Researchers and Trainees

Jashanpreet Kaur is an undergraduate student in Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University. She has a strong interest in mental health, well-being, and social determinants of health. Through the coursework, she has developed strong knowledge about the foundational aspects of research and statistical data analysis. Aspiring to become a physician, Jashanpreet hopes to integrate research, clinical practice, and community involvement to advance equitable urban health outcomes.

Simran Sangha is a fourth-year Biomedical Sciences student at Toronto Metropolitan University with a strong interest in cardiovascular health and recovery following cardiac surgery. Her current research examines the facilitators and barriers to recovery after heart surgery, with a focus on differences between high-income and low- and middle-income countries. Her work explores how health systems and access to care influences post-operative recovery outcomes, and she aims to pursue a future career as a cardiovascular perfusionist while contributing to research that advances equitable cardiac care.

Hossein Shayesteh is a fourth-year Honours Bachelor of Life Sciences student at the University of Toronto, majoring in Human Biology with double minors in Physiology and Immunology. With prior medical training in Iran, he brings a strong clinical perspective to his academic and research work. His interests center on health equity and structural determinants of health in urban settings. He is currently involved in research examining how housing instability contributes to barriers in healthcare access and preventable hospitalizations among marginalized populations in Toronto. He also contributes to biomedical research at St. Michael’s Hospital, focusing on translational applications in vascular disease.

Yamini Bhatt is a PhD candidate in the Urban Health program at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). Her research focuses on immigrant women’s health, with a particular emphasis on cardiovascular disease prevention through culturally tailored lifestyle interventions. Yamini’s broader interests include health equity, community-based health promotion, and the development of inclusive public health strategies that address the needs of racialized and immigrant populations. She holds a PhD in Human Nutrition degree from India and brings a rich experience of research particularly in the areas of traditional food practices, maternal and child nutrition, and public health nutrition. Alongside her academic work, she is contributing as a research assistant on multiple interdisciplinary projects at TMU, refining her skills in community engagement, data analysis, and knowledge mobilization.

Prabhkirat Kaur is a medical student at TMU with research experience in cardiovascular health, exercise, AI and industrial discrepancies. She has also completed a project with the European space agency in space situational awareness where she led multiple literature reviews and created a traceability matrix. She has completed a project regarding multiple pregnancies and arrhythmias and is currently working on a project examining people living with HIV and how that intersects with insomnia and cardiovascular disease and its related outcomes.

Mary Andres completed her Bachelor of Nursing at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2023 and has since been practising as a registered nurse in the emergency department. Her clinical experience has informed a developing research interest in workforce sustainability, with a particular focus on the sociological and structural determinants influencing nursing retention and the progressive migration away from bedside practice. She is currently assisting in research examining the impact of structured pre- and post-operative education on outcomes for patients undergoing major cardiovascular surgery, with a goal to strengthen patient-centred care and evidence-informed practice.

Parneet Gill is a registered nurse and a Dean’s List graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Toronto Metropolitan University. During her studies, she worked as a clinical extern on COVID-19 units and with the Clinical Resource Team, gaining experience in high-acuity environments. She began her nursing career in cardiology, supporting Level-2 ICU care during staffing shortages, and currently practices in oncology, where she works closely with physicians to develop comprehensive care plans for patients during some of their most vulnerable moments. Parneet is passionate about health innovation and demonstrates strong analytical skills in research and has contributed to scholarly initiatives, including launching a nursing journal and conducting literature reviews to support evidence-informed practice.

Katrina Hernandez is a 2022 graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Toronto Metropolitan University. She currently works as a registered nurse in the Cardiovascular ICU at Toronto General Hospital. She is particularly interested in research related to cardiovascular health and organ transplantation. Her research experience includes conducting a literature review for Dr. Frederick’s pre-operative cardiac surgery patient education materials and contributing to the development of the “Adult Congenital Heart Surgeries and Guidelines” booklet for Toronto General Hospital’s Cardiology units.

Ceresse O’Connor is a registered nurse practising in the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department at Halton Healthcare. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2023, which sparked her interest in translating research into practice. Her critical care experience drives her passion for contributing to scholarly literature that advances clinical excellence through evidence-informed health models. With a strong commitment to lifelong learning, her interests include health promotion and disease prevention, patient-centred care, and addressing social determinants of health to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations in both urban and rural communities.