Our Team

Our highly specialized and motivated team work together in a vibrant corporate culture to improve health care delivery. CDIC has attracted a new generation of scientists – a world-class group of curious, talented, and inspired young professionals.

Michelle Di Nella, MA, Executive Director, holds a Master of Arts Degree in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Manitoba. She has been with the CDIC for over 12 years and provides overall leadership and operational management for the entire program. She plays a key role in establishing the corporation’s strategic direction, as well as business development and commercial activities.

Ryan Bamforth, MSc, Statistician, holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Master of Science in Community Health Sciences from the University of Manitoba. He works as a statistician at the CDIC with a focus on cost-effectiveness analyses.

Jordan Bankowski, BSc, Research Assistant, holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Manitoba. As a research assistant he is involved in various studies, including investigating if the use of an alternative dialysis membrane during hemodialysis has a positive effect on symptom burden, quality of life, cognition, and sexual desire for patients.

Ranveer Brar, MSc, Statistician and Research Coordinator, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biopsychology, and a Master of Science degree in Community Health Sciences. He works on a longitudinal prospective cohort study exploring trajectories of physical activity, physical function, and mental health in people with late-stage Chronic Kidney Disease. He is also working on multiple other projects that utilize administrative health data to assess long-term health outcomes and patterns of healthcare utilization at the population-level.

Kathy Cherepak, BSc, Research Coordinator, holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and comes to CDIC with many years of experience as a Clinical Research Coordinator in the areas of gynecology, rheumatology, dermatology, and oncology. As a Research Coordinator at CDIC she is involved in multiple studies with a focus on nutrition, healthy aging, diabetes and hypertension.

Thomas Ferguson, MSc, Health Economist and Biostatistician, completed his Master of Science at the University of Manitoba, Department of Community Health Sciences. His role at CDIC is to supply expert advice on cost effectiveness and biostatistics for various academic projects and commercial collaborations.

Chloe Ferrer, Administrative Assistant, completed the Medical Office Assistant Program at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology (MITT). She previously worked at Nine Circles Community Health Centre, as well as with the Manitoba Kidney Health Program at Health Sciences Centre in the Renal Health Clinic and Local Dialysis Office.

Ruth Getachew, Research Assistant, is currently working towards her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Manitoba. As a Research Assistant, she is involved with various studies at the CDIC, with a focus on examining how exercise affects symptom burden in adults on hemodialysis.

Oksana Harasemiw, MSc, Project Manager, completed her Master of Science in Community Health Sciences with a graduate specialization in aging from the University of Manitoba. In her current role as a Project Manager, she is responsible for tracking project milestones and budgets, and implementing policies and procedures to ensure the company achieves their strategic objectives. She also has extensive experience conducting analyses with big data, and coordinating prospective studies.

Azin Khafipour, MSc, Research Coordinator,  has a decade of experience in multi-omics bioinformatics in chronic disease research. She holds a B.Sc. in IT, an M.Sc. in Immunology and Microbiology from the University of Manitoba, and specialized training in Genomics Data from Johns Hopkins University. Azin has led multi-site research projects across Canadian hospitals, combining advanced analytical expertise with strong project management. Her work has supported high-impact studies and contributed to a growing portfolio of publications in clinical research.

Silvia Leon, MD, MSc, Statistician, has a medical degree from Rosario University in Colombia, where she worked as an emergency department physician, as well as a graduate diploma in Clinical Epidemiology from McMaster University. She completed her Masters of Science in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. For her Masters, she evaluated the impact of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (ACE inhibitor) prescription discontinuation after an episode of hyperkalemia in people with chronic kidney disease. Her current research is focused on pharmacoepidemiology using administrative health databases.

Anand Nambisan, MSc, Research Coordinator, completed his MSc in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Saskatchewan. He brings strong experience in managing clinical trials, coordinating diverse research teams, and ensuring regulatory and publication standards are met. He works on the VIEWER study at the CDIC, which uses wearable devices and tablet-based tools to monitor health and support better outcomes for patients with advanced Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

Trang Nguyen, MSc, Clinical Trials Research Coordinator, completed her MSc in Pharmacy from the University of Manitoba. Her thesis focused on the economic evaluation of a new oncology treatment whose pivotal effectiveness was demonstrated in phase III clinical trials. Trang also has 3 years of previous experience working in the sector of clinical trials in Vietnam before moving to Manitoba. She is committed to dedicating her career in clinical trials with both academic training and hands-on experience.

