Current Staff
Neuropsychologists
Dr. Ashley Danguecan
Dr. Danguecan is a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Co-Investigator in the Knight Lab. She completed her graduate training in Clinical Psychology (with specialization in Neuropsychology) at the University of Windsor, and residency and fellowship training in clinical neuropsychology at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).
In the Knight Lab, she collaborates on research projects focused on brain and mental health co-morbidities in childhood-onset lupus. As a Filipino-Canadian clinician-scientist, her research has recently focused on how to address disparities in mental health service provision in diverse youth with lupus.
Alongside her research with the Knight Lab, Dr. Danguecan is clinically appointed to the Neonatal Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up Clinic at SickKids, where she provides supervision and clinical consultation for developmental assessments of children with early brain injuries and other complex medical histories.
Dr. Busi Zapparoli
Dr. Zapparoli is a Clinical Neuropsychologist. She obtained her PhD in Clinical-Developmental Psychology at York University before completing postdoctoral fellowships in Clinical Neuropsychology at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School and at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).
In the Knight Lab, she does neuropsychological assessments with youth with lupus. Dr. Zapparoli is also a member of the Mabbott Lab at SickKids, where she provides neuropsychological assessments to children in the oncology department.
Outside of her work at SickKids, Dr. Zapparoli is an active member of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) Cross Cultural Committee where her work has focused on determining best practices for adapting and translating neuropsychological tests. Dr. Zapparoli is passionate about promoting cultural sensitivity in neuropsychological practice and research.
Managers
Lawrence Ng
For Lawrence, patients’ and families’ well-being as participants in research is of utmost importance. As a Clinical Research Project Manager, he has dedicated his career to helping find new treatments and predictors for children and young people suffering from childhood-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (cSLE). For over 20 years, Lawrence has managed multiple clinical trials and studies, coupled with his laboratory management experience and multi-discipline communication skills to make research processes highly functional and easily understood.
Lawrence volunteers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) internal and external committees to provide feedback and insights in the area of electronic health records on research use, research staff professional development, family engagement in research and clinical research advisory.
Lawrence enjoys 10k runs, participates in half marathons and is one of the many leaders in the SickKids Running Club who assisted in coaching the 5/10 km training clinic.
Fellows
Oscar Mwizerwa
Oscar Mwizerwa is a Lupus Fellow at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). He completed his medical school (2013) and paediatric residency (2019) at the University of Rwanda. He spent two years working as a general paediatrician at a remote hospital in Rwanda before joining his Paediatric Rheumatology Fellowship which he completed in June 2023 at SickKids. He then embarked on a two-year Lupus Fellowship through the 2023 Capitalize for Kids (C4K) Pediatric Mental Health grant.
Dr Mwizerwa’s work has both a clinical and research focus. Under supervision of Dr. Andrea Knight, his research focuses on understanding the relationship between interferon mediated inflammation, brain injury, and depression/anxiety in children with systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE).
His hobbies include basketball, music, and learning to play guitar.
Justine Ledochowski
Dr. Justine Ledochowski is completing a clinical fellowship in Paediatric Neuropsychology within the Department of Psychology. She first joined the Knight Lab in 2021 while completing her predoctoral residency in Paediatric Psychology at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).
Justine’s current research explores the impact of childhood-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (cSLE) on executive functioning as assessed by caregiver- and self-completed questionnaires and performance-based tests as well as associations with serum markers of brain injury. Justine’s doctoral research was completed within the Children’s Stroke Program at SickKids and examined whether motor impairments lasting beyond the acute phase of arterial ischemic stroke may be indicative of disruptions in neural networks, specifically within cortico-subcortical pathways, and thus associated with other adverse neuropsychological outcomes in this population.
In her clinical work, Justine conducts neuropsychological assessments within different services in the hospital as well as psychotherapy within the Oncology AfterCare Program.
Diana Valdes Cabrera
Dr. Valdes Cabrera is a Neuroimaging Postdoctoral Fellow at the Knight Lab and she is affiliated with the Neurosciences & Mental Health Research Program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). She obtained her PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Alberta, with a focus on diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) applied to neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis.
In the Knight Lab, her neuroimaging research work will aid in understanding the pathological mechanisms that trigger cognitive dysfunction in youth with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). Diana’s main research interests are to find neuroimaging biomarkers associated with diseases like SLE and to examine the role of inflammation in the developing brain.
Her hobbies include biking, hiking and enjoying time with her doggie.
