Team

Research Team

Eric Kwabia, MSc, BSc

Ph.D. Candidate

Eric Kwabia is a registered nurse by profession. He acquired his BSc Nursing degree from the University of Ghana in 2009 and completed his MSc in Telemedicine and eHealth at The Arctic University of Norway in 2015. Prior to moving to Regina, Eric worked with the Ministry of Health in Ghana as a Program coordinator for Telenursing and eHealth. Currently, he is completing a Master’s degree in Public Policy at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy and working as a Graduate Research Assistant at the DEPtH Lab. He is interested in health research interventions using the SMART Platform. Eric’s career objective is to become an eHealth policy expert and a renowned researcher in academia.

Ph.D. Candidate

Prasanna graduated with double degree masters in European Public Health from the United Kingdom and France. She also holds a MPhil degree in Medical and Psychiatric Social Work from India. Prasanna believes in transforming public health research into policy and action. This further motivated her to pursue a Ph.D. in Public Policy at Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy under the supervision of Dr. Katapally. Prior to that, she worked over a decade as a WHO Consultant with Central and State governments, and other non-profit organizations coordinating national health programs, behavioral interventions, population research and leading health program evaluations. She is passionate about community-based participatory research to promote physical and mental health and addressing substance use among children and youth using the innovative SMART platform.

Sarah Alakshar, MSc, BPharm

Ph.D. Candidate, Health Information Science

Sarah Alakshar has a master’s degree in Clinical Pharmacy from Ajman University in UAE. Her interest in Mental health led her to pursue addictions and mental health Diploma. She is passionate about establishing a career in Academia and Research. Her research interest is about the Mental Health of disadvantaged populations. Her previous research was mainly quantitative but she is interested in people’s perceptions and experiences, an aspect that she loves about qualitative research. She joined the DEPtH Lab to apply her diverse expertise and skills as well as collaborate with disadvantaged communities. As part of DEPtH Lab, Sarah aims to obtain training in cutting-edge digital citizen science to inform the development of equitable digital health platforms.She enjoys long walks, Arabic calligraphy and acrylic painting.

Sheriff Ibrahim, MA, BSc

Ph.D. Candidate, Health Information Science

Sheriff brings his expertise in quantitative economics to DEPtH Lab by focusing on efficiencies in health care systems to improve the well-being of disadvantaged populations. Since early childhood, he had an aptitude for numbers, which led him to develop a passion towards coding. Sheriff is obtaining training at DEPtH Lab to build a career in data science and digital epidemiology. Joining the research team at the DEPtH Lab has enabled him to leverage big data ethically to contribute towards minimizing health inequities. His hobbies are coding, travelling and listening to music.

Claire Buchan, MSc, BSc

Ph.D. Candidate, Public Health and Health Systems

Claire Buchan conducts program evaluation and health outcome research at the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. She is currently pursuing a PhD, working with Dr. Scott Leatherdale and the COMPASS team on establishing quantitative metrics for program and policy evaluation and assessment of province-wide youth physical activity and physical education. She is also collaborating with the DEPtH Lab at Western University evaluating citizen science and digital epidemiological platforms for health equity and Dr. Kelly Skinner at the University of Waterloo evaluating the Dementia Resources for Eating, Activity, and Meaningful Inclusion (DREAM) project. She has developed and implemented a range of program evaluation projects for non-profit, academic, and governmental agencies.

Nadine Elsahli, BHSc

Lab Coordinator

Nadine Elsahli is an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Western University. She is pursuing an Honours Specialization in Health Sciences and a Minor in Psychology. Nadine enjoys learning about the interdisciplinary nature of health studies, and recently joined the DEPtH Lab because of her shared interest in using digital health and innovation to promote health equity. She has experience in knowledge translation, community-engaged research, and social media content creation. Currently, she is coordinating a number of projects within the lab, including Active Healthy Kids India (AHKI) and Smart Indigenous Youth.

Jamin Patel, BHSc

MSc Candidate

Jamin Patel recently completed an Honours Specialization in Health Sciences and is an incoming masters student in the faculty of epidemiology and biostatistics at Western University. He is passionate about using innovative technology such as mHealth to improve the wellbeing of disadvantaged populations. Previously, he led several health equity initiatives in partnership with local organizations in London, Ontario. Jamin started epidemiological training under Dr. Katapally’s supervision since May 2022 as part of Western University’s Undergraduate Summer Research Internship. His current skill set includes setting up community-based interventions, quantitative and qualitative methods, and designing of disease prevention strategies. Jamin is currently obtaining advanced training in quantitative methods, and digital epidemiological approaches.

