in neural tube closure.” Neural tube defects are birth abnormalities that result from the improper closure of the neural tube, the precursor to the brain and spinal cord. The lab has identified claudin proteins as important for proper neural tube closure. My project aims to better understand the molecular mechanisms of neural tube closure that depend on Claudin-3 and its interaction partners. Outside of academia, I am a Civilian Instructor for the Royal Canadian Air Cadet program and an overall aviation enthusiast.
As president of the CHHD trainee committee, I work collaboratively with the team to provide trainees with different opportunities to show case their research and get to know their peers in the program. I hope that through the committee efforts we are able to build a sense of community amongst the trainee members of the program.
Emilie Desnoyers
VP Administration/Communication
MSc student - Dr. Daniel Dufort's lab
I am a first-year master’s student in the Department of Experimental Medicine at McGill University. Before starting my master’s, I completed my undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Immunology at McGill University. Under the current supervision of Dr. Daniel Dufort, my research project uses the conditional Nodal-knockout mouse model to identify changes in the maternal immune landscape during all critical stages of pregnancy and to identify the role of Nodal as an immunomodulator.
As VP Administration, I oversee the internal administrative matters, including coordinating and scheduling committee meetings and recording meeting minutes. I strive to properly document, organize and share the committee's thoughts and ideas to ensure we plan the most pleasant and memorable events for you.
I am a second-year Pharmacology Master's student in Dr. Cristian O'Flaherty's lab. My research is aimed at investigating a novel modification of human sperm proteins by Coenzyme A and its regulation of sperm capacitation. Before starting my master's degree, I completed my PharmD at the University of Benin, Nigeria. When I am not in the lab investigating the regulation of male fertility, I'm out playing soccer or discovering new spots around the city.
I am excited to be your VP of finance for this year! My goal in this role is to introduce effective financial record-keeping systems and secure support to help us organize larger events while reducing costs. If you're interested in event sponsorships, please don't hesitate to reach out! We have an exciting year ahead for the CHHD trainee community, and I look forward to connecting with all of you soon!
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I am a second-year master's student in the Department of Human Genetics. I completed my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at McGill University. I am supervised by Dr. Indra Gupta and my research aim is a two-pronged approach towards kidney stone prevention. My first objective is to understand the genetic causes of kidney stones and the second is to test a novel naturopathic approach towards stone prevention. Fun fact about me is that I do a really good small dog impression!
I am excited to serve as your Co-VP social events on the CHHD trainee committee! I strive to provide a positive, welcoming, and safe environment for our CHHD members and to bring together our community through some awesome events like movie nights, trivia nights, and bake sales. Stay tuned and see you there!
Daniel Heydari
Co-VP Social Events
MSc student - Dr. Mallory Downie's lab
I am a second-year master's student in Dr. Mallory Downie's lab within the Department of Human Genetics at McGill. I am working on a Mendelian randomization to identify blood proteins involved in pediatric steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome, to hopefully better understand the disease and help develop safer treatments. My undergraduate studies were at the University of Toronto, in Bioinformatics & Computational Biology. I am originally from Toronto, Ontario, but getting to love Montreal through biking and food!
As Co-VP social events, I hope to help organize events that bring our community together, creating learning opportunities, and promote the exchange of ideas and collaboration within the CHHD.