Waypoint researchers cover the full spectrum of mental health and allied health research with populations that include adults, seniors, youth, in-patient, out-patient, forensics, addictions, and rehabilitation.
Administration
Jessica Caston
Executive Assistant to the Vice-President
Dr. Bernard Le Foll
MD PhD MCFP (AM)
Vice-President, Research and Academics and Chief Scientific Officer
Research Interests
Behavioural pharmacologyClinical PharmacologyNeuropharmacologyPharmacogeneticsPsychopharmacology
Dr. Bernard Le Foll joined the Waypoint senior leadership team in February 2022 as Vice-President of Research and Academics and Chief Scientific Officer.
Dr. Le Foll is a clinician-scientist specializing in drug addiction. He is the Chair of Addiction Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and is a Professor in the departments of Psychiatry, Family and Community Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology. Dr. Le Foll has practiced in the area of Addiction Medicine at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto since 2006. His multi-disciplinary research approach seeks to better understand the neurobiology of addiction and develop novel therapeutic strategies.
Dr. Le Foll leads CAMH’s Translational Addiction Research Laboratory within the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute. He obtained his PhD in Pharmacology at the University of Paris Sud in France and has performed post-doctoral training in behavioral pharmacology and brain imaging within the intra-mural program of the National Institutes of Health.
He has a vast list of achievements and has received many awards and more than 100 grants. Dr. Le Foll has published more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific articles. He has been an advisor for multiple agencies, has developed clinical guidelines, been involved in policy and been invited to speak at the Senate and House of Commons on addiction related issues. In 2024, Dr. Le Foll was appointed to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Governing Council.
Publications
Dr. Christopher Canning
PhD
Director, Research & Academics
Research Interests
Community-engaged researchequityHarm ReductionKnowledge MobilizationLived ExperienceMental Health and Substance use policyPatient-oriented researchSociology and philosophy of mental health
Dr. Christopher Canning joined the Waypoint Research Institute as Director, Research & Academics in March of 2021. As Director he oversees the strategic goals of a diverse team of research scientists, clinician scientists, and other research and clinical staff within a tertiary mental healthcare setting. He maintains an independent research program in mental health policy and patient-oriented and community-engaged research. Bringing his own lived experiences to his research, policy and advocacy work, Christopher is deeply and personally committed to health equity, anti-racism and anti-oppression, and creating meaningful system transformation that puts people with lived experience at the center of services and supports.
Current Projects
Principal Investigator: Supporting the uptake of patient-oriented research in forensic mental health settings: A multi-site implementation project. Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research. $200,000 (2023-2025)
Principal Investigator: Scoping review of frameworks for supporting the mental health of people who work in the criminal justice and forensic mental health systems. Funder: Mental Health Commission of Canada. $55,000 (2023-2024)
Co-Principal Investigator: Strengthening the Delivery of Integrated Care in Specialized Mental Health Settings for Adults Experiencing Serious Mental Illness. Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research. $150,000 (2023-2024)
Co-Principal Investigator. Reducing traumatic and coercive experiences of mental health care for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC): A continuing professional development intervention. Funder: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. $29,850 CDN. (2022-2024)
Co-Investigator: The collateral effects of COVID-19 public health policies: Perspectives of people who use opioids and those closest to them using a patient-oriented research approach. Funder: Canadian Institutes of Health Research. $150,000 (2023-2024)
Collaborator. A Mindful Way to Build Long-Term Resiliency in Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Funder: TD Ready Challenge. $335,000 (2022-2024)
Nicole Adams
BA, MSc
Manager, Research Operations
Research Interests
Behavioural InterventionsStress and Emotional Eating
Nicole Adams completed her Bachelor of Arts (BA, Hons) with a specialization in psychology at Laurentian University. For her undergraduate thesis, Nicole examined the role of perfectionism and self-discrepancy on body-image and presented her findings at the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Annual Convention. She continued her academic journey at York University where she pursued a Master of Science (MSc) in kinesiology and health sciences. During her masters, she dove into the health behaviours research stream where she explored oxytocin and genetic links with overeating behaviours and examined other relevant factors such as reward and punishment sensitivity.
Nicole has a passion for teaching in higher education and has worked as a teaching assistant at York University. Here she successfully taught undergraduate students the fundamentals of statistics for both Research Methods in Kinesiology and Analysis of Data in Kinesiology. When Nicole is not working on research projects, she is volunteering her time with the minor hockey and baseball associations within her community.
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Nicole is unable to support student/volunteers opportunities at this time.
Jessica Caston
Executive Assistant to the Vice-President
Dr. Hilton is the Senior Research Scientist at Waypoint and a Professor of Psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. She is also a fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association. Since joining Waypoint over 30 years ago, she has been both a front-line clinician and a full-time researcher. Dr. Hilton conducts research that pertains to justice-involved individuals in the criminal justice and psychiatric systems, and the professionals who provide services for them. She has conducted influential research in the areas of domestic violence, risk assessment, risk communication, and more recently the physical health and psychological wellbeing of both patients and staff at psychiatric hospitals. She was the lead of the research team that created the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA). She is principal investigator on SSHRC-funded research to examine standardized risk assessment and coercive control in domestic violence.
Another major research project follows a cohort of men from admission through four years of care in forensic psychiatry, to explore how their histories and adjustment in the hospital are related to aggressive behaviour and measures of success. She was also the lead of a research and knowledge translation project on Trauma among Psychiatric Workers, a co-investigator on a SSHRC-funded project, led by Sandy Jung, MacEwan University, to examine domestic violence risk in threat assessment and management, and a collaborator in the SSHRC-funded Canadian Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative with Vulnerable Populations. Dr. Hilton earned her PhD in Psychology at the University of Toronto and a Master’s degree in Criminology from the University of Cambridge, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Southampton.
Publications
Google Scholar Publications
Kudos Publications and Research Summaries
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Dr. Hilton welcomes research interns, graduate students, and co-op placement students. She can supervise thesis work for graduate students in research or clinical programs and serve as an external examiner.
