Meet The Team
Dr. Melanie J. Sekeres, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Canada Research Chair (Tier 2)
Assistant Professor
University of Ottawa
Graduate Students
Meenakshie Bradley-Garcia, B.Sc., M.Ed.
Sixth Year M.A.-Ph.D. Clinical Psychology Candidate
Meenakshie is a 6th year student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. at the University of Ottawa. She obtained a Masters in Counselling Psychology (M.Ed.) and Bachelor in Science with Specialization in Psychology (B.Sc.) from the University of Ottawa. Meenakshie’s Ph.D. research under the supervision of Dr. Sekeres focuses on the influence of chemotherapy on cognitive and affective behavior in women with breast cancer and in mice. She mentors undergraduate volunteers and honours thesis students of the NML.
Kristina Munelith-Souksanh, B.Sc.
Fourth Year M.A.-Ph.D. Clinical Psychology Student
Kristina has completed a B.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Psychology (2021) and a B.Sc. in Psychology (2022). She has received competitive research scholarships such as NSERC USRA, CIHR CGSM, and NSERC CGSD. Kristina's project focuses on investigating potential memory network alterations important for episodic and autobiographical memory in women with chemotherapy-treated breast cancer using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
Hamed Neveu Karimpour
Third Year M.A.-Ph.D. Experimental Psychology
Hamed is a third-year student in the MA-PhD Experimental Psychology program at the University of Ottawa. He completed a B.Sc. (Hons) in Psychology at the University of Ottawa in 2023. His project involves the chemogenetic manipulation and transformation of the motor memory network in mice. He is also assisting Meena with a study designed to assess the impact of chemotherapy on the episodic memory in women with breast cancer.
Honours Thesis Students
Mitchell Lilley
Fourth Year B.A. Psychology
Mitchell is a 4th year honours student in Psychology. Within the Neuroscience and Memory lab he is completing his Honours Thesis revolving around chemogenetic manipulation and transformation of a motor memory network in mice. He is also assisting Meenakshie on a study designed to assess the impact of chemotherapy on episodic memory in women with breast cancer, through both administering and analysing neurocognitive assessments.
Research Assistants
Ashley Bossilkov
Fourth Year B.A. Psychology
Ashley is a fourth-year student currently completing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Ottawa. She serves as a research assistant at the Neuroscience Memory Lab, where she is supporting Meenashkie in her research study that focuses on examining the impact of chemotherapy on cognitive functions in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Her research interests include health psychology, memory, neuroscience and child development.
Gabriela Haddad
Second Year B.Sc. Psychology
Hi, my name is Gabriela, I’m a second year Honours B.Sc. Psychology student. I am currently a research assistant at the Neuroscience and Memory lab where I help Meenakshie with her study on the effects of chemotherapy on memory in women who have suffered with breast cancer. In my later year, I would like to pursue my own research study in the effects of music on the development of cognitive abilities in children.
Marlies Chaters
Fourth Year B.Sc. Psychology
Hi! My name is Marlies! I am a fourth year student in an Honours Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Ottawa. I am a research assistant involved in Meenakshie's study on chemotherapy and its effects on memory. My research interests include neuroscience, motivations behind behaviour and child development!