John B. Owope, BSc, Business Operations Administrator, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in E-commerce and Internet Systems from the University of Portsmouth, England, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Business Analysis from the University of Manitoba. At CDIC, he is responsible for overseeing business operations and human resource management, including payroll administration, HR functions, accounts payable, and accounts receivable. JB is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified in Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), and a SCRUM practitioner.

Kathrine Polecina, BSc, Research Clerk, completed a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Psychology from the University of Manitoba. Her role at CDIC is to assist with clinical trials, prospective data entry, and other research tasks.

Tahmina Rahman, MSc, Research Coordinator, graduated from the Govt. College of Applied Human Science (GCAHS), University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, with a BSc in Food and Nutrition. She recently completed her MSc at the University of Manitoba in Food and Human Nutritional Sciences under the supervision of Dr. Dylan MacKay. Her thesis was primarily focused on Type 2 Diabetes Remission (T2DRENu), where she studied different remission strategies and dietary patterns through the experiences of people who have achieved remission. She is committed to applying nutrition to address complex health issues and enhance the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses.

Maryam Samsamikor, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, holds a PhD from the University of Manitoba. Her thesis focused on evaluating the effects of hemp seed protein and bioactive peptides produced through enzymatic hydrolysis on 24hr ambulatory blood pressure in people with hypertension. In her current role at the CDIC, she works on various clinical trials, including a trial evaluating the effects of resistant starch prebiotic in Chronic Kidney Disease (ReSPECKD).

Zahra Solati, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, holds a PhD degree in Physiology and Pathophysiology from the University of Manitoba. She primarily works on a clinical trial evaluating the effects of a tele-monitoring platform on minimizing adverse outcomes in high risk Chronic Kidney Disease patients (VIEWER study). 

Leila Tavakoli, MSc, Research Coordinator, originally from Iran, she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition Sciences in 2017. Following her graduation, she worked as a nutrition consultant at a healthcare centre for five years in Iran, focusing on providing a suitable diet for individuals with chronic diseases. She completed her Master’s student in Human Nutritional Sciences at the University of Manitoba in 2025. Her thesis explored the impact of different diets on the early progression of polycystic kidney disease (PKD), specifically examining the effects of ultra-processed versus whole foods, varying protein levels, and the impact of vegan versus omnivorous diets.

Reid Whitlock, MSc, Research Manager, holds a Master of Science in Community Health Sciences from the University of Manitoba. He has authored and co-authored numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and prospective and retrospective cohort studies. As the Research Manager, he provides general administrative oversight and management of the overall program, including research projects, contracts, finances, and CDIC personnel.

Maryem Zahra, BA, Research Coordinator, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Manitoba. She began working in research during her undergraduate studies, supporting projects in social psychology, research methods, and statistics. She later transitioned to coordinating pediatric clinical trials in allergy, asthma, and clinical psychology at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. Maryem brings extensive experience in publishing manuscripts, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, working with regulatory bodies, and managing all aspects of clinical trials.

Mentoring the next generation of researchers

We have a successful mentorship program focused on providing a supportive environment for students at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels. Our objectives are to provide students with tailored, hands-on training in research methods, epidemiology, and biostatistics. This allows students to obtain the skills necessary to become successful in their future research careers or to work in related industry positions.

Heba Elgubtan, BHSc, obtained a Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Manitoba. Her capstone project examined cardiovascular disease susceptibility in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant therapy. Currently, she is enrolled in the Masters of Science program in the Department of Community Health Sciences, under the supervision of Dr. Navdeep Tangri. Her thesis aims to examine cardiovascular disease risk in patients with primary glomerular disease.  

