Meet the Team

LEAD, CLINICAL RESEARCH

Dr. Simon Hatcher is a Psychiatrist at The Ottawa Hospital and Ottawa Inner City Health, a Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and Interim Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. He brings over 30 years of clinical trial experience as the Clinical Research Lead at the Hatching Ideas Lab.

LEAD, EPIDEMIOLOGY & EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Dr. Marco Solmi is Associate Professor of Psychiatry at University of Ottawa, Psychiatrist at The Ottawa Hospital, and Investigator at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. He also has numerous international appointments. As the Epidemiology and Evidence Synthesis lead at the Hatching Ideas Lab, he uses his extensive experience in meta-research techniques to all of our projects.

SCIENTIST

Jess G. Fiedorowicz is Head and Chief of the Department of Mental Health at the Ottawa Hospital and a Professor and Senior Research Chair in Adult Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. His research focuses on the primary causes of excess mortality, suicide and vascular disease, in bipolar and other mood disorders.

CLINICIAN INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Aroldo A. Dargél is a Psychiatrist at The Ottawa Hospital and a Clinician Investigator at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. His research interests focus on digital assessments and interventions in bipolar disorder, including the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and how these approaches can be implemented in the clinical practice.

CLINICIAN INVESTIGATOR

Gayatri Saraf is a Psychiatrist at The Ottawa Hospital and a Clinician-Investigator at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Her research focuses on looking at the efficacy of novel interventions for depression and cognitive impairment associated with bipolar disorder. In both her clinical practice and her research, Dr. Saraf believes that early intervention is extremely important because it can prevent the condition from worsening and promote better outcomes. She wants to give people hope and reassurance that help is available if you need it.

CLINICIAN INVESTIGATOR

Andrew L. Smith is an early-career academic psychiatrist at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH), an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, and a Clinician Investigator in the Neuroscience Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI). His research interests include novel therapeutics, efficient healthcare delivery, consciousness, virtual and mixed reality in mental health, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence

CLINICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM MANAGER

Nicole is a Clinical Research Program Manager at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a member of the Management Board at Belong Ottawa. She is passionate about equity and social justice and brings this to everything she does at the Hatching Ideas Lab. Nicole oversees all of the lab’s research studies, providing steadfast mentorship to all of our research staff.

SENIOR CLINICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

Sarah is a Senior Clinical Research Associate at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a PhD Student in the Department of Communication and Media at Carleton University. She has a keen interest in knowledge translation and science communication which she uses to direct all Hatching Ideas Lab knowledge mobilization efforts.

CLINICAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR

Brooklyn is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and an MSc Student in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Western Ontario. She is passionate about suicide prevention and designing mental health care for unhoused populations. This passion informs much of the work that she does at the Hatching Ideas Lab.

CLINICAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR

Joe Burns is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Joe comes to the lab with expertise in gender equity, wellness, and global health. Joe has a keen interest in improving access to mental health care. He currently works on projects related treating bipolar disorder and implementing suicide prevention initiatives.

CLINICAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Jessica Yu is a Clinical Research Assistant at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. She recently completed her MSc in Experimental Medicine at McGill University which focused on the impact of sleep disturbances in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Jessica currently works on studies related to bipolar disorder.

CLINICAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Ella is a Clinical Research Assistant at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. She has a background in mental health research and recently completed her bachelor's degree in psychology at Queen's University. Ella is passionate about mental health advocacy and increasing the accessibility of support resources. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, creative writing, and running.

SOCIAL WORKER

Jennifer Derraugh-Nelson is a registered Social Worker at The Ottawa Hospital. She is passionate about mental healthcare and improving access to services. Jennifer currently provides support to patients in our suicide prevention and COVID-19 studies.

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

Parinaz is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Parinaz began her journey in medicine and has recently completed a Master of Public Health degree at the American University of Armenia. Parinaz is committed to improving the well-being of underserved, marginalized, and vulnerable populations. Outside of the lab, she can be found searching for the perfect cup of coffee or spending time outdoors with friends.

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

Olivier Corbeil is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. Olivier is completing in PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Université de Laval focused on early intervention for psychotic disorders and their comorbidities. His postdoctoral research focuses on addressing the gaps in care for patients with ADHD. In addition to his research, Olivier works as a clinical pharmacist First-Episode Psychosis Program of the Quebec Mental Health University Institute.

RESIDENT, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY

Nick Fabiano is a resident at the University of Ottawa Department of Psychiatry. He is the chief resident at The Ottawa Hospital - General Campus and the Resident Research Lead. He is interested in the intersection between mental and physical health, particularly elements of "lifestyle psychiatry". He is curious to determine how lifestyle habits such as exercise, diet, and sleep may impact mental health outcomes.

RESIDENT, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY

Carl Zhou is a psychiatry resident at the University of Ottawa. His research interests lie in "lifestyle psychiatry". Methodologically, Carl focuses on evidence-synthesis techniques, including scoping and systematic reviews. Looking ahead, he plans to analyze database data and engage in clinical trials to better inform clinical practice and improve patients' lives.

RESIDENT, DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE

Arnav Gupta is a Resident at the University of Calgary: Department of Medicine. His research interests are in epidemiology, prognostic factors and predictors, and the intersection between mental health and physical health.

PHD STUDENT

Sara Siddiqi is a PhD Student in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Her dissertation focuses on the intersection of mental disorders and cardiovascular disease risk.

GRADUATE CO-OP STUDENT

Mahsa is a graduate student at the University of Ottawa and is completing her Co-Op at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. She is currently completing her Master of Arts degree focusing on the experiences of Government-Assisted Refugees at the Catholic Center for Immigrants in the context of the ongoing housing crisis in Ottawa.

Aria Willis is a graduate student studying Epidemiology at the University of Ottawa. She is passionate about understanding and improving the quality of life and care for marginalized and underserved populations.

MEDICAL STUDENT

Nicole is a medical student at the University of Ottawa. She also holds a Master of Science in Global Health from McMaster University and an Honours Bachelor of Medical Sciences from Western University. She is passionate about health equity, social determinants of health, and bridging gaps with underserved populations. In her free time, Nicole loves to try out different plant-based recipes!

MEDICAL STUDENT

Sami Sabbah is a Medical Student at the University of Ottawa. His research interests include artificial intelligence and the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for treatment-resistant conditions.  

MEDICAL STUDENT

Gillyan Xu is a Medical Student at the University of Ottawa. Her research interests include social determinants of health, genetic epidemiology, and childhood psychiatric disorders.

MEDICAL STUDENT

Simone Rusu is a Medical Student at the University of Ottawa. Her research currently focuses on investigating the correlation between mood states in bipolar disorder and suicide risks.