TEAM

Hi folks! I'm Noor, a first year medical student at the University of Toronto. This is my 4th season with the podcast and I have been with Raw Talk since right after my undergrad and throughout my master's degree! I'm excited to bring you episodes spanning a variety of topics with guests with unique insights and experiences. Outside of my academics, I love photography, digital art and weight-lifting.

Hey listeners! My name is Atefeh and I'm a fourth year PhD student in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology studying lung disease in premature babies. I am so thrilled to be working with Raw Talk Podcast for a fifth season since I love working with our incredible team to create educational episodes on a wide variety of topics. In my free time, I ride horses, practice karate, and venture the city in search of ice cream because life is all about balance (follow along @infinitescoops)!

Hey there! My name is Madi and I'm so excited to be back for a second season with Raw Talk, this time as a co-EP! I'm a second-year MSc student at the Institute of Medical Science at UofT and I study blood cell mutations in relation to radiation therapy toxicities in breast cancer patients. I'm a longtime podcast nerd and CBC radio nerd: at this point, my headphones are a critical part of my lab equipment. In my spare time, you can find me reading or crosswording (or Wordle-ing, or Cinenerdle-ing, or Spelling Bee-ing) over a nice big cup of tea.

Hello, Raw Talk listeners! I'm a fourth-year medical student at McGill, IMS alumnus and honorary UofT lifer. It has been a transformative journey watching the program grow from its humble beginnings in 2016, and I'm extremely grateful to have worked with and learned from the 100+ team of graduate students in making the show a sounding board for the UofT Faculty of Medicine. This season, we hope to continue sharing our love of science communication with you, and provide new stories from researchers, physicians, patients, and the community at-large. Stay tuned!

Hi! My name is Negar and this is my second year with the Raw Talk Podcast as the treasurer! I am currently a 3rd year PhD student in the department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, and my research focus is on understanding the mechanism underlying the formation of brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs), specifically those driven by KRAS mutations. Outside of the lab, I love to read novels, go for hikes, and play sports!

Hey Raw Talk listeners - Zain here! This is my first year with the team, serving as promotions exec. I'm a second year MSc candidate at the Institute of Medical Sciences at U of T. My research areas are implementation science and paediatric endocrinology, wherein I'm studying how best to improve the transition from paediatric diabetes care to adult care. Outside of my work, I'm an avid film geek and love going to concerts. I'm truly excited for what looks to be a great year ahead!

Hi Listeners! My name is Veena, and I am a 4th year PhD student at the Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto. My research focuses on understanding pain and attention interactions in healthy individuals and people with chronic pain. This is my 3rd year on the Rawtalk team, and I am super excited to be back as the Science Writer Lead. I am very passionate about writing and science communication. Outside of my research, I am a serial art medium hopper, and love to try different types of art forms. I also love to play sports like flag football and squash!

Hi everyone! My name is Samantha and this will be my first year as RawTalk's webmaster and (as a long-time fan) I'm so excited to be a part of this community! I'm a scientific researcher turned UX/UI Designer and can't be more excited to utilize both of my past and present skills to make our website the best it can be. Aside from work, I love kickboxing, reading, crafting, baking, and going on runs with my husky, Astra.

Hello everyone! I'm Adrian and this is my 2nd year with RawTalk where I organize our live-events and look for sponsorship opportunities! I am currently an MSc. student in the Institue of Medical Science where I am researching the use of conductive biomaterials as a potential treatment for cardiac arrhythmias. Outside of the lab I love reading, playing b-ball, and exploring new restaurants around Toronto.

Hey listeners! My name is Kayvan, and this is my third year with Raw Talk Podcast. I recently graduated from the IMS. My thesis was a retrospective review of maternal mortality in Ontario in partnership with the Ontario Coroner. Since graduating from U of T, I have been serving with the Canadian Armed Forces as an officer on Canada’s Pacific coast. My military career has brought together my clinical interest and love for adventure, allowing me to sail around the world while staying academically engaged. Outside of Raw Talk, I was the 2021-2022 Co-President of IMS Students Association and Co-Founder of the Healthcare Innovation Challenge.

Hi everyone! My name is Angela and I'm a second year MSc student with the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto, and my research is focused on studying traumatic stress symptoms in patients with newly diagnosed acute leukemia. This is my second year as a show host and first year as a content creator with Raw Talk, and I'm super excited to share the episodes we've been working on with you all! Outside of work, I love running, singing, painting, and exploring Toronto!

Hello Hello! I'm Bellinda and I'm so happy to be part of Raw Talk as a Show Host! I've listened to the podcast since 2019 so I'm super excited to now be part of the creation process! I'm currently a second-year med student here at U of T with research interests in oncology and AI. Toronto is the 7th city I've lived in (Beijing, Calgary, Vancouver, Houston, Brisbane, and Shanghai) and it's been a wild time here. I love to explore this vibrant city's food scene and am always happy to check out a food rec ;)

Hey Hey! My name is Sonika and I'm a second year Master's student at the Institute of Medical Sciences studying multiple sclerosis in children and youth. I am so excited to be working with Raw Talk Podcast for a second season. My hobbies include boxing, hiking, painting, reading and trying out new cafes around the city.

