Natalie Khor, Lab Technician 2015 – 2023
Academic Background
Natalie received her BSc and MSc in Biochemistry at Concordia University. Her Master’s thesis focused on generating a Zn2+-free oxygenase of phenol hydroxylase found in the Pseudomonas species to characterize the function of the zinc ion bound to the enzyme – an important player in bioremediation.
She joined Dr. Santosa’s lab in 2016 as a lab technician, where she works alongside students and helps train them on various instruments and biochemistry/molecular biology techniques.
Outside of the lab, Natalie enjoys having a good meal with friends, baking, watching TV dramas, working on DIY crafts and travelling.
Kerri Delaney, PhD Completed 2023
Academic Background
Kerri completed her BSc (Hons) at the University of Waterloo in Kinesiology with a minor in Human Nutrition. She began her MSc with Dr. Santosa in September of 2015, accelerating into her PhD in January 2017. While in her program Kerri has received 10 internal and external awards/recognitions including awards from Concordia University, The PERFORM centre, Nestle Nutrition, and the Canadian Obesity Network. Kerri’s research examines immune cell presence, markers of inflammation and fat cell characteristic in fat tissue from different regions of the body in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Research Objective
The main objective of Kerri’s research is to further our understanding of the pathology of type 2 diabetes while additional examining the effect of weight loss via bariatric surgery. Kerri is a co-chair of the Canadian Obesity Network – Concordia Chapter. After the completion of her PhD she plans to continue her training in a Post Doctoral position.
When not in the lab, Kerri’s enjoys road biking, snowboarding, and playing guitar.
Sarah Feola, MSc Completed 2023
Academic Background
Graduated with a BSc in Health and Human Performance with a track in exercise science. My thesis is looking at the effects of exercise on fat depletion within the muscle of those living with obesity, particularly intramyocellular and Extramyocellular lipids.
Research Objective
My research objective is to investigate if the onset of obesity either childhood or adulthood plays a factor in fat depletion within the muscle.
Laurent Turner, MSc Completed 2022
Academic Background
Laurent recently graduated from Concordia University with a Master’s of Science in Health and Exercise Science. His primary research interests are directed towards understanding the mechanisms underlying the development of obesity-associated comorbidities. Particularly, he is interested in examining the factors influencing inter-individual differences in chronic disease susceptibility and how current lifestyle and surgical interventions can be improved to target individual needs. Eager to gain a deeper understanding of obesity, he will soon begin his doctoral studies at the University of Adelaide in hopes to expand his knowledge of this chronic disease.
Research Objective
His thesis explored the impact of age and age of obesity onset on adipose tissue characteristics (adipocyte size, adipose tissue
fibrosis and macrophage infiltration) and the markers of cardiometabolic health.
Awards
While completing his master’s degree, Laurent received several awards including the PERFORM Graduate Student Award in Health Research and presentation awards obtained during conferences. He recently became the recipient of the University of Adelaide Research Scholarship to pursue his doctoral degree.
Bjorn Tam, Postdoctoral Fellow 2019 – 2021
Academic Background
Bjorn grew up in Hong Kong and obtained his Ph.D. in Muscle Physiology at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Prior to joining the Santosa Lab in 2018, he worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at The UT MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill investigating the negative effects of obesity on health and diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
Research Objective
He is currently embarking on a new research journey investigating regional differences in fat tissue in bariatric surgery patients and determining protein requirements in those patients.
When he’s not daydreaming about fat and physiology, out with the lab, Bjorn enjoys exercise, music and eating good foods with friends and family. He also likes to explore new cities with his camera and discover new things with his wife … basically, he enjoys life and his scientific career!
Awards
– 2020 PERFORM Postdoctoral Fellowship in Preventive Health
– 2018 Horizon Postdoctoral Fellowship
– 2016 Faculty Distinguished Thesis Award 2016, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
– 2014-2015 Best Presentation Award. Postgraduate Symposium 2015. Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
– 2013-2014 Best Presentation Award. Postgraduate Symposium 2014. Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
– 2013-2016 Hong Kong PhD Studentship, University Grants Committee
Niloufar Ghaderian, MSc Completed 2020
Academic Background
Niloufar obtained her MSc in 2020 from the Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Applied Physiology at Concordia University. She holds a BSc in Nutrition Sciences and also an MSc in Agriculture.
Research Objective
Niloufar has research experience in the field of cardiovascular diseases. Her current research interest focuses on obesity mechanisms and treatment.
Lucas Almeida, MSc Completed 2020
Academic Background
Lucas Guimarães Almeida has graduated with a BSc (Honours) from Federal University of São Francisco Valley in Brazil and he had an exchange period of two semesters at The University of Western Australia. Lucas is currently a MSc student in the Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Applied Physiology at Concordia University. His senior thesis evaluated the anthropometric and functional profile of elite capoeira athletes.
Research Objective
Lucas’ research interest is on long-term effects of obesity and its relation to others chronic diseases.
Awards
– Concordia University Entrance Award
Leila Ghiasi, MSc Completed 2018
Academic Background
Leila Ghiasi obtained her PharmD at Tehran University of Medical Science, Iran in 2006 where she formulated an anti-obesity capsule (Orlistat pellets) for the first time in Iran. She finished her MSc in Exercise Science at MON lab, Concordia University in 2018.
Research Objective
Her MSc research examined the effects of age of lipotoxicity on cell programming of fat tissue (senescence, proliferation and differentiation) to better understand the cellular pathology of obesity. In completing her MSc, Leila helped with the implimentation of the primary preadipocyte cell isolation and culture protocol and collaborated with the lab of Dr. James Kirkland at the Mayo Clinic to implement the cellular proliferation assay. Leila now works as Senior Medical Curriculum Coordinator at IC Axon, Montreal, Canada.
Abdulrahman Dera, MSc Completed 2018
Academic Background
Abdulrahman Dera graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His research interest is in obesity and its related effect on skeletal muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic change.
Research Objective
Abdul’s thesis examines The Effect of Late- versus Early-Onset Obesity on Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Muscle Skeletal Strength, Resting Metabolic Rate and Substrate Oxidation in Adults.
Awards
Master’s scholarship from King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Vi Dam, MSc Completed 2016
Academic Background
Vi graduated with a B.Sc in Nursing from Université de Montréal, a B.Sc in Biology and M.Sc in Exercise Science at Concordia. Under the supervision of Dr. Sylvia Santosa at PERFORM’s Nutrition, Obesity and Metabolism
Research Objective
Laboratory Clinical Analysis Suite, Vi’s MSc thesis was focused on investigating how obesity-related immune function in fat tissue affects metabolism and future disease risk in early vs late-onset obesity.
Awards
During her time at Concordia, Vi was the recipient of an FRQS salary award, the Canadian Vascular Network Scholar Award, the Ed Whitlock PERFORM Graduate Student Scholarship Award, and the Concordia University Merit Scholarhsip. Vi is currently a Clinical Research and Nursing Manager at Santé Cannabis; one of Québec’s first medical cannabis resource centers. She can be regularly be seen presenting as an expert panelist in the media and at conferences in oncology, chronic pain, palliative care and pharmacology on the most recent developments in Medical Cannabis Research and Cannabis Clinical Models.