Dr. Salinda Horgan
PhD
Research Scientist
Research Interests
Implementation ScienceLived ExperienceOlder Adult Mental HealthQualitative Research Methods
Dr. Horgan is a health services researcher and evaluator. Her work broadly focuses on policy, program evaluation and implementation as it relates to older persons and their care partners. Specific research interests include: integrated care, health systems integration, health promotion, and performance measurement.
Publications
Prorok, J., Kay, K., Morrison, A., Horgan, S* (2023). Integrated care for older persons who live with complex health and social care requirements: A core set of indicators. Journal of Integrated Care. JICA-04-2023-0024.R1 *senior author
Horgan, S., Kay, K., & Morrison, A. (2020). Designing Integrated Care for Older Adults Living with Complex and Chronic Health Needs: A Scoping Review. Provincial Geriatrics Leadership Office. https://rgps.on.ca/resources/
Dr. Soyeon Kim
PhD
Research Scientist / Clinical Epidemiologist
Research Interests
Epidemiological PsychologyNeurocognitiveYouth Mental Health
Dr. Kim is a research scientist conducting research in the area of psychiatric epidemiology at the Waypoint Research Institute. Prior to joining Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, she has worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the department of psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences and the Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster University working with Drs. Kathy Georgiades and Michael Boyle. As a postdoctoral fellow, she expanded her program of research to incorporate the systematic examination of social processes and how they relate to mental health problems in youth, applying psychiatric epidemiological methods and approaches. Her postdoctoral fellowship culminated in 8 published and unpublished papers cultivating and strengthening the collaborative network with prominent researchers in the field. She has also received various awards such as the E.B. Eastburn Post-Doctoral Fellowship Award, and Social Impact Poster Award (1st place) in the McMaster Innovation Showcase during her postdoctoral fellowship.
She received her Ph.D. in June 2015 in Developmental Psychology and Education from the University of Toronto, working with Dr. Rosemary Tannock. Her dissertation research examined the perceptual and cognitive mechanisms underlying ADHD symptoms using neuroimaging and psychophysical paradigms. She has also trained and worked as a clinical psychologist upon obtaining her master’s degree in clinical psychology.
Publications
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Dr. Kim is currently accepting students for research projects.
Dr. Barna Konkoly-Thege
PhD, CPsych
Research Psychologist
Research Interests
AddicitonsEpidemiological PsychologySomatic Illnesses
Dr. Konkoly-Thege took his doctorate in Clinical and Health Psychology from Semmelweis University. During his doctoral training, he was a visiting fellow at the Department of Sociology of Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Viktor Frankl Institute. Dr. Konkoly-Thege earned a BA and MA in Psychology from Eötvös Loránd University and he also has a Master’s degree in Religious Studies from Pázmány Péter Catholic University.
Dr. Konkoly-Thege joined Waypoint as a Scientist-Practitioner in 2015 and has been an Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto since 2017. Previously, he held a post-doctoral fellowship in the Psychology Department (Addictive Behaviours Lab) at the University of Calgary (2012-2015) and was an Assistant Professor of Medical Psychology at the Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Semmelweis University (2009-2012), Dr. Konkoly-Thege has been in part-time private practice as a clinical psychologist since 2008. Among others, his clinical interests include cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis and the psychodynamic and system-oriented treatment of mental disorders.
Publications
PubMed Publications
Google Scholar Publications
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Dr. Konkoly-Thege invites students / volunteers to contact him about potential research / clinical training opportunities.
Dr. Elnaz Moghimi
PhD
Research Scientist
Research Interests
Digital Mental Health TreatmentsequityIntimate Partner ViolencePatient-oriented researchYouth Mental Health
Dr. Elnaz Moghimi joined Waypoint Research Institute as a research scientist in early 2023. A health scientist by training, Elnaz holds a PhD in Kinesiology and Health Science and obtained two concurrent diplomas in Neuroscience and Quantitative Methods from York University. Her graduate work focused on compulsive overeating, eHealth interventions, and the treatment experiences of women with binge eating disorder.
Elnaz was also affiliated with York University’s Teaching Commons and received multiple certifications in teaching and peer leadership. Subsequent to her PhD, she joined Queen’s University Online Psychotherapy Lab, where she focused on online mental health interventions in a myriad of populations. Under the supervision of Dr. Nazanin Alavi, she co-led a CIHR-funded study investigating the efficacy of online psychotherapy in Canadian correctional workers. Her team also received CIHR funding to explore the mental health challenges and care needs of post-secondary students. Outside academia, Elnaz enjoys learning and engaging in health coaching, nutrition, and fitness.
Publications
Dr. Andrea Waddell
MEd, MD, FRCPC
Medical Director, Clinical Informatics & Quality Standards
Research Interests
Adult PsychiatryPatient safetyPsychosocial interventions
Dr. Waddell is the Medical Director for Clinical Informatics & Quality Standards at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care and the co-lead of Psy-QIS, the Department’s hub for Quality Innovation and Safety. She completed her medical training in 2003 and specialty training in Psychiatry both at the University of Toronto. She completed a Master’s degree at OISE in Theory & Policy Studies and completed a nationally funded study of using video for resident supervision long before Zoom existed! After almost a decade leading the inpatient unit at the University Health Network, she completed advanced training in Quality Improvement and moved to CAMH to practice, teach and support quality improvement and patient safety work in mental health before moving to Waypoint in 2022.
Dr. Waddell’s work focuses on supporting capacity building in quality improvement through the teaching and mentorship of residents, fellows and faculty members as well as funded research examining patient safety in acute mental health services. She sits on a number of regional and national advisory panels related to health service delivery and clinical informatics.
Publications
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Dr. Waddell is currently accepting students for research projects.
Dr. Junqiang Zhao joined Waypoint Research Institute as a research scientist in early 2023. His research expertise is in implementation science and integrated knowledge translation (i.e., co-production). He approaches his work through a lens of behavioral science and complexity system approaches. His methodological expertise includes realist approaches, qualitative study, mixed methods, systematic reviews, and complex system approaches for intervention development and evaluation.
