People

Alex Jiang

Statistical Analyst

Alex is a statistical analyst working with Dr. Jeff Brubacher at the Department of Emergency Medicine. She has a Master of Data Science from the University of British Columbia. Her research interests include machine learning, regression analysis, and data engineering. Alex is currently working on a project to identify the relationship between air quality and emergency department visits. In her spare time, she enjoys playing guitar and volunteering.

Ariel Cheung

Research Assistant

Ariel is a research assistant working on the Active Transportation Injuries Circumstances and Outcome Study. She completed her BA (Hons.) in Psychology with a minor in Criminology at Simon Fraser University. Her research interests include executive functions, neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., ADHD, autism), health behaviours, and health promotion. In her free time, she enjoys Thai boxing, cooking, and volunteering.

Bianca Boicu

Research Coordinator

Bianca is a research coordinator working with Dr. Jeff Brubacher at the Department of Emergency Medicine. She has a Master of Science in psychological research from KU Leuven, specializing in decision making. Her research interests include substance use and health behaviours. In her spare time, she enjoys painting, hiking, and exploring new cities.

Daniel Daly Grafstein

Statistical Analyst

Daniel is a statistical analyst working on the Crash Risk after Cardioverter-defibrillator Implantation (MVC-ICD) study led by Dr. John Staples. He has a Master of Statistics from Simon Fraser University. His research interests include causal inference, Bayesian statistics, and sports analytics.

Dr. Herbert Chan

Research Associate

Dr. Herbert Chan is a research associate with Dr. Jeff Brubacher at the Department of Emergency Medicine and an associate member of the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation. His research interests include emergency department visits, road traffic trauma surveillance, and alcohol/drug impaired driving.

Lina Jae

Research Coordinator
Lina is a research coordinator with the Department of Emergency Medicine. She graduated with a Master of Science in Public Health from McGill University. Lina is currently working on the Active Transportation Injuries Circumstances and Outcomes Study. She is interested in building a safe environment for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclist. She enjoys hiking in the summer and snowboarding in winter.

Lulu Pei

Statistical Analyst

Lulu is a statistical analyst with the Department of Emergency Medicine. She recently graduated with a Master of Biostatistics from UBC, primarily investigating statistical applications to the field of human nutrition. Lulu is currently working on a project investigating the association between cycling infrastructure and risk of cyclist collision with a motor vehicle, using spatial analysis techniques. She also assists with the National Drug Impaired Driving Study and the Road Trauma Outcome Study.

Mai Hayashi

Research Nurse

Mai completed a Bachelor of Science in nursing at Thompson Rivers University and worked as a registered nurse and a research coordinator at Interior Health. Currently she is working as a research nurse at the Vancouver General Hospital Emergency Department under Dr. Jeff Brubacher. She coordinates and works with different Emergency Department research teams at VGH. She is a lead coordinator for the RAFF4 study, which compares two medications to treat acute atrial fibrillation in emergency departments.

Mayesha Khan

Research Coordinator

Mayesha manages the Crash Risk after Cardioverter-defibrillator Implantation (MVC-ICD) study led by Dr. John Staples. This study uses health and driving records to examine crash risk among ICD patients in BC. She has a Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology from Concordia University, specializing in substance use in young adults. Some of her research interests include risk factors associated with trauma and addictive behaviours.

Dr. Michael Branion-Calles

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Dr. Michael Branion-Calles is a postdoctoral research fellow in the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine. He received his PhD in Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University in 2020. His research interests lie at the intersection between transportation, health, and safety. Dr. Branion-Calles is the lead data analyst on a study investigating the safety of active transport users in British Columbia using a large, linked data set.

Natali Ochoa

GIS Research Assistant

Natali Ochoa is a dedicated GIS Research Assistant working with Michael Branion on the study of pedestrian and cyclist accidents. With a Master’s degree in Information and Communications Sciences, Geographic Information Sciences, and Cartography, Natali specializes in managing spatial databases to ensure data accuracy and integrity. She has expertise in ArcGIS Pro, PostgreSQL, QGIS, Jupiter notebooks, and Spatial Analysis. Beyond her professional work, Natali enjoys pursuing her hobbies of photography, reading, and engaging in outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling.

Renmart Buhay

Research Assistant

Renmart is a research assistant working on the Active Transportation Injuries Circumstances and Outcomes Study led by Dr. Jeff Brubacher. He recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Physiology from Simon Fraser University. His research interests include implementation science, health promotion and addictions research. In his spare time, he likes exercising, longboarding and volunteering.

Dr. Sarah Simmons

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Dr. Sarah Simmons is a postdoctoral research fellow in the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine. She received a PhD in psychology from the University of Calgary in 2020. Her research interests are in transportation human factors, including topics such as drug- and alcohol-impaired driving, distraction, and vulnerable road user safety. In her free time, she enjoys knitting, cooking, gardening, computer programming, board games and motorcycling.

Shannon Erdelyi

Statistical Analyst

Shannon is a statistical analyst in the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine. She works primarily on road safety research, including road trauma surveillance, evaluations of new traffic policy, and crash risk associated with impairing substances.

