Team
Amit Garg
DirectorBiography: Associate Dean, Clinical Research; Professor in the Departments of Medicine (Nephrology) and Epidemiology & Biostatistics at Western University.
Sierra Anderson
ManagerBiography: Sierra is the Pragmatic Trials Services Manager. Sierra has an extensive research background with experience in Clinical Trials Management, Business Operations, and Research Sciences. Prior to managing the Pragmatic Trials Services, Sierra acted as a research coordinator for several large-scale pragmatic trials, including MyTEMP.
Samar Almadhoun
Research CoordinatorBiography: Samar Almadhoun is a Research Coordinator with previous experience supporting patient contact studies. With a strong background in clinical trial management, Samar supports protocol development, ethics submission, and ensures effective communication between researchers. Samar is currently supporting the implementation of Dial-Bicarb. Looking forward, Samar aims to contribute to the development of innovative trial methodologies and expand the impact of pragmatic trials in shaping future healthcare practices and policies to improve patient outcomes on a larger scale.
Jennifer Arnold
Research CoordinatorBiography: Jennifer is a Research Coordinator. Jennifer began preparing the retrospective study and pilot trial for the Living Kidney Donor (LKD) Safety Study in 2005, and acted as the lead Pan-Canadian Research Coordinator for the LDK trial since it began in 2009. In her role as a research coordinator, Jennifer coordinates and monitors all research activities including study recruitment, data collection, data cleaning, site management, regulatory paperwork, and sample collection. Jennifer also supports non-LKD-related trials (e.g. Preferred 1) and trial activities including grant applications and patient partner engagement. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys crocheting, in particular blankets.
Alaa Badawi
Senior Research CoordinatorBiography: Alaa is a Research Coordinator. With a strong background in clinical trial management, including both pragmatic research and medical device trials, Alaa plays a key role in the implementation and oversight of trial protocols across study centres. Alaa is committed to advancing patient outcomes through the management of innovative clinical trials and is passionate about supporting research that drives improvements in healthcare practices.
Viktoria Bodo
Research Administrative CoordinatorBiography: Viktoria is the Research Administrative Coordinator for the Pragmatic Trials Services and the HDRN Canada Pragmatic Trials Training Program. Viktoria facilitates ongoing program initiatives through her coordination of financials, reporting, and scheduling. Viktoria has a keen interest in continued learning and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Research Management at Western University. Viktoria’s previous experiences and studies include scientific illustration, paleontology, bioarcheology and forensic anthropology.
Meaghan Cuerden Knight
Senior Research Data Analyst
Nicole Day
Senior Research AssistantBiography: Nicole is a senior Research Assistant. Nicole supports several pragmatic trials including Dial-Mag and Dialex. Nicole has experience in patient partner engagement, data monitoring, invoicing, agreements, protocol development, ethics and grant applications. Nicole has completed a BHSc in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Calgary and Certificate in Clinical Research from the Michener Institute Toronto. Nicole plans to apply her biomedical and clinical research knowledge as a future research coordinator. Nicole has a keen interest in oncology clinical research, especially those focused on improvements to quality of life, screening and treatment. Nicole plans to pursue further education in the oncology field. Outside of work, Nicole enjoys staying active through the gym, volleyball and skiing.
Lauren Killin
EpidemiologistBiography: Lauren Killin is an Epidemiologist. Lauren has been working as a data analyst in the pragmatic trials space since graduating with an MSc in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Western University in 2020. Lauren supports the development of pragmatic trial protocols with a focus on using healthcare administrative data to inform trial design. Lauren has also been involved in trial implementation, and subsequent analyses of large-scale, pragmatic trials. Lauren continues to gain experience in developing and writing protocols and incorporating novel uses of healthcare administrative data in this work. Outside of work, Lauren enjoys spending her time rock climbing, hiking through nature, and playing piano.
Eswar Kumar Kolusu
Senior Research AssistantBiography: Eswar Kumar is a senior Research Assistant. Eswar Kumar holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and post graduate certificates in Health Systems Management and International Business. Eswar Kumar has over three years of experience in clinical pharmacy, research, service coordination, and administrative management. Eswar Kumar’s dedication towards patient well-being, patient safety, and a commitment to advancing evidence based practices is reflected in his publication, "Impact of Physician-Led Approaches to Drug Problem Resolution in Tertiary Hospitals" Eswar aims to continue to improve patient health care outcomes through evidence-based advancements at a reduced cost with an increased efficiency.
Bin Luo
Associate Methodologist/Research Data AnalystBiography: Dr. Luo is currently working as an Associate Methodologist/Research Data Analyst. Dr. Luo received a Ph.D. in Biostatistics at Western University, with a keen interest in statistical methodology and its application health sciences. Dr. Luo has extensive experience utilizing administrative healthcare databases for observational studies and large-scale pragmatic trials including MyTEMP, and EnAKT. Dr. Luo supports the design and implementation of Dial Mag, and guides several Trial Leaders within the HDRN Canada Pragmatic Trials Training Program to create robust research ready protocols. As a statistician, Dr. Luo enjoys various sources of randomness in the real world, particularly in sports such as soccer.
Irina St. Louis
Senior Research CoordinatorBiography: Irina is a senior Research Coordinator. With over 14 years of professional experience spanning three continents, Irina brings a diverse skill set and comprehensive perspective on research. Irina’s previous roles in global pharmaceutical companies, the education sector, contract research and non-profit organizations, allow her to make important contributions in her current role as a senior Research Coordinator. With a primary focus on supporting and operationalizing innovative research, Irina works closely with multidisciplinary teams across Canada to implement large pragmatic trials and drive research milestones. An advocate for continuous learning, Irina thrives in finding creative solutions to complex problems and enjoys collaborating in diverse environments to expand her knowledge and expertise. Outside of her professional endeavors, Irina is an avid traveler who enjoys exploring new places, experiencing different cultures, and sharing these adventures with her children.
Yasaman Yazdani
Research CoordinatorBiography: Yasaman is a Research Coordinator. Yasaman is the lead Research Coordinator supporting protocol development for Trial Leaders in the HDRN Canada Pragmatic Trials Training Program. Yasaman is deeply committed to advancing the field of pragmatic trials, believing that trials should generate evidence that is directly applicable to real-world decision-making. Yasaman earned her medical degree in Iran in 2019. In addition to practicing medicine, Yasaman worked at a clinical trial center for three years before immigrating to Canada. Yasaman then completed her MSc in Epidemiology at Western University. Yasaman’s goal is to contribute to the expanding body of knowledge in pragmatic trials, developing evidence-based interventions and policies to improve health outcomes. Yasaman is particularly passionate about promoting health equity and improving access to healthcare for all. In her free time, Yasaman enjoys cooking, pencil sketching, and singing with her partner.