Dr. Zhao holds a PhD in nursing at the University of Ottawa. He has over 55 academic publications, including in leading journals such as BMJ, The Lancet Regional Health-Western Pacific, BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, and Telemedicine and e-Health. During his PhD training, Dr. Zhao worked as a research assistant at the Centre for Implementation Research, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and the Global Implementation Science Lab, University of Toronto. As an expert panelist, he worked with implementation scientists from around the world to develop the “Leading Change Toolkit™” led by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario and Health Excellence Canada. He also organized quarterly consortiums among the Best Practice Spotlight Organizations in China as a resource person and coach for the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. Working with leading implementation scientists in China, Dr. Zhao co-translated the Handbook on Implementation Science, which will be released in 2023.
Publications
Kristy Allen
BA (Hons), MPH, Knowledge Mobilization
Knowledge Translation & Implementation Coordinator
Research Interests
Patient-oriented researchYouth Mental Health
Kristy Allen (she/her) holds an Honours BA in Psychology and a minor in Family & Child Studies from the University of Guelph. In 2020, she completed her Masters of Public Health degree with a concentration in Social Inequities in Health from Simon Fraser University. In addition, she has obtained certificates in Knowledge Mobilization from the University of Guelph, and in Family Engagement in Research (FER) & Leadership in FER from McMaster University. She has previously held community engagement and knowledge translation roles with Frayme and the Canadian Mental Health Association- BC Division.
Kristy is passionate about knowledge mobilization and community engagement as drivers of implementation and sustainability within research, programs, and services. Through her personal experiences, she advocates for patients & families to be key stakeholders in mental health system transformation. Outside of work, Kristy enjoys doing anything outside, swimming, and reading.
Arina L. Bogan
BScN, MPH, RN
Knowledge Translation & Implementation Coordinator
Research Interests
Clinical PolicyequityHarm ReductionHealth PromotionKnowledge MobilizationYouth Mental Health
Arina Bogdan joined Waypoint as a Knowledge Translation and Implementation Coordinator in 2022, where she supports knowledge transfer and exchange efforts across the hospital. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science of Nursing (BScN; 2019) at the Toronto Metropolitan University and is licensed to work as a Registered Nurse in Ontario. Arina went on to complete her Master of Public Health (MPH; 2022) with a focus on health promotion and addiction studies at the University of Toronto. During her graduate program, she supported the implementation of an online substance use program across numerous organizations, including Waypoint.
Arina has a passion for making complex information accessible to various audiences and has extensive experience in health education. She has previously worked as a Continuing Education Teacher for the Personal Support Worker program at the Toronto District School Board, and has developed a multitude of knowledge translation products throughout her professional career (e.g., patient-facing materials; training materials for service providers; medical illustrations and infographics; presentations and interactive workshops; internal documents, toolkits, and frameworks; etc.).
Publications
Lapum, J., St-Amant, O., Hughes, M., Tan, A., Bogdan, A., Dimaranan, F., Frantzke, R., & Savicevic, N. (2019). The scholarship of writing in nursing education: 1st Canadian edition (1st ed.). https://pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca/scholarlywriting/
Megan Campbell
BSc, MSc
Research Analyst
Research Interests
Health PromotionQualitative Research Methods
Megan graduated with a BSc in Bio-Medical Science and a minor in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Guelph. Her passion for learning led her to begin her Master of Science in Epidemiology at the University of Guelph. Under the supervision of Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton, Megan qualitatively explored veterinarians’ occupational stressors and the impact of their mental health on their care.
Her graduate research prompted her to gain a deeper understanding of mental health on a larger scale. During the midst of the pandemic, Megan became a volunteer crisis responder for Kid’s Help Phone. This difficult but rewarding experience drove Megan to pursue mental health research positions. She successfully became a research analyst at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care in the early Spring of 2023. Megan is currently working with Linda Adams, Dr. Bernard Le Foll, and other Waypoint and CAMH staff members. This collaborative project aims to explore how COVID-19 impacted a vulnerable population. Outside of work, Megan loves to keep moving, and enjoys swimming and biking. She is also an avid reader and pet lover.
Publications
Campbell, M, Hagen BL, Gohar B, Wichtel J, and Jones-Bitton, A. (2023) A qualitative study exploring the perceived effects of veterinarians’ mental health on provision of care. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10, p. 1-9, https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1064932
Campbell M. An in-depth exploration into the occupational stressors impacting veterinarians’ mental health and the perceived impacts of mental health on veterinarians’ provision of care (Academic thesis). (2022). University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada. p. 1–164, 2022. Available online at: https://hdl.handle.net/10214/27217
Sevil joined Waypoint Research Institute in 2023 as a Research Analyst. While completing her master’s degree in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Western University in London, Ontario, Sevil’s thesis focused on the lived experiences of dementia caregivers within the context of immigration and culture. Following this, Sevil worked as a research assistant at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social work, under the supervision of Dr. Saini. Her research explored the intersection of child protection investigations and high-conflict families involved in custody disputes.
Currently, Sevil is part of Dr. Canning’s Patient-Oriented Research (POR) project at WRI. It is anticipated that this CIHR-funded study will help inform the development and implementation of standardized practices, policies, and procedures for conducting POR across various forensic mental health care settings. Outside of research, she enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, and caring for her plant babies.
Publications
Black, T., Saini, M., Fallon, B., Deljavan, S., & Theoduloz, R. (2021). The intersection of child welfare, intimate partner violence and child custody disputes: Secondary data analysis of the Ontario incidence study of reported child abuse and neglect. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 15(4), 473-486.
Saini, M., Black, T., Godbout, E., & Deljavan, S. (2019). Feeling the pressure to take sides: A survey of child protection workers’ experiences about responding to allegations of child maltreatment within the context of child custody disputes. Children and Youth Services Review, 96, 127-133.
Black, T., Saini, M., Fallon, F., Deljavan, S., Theoduloz, R., et al. (2016). The intersection of child custody disputes and child protection investigations: Secondary data analysis of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-2008). International Journal of Child and Adolescent Resilience, 4(1), 143-157.
