Current Recipients

Current Trainees

Trainees from across the University of Toronto receive mentorship and support. These trainees are currently supported by the Vision Science Research Program.

2026 / 2027

NameDepartmentSupervisorArea of Research
Birdiee, SumanPCLCorson, TimothyOral therapeutics, neovascularization, OIR, L-CNV, age-related macular degeneration, proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Chatha, Gur Rattan Pal (Gary)CSBErclik, TedThe development and evolution of the eye
Khiabani Javid, JinaLMPSivak, JeremyGlaucoma, Regenerative Medicine
Kindree, KyliCSBErclik, TedOptic lobe, eye development, retinal progenitor cell development and gene regulation, transcriptional control of retinal progenitor cells and photoreceptor patterning
Noworolski, RyanPSLSugita, ShuzoRetinal vasculature, Muller Glia, Secretion
Praszner, MercedeszMOGENLefebvre, JulieDevelopment of retinal circuit, survival of inhibitory neurons
Rizza, StephanieIMSJin, YapingVision epidemiology, age-related macular
Rutherford, XavierLMPSingh, KarunNeural circuits & Retina
Sampat, HemaLMPBremner, RodLeveraging Retinoblastoma to Dissect Cancer Susceptibility
Tsaparis, GeorginaIMSDimaras, HelenRetinoblastoma Research
Zahedi Amiri, AliIMSBallios, BrianRetinal regeneration; CRB1 retinopathy; retinal organoids; iPSC modeling; retinal patch engineering; biosensors; ER stress; oxidative stress
Ashworth, KristenIMSBallios, BrianRetina, Organoid, Stem Cell, Photoreceptor, USH2A, Usher Syndrome, Inherited Retinal Disease, Disease Modelling, Neurodegeneration
Chhipa, Mohammed AyanPCLCorson, TimIdentifying the molecular signatures underlying our novel anti-angiogenic compound for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD)
Eiras, SofiaMOGENLefebvre, JulieRetinal neural circuits and development
Frost, NathanielLMPSivak, JeremyGlaucoma, Lamina Cribrosa, Intraocular Pressure, Optic Nerve Head
Khan, NadiaLMPSivak, JeremyRetinal ganglion cell degeneration and Glaucoma
Kord Ali, Mohammad SadeghLMPSchuurmans, CarolDirect Neuronal Reprogramming of Retina using AAVs and Neurogenic Transcription Factors
Lavoie, CamilleLMPWallace, ValerieMitochondria trafficking
Lee, JaeeunLMPWallace, ValeriePhotoreceptor axon guidance
Little, NessLMPOng Tone, StephanCornea
Maanik, MehtaIMSVincent, AjoyHereditary Macular Dystrophy, Mouse Modeling, Retinal Lipid Metabolism
Minamisono, RenLMPSchuurmans, CarolPhotoreceptor development; epistatic relationship of signalling and metabolic pathways
Moffat, AlexandraLMPSchuurmans, CarolProneural transcription factors in retinal progenitor cells
Waul, LaceyPSLMonnier, PhilippeAdult central nervous system regeneration, Optic nerve regeneration