Our Team
Our Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Shawn Whitehead, PhD
Dr. Whitehead is a neuroscientist interested in understanding what makes different brain regions more vulnerable to injury and stress resulting in neurodegeneration seen in brain diseases and injuries like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and stroke. He completed is PhD training at Western in 2005 followed by Postdoctoral Fellowships at the University of Ottawa, under the supervision of Dr. Steffany Bennett and at the National Research Council of Canada. Dr. Whitehead holds a primary appointment in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology along a cross appointment in the Depts. of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Neurosciences, Chemistry at Western University. Dr. Whitehead is also the Associate Chair of Western's Graduate program and an Affiliate Scientist with the Lawson Health Research Institute.
Technical Staff
Dr. Lin (Lynn) Wang, MD (China) - Senior Technician
Lynn graduated from China Medical University in 1983 and has been conducting research in Canada since 2004, with particular interests in Alzheimer's Disease and stroke. In 2012, Lynn helped Dr. Whitehead establish the VBL. She continues working with the VBL to this day, participating in many experiments such as creating animal models, cell culture, and conducting IHC, WB, qPCR, etc. She also helps with lab management, updating protocols, equipment maintenance, and training new students. In her spare time, Lynn enjoys traveling and photography.
Dr. Lin Zhao, PhD - Research Technologist
Lin Zhao is a molecular biologist. He enjoys many sports, but he is not a fan of hockey and baseball - no reason. He is devoted to life sciences research and makes a living by doing it, because he feels cosmology and quantum mechanics are hard to comprehend, but the life sciences are elucidating phenomena occurring in front of our eyes and inside ourselves. His role model is that brave Boy in the crowd pointing at the Emperor in parade and shouting - HE'S NAKED.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr. Manoj Medapati, PhD
Dr. Medapati has recently joined Dr. Whitehead's and Dr. Pasternak's labs as a postdoctoral fellow. He is interested in understanding the role of endosomal and lysosomal systems in Alzheimer’s disease and also studies the role of microglia in neuroinflammation using iPSC models. He finished his PhD at University of Manitoba in 2021. His doctoral work identified a novel role for bitter taste G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in innate immunity and extracellular vesicles. Outside the lab he enjoys ice skating, community farming, hiking and camping with his four-legged friend. He is an avid animal lover and fosters all sorts of creatures from humane society shelters.
PhD Students
Austyn Roseborough
MD/PhD Candidate
Austyn is an MD/PhD student currently in the PhD portion of her degree. Her project is focused on identifying biomarkers of white matter disease and neuroinflammation associated with aging and cognitive decline. She previously completed her HBSc specializing in cell biology at the University of Toronto and joined the VBL in 2016 while completing her MSc in Clinical Anatomy at Western University. In her spare time Austyn enjoys triathlon, indoor rock-climbing and skiing.
Victoria Jaramek
PhD Candidate
Victoria is a MSc. candidate in the Vulnerable Brain Lab working with Dr. Shawn Whitehead and Dr. Luciano Sposato. She has firmly established her interest in anatomy and physiology. Victoria has 3 years of work experience in the Exercise Biochemistry laboratory throughout her BMSc. degree with Honors Specialization in Physiology. Her current project investigates the time course of post-stroke cardiac dysfunction in the insular ischemic stroke rat model. Victoria is a TA for Integrative Neuroscience 4451F, an active volunteer in the community, plays the piano, enjoys swimming and is a National Lifeguard certificate holder.
Wenxuan (Wendy) Wang
MD/PhD Candidate
Wendy is a fourth year MD/PhD student currently completing her doctoral studies. Her project focuses on studying brain lipids in microglia neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease. Wendy grew up in Calgary and completed her BSc in Honours Biochemistry from McGill University before joining the VBL lab at Western. Outside of research, she enjoys playing piano, hiking and snowboarding, and is obsessed with coffee.
Salonee Patel
MD/PhD Candidate
Salonee is an MD/PhD candidate co-supervised by Dr. Brian Allman and Dr. Shawn Whitehead. She first completed her BMSc with an Honors Specialization in Physiology at Western University, with a strong research interest in neurological disorders. This led her to her current work, which focuses on the comorbidity of Alzheimer’s disease and noise-induced hearing loss. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, yoga, and travelling.
Sarah Myers
PhD Candidate
Nikita Ollen-Bittle
MD/PhD Candidate
Nikita is an MD/PhD student co-supervised by Dr. Whitehead and Dr. Finger. Previously, Nikita completed a BSc (Honours) in Life Sciences and MSc in Neuroscience at Queen’s University. Nikita’s research looks to characterize lipid changes in different neurodegenerative diseases for the discovery of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. In her spare time Nikita is an avid equestrian and enjoys both volleyball and rock-climbing.
Elnaz Farahani
PhD Candidate
Elnaz is a PhD Candidate supervised by Dr. Whitehead. She previously completed a MSc in Cell and Molecular Biology from Iran before joining the VBL in Canada. She currently studies the molecular pathways of microglia activation and senescence, with a primary focus on identifying novel biomarkers such as long non-coding RNAs for neuroinflammation. In her spare time, she likes to paint, watch movies, read books, and spend time with her family.
Hannah Martin
PhD Candidate
Hannah is a first year PhD student. She completed her undergraduate degree at Western in the Medical Sciences and Biology double major program. Her current project in Dr. Whitehead’s lab focuses on interrogating microglia activation phenotypes longitudinally following stroke and using extracellular vesicles released from microglia to discriminate post-stroke cognitive impairment. Apart from school, Hannah enjoys baking, running, and painting.
