Members of the Team
The Brain Image Team (BIT) aspires to be a world-class research
team that espouses some key values in
achieving our common research goals.
Lab culture is particularly important, and we aim to support
team members as best as possible in
developing their skills in programming, writing and
presentation. Our team’s core values include:
Excellence, Integrity, Impact, Rigour; as well as Teamwork,
Collaboration, Accountability; in addition
to Safety, Respect, Empathy; furthermore we incorporate
principles of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Diversity in our team is reflected in our members coming from
around the world and speaking 14
languages! We thrive with unique viewpoints.
If you are interested in joining the team, please contact
us
M. Ethan MacDonald
Assistant Professor,
Biomedical Engineering and Electrical & Software Engineering
Ethan MacDonald is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Electrical & Software Engineering at the University of Calgary. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Radiology and member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute Dementia Neuroteam. He completed technical diplomas in Electronics Engineering at the Nova Scotia Community College, before doing a bachelor’s degree at Lakehead University where he obtained a first class standing. He moved to Calgary to pursue his passion of skiing, where he completed a MSc and PhD in Biomedical Engineering, and then completed a Post-doctoral Fellowship in the Department of Radiology also at the University of Calgary. Dr MacDonald was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Software Engineering in 2020, and was a founding member of the Department of Biomedical Engineering in 2022.
Abdoljalil (Jalil) Addeh
PhD Student,
Biomedical Engineering
I am Abdoljalil (Jalil) Addeh, a graduate student at University of Calgary, research assistant at MacDonald Lab, and trainee at Hotchkiss Brain Institute. My research interests include application of AI algorithms for Biomedical Signals & Images Processing. I am particularly interested in the effect of respiratory variation on functional magnetic resonance imaging data. In my free time I enjoy reading history book.
Nicole Lofroth
PhD Student,
Biomedical Engineering
I am Nicole Lofroth and I am pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary. My academic background is in physics and electrical engineering. My current research pertains to MRI pulse sequence development. Outside of school I enjoy skiing, horseback riding, and playing the piano.
Aashka Mohite
MSc Student,
Electrical and Software Engineering
I am Aashka Mohite, a graduate student in electrical and software engineering specialization in Medical Imaging at University of Calgary under the supervision of Dr. Ethan MacDonald. My research project focuses on investigating the role of Genetics in neurodegenerative diseases using Machine learning and Big data. My interests include sketching, travelling and reading ancient literatures.
Pattarwut Charatpangoon
MSc Student,
Biomedical Engineering
Pattarawut Charatpangoon (Pat) received his B.E. and M.Eng in Electrical Engineering from Chiang Mai University, Thailand, in 2013 and Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, in 2017, respectively. He worked at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand for eight years. His experience was related to energy forecasting.
Amin Morshedi
MSc Student,
Biomedical Engineering
I’m a master’s degree student and have a bachelor’s degree in radiology sciences from Iran. I have worked as an MRI technologist for 5 years in Iran. Here at the University of Calgary, my research focuses on developing an advanced MRI pulse sequence to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages.
Karen Ardila Lopez
MSc Student,
Biomedical Engineering
I am a graduate student in Biomedical Engineering specializing in Medical Imaging and a trainee at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute. Originally from Colombia, I had experience in EEG-based brain analysis for mild cognitive impairment. I joined the lab through the Mitacs GRI 2022 program, and now focus on the effects of genetic predisposition on brain aging using machine learning, MRI neuroimaging, and genetics. I enjoy painting, reading, learning languages, and arts and crafts.
Yousif Al-Khoury
MSc Student,
Biomedical Engineering
Yousif is a Master’s student supervised by Dr. Sarah Manske and Dr. Ethan MacDonald. Yousif’s work investigates the imaging of rheumatoid arthritis using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), a novel and potentially more accessible imaging modality, through an automated image processing pipeline. Yousif’s broad interests include medical image registration, segmentation and super-resolution. Outside the lab, Yousif enjoys hiking and brazillian jiu jitsu.