Research Coordinators
Paris Moaf
Paris completed her undergraduate degree in child psychology and then pursued her master’s in Neuroscience at McGill University. Currently, Paris works as a clinical research coordinator at the Neurosciences and Mental Health program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Dr. Knight’s research lab. Her role involves conducting research studies related to mental health in cSLE, and she is an active member of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA).
In addition to her research responsibilities, Paris is also pursuing a graduate degree in psychology, where she is currently completing her thesis project at Dr. Knight’s research lab. Her master’s research work focuses on the relationship between trauma exposure and mental health, as well as the role of Glucocorticoids in cSLE (childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus). Furthermore, she is a registered psychotherapist (qualifying) and offers intervention and assessments.
Paris brings several years of experience in researching and evaluating mental and neurocognitive health for early detection and interventions, gained through her work at various organizations, including SickKids, Montreal Children’s Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Institute, and One Kids Place.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Paris enjoys hobbies such as painting, hiking, reading, and exercising.
Asha Jeyanathan
Asha Jeyanathan is a Clinical Research Project Coordinator in the Neurosciences & Mental Health program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). She received her Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto with a focus in Neuroscience, Physiology and Immunology.
She assists in qualitative, quantitative, and quality improvement studies focusing on the impact of childhood-onset lupus on neurocognitive health, brain structure and development. A growing interest of hers is to find ways to improve mental health in the pediatric population. She is a member of the Childhood Arthritis & Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA).
Outside the lab, Asha enjoys dancing, skiing and reading.
Research Assistants
Joanna Law
Clinical Research Project Assistant
Joanna is a Clinical Study Project Research Assistant at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Dr. Knight’s Research Lab. She holds an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science and Joint Honours Psychology from the University of Waterloo. Additionally, she earned her master’s degree in Translational Research in Health Science at the University of Toronto.
Joanna’s research interests primarily focus on exploring qualitative experiences and quantitative outcomes in the pediatric population with lupus. Through her work, she aims to contribute valuable insights to enhance our understanding and improve outcomes for children.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Joanna finds joy in outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking.
Stephanie Fevrier
Stephanie Fevrier is a Clinical Research Project Assistant in the Knight Lab at SickKids Research Institute. She completed her MSc in Medical Science in 2023 under the supervision of Dr. Knight at the University of Toronto. Before moving to Toronto, Stephanie completed a combined bachelor’s and master’s program in Psychology at St. Francis College in New York. Her main research interest is the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on brain health in youth with chronic diseases. Stephanie’s thesis work examined the relationship between ACEs and cognitive function, mental health, and inflammatory markers in adolescents with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE). She was awarded the 2022 LRA Administrative Supplement to Promote diversity in Lupus Research grant to support her research work. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys spending quality time with family, reading, and watching football (soccer).
Louise Boulard
Clinical Research Project Assistant
Louise is a Clinical Research Project Assistant at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Dr. Knight’s Research Lab. She graduated with an Honours degree in Cognitive Science from the University of Toronto.
She assists in studies focusing on the impact of childhood-onset lupus on neurocognitive health, brain structure and development. Her research interests focus on the ways in which lupus affects neural networks of executive function in the child’s developing brain. She hopes to contribute to the growing research to improve mental health resources for pediatric populations.
Outside the lab, Louise enjoys composing music, baking and hiking.
Students & Volunteers
Isabella Zaffino
Research Student
Isabella is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Psychology and Immunology. She joined the Knight Lab in Fall 2023 as an undergraduate thesis student, in which she has been exploring resilience and mental health within the Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus population.
Isabella also has research experience in paediatric psychosocial cancer care and is passionate about contributing to bettering the well-being of sick children and their families.
Jasmine Jing
Clinical Research Volunteer
Jasmine is a student currently studying Life Sciences at the University of Toronto. She is double majoring in Human Biology and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, with a minor in Immunology.
At The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), she is volunteering with Dr. Knight’s team to help with lupus research, which incorporates studies in psychology, rheumatology and immunology. She loves helping the team out with clinical studies, patient visits, and abstracting data. Going forward, she hopes to continue pursuing her interests in the field of immunology and human health, as well as research developments in the intersection between medicine and technology.
During her free time she enjoys playing volleyball and the piano, as well as walking her dog.
Lab Alumni
- Tala El Tal
- Ibrahim Mohamed
- Santiago Arciniegas
- Sondos Ayyash
- Sona Sandhu
- Olivia Hendrikx
- Luana Flores Pereira
- Victora Lishak