Rishika Daswani, MSc
Clinical Research Assistant
Rishika holds an MSc in Pharmacology from the University of British Columbia, where she studied single-cell changes in preclinical models of fentanyl addiction. She is currently a Research Assistant at Resilience Biosciences Inc., supporting clinical research on natural health products for opioid withdrawal, while also contributing to youth mental health and addiction projects in the ACD Lab.
Andrea Wong Koo, BSc
MSc Student in Experimental Medicine
Andrea is a Master’s student in UBC’s Experimental Medicine program. She did her undergraduate studies in the Faculty of Science at UBC, majoring in Cognitive Systems (Cognition and Brain stream). Her interests include the usage of AI in providing health support, public health, neuropharmacology, and computational neuroscience. What drew her to ACD was her passion for the intersection between public health, technology, and clinical research in addressing substance use and mental health. She is also participating in research related to pharmacological treatments for cognitive deficits in neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
Ashley Lew, BSc
MSc Student in Experimental Medicine
Ashley is a Master’s student in the Experimental Medicine program at the University of British Columbia, focusing on treatment programs and health systems for youth with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences from Simon Fraser University. Supervised by Dr. Michael Krausz and Dr. Roberto Sassi, Ashley is passionate about improving access to care and enhancing systems to better meet the needs of youth with complex needs.
Shabnam Nobahar, PhD
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Shabnam is a PhD graduate in General Psychology with a background in Computer Programming. She is currently a Registered Clinical Counsellor in British Columbia. Her research interests lie at the intersection of technology, child development, and mental health. She is currently working under the supervision of Dr. Michael Krauz on two systematic review projects focused on child and adolescent mental health. She is also developing KidPath, a serious game designed to support early emotional and cognitive development in children, also under Dr. Krauz’s supervision.