University of Toronto Mississauga

Meet the Team

Two labs, one shared space, and a lot of shared coffee.

Principal Investigators
Dr. Brandon Walters
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Dr. Brandon Walters

Principal Investigator • Assistant Professor, Psychological & Brain Sciences

Dr. Walters heads the epitranscriptomics direction of the EpiLab, investigating how RNA modifications, particularly m6A, are deployed during memory formation and how their dysregulation contributes to neurological and psychiatric conditions including depression.

Education:
B.S. Biology, Purdue University
M.S. Forensic Science, Univ. of Alabama Birmingham
Ph.D. Neurobiology, Univ. of Alabama Birmingham
Postdoc: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital • Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

Fun fact: Survived a plane crash.

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Dr. Iva Zovkic
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Dr. Iva Zovkic

Principal Investigator • Associate Professor, Psychological & Brain Sciences

Dr. Zovkic leads the epigenetics direction of the EpiLab, studying histone variants and their contribution to memory and disease. Her lab's central focus is understanding how histone variant dynamics go awry in Alzheimer's disease, with an eye toward novel therapeutic targets.

Education:
B.S. Psychology, Brock University
Ph.D. Psychology, Brock University
Postdoc: University of Alabama Birmingham

Fun fact: Karaoke Queen.

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Walters Lab - Epitranscriptomics

Graduate Students

Frankie Girard

Frankie Girard

Ph.D. Student, 2024

Psychological & Brain Sciences

Fun fact: I have nearly driven coast to coast with my family. We have driven to Alberta twice and Newfoundland several times!

Jasnoor Sandhu

Jasnoor Sandhu

M.Sc. Student, 2024

Cell & Systems Biology

Fun fact: I've put together campus events with turnouts in the thousands.

Undergraduate Thesis Students

Hiba Fatima

Hiba Fatima

Undergraduate Thesis

Psychological & Brain Sciences

Graduating 2026

Fun fact: I once ended up inside a wolf den while hiking.

Gabriel Laffernis

Gabriel Laffernis

Undergraduate Thesis

Biology

Graduating 2026

Fun fact: I can identify 22 different bird calls.

High School Volunteers

Lukas Chang

Lukas Chang

High School Volunteer

Graduating 2027

Fun fact: Nationally ranked archer!

Zovkic Lab - Epigenetics

Graduate Students

Tim McLean

Tim McLean

Ph.D. Student, 2020

Cell & Systems Biology

Fun fact: I exist in triplicate. Like any good experiment, I came with biological replicates.

Luca Hategan

Luca Hategan

Ph.D. Student, 2024

Cell & Systems Biology

Fun fact: Into amateur astrophotography.

Harry Jin

Harry Jin

M.Sc. Student, 2025

Cell & Systems Biology

Natalia Gajewska

Natalia Gajewska

Ph.D. Student, 2023

Cell & Systems Biology

Erin Ricaloglu

Erin Ricaloglu

Ph.D. Student, 2025

Psychological & Brain Sciences

Fun fact: I have had a book blog since age 9.

Kirkland Johnston

Kirkland Johnston

M.Sc. Student, 2025

Psychological & Brain Sciences

Adam Miles

Adam Miles

M.Sc. Student, 2025

Cell & Systems Biology

Fun fact: Lived in 5 countries!

Zeynab Kohandel

Zeynab Kohandel

Ph.D. Student, 2024

Cell & Systems Biology

M.S. York University

Fun fact: I started swimming at age five and was selected for lifeguard training by age eight.

Research Associate

Fardad Pirri

Fardad Pirri

Research Associate

Zovkic Lab

Alumni

Where Did They Go?

An interactive alumni map is coming soon. EpiLab graduates have gone on to institutions across North America and beyond.

Steven Luo → Johns Hopkins, Baltimore
Ming Yin Chu → Gritstone Bio, Boston
Isabella Galluzzo → University of Ottawa
🎉 Gilda Stefanelli → Founded her own lab at University of Ottawa 🎉
Amanda Leonetti → Brock University
Meghana Malagi → St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Sam Holm → Queen's University
Fiona Ramnaraign → University of Victoria