Meet The Team – The Co-founders – Institute of Medical Science's MedDash

Shaghayegh “Feri” Foroozan

VP of Finance and Recruitment

Shaghayegh Foroozan is a PhD student who studies gut mucosal immunity in Spondyloarthritis using the SKG mouse model. Specifically, she is interested in the role of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) in gut homeostasis and inflammation. She is excited to see all the participants having fun at the MedDash event as they try to solve puzzles and compete with their peers. She believes that this event is a fantastic introduction to biomedical research for high school students, and has the potential to significantly influence their perspectives on their future plans.

Archita Srinath

VP of Event Logistics

Archita Srinath is a PhD student in the Institute of Medical Sciences studying Axial Spondyloarthritis. She is studying novel therapeutic targets in axial spondyloarthritis under the supervision of Dr. Nigil Haroon at the shroeder Arthritis Institute at the University Health Network. She is excited about meeting the next generation of scientists and providing them with an incredible experience that will hopefully jump-start their love for research and medicine. Surprisingly, she can recite every single line from the movie “Monster’s Inc”, which was her favourite movie as a kid.

Addison Pacheco

VP of Marketing and Communication

Addison Pacheco is a PhD student who studies the immune profile between axial spondyloarthritis patients who respond and those who don’t respond to treatment. This research aims to find blood biomarker signatures that could predict treatment response. He is thrilled to see the results of the MedDash initiative and the impact it will have on high school students. He did not have the chance to explore university campuses before starting his undergraduate studies, which made him feel unprepared. He hopes the MedDash program will high school students with valuable opportunities to familiarize themselves with university environments, build meaningful connections, and gain confidence in their academic journey.