Sneha Yadav

Research Assistant

Sneha Yadav is a Clinical Research Assistant working under National Drug Driving Study led by Dr. Jeff Brubacher at the Department of Emergency Medicine Research at Vancouver General Hospital. She is a Certified Clinical Research Professional with a Master’s in Biotechnology from Nottingham Trent University, UK where her project involved use of Nanotechnology in the detection of Cancer. Her past research projects involved therapeutic areas like Oncology, Metabolism and Endocrinology and Biopharmaceuticals. She is passionate about continuously conducting researches which aims to help people live longer, healthier and have better lives by improving healthcare and well-being of individuals and families.

Dr. Somayeh Momenyan

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Somayeh Momenyan is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the UBC. She brings extensive expertise in longitudinal, survival, and spatial data analysis to her role. Currently, Dr. Momenyan serves as the lead data analyst for studies investigating recovery outcomes following injury, utilizing data from the Road Trauma Outcome Study and the Active Transportation Injury Circumstances and Outcomes Study.

Brian Tang

Student Research Assistant (Co-op Student)
Brian is a research assistant working on the Active Transportation Injury Circumstances and Outcomes Study led by Dr. Brubacher at Vancouver General Hospital. He is currently studying Biology at the University of British Columbia. He is unsure of his research interests but currently enjoys working on the ATICO study. In his spare time, he likes to volunteer around the community and learn new skills.

Janice Xu

Student Research Assistant (Co-op Student)
Janice is a research assistant working on the Active Transport Injuries Circumstances and Outcomes Study led by Dr. Jeff Brubacher at Royal Columbian Hospital. She is currently studying Integrated Science in Physiology and Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia. Some of her research interests include rehabilitation from cardiovascular diseases, orthopedic disorders, and acute trauma. In her spare time, Janice enjoys listening to music, ballet, exploring new restaurants, and watching drama.

Jessica Chan

Student Research Assistant (Co-op Student)
Jessica is a research assistant working on the Active Transport Injuries Circumstances and Outcomes Study led by Dr. Jeff Brubacher at Vancouver General Hospital. She is currently studying Integrated Sciences (Genetics and Immunology) at the University of British Columbia. Some of her research interests include injury prevention and recovery, immunodeficiency disorders, and medical genetics. In her free time, Jessica enjoys weightlifting, skiing, baking and trying new restaurants.

King Ying Lau

Student Research Assistant (Part-time)
King is a research assistant working with the Active Transportation Injury Circumstances and Outcomes Study led by Dr. Brubacher. She is currently pursuing a major in Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia. Her research interests are in mental health and clinical psychology, and in her free time she enjoys cooking, snowboarding and playing video games.

Roxanna Akhtary

Student Research Assistant (Co-op Student)
Roxanna is a research assistant working on the Active Transportation Injury Circumstances and Outcome Study led by Dr. Brubacher at Vancouver General Hospital. She is currently studying Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia. Her research interests include health psychology and the mind-body factors affecting injury recovery. In her spare time, Roxanna enjoys reading, music production, and gardening.

Sarissa Chew

Student Research Assistant (Co-op Student)
Sarissa is a research assistant working on the Active Transport Injury Circumstances and Outcomes Study led by Dr. Jeff Brubacher. She is currently studying Neuropharmacology and Urban Health at the University of British Columbia. Some of her research interests include injury disparities and emergency department workflows. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, playing the piano, and spending time in the sun.

Sean Dang

Student Research Assistant (Co-op Student)
Sean is a research assistant working on the Active Transportation Injury Circumstances and Outcomes Study led by Dr. Brubacher at Vancouver General Hospital. He is completing his B.Sc. in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of British Columbia. He is interested in pursuing a career in medicine, with research interests including hematological cancer, thoracic and respiratory medicine, and clinical drugs. In his spare time, he likes to play various sports, weightlift, and volunteer in his community.

Alumni

• Kate Merchant, Research Coordinator
• Leona Shum, Research Coordinator (Road Trauma Outcome Study, RTOS)
• Manal Masud, Research Coordinator (National Drug Driving Study)
• Yue Yuan, Research Coordinator (National Drug Driving Study, Provincial Cannabis Policy Evaluation Study)
• Louise Meddings, Research Assistant (RTOS)
• Wency Chan, Research Assistant & UBC Science Co-op Student (RTOS)
• Anmol Sangha, Research Assistant (RTOS) and UBC Science Co-op Student
• Dylan Stephanian, M.Sc.
• Vahid Mehrnoush, M.Sc.
• Angela Peng, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Candace Yip, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Sasha Mohsenian, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Jocelyn Cheng, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Rebecka Lee, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Sera Bao, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Manish Toofany, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Christine Seo, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Bernice Huynh, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Katherine Lam, UBC Science Co-op Student
• Amir Hosseini, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Masih Golbidi, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Anahita Seraji, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Catherine Xu, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Kyle Fernandez, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Parvin Malhi, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Jessica Siu, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Durr Al-Hakim, Research Assistant (National Drug Driving Study, NDID)
• Isaac Robinson, UBC Science Co-op Student (Crash Risk, MVC-ICD)
• Nicole Hu, Data Analyst (Drug Overdose after Discharge against Medical Advice)
• Ying (Daisy) Yu, Data Analyst (Drug Overdose after Discharge against Medical Advice)
• Jacob Park, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Jennifer Park, Research Assistant (Road Trauma Study, RTOS; Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Lily Gu, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Nazanin Sadoughian, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Ray Fort, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Stephanie Chow, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)
• Vivian Nguyen, UBC Science Co-op Student (Active Transportation Study, ATICO)