Deljavan, S., Black, T., Saini, M., & Fallon, B. (2016). Child Custody/Access Disputes in Child Maltreatment-Related Investigations in Ontario in 2013. CWRP Information Sheet #175E. Toronto, ON: Canadian Child Welfare Research Portal.
Dr. Cara Evans
MScOT, PhD, OT Reg (Ont)
Post Doctoral Fellow
Research Interests
Qualitative Research Methods
Dr. Cara Evans is a post-doctoral fellow at the Waypoint Research Institute, where she contributes to a study exploring patient-oriented research in forensic mental healthcare. Cara completed her PhD in Health Policy at McMaster University. Her doctoral research focused on stakeholder conceptualizations of quality in mental health care for people with complex health and social needs, and was funded in part by a Fulbright fellowship. She also has experience synthesizing evidence to inform health system decision-making, including as a research associate at RISE (Rapid-Improvement Support and Exchange) and as co-investigator on a CIHR-funded project that offered evidence support to mental health decision-makers in Ontario during the early waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cara practices as a registered occupational therapist.
Publications
Chantal Hansen
BA, PGDipEd, MGIS
Scientific Writer
Research Interests
Caregiver Mental HealthSocial Justice
With 20 years of experience in Health and Human Services, Chantal has contributed her technical writing expertise and GIS skills for data-informed work in family practice, mental health, addiction, and housing insecurity. The content for her work focuses on social research and community data analysis to address health disparities so that every individual has the chance to achieve optimal health and well-being.
Publications
Crutcher, R. A., Szafran, O., Woloschuk, W., Chatur, F., & Hansen, C. (2011). Family medicine graduates’ perceptions of intimidation, harassment, and discrimination during residency training. BMC medical education, 11, 88. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-11-88
Hansen, C., Sun, H., & Waters, N. (2011). The Media Communications Environment through a Spatial Lens: The Mapping the Media in the Americas Project. Canadian journal of communication, 36.
Hansen, C., Crutcher, R., Palacios-Derflingher, L., Waters, N. (2010) Mapping Diversity: The Contribution of Geographical Information Systems to the Alberta IMG Program. Chapter in Waugh, E. Crutcher, R. and Szafran, O. (eds) At the Interface of Culture and Medicine: Contemporary Canadian Studies. University of Alberta Press, Edmonton.
Myhre, D. L., Konkin, J., Woloschuk, W., Szafran, O., Hansen, C., & Crutcher, R. (2010). Locum practice by recent family medicine graduates. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien, 56(5), e183–e190.
Elke Ham is a Research Psychometrist at Waypoint and the Project Coordinator of ODARA 101. Her research publications and current research projects concern program evaluation, risk assessment and communication, clinical outcome indicators for psychiatric patients and violent offenders, and trauma and psychological health in the workplace. Elke is a Certified ODARA Trainer and is responsible for developing and managing ODARA 101, the e-learning program for the domestic violence risk assessment. Elke is a member of the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) and current director and past board chair for the Community Legal Clinic of Simcoe, Haliburton, and Kawartha Lakes.
Keywords: trauma, domestic violence risk assessment, outcome indicators.
Publications
PubMed Publications
Google Scholar Publications
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Ms. Ham welcomes interest from students in the Georgian College Research Analyst Co-op Program.
Stephanie Junes
HBASc
Research Analyst
Research Interests
Implementation ScienceMixed methods studiesPatient-oriented research
Stephanie Junes joined the Waypoint Research Institute as a Research Analyst in 2024. She completed her Honours Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Interdisciplinary Studies specializing in Psychology and Sociology at Lakehead University. Stephanie’s thesis focused on the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction programs on post-secondary students. She continued honing her skills in quantitative and qualitative methodologies while completing the Research Analyst Post-Graduate Program at Georgian College. Stephanie’s major research project focused on social marketing for mental health services in Simcoe County.
As part of her internship, Stephanie worked as a Research Assistant within the Institutional Research and Strategic Insights department to inform strategic decision-making at Georgian College. Her work focused on survey-based research and in-depth analysis of educational records and economic, demographic, and labour market trends. At Waypoint, Stephanie will assist Dr. Junqiang Zhao with the CIHR-funded study to synthesize evidence on shared decision-making with patients in forensic mental health settings.
Ashely Melvin
Research Analyst
Research Interests
Intimate Partner ViolenceLGBTQIA+Patient-oriented research
Ashley joined Waypoint as a Student Academic Placement in 2022, where she provides support to our Research Scientists. She is currently working towards completing her Honours Bachelor of Counselling Psychology at Georgian College, where she developed a keen interested in interpersonal and relational dynamics. Ashley is currently preparing to write her undergraduate thesis, which will be focused on intimate partner violence. At the same time Ashley is a Psychometrist in a local private practice clinic working largely with Indigenous Youth.
Outside or work and school, Ashley enjoys volunteering and actively serves on a distress phone/text line for LGTBQIA+ individuals.
Stephanie Munten joined the Waypoint Research Institute as a Research Analyst in Fall 2021 and is now the Research Coordinator. She completed her undergraduate degree (BSc, Hons) in Kinesiology and Physical Education at Wilfrid Laurier University, and continued her academic education at Nipissing University where she completed a Master of Science in Kinesiology. The focus of her research was on how environmental stressors influence human physiology.
After completing her MSc, Stephanie was employed as a research assistant at Laurentian University, where she assisted with multiple projects on metabolism and muscle oxygenation in various environments. During her time at Laurentian University, Stephanie was also involved in field-to-lab-to-field based research as a member of the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health. In her roles at Waypoint, Stephanie has supported the coordination and evaluation of projects, such as Leader Standard Work and the Youth and Mindfulness Project with Dr. Soyeon Kim.
Publications
Munten S, Ménard L, Gagnon J, Dorman SC, Mezouari A, Gagnon DD. High-intensity interval exercise in the cold regulates acute and postprandial metabolism. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2021 Feb 1;130(2):408-420. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00384.2020. Epub 2020 Dec 3. PMID: 33270513.