MSc Students
Sairam Gajavelli
MSc Candidate
Sairam Gajavelli (He/Him) is a first year MSc Candidate co-supervised by both Dr. Shawn Whitehead and Dr. Stephen Pasternak. He recently achieved his BSc in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences at Western University and currently working in the lab over the summer (2022) as an intern with funding through the USRI. Sairam is investigating the relationship between microglia and inflammatory markers, and will further be investigating the role of microglia in Alzheimer’s Disease during the course of their Masters degree. In his spare time Sairam is an active individual who enjoys spending time with friends and family, volunteering in the community, skiing, and golfing.
Erica Kane
MSc Candidate
Erica is a first-year MSc candidate supervised by Dr. Whitehead and Dr. Cregan. Prior to joining the VBL, Erica completed an Honours BSc in Kinesiology from Washington State University and worked for eight years in functional rehabilitation of individuals with neurodegenerative disorders. This experience prompted her return to academia, where she fell in love with molecular neuroscience. She completed an Honour Specialization BSc in Neuroscience and Major in Biochemistry at Western before pursuing her MSc degree.
Erica’s current research primarily focuses on unraveling the molecular processes behind Parkinson’s Disease (PD). She previously helped elucidate the mechanism of dopaminergic cell death in PD by developing an in vivo C. elegans neurodegeneration model. She has since shifted to exploring the role of alpha-synuclein in disrupting normal autophagic and vesicular efflux processes within the brain.
Outside of the lab, Erica spends most of her time with her two young boys. Her love of science appears to have rubbed off on her children, as they love to spend the weekends outside exploring nature and doing kitchen table science experiments.
Meaghan Frank
MSc Candidate
Meaghan is a first year Clinical Anatomy MSc candidate. Originally from Windsor, Ontario she completed her undergraduate degree in Life Sciences at Queen’s University. Currently, she is working on developing histological protocols to characterize lipid distribution within white matter hyper-intensities in post-mortem human brain samples from ALSP patients. As a clinical anatomy student, Meaghan performs anatomical dissection, while learning neuroanatomy and histology. Outside of school, Meaghan loves to cook, listen to podcasts and spend time with family.
Jeng-liang (David) Wu
MSc Candidate
David is a first-year MSc Candidate in the Anatomy & Cell Biology program, who recently achieved his BMSc in Microbiology & Immunology with Pathology. He first joined the Vulnerable Brain Lab in his second year for the Scholar’s Electives program and has continued with the lab since. His research currently focuses on calculating the volumes of white matter hyperintensities and correlating these with the levels of extracellular vesicle-based biomarkers in peripheral circulation. Outside of the lab, David is the Co-President of COUHR London and advocate for scientific research and education. In his free time, David enjoys gardening, playing piano and saxophone, and reading/writing.
Undergraduate Students
Anastasia Nikolik
Scholar's Electives
Anastasia is a second-year undergraduate student in the Honours Specialization in Neuroscience program, as well as the Scholar’s Electives program. Her interest in the fascinating inner workings of the brain led her to join the Vulnerable Brain Lab, in order to learn more about lab research in neuroscience. Currently, Anastasia is working for Sarah Myers on characterizing the morphology of microglia in Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of school, Anastasia enjoys reading, baking, figure skating, and spending time with friends.
Alayna Marino
BMSc Candidate
Alayna is a third-year undergraduate student in the Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences Honour’s Specialization with a major in Microbiology and Immunology. Alayna is working with her mentor, Erica Kane, a VBL MSc Candidate, where she is learning invaluable lab techniques and is gaining an in-depth understanding of neurodegenerative diseases with a focus on Parkinson’s Disease. In her free time, Alayna enjoys crocheting, sewing, playing soccer, and she is working towards a Level 7 Piano certification with the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Maanas Vankalapati
BMSc Candidate
Maanas was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario and lived there until the end of his high school years. After getting accepted into University of Western Ontario’s Medical Science Program, he has been studying in London Ontario for two years and is going into his third year. He first joined the Vulnerable Brain Lab in the summer after finishing his first year. He has been working as an undergraduate Lab Assistant for Wendy Wang and has been helping her with data analysis for her research paper, alongside learning Western Blotting and cell culturing from her in the lab itself. In his spare time, Maanas plays soccer and spends time with his friends alongside studying and spending time with his loved ones.
VBL Alumni
2020-2023, Kaitlyn Flondra, MSc
2019-2021, Will Pinsky, MSc – Medical School (Dalhousie)
2018-2020, Fan Liu, MSc – Medical School (Western)
2018-2020, Victoria Agapova, MSc., – Industry
2018-2020, Nassir Al-Khishman, MSc., – Industry
2017-2019, Aaron Harris MSc., (Industry)
2014-2019, Nadia Ivanova, PhD., (Industry)
2015-2018, Alex Levit, MD/PhD – Current Position – Resident (UBC)
2016-2018, Mona Alsashaikh, MSc.
2014-2018, Jasmine Wang, PhD – Industry
2013-2018, Sarah Caughlin, PhD – Brains Canada
2016-2018, Jessica Garabon, MSc. – Medical School (Western)
2016-2018, Victoria Thorburn, MSc. – Dental School (Western)
2017-2018, Dr. Seung Oh, PDF, Current position – Neurologist (Korea)
2015-2018, Asmahan Elsiriti, MSc.
2014-2016 – Aaron Regis, MSc. – Medical student (NOSM)
2013-2016 – Dr. Nina Weishaupt, PhD – Industry
2010-2016 – Dae Hee Park, MSc.- Dentist
2013-2015 – Ryan Wong, MSc. – Lawyer
2014-2015 – Jennifer Au, MSc. – Occupational Therapist
2011-2013 – Hayley Nell, MSc. – Physiotherapist
2010-2012 – Jeffrey Hepburn, MSc. – Physician