Bazinet Lab Group

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Shoug Alashmali	PhD Student	TOP
	Shoug's research focuses on understanding how dietary omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids regulate lipid meditor production in the brain and the resolution of neuroinflammation.
Chuck Chen	PhD	TOP
	Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are currently being investigated as a potential therapy in mood disorders including depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Clinical trials that used relatively pure EPA were more effective in alleviating depressive symptoms compared to relatively pure DHA supplementations. However, this poses a potential paradox as EPA levels in the brain are 250 to 300-fold lower than DHA. Therefore the objective of Chuck's thesis is to investigate various metabolic differences between EPA and DHA that will explain differences in brain levels. Chuck is currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow at NIAAA, NIH..
Anthony Domenichiello	PhD Candidate	TOP
	Anthony is a PhD student measuring synthesis rates of DHA, an omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) found in fish, from ALA, an n-3 PUFA found in plants. He is working to determine how dietary fat may alter the DHA synthesis rate which is important to know when developing dietary recommendations for DHA consumption.
Adrienne Elbert	Undergraduate Project	TOP
	Adrienne studied as a 4th year thesis student and summer student where she examined the role of CD36 in maintaining brain polyunsaturated fatty acid levels. Adrienne is currently in a combined MD/PhD program at Western University.
Tony Fong	Undergraduate Project	TOP
	Tony was a summer student and is currently assisting with studies on fatty acid ethanolamides and measuring fatty acids in the local food supply.
Jonathon Fossella	Undergraduate Project	TOP
	Jonathon completed a summer project assessing trans fatty acids in the local food supply. Jonathan is currently in pharmacy school at the University of Toronto.
Josh Green	MSc	TOP
	Josh completed his M.Sc. thesis on how dietary omega-3 fatty acids regulate the kinetics of arachidonic acid in the brain. Josh is currently in a MD program at Dalhousie University.
Kayla Hildebrand	Research Assistant	TOP
	Kayla studies the relationship between demyelination and fatty acids in the cuprizone mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, she is interested in oleic acid, a myelin-specific monounsaturated fatty acid, and how changes could be linked with different MS disease types. Kayla is currently studying physiotherapy at Queen's University.
Kathryn Hopperton	MSc, PhD Candidate	TOP
	Kathryn Hopperton is a PhD student studying inflammation and its resolution (ending, return to homeostasis) in a mouse model of Alzheimer's Disease. She also examines the role of omega-3 fatty acids in modulating inflammation in this model.
Luke Johnston	MSc, PhD Student	TOP
	High levels of total non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) are a risk factor for type 2 diabetes; however, fatty acids are a physiologically diverse class of molecules. Using data from a longitudinal observational cohort, Luke is investigating how different NEFA may influence the trajectory of insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction, both of which are central disorders in the development of diabetes.
Alex Kitson	PhD, Post-doctoral Fellow	TOP
	Dr. Kitson completed his PhD at University of Waterloo (supervisor: Dr. Ken D. Stark) with thesis focused on effects of sex, pregnancy, and sex hormones on DHA metabolism. Dr. Kitson is currently investigating the effects providing dietary DHA as phospholipid, triacylglycerol, or blend of both on brain DHA concentration, uptake, and metabolism using feeding models and radiotracer gavage. Future work involves investigation of role of pregnancy on DHA synthesis and brain uptake in both mother and fetus using isotope infusion methods, and whether brain DHA metabolism is affected in either by altering dietary DHA.
Lauren Lin	MSc	TOP
	Lauren completed her M.Sc. investigating the effect of a low versus high n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet on the metabolic consumption of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in rat brain phospholipids. Her previous work as both an undergraduate summer student and 4th-year project student included looking at alterations in the fatty acid profiles of hepatocyte-specific jak-2 knockout mice that were fed a methionine choline-deficient diet. Lauren is currently a dentistry student at the University of Toronto.
Lin Lin	MSc, PhD Student	TOP
	Lin's PhD thesis work is focusing on fatty acid ethanolamides (FAE) (also called N-acylethanolamines, NAE) which are a group of lipid mediators. Lin's previous work indicated that chronic feeding of dietary fatty acids elevates FAE levels. Her current research will improve our understanding of how dietary fatty acids regulate FAE production. Lin is examining if the precursor enzyme, N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine-specific phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD), as well as the degradation enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), are necessary for the exogenous levels of FAE.
Zhen Liu	Analytical Facility Technician	TOP

Adam Metherel	PhD, Post-doctoral Fellow	TOP

Stephanie Nishi	MSc	TOP

Sarah Orr	PhD	TOP
	Sarah Orr completed her PhD in the lab examining the role of docosahexaenoic acid and its bioactive metabolites in neuroinflammation. Sarah is currently a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Harvard University.
Tupur Rahman	Undergraduate Project	TOP
	Tupur completed a 4th year thesis examining the role of very-low-density lipoprotein receptors in maintaining brain polyunsaturated fatty acid levels. Tupur is currently in the MD program at the University of Toronto.
Ingrid Santaren	MSc, PhD Student	TOP
	Ingrid's area of research is in nutritional epidemiology, with a focus on evaluating fatty acid intake on type 2 diabetes risk, and related metabolic outcomes. Her project will evaluate longitudinal associations of dairy-specific fatty acid biomarkers on diabetes traits in a population at high risk for diabetes.
Chris Song	Undergraduate Project	TOP
	Chris completed several research courses and summer studentships in the lab. His worked assessed the role of CD36 in maintaining brain polyunsaturated fatty acid levels. Chris then completed a degree in denstistry at the University of Toronto and is currently a practising dentist.
Jasmin Tong	Undergraduate Project	TOP
	Jasmin completed a 4th year research project on the role of diet and the fat-1 gene on regulating brain polyunsaturated fatty acid levels. Jasmin completed her MD degree at the University of Hong Kong.
Marc-Olivier Trépanier	MSc, PhD Candidate	TOP
	Marc is investigating the production of lipid bioactive mediators during the resolution of neuroinflammation induced by LPS. Moreover, he is also investigating the effect of modulating brain docosahexaenoic acid on the production of these mediators and whether resolution of neuroinflammation is impacted.
Maxine Vienneau	Undergraduate Project	TOP
	Maxine completed a 4th year research project examining fatty acids in a clinical trial. Maxine is currently finishing her Bachelor's degree at the University of Toronto.