Gagnon DD, Hancock C, McCue A, Beckett-Brown N, Gagnon J, Williams L, Marsh D, Munten S. Muscle cooling modulates tissue oxidative and biochemical responses but not energy metabolism during exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2020 Aug;120(8):1761-1775. doi: 10.1007/s00421-020-04407-4. Epub 2020 Jun 3. PMID: 32494860.
Chaz Robitaille joined the Waypoint Research Institute as a Research Analyst in September 2023. Chaz first began his journey at Waypoint with a Student Academic Placement in June of 2023. Prior to joining the WRI, Chaz graduated from Lakehead University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Major in Psychology with a Minor in Sociology where he wrote a supervised undergraduate major research project: A Regression Analysis on Cannabis Use & Psychotic Symptoms. He also completed a post-graduate certificate in Fundamentals of Health Research Methodology from McMaster University where he wrote a supervised research proposal synopsis on Comparing SSRI and Psilocybin Treatment Effectiveness for Depression.
During his academic placement and under the supervision of Dr. Zoe Hilton, Dr. Junqiang Zhao and the WRI Research Team, Chaz provided support and assistance on various projects including; Academic authorship on a (as of yet unpublished) paper entitled: “What does the Evidence Say about Models of Care for Mental Health and Addictions Concerns in Emergency Department Settings? A Rapid Review Synthesis”. He is the first author on an Implementation Research in the Forensic Mental Health Field – Scoping Review Protocol. He effected REB amendments on Black Indigenous People of Colour (BIPOC) Restraint and Seclusion Project and presented on the Model of Care Community Day Showcase.
Chaz assisted the Coordinator of Knowledge Translation on the first edition of The Research Nook WRI news bulletin. He participated in the collection, screening and data extraction process in the Mental Health and Addictions Rapid Review Synthesis project. He participated in article collection and scoping review of Implementation Research in the Forensic Mental Health Setting and a literature review on Elopement and Escape Assessments. Currently, under the supervision of Dr. Barna Konkoly-Thege, Chaz will be providing research and analysis for the project entitled: ”What is the evidence on how nutritional interventions (diet, supplements) might reduce aggressive behaviour in children and youth”. This fall, he is currently contributing his time through volunteering to the Preventative Online Mental Health Program for Youth (POMHPY) project of Dr. Soyeon Kim and Dr. Elnaz Moghimi.
Chaz is bilingual and fluent in both French and English. At this time, Chaz is also working towards the goal to pursue a Masters and PhD in Clinical Psychology (Adult Stream). Beyond research and in his spare time, Chaz can be found preparing international culinary delights, designing gourmet spices & herb blends, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Tyler Szusecki joined Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care as a Patient Care Assistant in 2020, where he developed strong working relations with the clinical staff which are used to facilitate research in the high secure atrium within his current role as a Research Analyst. He graduated from York University in 2019 with a B.A. (Honours) in Psychology with a focus on forensic populations, where he wrote his undergraduate thesis on the effect of stigmatization on the rehabilitation and recidivism of criminal offenders, and in 2023, he published his first research manuscript on the prevalence of workplace violence in conjunction with Dr. Konkoly-Thege.
At this time, Tyler is interested in measuring the effects of sexual assault trauma and early childhood adversity on the cognitive development of youth, and is working towards the goal of completing a Master’s and PhD in developmental psychology. Beyond research, Tyler can be found coaching children’s and adult’s jiu jitsu on the weekend and during his free time or working on his novel which has been in production since 2020.
Publications
The prevalence and mental health correlates of exposure to offensive behaviours at work in Hungary: results of a national representative survey: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14920-0
Florence holds a BA in Linguistics and Psychology from the University of Toronto and an MA in Criminology from Wilfrid Laurier University. Her Masters thesis explored the subjective experiences of Healthcare Serial Killers in the context of Neutralization Theory. She is finishing up her PhD program, where she is currently examining whether Adler’s theory of Individual Psychology can offer a cogent and cohesive theoretical framework for serial murder development and motivation.
Florence is skilled in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and is passionate about producing research that reduces prevalent stereotypes about atypical violence. Florence is joining Waypoint as a Research Analyst. With Dr. Cara Evans and Dr. Heather Bullock, she will assist in conducting evidence-based research to improve mental health care systems across Ontario. She is happy to chat about topics related to crime analysis, data analysis and homicide.
Meghan Weissflog is a Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Waypoint Research Institute and is currently involved with coordinating a multi-site research collaboration with law enforcement regarding the standardization of IPV risk communication. She holds an MA and PhD in Psychology with a specialization in Behavioural Neuroscience from Brock University, where her doctoral research focused on the application of electrophysiological methodology to the study of psychopathic personality traits as they relate to individual differences in emotion recognition and visually driven early attentional processes.
Prior to beginning at WRI in March 2022, Meghan completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Brock University where she implemented and managed research projects exploring the relation between personality traits and individual differences in information processing.
Publications
Jolene began her career at Waypoint in 2010. As a solo Librarian, she is responsible for providing library and information services to everyone at Waypoint, including clinical staff, clients, community partners, and the Waypoint Research Institute. Having always been a lifelong learner, Jolene holds degrees in psychology (BSc), education (BEd and MEd), and library/information science (MLIS). She is also known for her tenacity to track down elusive research material and has become the keeper Waypoint Centre’s historical documents.
Laura C Ball
MA, PhD ABD
Project Manager, Strategic Projects / Research Scholarship Awardee
Research Interests
equityImplementation ScienceKnowledge Mobilization
Laura Ball actively provides support for the implementation of strategic projects at Waypoint, drawing on her expertise in project management, implementation science, knowledge translation and evaluation. Prior to working in the Strategic Project Management Office (SPMO), she was involved in knowledge translation (KT) and implementation science (IS) research for over 15 years.
Prior experience includes being on the “Diabetes Team” at the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine at the University of Western Ontario (now Western University), tasked with conducting research on new point-of-care decision support technologies, educational outreach, coaching, and awareness raising initiatives with physicians, patients, and the general public. In addition, she was part of the Law and Mental Health Program and the Centre for Addiction in Mental Health (CAMH), and was tasked with coordinating a provincial task force to establish evidence-based guidelines in forensic mental health. As well, she has conducted KT research for the Collaborative Learning and Performance Division of Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC). Most recently, she conducted KT and IS research at Waypoint, and contributed her expertise in these areas to other activities, such as acting as the Chair of the Waypoint Research Institute’s “Momentum: Research Realized” Conference. She has also served as Contract Faculty in the Department of Psychology at York University, where she has taught both History of Psychology and Psychology of Women.