Hello hello! My name is Julia and this is my second year as a show host on the Raw Talk podcast! I am currently a Master of Health Informatics student at the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. I am also a researcher at Sinai Health, supporting the co-design and implementation of a digital health tool (The Digital Bridge Project) to optimize provider discharge planning whilst building a connection for patients to clinical support at home. I have experience working in the clinical research space around leveraging digital tools to support patients with chronic conditions and complex care needs and look forward to continuing in the digital health space!

Hi everyone! My name is Hannah and this is my second year as a show host with Raw Talk! I am a second year PhD student in the Department of Physiology and my research focuses on the role of inflammatory pathways in neuropathic pain. We have some really exciting and topical episodes coming this season and I'm so excited to work with the Raw Talk team again. Outside my lab work, I love to read, play sports, and listen to (too many) podcasts!

Hi everyone, My name is Prisca and I'm so excited to be back for my 3rd season with the RTP! I recently completed my master's at the IMS, where I used MEG/MRI to study pediatric stroke motor outcomes and I am currently a first-year medical student at UofT! When I'm not studying or in the lab, you'll find me playing the piano, attending orchestra performances, doing pilates, exploring coffee shops, or simply embracing my couch potato lifestyle. Stay tuned to some amazing episodes coming in Season 8!

Hey Raw Talk listeners - Sumi here! I'm a PhD candidate at UofT studying the role of B cells in lung transplant rejection. It's my third season on Raw Talk and it's been an exhilarating ride so far. Apart from being an immunology and podcast nerd, I'm also a big fan of art, philosophy, riding my bicycle on the busy streets of Toronto, and coffee. In fact, on select mornings, you can catch me pulling espresso shots at Balzac's on Market Street (still working on the Raw Talk logo latte art, however).

Hi there! My name is Angela and I am in my third year with RawTalk! I graduated with my MSc in Medical Science from IMS and work at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health as a Research Analyst. My thesis utilized qualitative methodology to analyze the experiences of women in the forensic mental health system engaging with substance use treatment. My research interests include women's health, substance use, and patient-centred care. Outside of work, I like to explore new places to eat in Toronto, go to the gym, and bake.

Hey Raw Talk listeners - Sara here! I'm a second-year MSc student at UofT, investigating gene expression changes in mesothelioma patients post-radiotherapy. This is my first year with Raw Talk, and I'm super excited to be a part of this team and help with creating more episodes for you! When I am not in the lab, you can find me swimming or reading about sociology in one of the local cafes in Toronto!

Hi RawTalk enthusiasts! I am a 5th year PhD student at the University of Toronto in the Department of Physiology. I am trying to uncover the mysteries of sleep-related breathing mechanisms. This is my second year with RawTalk and I am donning multiple hats as a content creator, audio engineer, and occasional podcast host. Beyond the world of academia and podcasts, I enjoy playing with my dog, swimming, crocheting, and going on adventures to find new coffee shops or food spots.

Hello all! I'm Radha and this is my second year with the Raw Talk Podcast on the social media and promotion team! I am currently a second year medical student at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine (University of Toronto). I love painting, curating Spotify playlists and spin classes in my free time!

Hey listeners! My name is Anisa, and this is my second year with Raw Talk Podcast. I am a 4th year PhD student at the Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto. My thesis is on assessing adverse events in initial trauma resuscitation. Outside of medicine and academics, I love to read, travel, care for my plants, and discover new things to eat, create and explore.

Hey everyone! My name is Soha and I'm a second-year MSc student at the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. My research is focused on using mitochondrial genomic barcoding to differentiate cryptic malaria vector species. This is my second year as a science writer at Raw Talk, and I'm excited to do more work with the podcast! Outside of my lab, I enjoy watching documentaries, exploring Baltimore and DC, and listening to science and true crime podcasts.

Hi everyone! My name is Christian and this is my second year as a science writer with Raw Talk. I'm a PhD candidate at the Institute of Medical Sciences at U of T. My research areas are implementation science and cancer survivorship. I study how to move evidence-based interventions into routine clinical care. I'm also a Registered Kinesiologist working in the Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship Program at Princess Margaret, where I prescribe exercise to people with cancer to help them with their recovery. Outside of school, I enjoy playing soccer, volleyball, and going on hike with my golden retriever, Luna.

Hello all! My name is Sam and this is my second year on the RawTalk team as a Science Writer. I am currently in my second year of my master's degree in the Institute of Biomedical Engineering where I study aligned collagen biomaterials for vascular tissue engineering applications. When I'm not in the lab or working on a RawTalk article, you can find me swimming laps in the pool or dancing tango. We have so many great topics planned for the season, and I look forward to providing engaging content with the other members of the writing team!