Our Team

Dr. Hassan Mir,  MD, FRCPC, MHI, MPH

Evyanne Quirouette 

Tanya Keays

Javad Heshmati, PhD 

Salma Mahmoodianfard, PhD

Terefe Gelibo Argefa, PhD

Ashley has been at the Heart Institute since 2019, she transitioned from working in a tissue engineering laboratory to clinical research in 2022. She has experience in coordinating investigator-initiated and multi-centre randomized controlled trials, and currently manages the study operations of HTN THM and the ASAP trial, with the Heart Institute being the lead site in Ontario.

Nia is a Research Coordinator for the StepOne and Vaping Cessation Studies. She completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Kinesiology and began her career in cardiac rehabilitation in 2020. In 2021, she transitioned into smoking-cessation research, and in 2024 she expanded her focus to include vaping cessation and digital health innovation.

Leah started at UOHI in July 2024 and has been enjoying working on a variety of studies related to hypertension and smoking cessation. She brings a passion for working with equity deserving populations and for community-based health interventions.

Ayah graduated from the Faculty of Health Sciences (Hons) at the University of Ottawa in 2024. She started working in the Health Psychology and Behavioural Medicine Lab in 2023 and has now joined our team, contributing to various projects focused on hypertension, vaping, and smoking cessation. Ayah is passionate about patient care and enjoys interacting with patients and collaborating with her team.  She is also  a nicotine addiction coach.

Nidhi is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the lab. She currently leads the BREATHE (Better Health Through Evidence-Based Smoking Cessation in Indigenous Communities) and the BRAVE (Bariatric surgery for the Reduction of cArdioVascular Events) clinical trials. She has extensive experience in managing multiple multi-center, investigator-initiated, and drug-based randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs). Her expertise encompasses the full trial lifecycle, including protocol development, regulatory submissions, site initiation, patient recruitment, data collection, monitoring, and final study reporting. 

Brianna is a Clinical Research Coordinator at UOHI. She joined the team after graduating with her BSc (Hons) in Life Sciences at Queen's University. She contributes to several projects within the team, including our HTN THM study, the PURE study, and the ASAP trial. She is also currently pursuing her MSc in Health Sciences at Carleton University.  Brianna is passionate about advancing patient-centered care and clinical practice through innovative research.  

Nawal completed a Master of Health Sciences (MHSc) from Western University in 2024. She has been involved in research focused on quality improvement in healthcare and is keen on expanding her expertise in clinical research. She contributes to clinical research trials on smoking cessation and vaping. Nawal is passionate about advancing healthcare through research, improving treatment accessibility, and optimizing healthcare interventions.

Sophie is a Research Coordinator for the INITIATE Study. She joined the Heart Institute in 2022 after graduating from Carleton University. She contributes to research on smoking cessation. Sophie is passionate about patient care and accessibility

Chantelle is a Research Coordinator for the INITIATE Study at the uOttawa Heart Institute. She graduated from the University of New Brunswick before joining Dr. Mullen's research team in 2021. Chantelle’s contributed several studies at the Heart Institute focusing on smoking cessation and women’s heart health.

Maya is a pharmacist completing her Clinical Research diploma at The Oxford College, she brings many years of experience in pharmacy and healthcare, with a strong interest in clinical research. Maya is passionate about combining her clinical expertise with research to support meaningful advances in patient care and public health. She contributes to the CANQUIT Program focused on smoking cessation.

Aysha joined the team after graduating with her Honours BSc in Translational and Molecular Medicine from the University Ottawa. She contributes to various smoking and vaping cessation clinical trials. She is passionate about advancing research that informs evidence-based interventions to improve cardiovascular health and patient care.

Amena Sediqi is currently a medical student at McMaster University. She graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Biomedical Science and a Minor in Psychology. She has a strong passion for mental health research and has contributed to published studies in the field. In 2025, she joined the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, contributing to research on vaping cessation and smoking behaviours.

Farook is a Clinical Research Assistant with a background in Neuroscience and Mental Health from Carleton University. He brings hands-on experience in neurophysiology, behavioural neuroscience, and molecular methods, including EEG analysis, electrodermal activity research, and rodent brain dissection and genotyping. At the Heart Institute, Farook contributes to clinical research focused on smoking and vaping cessation, supporting participant engagement, data collection, and trial operations. He is passionate about patient-centered care, mental health, and advancing evidence-based approaches to nicotine addiction treatment.

Gabrielle is pursuing a BSc in Psychology at the University of Ottawa, building on her BA in Communication (2025). She currently supports the CANQUIT program.

Spencer joined our research group as a clinical research assistant after completing a Master of Science degree at Carleton University. He focuses on studies related to smoking cessation and hypertension management, specializing in systematic reviews of nicotine replacement methods and strategies to improve heart health. Spencer is passionate about advancing research to enhance patient outcomes.

Jake is a current medical student at uOttawa. He is currently helping with the StepOne trial and helping with systematic reviews pertaining to smoking cessation.

Mohammad is a medical student at the University of Ottawa, a Registered Nurse, and a Nicotine Addiction Treatment Specialist. In Dr. Mir’s lab, he provides counselling for vaping and smoking cessation and contributes to research on vaping cessation, smoking cessation, hypertension, and systematic reviews on smoking cessation. 

Aidan is a medical student at the University of Ottawa. He is currently working with Ashley on the ASAP trial!

Emily is a third-year medical student at the University of Ottawa who previously completed her undergraduate studies in Health Sciences at McMaster University. Her work in Dr. Mir's lab currently focuses on systematic reviews, with a particular interest in smoking cessation interventions for populations disproportionately affected by tobacco.

Ethan is a third-year medical student at the University of Ottawa.

Mason is a third-year medical student at the University of Ottawa.

Manpreet is a third-year medical student at the University of Ottawa. He is currently working with our team to research how environmental factors affect smoking and vaping cessation. 

Emma is a Master of Public Health (MPH) student at the University of Ottawa. She holds a BA (Hons) in Psychology and Neuroscience from Carleton University and brings over six years of experience in dentistry, combining her hands-on patient care expertise with a passion for public health research. 

As a Research Trainee, Emma supports the research team's efforts to advance evidence-based smoking cessation practices. Her work focuses on nicotine addiction and emerging nicotine products, including contributions to projects on e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. 

Danish is a Master of Public Health student with a keen interest in vaping and EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury).

Amrou is a student at the University of Ottawa, pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering in Multi-Disciplinary Design. He is expected to graduate this spring and will be working on the OMSC database with our team.

Krystal is currently a third-year Health Sciences student at McMaster University.

Maalik Sheraly is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. He is a Research Assistant with the StepOne team and has contributed to the BREATHE and Digital Tools systematic reviews. Additionally, he has begun working on a project focused on digitizing the OMSC using AI.