Ms. Ball is near completion of her PhD in the Department of Psychology, York University, where she also took her MA in 2008. She has a BA(Hons) from the University of Western Ontario. She holds a Knowledge Translation Professional Certificate, a Yellow Belt in LEAN/Six Sigma, a ProSci Change Management certificate, and is working towards becoming a Project Management Professional.
Publications
Gerow, R., Bold, G., Ball, L. C., Bazar, J., & Maracle, T. (2017, October, 4). Keys to our past series [6 video files]. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/KeystoOurPast
Ball, L. C., Cribbie, R. A., & Steele, J. R. (2013). Beyond gender differences: Using tests of equivalence to evaluate gender similarities. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 37(2), 147-154. doi:10.1177/0361684313480483
Rutherford, A., Vaughn-Blount, K., & Ball, L. C. (2010). Responsible opposition, disruptive voices: Science, social change, and the history of feminist psychology. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 34, 460-473. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.2010.01596.x
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Laura welcomes students to contact her about opportunities. Each year, she supervises and mentors students and volunteers for the Waypoint Research Institute Annual Conference, and for her other active grants.
Dr. Jasneet Dhaliwal joined the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care as a physician hospitalist in July 2022, where she works primarily in acute mental health units to provide robust care to inpatients. She completed her Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) at McMaster University with a specialization in Global Health. She graduated from the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University in 2019 and continued at McMaster to complete residency training in family medicine.
Dr. Dhaliwal has a strong interest in the overlap between primary and psychiatric care. She has previously worked in the William Osler Health System and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to provide care for the acute and forensic psychiatric populations.
Dr. Dhaliwal’s primary research interests involve the intersection of primary care and mental health. She hopes to strengthen the understanding of preventive health care within the psychiatric population, and to further an integrated approach to care. She has received several research awards in the past, including the Mach-Gaensslen research award and is the recipient of the Waypoint Research Institute Research and Scholarship award.
Publications
Dhaliwal JK, Knifed E. Impact of levonorgestrel intrauterine devices on breastfeeding: a systematic review. Poster presentation at: Family Medicine Forum; 2019 Oct 31; Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Dhaliwal JK, Chaimowitz G. The effectiveness of addictions interventions among the concurrent disorders population within correctional and forensic psychiatry systems. Poster presentation at: Public Health 2018; 2018 May 28-31; Montreal, QC, Canada.
Dhaliwal JK, Chaimowitz G. The effectiveness of addictions interventions among the concurrent disorders population within correctional and forensic psychiatry systems. Oral presentation at: Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Conference 2018; 2018 Mar 4-7; Victoria, BC, Canada.
Rai AS, Khan JS, Dhaliwal JK, Busse JW, Choi S, Devereaux PJ & Clarke H. (2017). Preoperative pregabalin or gabapentin for acute and chronic postoperative pain among patients undergoing breast cancer surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 70(10), 1317-1328.
Dhaliwal JK. (2015) Global Perspective: The implications of antimalarial overprescription. The Meducator – McMaster’s Undergraduate Health Sciences Publication, 28, 9-11.
Dr. Carolyn Houlding
PhD, CPsysch
Psychologist / Research Scholarship Awardee
Research Interests
healthcareKnowledge Translationsustainability
Dr. Carolyn Houlding started working at Waypoint 2022 initially as a psychologist on Sans Sauci and later as Psychology Training Lead for the Waypoint Psychology Residency Program. She completed her PhD in clinical psychology at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay in 2013 and has worked in various clinical positions since that time. Dr. Houlding is actively involved in climate activism particularly organizations focused on health sector involvement in climate activism.
Dr. Houlding’s current research include knowledge translation efforts to engage the mental health sector in meaningful improvements in environmentally sustainable practice.
Publications
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Dr. Houlding is the Psychology Training Lead for the Waypoint Psychology Internship Program and welcomes students interested in both psychology internships as well as placements.
Jennifer Schuler
BScN (Hons), MPN(c), RN
Manager, Practice & CLinical Performance / Research Scholarship Awardee
Research Interests
clinical practiceOpioid Overdose Crisissexual and gender minorities
Jennifer Schuler joined Waypoint in August 2021 as a Clinical Educator and now holds the role of Manager, Practice & Clinical Performance. Jennifer manages the Clinical Educator team and supports the operations and functions of the Department of Professional Practice. Jennifer has been nursing for 20 years, with experience in pediatric emergency medicine and dermatology as a nursing research coordinator. Jennifer has worked primarily in the areas of mental health, addictions, and pediatrics throughout her career, and has worked in a variety of care settings with inter-disciplinary teams in both Ontario and Nova Scotia.
Jennifer applied for and was generously granted a Waypoint Research Institute Research Scholarship, with her fellowship commencing in November 2022 and running for two years. Jennifer is currently in progress of completing her Master of Psychiatric Nursing (MPN) at Brandon University, and is applying her scholarship time towards the completion of her thesis research project and subsequent scholarly dissemination activities.
Jennifer’s qualitative research project is exploring the meaning of hope in the lived experiences of sexual and gender minorities who use opioids in the context of the opioid overdose crisis, utilizing a descriptive phenomenological Lifeworld methodology, grounded in feminist and emancipatory principles. Her research objectives include: a) learning about the experiences of sexual and gender minorities who use opioids during the opioid overdose crisis, b) understanding the role of hope in their lived experiences and the recovery journey, and c) implications for clinical practice.
Dr. Katie Bingham
PhD, MD, FRCPC
Psychiatrist
Research Interests
clinical trialsobservational studies
Dr. Bingham, a psychiatrist, is the physician lead for the North Simcoe Muskoka Specialized Geriatric Services. She is also an assistant professor with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. She completed her medical training at Western University and her psychiatry residency at the University of Toronto. In 2019, she completed her PhD with the University of Toronto’s Institute of Medical Science. As part of her PhD thesis, she found that older adults with remitted psychotic depression have measurable challenges in everyday functioning that are related to persistent cognitive impairment.
