Dr. Alex Quinn - PrincipAL Investigator
Alex is a Professor in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics and the School of Biomedical Engineering at Dalhousie University. He received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Columbia University and did his postdoctoral training at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London. His research program builds on experience in basic, translational, and clinical research, with a focus on the intrinsic regulation of cardiac function and the effects of mechano-electric interactions on heart rhythm, to better understand and treat cardiovascular disease. When not considering matters of the heart, he enjoys time with his family, or staring off into space considering nothing at all.
Dr. matthew stoyek - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
Matt received his PhD in Medical Neuroscience from Dalhousie University. His research uses a multi-modal approach (immunohistochemistry, electrophysiology, fluorescence functional imaging, and pharmacology) integrating structure and function to define autonomic nervous system control of the heart in physiology and pathophysiology. He now has vague memories of times when he was not considering matters of the heart at all hours, and fondly recalls hobbies.
Ahmed Ramadan - PhD student
Ahmed received his BENG in Electrical Engineering from Dalhousie University with a Certificate in Biomedical Engineering. Ahmed enjoys implementing engineering principles in the field of medicine and biology; recently working at the QEII – Centre for Clinical Research, designing and building a new prosthesis solution. His current projects involve investigating the potential of optogenetics as an anti-arrhythmic therapy through a combined experimental-computational approach using zebrafish.
ZACHARY LONG - PhD student
Zachary received his BSc Honours in Medical Science with a Minor in Computer Science from Dalhousie University. During that time he was investigating how acute thermal changes affect basal autonomic tone of the intracardiac nervous system in the isolated zebrafish heart. His current project involves investigating mechanisms of intrinsic cardiac control, using the zebrafish as an experimental model. In his free time, Zachary enjoys hiking, watching motorsport and sailing.
BRIANNA LATREMOUILLE - PhD student
Brianna received her BSc in Physiology from McGill University, followed by summer of a Neuroscience research investigating the effects of early-life stress on development in neonatal rats. She is currently the exploring the effects of an acute increase in mechanical afterload on mechano-electrical coupling in rabbit isolated ventricular myocytes using a cell-in-gel system. Apart from research, she enjoys reading, painting, hiking, and rock-climbing.
CASSIE norman - MASc student
Cassie received her BEng in Electrical Engineering from Dalhousie University. She is currently developing closed-loop systems to control cardiac activity through optogenetic stimulation, a project that integrates sensing, computational modelling, and control theory. Outside the lab, she enjoys baking, long walks, and thrifting.
ESMÉ franck - MSc student
Esmé received her BSc Honours in Neuroscience from the University of Winnipeg. She is currently using optogenetics to establish and study a model of cardiomyopathy in zebrafish larvae. Outside of research, she enjoys baking, reading, and hiking.
MARLEY CAMERON - Bsc student
Marley is in her 5th year of a Bachelor of Science program at Dalhousie University, majoring in Biology. She is doing her Honours project in the Quinn lab working on testing a more effective method of zebrafish transgenesis. Outside of the lab, Marley enjoys playing sports, hiking, and travelling.
Catherine chiasson - BSC student
Catherine is a 4th year BSc Medical Sciences student at Dalhousie University who is working with zebrafish hearts to develop a zebrafish-specific QTc formula. In her free time, Catherine enjoys reading, cooking, and playing sports.
maya richmond - BSC student
Maya is in her 4th year of a Bachelor of Medical Sciences. As an undergrad student in the Quinn Lab she is developing a zebrafish-specific QTc correction formula. In her free time, Maya likes to workout, read, volunteer, and travel.
CARSEN WENGER - BSC student
Carsen is a 3rd year Bachelor of Neuroscience student at Dalhousie University. In his free time he enjoys volunteering, learning to play chess, and running.
parth vats - BSCN student
Parth is a 2nd Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) student at Dalhousie University who had begun diving into research with zebrafish hearts to develop a zebrafish-specific QTc formula. In his free time , Parth enjoys travelling , sailing ⛵️, cooking, and playing badminton.
LAB ALUMNI
Postdoctoral Fellows
- Hirad Feridooni
- Enaam Chleilat (Visiting)
Graduate Students
- Claerwen Sladen-Dew (MSc)
- Radka Sevcik (MSc)
- Pedro Suarez (PhD; Visiting)
- Emma Savoie (MSc)
- Jessi Bak (PhD)
- Jonathan Baillie (PhD)
- Katherine Purvis (MSc)
- Michael Connolly (MSc)
- Breanne Cameron (PhD)
- Eilidh MacDonald (PhD)
- Behzad Taeb (MSc)
- Peter Baumeister (MSc)
- Tarek Lawen (MSc)
Technical Staff
- Sara Rafferty
- Rick Livingston
Medical Students
- Donovan Cassidy-Nolan
- Luisa Gaytan (Visiting)
Undergraduate Students
- Omar Quraishi
- Sam Case
- Samantha Gupta
- Shannon Dallaire
- Amelia Reiner
- Ryan Topple
- Katharine Yeo
- Bryn Alexander
- Emma DeLong
- Annie Kakamousias
- Christian Gamblin
- Jessica Ramia
- Angela Tsai
- Kelly Sit
- Sierra Sparks
- Bailey Selig
- Melissa Mantifel
- Sawini Fernando
- Spencer MacDonald