Caitlin Cao

Undergraduate Trainee

Caitlin Cao is an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Western University. Motivated by her genuine dedication to advancing health equity and leveraging digital health solutions, she is constantly seeking opportunities to make a tangible impact in the field. Currently, Caitlin is honing her skills as a member of the esteemed DEPtH Lab team, working under the guidance and supervision of Sheriff Ibrahim and Dr. Katapally. She is excited to work with others who share her views, contribute to groundbreaking research, and ultimately contribute to the shared objective of enhancing health outcomes for all. In her free time, Caitlin enjoys taking walks and playing the piano.

Madeline Li

Undergraduate Trainee

Madeline Li is a third year undergraduate student at Western University pursuing an Honours Specialization in Health Sciences with Biology. As a student who is passionate about health equity and mental health research, she has recently joined the DEPtH Lab as a trainee under the supervision of Sheriff Ibrahim and Dr. Katapally. With a specific interest in Indigenous Health, Madeline is currently contributing to the Smart Indigenous Youth Project, exploring the applications of innovative digital health technology and expanding her knowledge in quantitative research methods. 

Development Team

Kushal Manvar, MSc

Research Associate (Computer Science)

Kushal Manvar is pursuing his Master’s in Applied Computing at the University of Windsor. Kushal identifies himself as a team player who enjoys a fast-paced work environment and interdisciplinary collaborations. Kushal’s expertise in software development and machine learning algorithms led him to obtain the Mitacs Accelerate Internship with the DEPtH Lab. Currently he is working under the supervision of Dr. Katapally to develop multiple digital health platforms.

Harshil Parikh, MSc

Research Associate (Computer Science)

Harshil Parikh is currently pursuing his post graduate diploma in Web technologies. Having acquired his Masters in Software Engineering from California Baptist University, he is focusing on how his research could help shape the digital era in Healthcare industry. Harshil’s research interests are primarily in the areas of Biometrics, Artificial Intelligence and Software development. His passion to develop next generation digital health technologies led him to join the research and development team of the DEPtH Lab.

Ethan Hu

Undergraduate Trainee

Ethan Hu is currently enrolled in a post-undergraduate diploma program in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at Western University. With a keen interest in AI and data science, he possesses a strong passion for helping others. Ethan’s aspiration is to work in the DEPtH Lab under the supervision of Dr. Katapally, contributing to the development of a digital health app.

International Team

Dr. Anuradha Khadilkar

International Team Leader

Anuradha Khadilkar, a dedicated Paediatrician with over 20 years of research experience, serves as a Consultant Paediatrician and Deputy Director at the Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute (HCJMRI) in Pune, India. Anuradha’s work focuses on childhood growth, nutrition, bone health, and endocrine disorders. She actively engages in community-based studies across diverse socio-economic backgrounds, including slums, rural areas, and different socio-economic classes. She is also the co-founder of the ‘Sweetlings’ program, which offers medical care and support to 650 underprivileged children and youth with Type 1 Diabetes. Anuradha completed her Paediatrics training at Government Medical College, Miraj and obtained a Diploma in Child Health from the Royal College of Physicians of London. She has been actively involved in research projects at HCJMRI since 2000 and resides in Pune, India. (dr.anuradha.khadilkar@hcjmri.org.in)

Dr. Rubina Mandlik 

Global South Coordinator

A nutritionist, researcher, and an academician, Rubina Mandlik has over 15 years of extensive experience in nutrition and education. As a Lila Fellow and recipient of the University Grants Commission Jr. Research Fellowship, her research interests encompass maternal, infant, and young child nutrition, knowledge translation, and behavior change communication. With a focus on promoting appropriate feeding practices for infants and young children, Rubina works as a Project Manager and an Assistant Professor at the Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute since 2020. She holds a master’s and a PhD degree in Health Science from the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University. (dr.rubina.mandlik@hcmri.org.in)

Dr. Dipali Ladkat

Community Engagement Lead

Dipali Ladkat, a dedicated Homeopath with over 25 years of experience in public health and medical research, serves as a Medical Officer – Research at the Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute (HCJMRI) in Pune. She is driven by a strong passion for improving the well-being of tribal, rural, and urban communities, with a particular focus on the health and nutrition of children, women, and the elderly. With expertise in social and research project management, including project writing, fundraising, execution, monitoring, and evaluation, she actively contributes to major research and social initiatives. Dipali received her homeopathy training from HMC Shirpur and holds a master’s degree in social work from North Maharashtra University. She has collaborated on various research projects with esteemed institutes in Pune. (dr.dipali.ladkat@hcjmri.org.in)