Sakshi Saul, BSc, received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Manitoba. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba under the supervision of Dr. Claudio Rigatto. Her thesis aims to investigate the use and safety of GABA analogues as treatment in individuals with chronic kidney disease and on dialysis.

Ashley Seitz, BSc, completed her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Manitoba, and is enrolled in the Master of Science program in Community Health Sciences. Under the supervision of Dr. Clara Bohm, her thesis is focused on validating the Dialysis Symptom Index in people with advance chronic kidney disease who are enrolled in an exercise program. She also works at CDIC as a Research Assistant, involved in coordinating multiple studies including the Triple I Project which aims to improve Information, Interactions and Individualization in in-centre hemodialysis care, as well as Mind the Gap, which aims to improve the provision of mental health services for people receiving in-centre hemodialysis across Canada.

Dr. Sean Armstrong, MD, is the Medical Director of Hemodialysis at Seven Oaks General Hospital, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Manitoba Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Chair of the North American Peritoneal Dialysis University and Medical Director, Interventional Nephrologists. Dr. Armstrong is a leader in training physicians in bedside catheter insertion globally, a technique that has dramatically improved access to Peritoneal Dialysis and helped alleviate painful fluid buildup for certain cancer and other patients.

Dr. Bryce Barr, MD, is a nephrologist at Health Sciences Centre and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Manitoba. His clinical and research interest is in glomerular disease and systemic autoimmune diseases that affect the kidney, with focus on lupus and vasculitis. He is the Principal Investigator of the Manitoba Glomerular Diseases Registry, which focuses on epidemiological research to better understand glomerulonephritis in Manitoba. He is currently an MSc candidate in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. His work with CDIC primarily focuses on projects arising from the Manitoba Glomerular Diseases Registry, as well as participation as the lead PI for IgA nephropathy clinical trials.

Dr. David Collister, MD, PhD, completed his MD at the University of Manitoba, Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Alberta, Nephrology Fellowship at the University of Manitoba, and his PhD in Health Research Methodology at McMaster University. His research focuses on symptom management in patients with kidney disease and, in particular, randomized controlled trials of therapies to alleviate symptoms in chronic kidney disease and dialysis. Learn more about Dr. Collister’s research

Dr. Jay Hingwala, MD, is a Nephrologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Manitoba and serves as the Medical Director of the Home Hemodialysis and Transitional Dialysis Care at the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre. His research interests focus on quality improvement interventions that improve care of patients who are transitioning onto chronic dialysis. His nephrology quality improvement work includes innovative initiatives in transitional care for chronic dialysis, growing home dialysis, reducing medication administration errors in hemodialysis, streamlining virtual ambulatory renal care, and establishing key performance indicators.  

Dr. Ricardo Lobato de Faria, MD is the former Medical Director for the Seven Oaks Hospital Emergency Department. As a Family Physician and Process Engineer Dr. de Faria has a passion for process efficiency in Emergency Medicine. He was responsible for the innovative implementation of Patient Order Sets at Seven Oaks Hospital and has collaborated on the creation of a computer model to capture all relevant ER activity for virtual testing of improvements.

Dr. Shelley Zieroth, MD joined the Section of Cardiology at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg in July 2006. She is currently a Professor in the College of Medicine, Max Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, as well as Director of the Heart Failure Clinics. She is also Head of the Medical Heart Failure Program for Cardiac Sciences Manitoba. Dr. Zieroth attended medical school at the University of Manitoba and went on to train in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the same centre. She completed her Postdoctoral Clinical Fellowship, specializing in Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant, at Toronto General Hospital. Her research interests include heart failure and cardio-kidney-metabolic interactions.  She holds leadership positions in international clinical trials and has enrolled many patients in landmark clinical trials during the course of her career. She is also Associate Editor at JACC HF, European Journal of HF and the European Heart Journal. She is a governor-elect for ACC representing Canada and Past President of the Federation of Medical Women of Canada. Other leadership roles include Past President of the Canadian Heart Failure Society and she has been a longstanding contributor and now co-Chair of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Heart Failure Guidelines.  She serves as Co-Chair of Canada’s largest annual heart failure meeting, HF Update.