Dr. Bingham’s research focuses on identifying potential mechanisms and predictors of outcome in late-life and psychotic depression, via several methods, including neuropsychological assessment, clinical assessment and magnetic resonance imaging. She has also participated as co-investigator on several multi-site clinical trials examining treatment options for late-life depression. Recognizing the importance of accurate and patient-oriented measurement instruments in her research, Dr. Bingham has a secondary interest in clinical measurement methodology, and is the co-instructor of the Measurement in Clinical Research course at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation.
Publications
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Dr. Bingham is currently accepting students for research projects.
Dr. Heather Bullock
HBScH, MSc, PhD
Vice-President, Partnerships and Chief Strategy Officer
Research Interests
Health PolicyImplementation ScienceKnowledge Mobilization
Heather Bullock joined the Waypoint senior leadership team in September 2021 as Vice-President Partnerships and Chief Strategy Officer. She has been a valued member of the hospital’s leadership team since 2016, working in a variety of roles, including as the Executive Lead, the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program and Director of Provincial Partnerships.
Heather is a transformational leader who brings a combination of skills in leadership, policy, research, implementation and knowledge exchange. With deep expertise in mental health and addictions, Heather will lead this portfolio with a focus on working with a range of external providers and networks to help advance care across the continuum for a range of populations served by Waypoint and their community partners/providers.
An Associate Professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, Faculty of Medicine at McMaster University, Heather completed her PhD in Health Policy from McMaster University in 2019. She has won a number of prestigious scholarships and awards for this work and has published her research in international scholarly journals. Additionally, Heather has her Master of Science in Biology/Psychology and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Queen’s University, as well as having completed several leadership and training courses, including LEADS in a Caring Environment Learning Series with colleagues at Waypoint and a Training Program Certificate in Ontario Indigenous Cultural Safety.
Publications
Bullock, HL, Lavis, JN, Wilson, MG. et al. (2021). Understanding the implementation of evidence-informed policies and practices from a policy perspective: a critical interpretive synthesis. Implementation Sci, 16, 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-021-01082-7
Bullock, HL & Lavis, JN. (2019). Understanding the supports needed for policy implementation: a comparative analysis of the placement of intermediaries across three mental health systems, Health Research Policy & Systems, 17(82). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-019-0479-1
Bullock HL & Abelson J. (2019). A Fresh Approach to Reform? A Policy Analysis of the Development and Implementation of Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy. Healthcare Policy/Politiques de Sante. 14(3):29-42. https://doi.org/10.12927/hcpol.2019.25794
Bullock, HL, Wilson, MG, & Lavis, JN. (March 18, 2022). “Implementation Science in Policy.” Practical Implementation Science: Moving evidence into action, Bryan J Weiner, Cara C Lewis, Kenneth Sherr, Springer Publishing. DOI: 10.1891/9780826186935
Bullock, HL, Kouvonen, P, Dahlbert, G, & Lindencrona, F. (March 16, 2022). “The Framing of Harms to Children and Youth Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden, Finland and Ontario, Canada in Relation to School Lockdowns.” Governing Human Lives and Health in Pandemic Times: Social control policies Matilda Hellman, Tom Kettunen, Saara Salmivaara, Janne Stoneman, Routledge. ISBN 9781032147970
Dr. Jennifer Crawford
MBBS, MD, FRCPsych, PGDip (CBT), FRCPC
Director, Data Analytics & Health Information Management/Adjunct Scientist, Medical Director Provincal
Research Interests
copingphysical activityPosttraumatic growth
Dr. Jennifer Crawford joined Waypoint as the Manager of Research and Academic Operations in 2018, until transitioning to the role of Director, Data Analytics & Health Information Management in 2022. She holds a Scientific Appointment as a Adjunct Scientist with the Waypoint Research Institute. She completed her PhD (2016) in the area of health psychology and behavioural medicine, and previously worked as a Research Scientist with the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Dr. Crawford is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University and has taught undergraduate/graduate level courses in population health and quantitative statistical analysis at the University of Alberta and University of Regina, respectively. Dr. Crawford is also a Certified Personal Trainer with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology and regularly volunteers her time to provide exercise testing, exercise sessions and behavioural support to those who are looking to live a more activity lifestyle.
Dr. Crawford has received several awards for her research, including the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship and the Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Graduate Studentship. She has published and presented on a wide range of issues including articles in Mental Health and Physical Activity, Annals of Behavioral Medicine, and the American Journal of Health Behavior.
Publications
3 Important Publications
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029214000454
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00520-014-2410-1
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1755296616300321
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Dr. Crawford is not currently accepting students at this time.
Dr. Nathan Kolla
PhD, MD
Clinician Scientist at the University of Saskatchewan
Research Interests
Forensic PsychiatryNeuroimagingPET
Dr. Nathan Kolla is a Clinician Scientist and the Director of the PGY-6 Residency Program in Forensic Psychiatry at the University of Saskatchewan. Additionally, Dr. Kolla is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Criminology and Psychological Clinical Science at the University of Toronto. He has an appointment as a Staff Psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, where he is Head of the Violence Prevention Neurobiological Research Unit, and a Clinician-Scientist in CAMH’s Research Imaging Centre.
Dr. Kolla has many achievements, including receiving various awards and grants as an independent investigator. He regularly presents across Canada, the United States, and internationally. He has authored and co-authored many publications, articles, and chapters, including in the top journals Biological Psychiatry, Neuropsychopharmacology, and JAMA Psychiatry. Also, Dr. Kolla sits on the editorial board of the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. More recently, Dr. Kolla received the 2023 Manfred S. Guttmacher Award from the American Psychiatric Association. This award is given in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the literature of forensic psychiatry.
Dr. Kolla earned an MSc in Forensic Mental Health Science at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, UK, and took his PhD in Neuroscience (PET Neuroimaging of Personality Disorders) at the Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto. He completed clinical training in forensic psychiatry at Bellevue Hospital, New York University.
