RESEARCH TEAM
Research Staff
Dr. Rasha El-Kotob - BSc, MSc, PhD
Fun Fact:
I attended a surf camp in Cascais, Portugal. Favourite Quote: “If you're always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” – Maya Angelou |
Dr. Rasha El-Kotob completed her BSc in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo, MSc in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Toronto, and PhD in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo.
Rasha has multi-method and mixed method research experience. She joined the Optimizing Healthcare Experiences Lab in March of 2023 as a Research Associate. She is primarily supporting two research studies in the lab: 1. Co-developing a toolkit intervention to assist with medication self-management in everyday life for persons with a spinal cord injury; and 2. Identifying key factors influencing the use of patient-reported experience measures for medications (PREM-Rx) among healthcare providers and persons taking medications in Ontario, Canada. Rasha is passionate about patient-centered care, with a focus on prioritizing and addressing the unique needs and preferences of various patient populations. |
Dr. Jacob Crawshaw - BSc, MSc, PhD
Fun Fact:
I have climbed to tallest mountain in North Africa. Favourite Quote: "All good things are wild and free." – Henry David Thoreau |
Dr. Jacob Crawshaw holds a BSc in Psychology (Newcastle University, UK), MSc in Health Psychology, and a PhD in Health Services Research (both King’s College London, UK). Jacob’s research program focuses on using systematic methods and theory from behavioural and implementation science to address health-related challenges among patients, providers, and health systems. One area of research he is particularly passionate about is the investigation of how best to support patient-oriented, evidence-based secondary prevention among patients with cardiovascular disease. In 2023, he completed a two-year CIHR Health System Impact Postdoctoral Fellowship at McMaster University addressing this knowledge gap. In addition to working with the OPTI-HEX Lab, Jacob is a Senior Methodologist in the Methodological and Implementation Research Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6302-1496
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Dr. Kimberly Devotta - BA, MA, PhD |
Fun Fact:
I love musicals and film festivals! Favourite Quote: “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences” – Audre Lorde |
Dr. Kimberly Devotta holds a BA in Geography and Environmental Studies (McMaster University), a MA in Geography (McMaster University), and a PhD in Social and Behavioural Health Sciences (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto). Her research program focuses on cervical screening and chronic disease prevention, using community engagement and mixed methods. She is a postdoctoral fellow at Women’s College Hospital, and works as a Research Officer with the OPTI-HEX lab within the communications team to develop KTE. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0401-2539
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Graduate Students
Lauren Cadel - BSc, MSc, PhD Candidate
Fun Fact:
I have snorkeled between two tectonic plates. Favourite Quote: “It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen” ― Muhammad Ali |
Lauren Cadel is a PhD candidate in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto. Lauren is supervised by Dr. Sara Guilcher. Her thesis work focuses on co-developing, revising, and evaluating a toolkit intervention that aims to improve medication self-management among adults with spinal cord injury/dysfunction in Canada. Prior to starting her PhD, Lauren completed her Masters in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Toronto in 2019.
Lauren is also a Research Lead at the Institute for Better Health at Trillium Health Partners, where she supports Dr. Kerry Kuluski’s research portfolio on patient and family centred care. She has a passion for health services research and wants to continually explore ways to improve the delivery of health services and optimize patient experiences and outcomes. |
Shenthuraan Tharmarajah - BA, MSc, PhD Candidate
Fun Fact:
I’m actually from New York! Favourite Quote: “Today is your opportunity to build the tomorrow you want.” – Ken Poirot |
Shenthuraan is a PhD candidate in the Pharmaceutical Sciences program at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. He is co-supervised by Dr. Mina Tadrous and Dr. Sara Guilcher. Previously, he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at New York University and Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition at Columbia University. Shenthuraan’s research interest lies in better understanding the safety of antirheumatic medications on pregnancy. His work aims to generate real-world evidence that will improve the care of pregnant individuals and optimize maternal and neonatal outcomes.
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Dr. Laleh Rashidian - MD, MPH, PhD Candidate
Fun Fact:
I have a collection of over 70 board games and host weekly game nights with friends! Favourite Quote: "The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them" – Ernest Hemingway |
Laleh is a PhD candidate at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto. Her research focuses on access to care for individuals living with diabetes in Ontario, with a particular emphasis on how integrated care teams influence access and health outcomes for diabetes. Before pursuing her PhD, Laleh practiced as a medical doctor and earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Since joining the Opti-Hex Lab in April 2023, Laleh has been involved in projects examining hospital harm risk factors for individuals with hip fractures. Her previous projects involved exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with alternate levels of care. |
Other Research Assistants
Angela Chow - BSc |
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Fun Fact: I’ve climbed up the Pacaya volcano in Guatemala
Favourite Quote: “Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day” – Dalai Lama |
Angela completed her BSc in Human Biology and Cell & Molecular Biology at the University of Toronto, followed by a postgraduate certificate in Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs & Quality Operations. She is deeply passionate about improving the quality of healthcare, advocating for transparency, and effective medical communication. Angela is dedicated to turning complex scientific information into clear, meaningful insights that help shape better healthcare experiences and outcomes.
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Aleena Ahmad - MD (In progress)
Fun Fact: I love fantasy novels and have read the Harry Potter series 10+ times
Favourite Quote: “We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths” – Walt Disney |
Aleena is a medical student at the University of Toronto, Termerty Faculty of Medicine, and research assistant at the Opti-HEx lab. With undergraduate studies in Biology for Health Sciences at the University of Toronto Mississauga, she brings a background in biological and health sciences. Aleena is passionate about supporting research around health equity and patient experiences, and hopes to apply research findings in delivering compassionate, patient-centered care.
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Lab Mascots
Because what would a lab be without mascots?
