We are a multicultural lab composed of personnel at all stages of research training.
BILGEHAN CAVDAROGLU
PhD Student
I completed my BA and MA in psychology at Koc University in Istanbul. During my MA, I studied optimal behavior in temporal and numerical decision making task with humans and mice under the supervision of Dr. Fuat Balci. I am currently investigating decision making under approach avoidance conflict using novel operant paradigms in Ito Lab. I am hoping to use the information gained from these novel paradigms for explaining problematic decision making processes in disorders such as drug addiction and anxiety and elucidate the brain pathways behind them. In my spare time I enjoy reading about history, politics, science fiction and spending time with friends.


SADIA RIAZ
PhD Student
I completed my B.Sc. (Neuroscience specialist) and MA (Psychology, with a specialization in behavioural neuroscience) at the University of Toronto, and am currently pursuing a PhD at the Ito Lab. I first joined lab as an undergraduate thesis student, interested in examining the role of the hippocampus in contextual memory processing. My undergraduate research experience helped me realize my passion for behavioural neuroscience research and paved the way for my graduate career at the Ito lab. Currently, I am investigating the role of the medial prefrontal cortex in contextual memory processing and, more broadly, I am interested in investigating and elucidating the neural circuitry underlying contextual versus cue memory processing. Besides research, I enjoy teaching, spending time with my cat, family and friends, watching movies, and being organized.
NISMA KHAN
PhD Student
I received my B.Sc. (Neuroscience and Human Biology double major) and MA (Psychology, specialization in behavioural neuroscience) from the University of Toronto and I am currently pursuing a PhD in Dr. Ito's lab. When I first joined the lab, I began by exploring the involvement of ventral hippocampal subfields, specifically the vCA1 and vCA3, in decision-making under a cued approach avoidance conflict (AAC). Currently, I am using this technique to further explore the role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in such conflict scenarios, with the intention to eventually elucidate the involvement of the vCA1-mPFC circuit in AAC. Outside of research, my interests include snowboarding, hiking, tennis, biking, and reading.

TANNER MCNAMARA
MSc Student
I rWhile attempting a double major in Russian and Psychology at Carleton College in beautiful Northfield, MN, I landed in Dr. Sarah Meerts’ lab studying female rat mating behaviour, and thus my interest in neuroscience was born. After working a couple lab tech jobs following completion of my degree, I am very happy to be with Dr. Ito at the University of Toronto, where I am excited to combine her interest in approach-avoidance conflict with my interest in providing alcohol to underage rats. Outside the lab, I can usually be found playing chess, frisbee, or soccer. Or cooking and eating. Inside the lab, I can usually be found alone early in the morning drinking lots of coffee while everyone else is still asleep.

JEFFREY KATES
MSc Student
Hailing from Kelowna, B.C., I received my B.Sc. (Hons.) in Neuroscience from the University of Calgary and am currently working towards an M.Sc. in Cell & Systems Biology in Dr. Ito’s lab. I have a keen interest in the neural circuitry underlying motivated behaviour, with my research focused on using chemogenetics to explore the role of ventral hippocampal projections in approach-avoidance conflict. In the future, I hope to expand my research to include topics such as mental health/addiction, machine learning, and neuroeconomics. My interests outside of research include hockey (huge Canucks fan), reading, playing guitar, and astronomy.

PICTURES of LIFE in the LAB & OUTSIDE
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ALUMNI
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
Anett Schumacher
Yuan Fang Zhao
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GRADUATE STUDENTS
Anja Hayen (MSc)
George Wallis (MSc)
Katya Vlassov (MSc)
Laurie Hamel (MA)
Denada Alushaj (MA)
Dylan Patterson (MSc)
David Nguyen (PhD)
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Dean Thirwell
Helen Browncross
Rachel Ashwell
Maryam Sharif-Razi
Reema Patel
Peter Rizk
Katrina Bogus
Zahraa Chorghay
Larissa Ferguson
Filippo Raso
Edgor Cole Tolledo
Andrew Mackrell
Matthew McPhee
Abdullah Mosabbir
Lindsay Raoufi
Varia Sajeniouk
Seyon Sivagurunathan
Brindan Sivanandan
Jacob Woldegabriel
Sharon Yoon
Christina Gizzo
Franz Villaruel
Victoria Fugariu
Serena Soleimani
Tharshika Thaangarasa
Vignash Tharmaratnam
Gabriel Carvalho Rodrigues
Mihilkumar Patel
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RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
Amy Gates
Melissa Canseliet
DinatKhan
Osai Samadi
Yasika Nesarajah
Faith Gallant
Jeffrey Toy
Erind Alushaj
Pugaliya Puveendrakumaran
Katherine Roper
Katherine Riding
Meera-Nirusha Mahendiran
Alicia Ussling
Isabel Bourgault
Nardin Kirolos
Olivia Rennie
Raza Syed
Saranya Naraentheraraja
Elton Yeung
Sajeevan Sujanathan
Kian Sassaninejad
Danzell Lopez
Sally Wu
Yu-Qing Shi
Ann Li
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