Previously, Dr. Nathan Kolla served as Waypoint’s Vice President, Research & Academics. Under his leadership, the Waypoint Research Institute experienced new growth and development, seeing unprecedented success in external rant awards supporting various important initiatives and projects. He was also key to establishing the first University of Toronto, Research Chair in Forensic Mental Health at Waypoint. Given his connection with and vision for mental health research, Dr. Kolla also held this role during his time at Waypoint.
Publications
Student / Volunteer Opportunities
Dr. Kolla invites students and volunteers to contact him about potential research opportunities.
Dr. Nadiya Sunderji
MPH, MD
President and Chief Executive Officer
Research Interests
collaborative care modelshealth system innovationsImplementation Science
Dr. Nadiya Sunderji has been President and CEO of Waypoint since 2022, prior to which she served as VP Medical Affairs & Chief of Staff for several years. Under her leadership, Waypoint has continued to support and lead health and mental health system transformation, working with valued partners, as well as advancing internal quality improvement and staff wellbeing initiatives.
Dr. Sunderji is a psychiatrist affiliated with the University of Toronto and she completed a Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. She is a physician advisor to the Ministry of Health, as well as contributing to the creation of a provincial Core Services Framework for mental health and substance use healthcare, and to the governance of Ontario Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence. She oversees Waypoint’s STREAM lab, Supporting Transformation through Research, Evidence and Action in Mental health, and previously held several competitive research grants and a journal editorship, all advancing integrated mental health care. She has received international and national recognition for her leadership and research in collaborative care, quality improvement and education.
Dr. Rebecca Van Iersal
BSc, MD, CCFP
Medical Director of Integrated Care
Research Interests
Qualitative Research Methods
Dr. Van Iersel graduated from Queen’s University School of Medicine in 2005 and completed residency at the University of Toronto, Rural Family Medicine Residency Program. Her years practicing family medicine in Orillia have included emergency, hospitalist medicine and obstetrics.
Dr. Van Iersel has extensive experience as a physician leader, working to improve the way in which people experience the Ontario health care system. For her contribution to regional approaches to our opioid epidemic and medical assistance in dying, she was the recipient of the Ontario College of Family Physicians 2018 Award of Excellence. She is currently Medical Director of Integrated Care at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health. In this role she is advancing the quality of physical health care. Dr. Van Iersel is trained in the work of Dr. Brené Brown, as a Certified Daring Way Facilitator. She has additional mental health training with an interest in trauma and addiction and provides clinical care within the Georgianwood Concurrent Disorders Program.
Publications
Grady, C., Han, H., Roberts, L., & Van Iersel, R. (2021, May). Effectively engaging physicians in system change. In Healthcare Management Forum (Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 149-153). Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.
Green, M. E., & Van Iersel, R. I. (2007). Response of rural physicians in a non-fee-for-service environment to acute increases in demand due to physician shortages. Can J Rural Med, 12(1), 10-5.
Sarah Farr
Youth Engagement Lead, Student Academic Placement
Research Interests
Child and Adolescent Psychologypreventative mental health
Sarah Farr joined Waypoint as a Youth Lead in 2022, where she assists in youth outreach and program development and implementation. Currently in her Honours Bachelor of Counselling Psychology at Georgian College, she plans to graduate in April of 2024 and pursue her Masters in the field of Clinical Psychology. Sarah has a background in program development and working with youth, including her time at Big Brothers Big Sisters, where she coordinated their 2021 “Banner Project”, multiple fundraisers, and more. She has a passion for youth programming, working with children, as well as counselling psychology.
Valentina Tamayo Velasquez
HBSc
Graduate Student Academic Placement
Research Interests
Addicitonspreventative systems
Valentina Tamayo joined Waypoint in September 2022 as a first-year Master of Science research student at the University of Toronto, under the supervision of Dr. Bernard Le Foll. She is currently enrolled in the Institute of Medical Science (IMS) at the University of Toronto. She completed her Honours Bachelor of Science degree (HBSc) at the University of Toronto with a major in Neuroscience, a minor in Psychology, and a minor in French Studies. She is currently working with Dr. Andrea Waddell to develop and implement a mental health trigger tool as her Thesis project. Valentina has previously worked studying the explore/exploit mechanisms and how they differ in psychiatric patients as well as the underlying mechanisms of co-morbid mental health disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
Valentina has a passion for academia and hopes to transfer to the PhD program within the next year to continue her academic and research journey. Within the Institute of Medical Science Student Association at the University of Toronto, Valentina is the Director of Community Outreach & Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, through which she has led her committee in organizing events such as food drives for Toronto Food not Bombs, making care-packages for Covenant House Toronto, EDI Town Hall, and others. In her free time, Valentina enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling.
Linas Wilkialis
HBSc
Graduate Student Academic Placement
Research Interests
Behavioural pharmacologyClinical PharmacologyConcurrent DisordersPsychopharmacology
Linas Wilkialis joined the Waypoint Research Institute team in February 2023 as a Master of Science student with the Department of Pharmacology at University of Toronto, under the supervision of Dr. Bernard Le Foll. Linas completed his honours Bachelor of Science (HBSc) at the University of Toronto in 2018, majoring in Human Biology, and minoring in immunology and History, respectively.
Following graduation, Linas joined the Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit (MDPU) at the University Health Network under Dr. Roger McIntyre. Working closely with the MDPU team, they examined a range of mood disorders and pharmacological treatment outcomes. In particular, Linas examined the relationship between loneliness and major depressive disorder via the reward system. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Linas assessed the implications of loneliness, social Isolation and generalized anxiety in the quarantine context. His work with Dr. McIntyre culminated in 5 peer-reviewed publications strengthening the examined research topics.
Prior to joining Waypoint Research Institute, he has worked as a business writer for Bayshore Healthcare, one of the country’s leading providers of home and community health care services. At Bayshore, Linas experienced firsthand the Canadian healthcare industry where he successfully worked together with government and pharmaceutical industry leaders on proposals to provide various healthcare services.