Wooju Chung
MSc Student,
Electrical and Software Engineering
I am a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in Electrical and Software Engineering at the University of Calgary. My research interests lie in Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Explainable AI in the medical field. I enjoy practicing yoga, traveling, and birdwatching in my free time.
Akinwale Fadamiro
PhD Student,
Electrical & Software Engineering
Akinwale Fadamiro is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Departments of Electrical & Software Engineering at the University of Calgary. He completed his Bachelor and Masters’ degree programme at the Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria. He recently completed his PhD in Electronics Science and Technology at the University of Science and Technology of China. My research interest includes Antenna design, RF & advanced electromagnetics, optimization, calibration, and machine learning. Current research focuses on Applying Machine Learning in Enhancing the Image Quality of a Low-Field Portable MRI system. In my free time I enjoy playing chess and soccer.
Fernando Vega
MSc Student,
Biomedical Engineering
My name is Fernando Vega, MSc. Student in Biomedical Engineering. I’m from Mexico where I studied the BSc. In Biomedical Engineering. Currently, I'm working on improving Alzheimer’s Disease detection using neuroimaging such as MRI and PET with deep learning. I enjoy reading, playing videogames and playing the piano.
Rory Gilliland
MSc Student,
Biomedical Engineering
I am a former master’s student in biomedical engineering at the University of Calgary who is now pursuing a Medical Degree at the University of Alberta. My academic interests include applications of machine learning in the medical world, primarily in infectious disease medicine and oncology. Outside of my work, I love exploring the mountains and nature through running, skiing, cycling, and photography. Feel free to email me at rlgillil@ualberta.ca!
Bruno Santana
MSc Student,
Robotics Engineering
My name is Bruno Santana. I graduated with a degree in Robotics Engineering from the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. I am currently pursuing a master’s in Bioengineering and Intelligent Computing to develop segmentation and classification algorithms for brain tumors using MRI. I really enjoy learning all the time.
Thalita Nascimento
MITACS GlobalLink Internship,
Biomedical Informatics
I am Thalita Nascimento, an Electronics Technician and an Undergraduate Student from Brazil. I’ll be collaborating with the BIT Lab during the summer of 2024 as a Research Intern from the Mitacs GRI program. My research project aims to understand the functional connectivity of the brain by analyzing fMRI. I love crocheting, reading and encouraging girls to join the STEM field.
Khrystyna Voloshchak
MITACS GlobalLink Internship,
Biomedical Engineering
My name is Khrystyna Voloshchak, BSc in Biomedical Engineering, Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Ukraine. I joined the lab as an intern for summer 2024 under Mitacs GRI program to work on gradient coil design for low field MRI systems. My academic interests include miniaturized devices and microtechnologies for medical applications. I also enjoy traveling, outdoor activities and good food!
Rodrigo Guerrero
MITACS GlobalLink Internship,
Neuroscience
I’m a neuroscience BSc student from Mexico. Currently I’m working with cerebral perfusion and aging, but I also have experience with diffusion MRI in brain connectivity. I joined the lab in 2024 as a Mitacs intern. The passions: philosophy, programming, working out, chilaquiles and dogs. I'd like to learn more about engineering to solve problems within neuroscience.
Emily Munro
Undergraduate Student,
Chemical Engineering
My name is Emily, and I am in my 4th year of a BSc in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Calgary. I love doing research, especially in the field of neuroscience, and hope to obtain a Master’s degree and PhD in the future.
Ethan Church
Undergraduate Student,
Computer Science & Biology
I am an undergraduate summer researcher from McGill University. I study Computer Science and Biology and am currently working on using Machine Learning to predict Cerebrovascular Reactivity. I enjoy playing volleyball and guitar in my spare time.
Judd Hanley
Undergraduate Student,
Electrical Engineering
My name is Judd Hanley, I am a second-year undergraduate in electrical engineering at the University of Calgary. I’m part of the biomedical summer research program, working with the brain imaging team. My project involves the analysis and harmonization of CT Perfusion data. My interests include history, travelling, and making music.
