kids laughing outside

ACHRI Trainee Association

ACHRI Trainee Association (ACHRITA) is an association for all ACHRI trainees (graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and postgraduate medical and clinical fellows).

ACHRITA wordmark
Aliza and Anamika, ACHRITA Education Co-directors

Our Mandate:

To foster a sense of community among ACHRI trainees and postdocs, enhance training experiences and represent the interests of trainees.

We Aim To:

  • provide academic and professional development opportunities to gain expertise through workshops and collaborations with other research institutes
  • encourage trainees to become active community members through outreach and volunteer opportunities
  • foster strong relationships among trainees through social events and networking

ACHRITA Executive Team

Meghan Maiani

Meghan Maiani

President

Meghan is a registered occupational therapist whose clinical practice has been primarily in the area of neuro-rehabilitation. Meghan is a PhD Candidate in Dr. Adam Kirton’s lab. Meghan is studying the structural connectivity of the visual system in children with perinatal stroke, and how this correlates to functional vision in everyday life. 

Bevin Wiley

Bevin Wiley

Vice-President & Treasurer

Bevin is a second-year MSc student supervised by Dr. Kara Murias in the neuroscience program. Her research focuses on the use of non-invasive brain stimulation in children with ADHD. 

Omar Kinawi

Omar Kinawi

Communications Director

Omar is an MSc Student supervised by Dr. Mary Dunbar. His research focuses on understanding the role of infant sex in the characteristics and timing of symptoms of arterial ischemic stroke in newborns using volumetric MRI analysis.

Anamika Choudhary

Anamika Choudhary

Education Committee Co-Director

Anamika is a PhD student supervised by Drs. Morris Scantlebury and Cezar Gavrilovici. Her research focuses on the role of acid sensing ion channels in controlling the anti-seizure effects of the ketogenic diet in a pediatric epilepsy called infantile spasms.

Aliza Jaffer

Aliza Jaffer

Education Committee Co-Director

Aliza is an MSc student supervised by Dr. Catherine Lebel. Her research explores longitudinal brain and behavioural development in infants whose mothers experienced anxiety and/or depression during pregnancy.

Anna Bourgeois

Anna Bourgeois

Social and Community Outreach Co-Director

Anna is a second-year MSc student supervised by Dr. Adam Kirton. Her research is aiming to create a more engaging therapy using Brain-Computer Interface and Functional Electrical Stimulation for children with perinatal stroke.

Amsal Rajan

Amsal Rajan

Social and Community Outreach Co-Director

Amsal is an MSc student supervised by Dr. Kara Murias. His research explores the impact of non-invasive brain stimulation on executive functioning in children with ADHD.

Mashiat Zaman

Mashiat Zaman

EDI Co-Director

Mashiat is a PhD candidate in Dr. Tim Shutt’s lab, focusing on the study of mitochondria. His research is dedicated to uncovering mechanisms underlying rare genetic mitochondrial diseases by investigating mitochondrial dynamics and proteins.

Abhishek Sharma

Abhishek Sharma

EDI Co-Director

Abhi Sharma is a PhD student in Dr. Savraj Grewal’s lab, using Fruit Fly (Drosophila melanogaster) to model and study human biology. His research is focused on uncovering the mechanisms that control the growth of our epithelial tissues and tumors specifically under low oxygen stress. Outside the lab, Abhi is advocate for EDI and mental health awareness, focusing on how social inequity/injustice impact the mental health of graduate students.

Tiffany Bell

Tiffany Bell

Elected Rep: Postdoctoral Researcher

Tiffany is a postdoctoral associate in Dr. Ashley Harris’ lab. Her primary research involves using magnetic resonance imaging to study brain chemistry in children. Through her research, she hopes to further understand the contribution of altered brain chemistry to neurological disorders, informing novel targeted therapies to aid management of these conditions.

Alam Randhawa

Alam Randhawa

Elected Rep: Graduate Student

Alam is an MSc/MD student in the Leaders in Medicine program, supervised by Dr. Michael Esser. She is interested in maternal-child health, especially neonatal health and surgery. Currently, her research is focused on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). 

Founding Members

Areefa Alladin, Meghan Maiani, Conné Lategan, Anna MacKinnon, Bevin Wiley and Joanna Keough.

ACHRITA is a volunteer association comprised of ACHRI and Owerko Centre trainees and postdoctoral fellows. Their work is supported by generous community donations through the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation.