Mentors: STAGE Toronto

Expert Mentorship

STAGE Toronto has a stellar team of ~50 highly collaborative, multidisciplinary mentors. Their common goal is to provide the best training experience to help form the next generation of leaders in genetic epidemiology and statistical genetics research.

Collectively, they offer a wide range of chronic disease research opportunities including:

  • cancers
  • cardiovascular
  • psychiatric and behavioural
  • neurological
  • metabolic and autoimmune disorders
  • asthma and allergies
  • normal growth and development

All mentors have a strong record of successfully training graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and/or post-MD fellows.

Mentorship Panels

Mentorship panels are composed of three mentors, one from each of the program’s three main disciplines, where at least one mentor belongs to subsections

1.1 Genetic & Molecular Epidemiology or
2.1 Statistical Genetics and Genomics.

Supervisory Teams

Supervisory teams comprise mentors from each of the three STAGE main disciplines, set out below.

This diverse and structured training approach enables trainees to:

  1. achieve their full potential in their primary discipline or particular graduate program, and
  2. enrich their knowledge and skills in complementary, specialized disciplines required for advanced genetic epidemiology research.

How to become a STAGE Mentor

Interested in becoming a STAGE mentor? We’d be delighted to hear from you.

Please email the following to our Program Manager, Esther Berzunza.

  • A brief (two-page) CV outlining your faculty and SGS appointments, research funding, and relevant publications
  • A one-page overview of your mentorship experience, including your approach and the training environment you offer graduate students and/or postdoctoral fellows
  • A short email from a current STAGE mentor with a one-sentence endorsement of your nomination

Once received, your materials will be reviewed by the STAGE leadership team. You can expect a response within two to four weeks. If you have questions before applying, please get in touch.

Email Us

Mentors

1. Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology
1.1 Genetic & Molecular Epidemiology
Headshot of Philip Awadalla

Philip Awadalla

Director of Computational Biology, Senior Investigator, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research; Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Genetic Epidemiology, Population Health and Genomics, Gene x Environment Interactions, Chronic Diseases, Linkage and Association Studies, Quantitative Traits
Brooks, Jennifer_square

Jennifer Brooks

Associate Professor, Program Director MPH Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto; Executive Director, CanPath (Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health | Partenariat canadien pour la santé de demain)
Research Keywords: Breast Cancer Epidemiology, Genetic Epidemiology, Contalateral Breast Cancer, Survivorship, Imaging Biomarkers of Breast Cancer Risk and Response to Treatment, Risk Prediction, Breast Cancer Screening, Pharmacogenetics, Maternal Exposures and Neurodevelopment, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD
Felsky, Daniel_Jan_2023

Daniel Felsky

Independent Scientist, Head of Whole Person & Population Modeling, Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health; Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health; Associate Member, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto
Reseach Keywords: Mental Health, Multi-'omics, Population Modelling, Polygenic Risk, Gene-Environment Interaction, Lifespan, Neuroimaging, Machine Learning
Headshot of France Gagnon

France Gagnon

Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation, University of Toronto Mississauga; Professor, Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Genetic Epidemiology, Biomedical Sciences, Population Health, Chronic Diseases, Hemostasis, Thrombosis, Cardiovascular Diseases, Linkage and Association Studies, Quantitative Traits, Genome-Wide Studies, Meta-analysis
Headshot of Linda Hiraki

Linda Hiraki

Staff Physician, Division of Rheumatology; Scientist, Genetics & Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children; Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Genetics of Complex Diseases/Phenotypes, Paediatric Rheumatic Diseases, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Disease Outcomes Over Time
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Rayjean J. Hung

Associate Director of Population Health, Head of the Prosserman Centre for Population Health Research, Senior Investigator, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health; Professor, Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Population Studies, Cancer Epidemiology, Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology, Cancer Etiology, Methodology Development, Genomewide Association Studies, Post-genomewide Association Research
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Steven A. Narod

Director, Familial Breast Cancer Research Unit; Senior Scientist, Women's College Research Institute; Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Breast Cancer Research
Headshot of Guillaume Paré

Guillaume Paré

Professor, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Joint Member, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics, Director, Genetic & Molecular Epidemiology Laboratory, McMaster University; Visiting Scientist, Harvard Medical School
Research Keywords: Human Genetics, Genetic & Molecular Epidemiology, Genome-Wide Association Studies, Bioinformatics, Cardiovascular Diseases, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Clinical Chemistry
Headshot of Esteban Parra

Esteban J. Parra

Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga
Research Keywords: Population Genetics, Genetic Variation, Molecular Anthropology, Complex Diseases, Vitamin D, Type 2 Diabetes, Skin Pigmentation, Adaptation, Human Genetics, Admixed Populations, Admixture Mapping, Genomewide Association
Headshot of Andrew Paterson

Andrew D. Paterson

Senior Scientist, Genetics & Genome Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children; Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Sciences, Biostatistics Division, Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Human Genetics, Genome-Wide Association, Quantitative Traits, Diabetes Complications, Type 1 Diabetes
1.2 Epidemiology
Headshot of Michelle Cotterchio

Michelle Cotterchio

Senior Scientist, Prevention & Cancer Control, Cancer Care Ontario; Professor, Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Heath, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Epidemiology, Cancer Etiology, Gene Environment Interactions, Nutritional Epidemiology
2. Data Sciences, Statistical Genetics and Genomics, and Computational Genetics and Genomics
2.1 Statistical Genetics and Genomics
Headshot of Joseph Beyene

Joseph Beyene

Professor, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, & Impact, Faculty of Heath Sciences, McMaster University
Research Keywords: Statistical Genomics, Statistical Genetics, Genomic Data Integration Methods, Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis
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Laurent Briollais

Senior Investigator, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health; Associate Professor, Biostatistics Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Statistical Genetics, Biostatistics, Statistical Genomics, Cancer, GWAS
Headshot of Shelley Bull

Shelley B. Bull

Senior Investigator, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Professor, Biostatistics Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Statistical Genetics, Statistical Genomics, Statistical Modeling and Analysis, Genome-Wide Association, Analysis of Family Data, Categorical Data Analysis, Molecular Prognosis
Headshot of Angelo Canty

Angelo Canty

Associate Professor, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science; Associate Member, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, & Impact, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University
Research Keywords: Computational Statistics
Headshot of Osvaldo Espin Garcia

Osvaldo Espin-Garcia

Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University; Assistant Professor (status-only), Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Toronto; Principal Biostatistician, Department of Biostatistics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network
Research Keywords: Statistical Genetics, Design and Analysis of Multi-phase Studies, Integrative Multi-omics Studies, Deep Phenotyping, Latent Class/Variable Models, Microbiome Data Analysis, Genetic Epidemiology
Headshot of Zeny Feng

Zeny Feng

Professor, Department of Statistics and Mathematics, University of Guelph
Research Keywords: Statistical Genetics, Statistical Bioinformatics, Microbiome Data Analysis, Mixture Regression Models, Regularization Techniques, Infectious Disease Modelling
Strug, Lisa_headshot_small

Lisa J. Strug

Director, CANSSI Ontario; Professor, Department of Statistical Sciences, Department of Computer Science, Biostatistics Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Director, Data Sciences Institute, University of Toronto; Associate Director, The Centre for Applied Genomics; Senior Scientist, Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children
Research Keywords: Statistical Analyses, Genetic Statistics, Genetic Epidemiology, Research Methods, Statistical Computing, Methods Development, Study Design
Sun_Lei

Lei Sun

Professor, Department of Statistical Sciences, Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Applied Statistics, Statistical Genetics, High-Dimensional Data, Robust Methods, Linkage and Association, Pedigree Analysis, Software Development
Headshot of Michael Wainberg

Michael Wainberg

Investigator, Prosserman Centre for Population Health Research, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute
Genetics of Brain Diseases, Psychiatric Genetics, Neurodegenerative Disease Genetics, Genetics of Functional Disorders, Human Genetics, Complex Trait Genetics, Statistical Genetics, Statistical Genomics, Genetic Association Studies, Genome-Wide Association Studies, Case-Control Studies, Genetic Epidemiology, Gene-Environment Interaction, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Machine Learning, Network Biology, Single-Cell, CRISPR screens, Multi-omics, Differential Expression, Disease Subtyping, Therapeutic Target Discovery
Headshot of Wei Xu

Wei Xu

Clinician Scientist, Principal Biostatistician, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network; Professor, Biostatistics Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Genetic Statistics, Genetic Epidemiology, Clinic Trial Design and Analysis, Research Methods, Statistical Modeling
Headshot of Jun Young Park

Jun Young Park

Assistant Professor, Department of Statistical Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Neuroimaging, Statistical Genetics, Imaging Genetics, Cancer
Mentors by Discipline
2.2 Statistics
Headshot of Patrick Brown

Patrick E. Brown

Associate Professor, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Toronto; Scientist, Centre for Global Health Research, St. Michael's Hospital
Research Keywords: Spatial Statistics, Longitudinal Data Analysis, Spatio-Temporal Models
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Radu V. Craiu

Professor, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Computational Algorithms, Multiple Comparisons, Competing Risks, Model Selection, Statistical Genetics
Headshot of Jessica Gronsbell

Jesse Gronsbell

Assistant Professor, Department of Statistical Sciences, Department of Computer Science, Department of Family & Community Medicine, Faculty Affiliate, Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence Lead, UTOPIAN Data Safe Haven, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Electronic Health Records, Method Development, Semi-Supervised Learning, Weakly Supervised Learning, Meta-Analysis, Measurement Error, Misclassification
Headshot of Dehan Kong

Dehan Kong

Assistant Professor, Department of Statistical Sciences, Department of Mathematical & Computational Sciences, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Neuroimaging Data Analysis, Functional Data Analysis, Causal Inference, High Dimensional Data Analysis, Statistical Genetics and Genomics
Headshot of Jerry Lawless

Jerry F. Lawless

Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of Statistics & Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo
Research Keywords: Methods Development; Survival Analysis; Event History Analysis; Selective Sampling Designs; Cancer Epidemiology; Clinical Trials; Chronic Diseases; Infectious Diseases
Headshot of Linbo Wang

Linbo Wang

Associate Professor, Department of Statistical Sciences, Department of Computer & Mathematical Sciences, Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Causal Inference, Genetic Epidemiology, Mendelian Randomization
2.3 Computational Biology
Headshot of Gary Bader

Gary Bader

Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, Department of Computer Science, Collaborative Graduate Program in Genome Biology & Bioinformatics, University of Toronto; Principal Investigator, Donnelly Centre; Associate Member, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System; Affiliate Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network
Research Keywords: Cancer Etiology (particularly Breast Cancer), Case-Control Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Genetic Association Studies, Family Registries, Gene-Environment Interaction
Campbell, Kieran

Kieran Campbell

Canada Research Chair, Machine Learning for Translational Biomedicine; Principal Investigator, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute; Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Bayesian Models, Machine Learning, High Dimensional Biomedical Data, Single-Cell, Cancer Genomics, Tumour Clonal Identity, Gene Expression
Headshot of Anna Goldenberg

Anna Goldenberg

Senior Scientist, Genetic & Genome Biology Program; Co-Chair, AI in Medicine Initiative, Varma Family Chair in Biomedical Informatics & Artificial Intelligence, The Hospital for Sick Children; Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Machine Learning, Computational Medicine, Disease Heterogeneity, Data Aggregation, Statistical Network Methods
Headshot of Michael Hoffman

Michael Hoffman

Senior Scientist, Research, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network; Associate Professor, Cellular & Molecular Biology Stream, Department of Medical Biophysics,
Associate Professor (status-only), Computational Biology Group, Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Epigenomics, Machine Learning, Chromatin, Functional Genomics, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Chip-Seq, Dnase-Seq, Graphical Models, Dynamic Bayesian Networks, 3D Genome Organization, Hydroxymethylation, Transcription Factors, DNA Methylation
Headshot of Igor Jurisica

Igor Jurisica

Senior Scientist, Krembil Research Institute; Professor, Department of Computer Science, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto; Adjunct Professor, School of Computing, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Queen's University; Adjunct Professor, Department of Computer Science, York University; Honorary Professor, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Visiting Scientist, IBM Centre for Advance Studies, IBM Toronto Lab
Research Keywords: Bioinformatics, Integrative Computational Biology, Cancer Informatics, Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers, Maternal Fetal Effect, Infertility, System Biology
3. Biomedical Genetics
3.1 Biomedical Genetics (wet-lab)
Headshot of Mohammad Reza Akbari

Mohammad Reza Akbari

Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Faculty Member, Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto; Scientist, Women's College Research Institute; Director, Molecular Genetics Research Laboratory, Women's College Hospital
Research Keywords: Genetic Susceptibility to Breast, Ovarian, Esophageal, Pancreatic and Prostate Cancers
Headshot of Irene L. Andrulis

Irene L. Andrulis

Co-Head, Fred A. Litwin Centre for Cancer Genetics; Senior Investigator, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital; Director, Ontario Cancer Genetics Network, Cancer Care Ontario; Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Molecular Genetics, Micro-Dissection, Gene Discovery, Cancer Genetics, Prognostic Markers, Gene Amplification, Tumour Arrays, Breast Cancer, Molecular Epidemiology, Molecular Pathology
Headshot of Cathy L Barr

Cathy L. Barr

Senior Scientist, Krembil Research Institute; Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto; Senior Scientist, Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children
Research Keywords: Genetics of Psychiatric and Neurological Disorders
Headshot of Jayne Danska

Jayne Danska

Senior Scientist, Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children; Professor, Department of Immunology, Department of Medical Biophysics, Member, Institute of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Lymphoid Neoplasia, Gene Expression, Type 1 Diabetes, Mouse Models of Leukemia, Complex Trait Genetics, Lymphocyte Development, Immunogenetics, Molecular Biology, Real Time PCR
Goncalves, Vanessa

Vanessa Gonçalves

Independent Scientist, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Associate Member, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Psychiatric genetics, Mitochondrial genetics, Genomics, Pharmacogenetics, Molecular Biology
Headshot of Stephen Lye

Stephen Lye

Senior Investigator, Associate Director, The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute
Research Keywords: Complex Genetic and Environmental Factors Involved in Pregnancy and Birth
Headshot of Zdenka Pausova

Zdenka Pausova*

Senior Scientist, Translational Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children; Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Human and Experimental Genetics, Linkage & Association Studies, Childhood & Adult Obesity & Hypertension. *Clinician Scientist
Headshot of Arturas Petronis

Arturas Petronis

Head, The Krembil Family Epigenetics Laboratory, Senior Scientist, Neuroscience Research Department, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health; Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Epigenomics of Complex Diseases
Headshot of Philippe Poussier

Philippe Poussier

Senior Scientist, Biological Sciences, Odette Cancer Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute; Professor Emeritus, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Autoimmunity and Inflammation, Immunology and Genetics of Autoimmune Diseases, Mucosal Immunity
Headshot of Johanne Rommens

Johanna Rommens

Senior Scientist Emeritus, Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children; Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
Research Keywords:Human and Molecular Genetics, Mechanisms of Genetic Disease, Cancer Susceptibility, Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, Gene Expression, Disease Models
Headshot of Stephen Scherer

Stephen Scherer

Chief of Research, Senior Scientist, Genetics & Genome Biology, Director, The Centre of Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children; Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Medical Science, Director, The McLaughlin Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Chromosome Structure, Copy and Structural Variation, Autism
Headshot of Michael D. Wilson

Michael D. Wilson

Senior Scientist, Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children; Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Comparative Genome Biology, Functional Genomics, Bioinformatics, Developmental Biology
3.2 Biomedical Genetics (clinical)
Headshot of Anne Bassett

Anne S. Bassett

Director of the Clinical Genetics Research Program, Clinical Research Department, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health; Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto; Senior Scientist, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute
Research Keywords: Schizophrenia Genetics and Genomic Disorders
Headshot of Dafna Gladman

Dafna D. Gladman

Senior Scientist, Division of Health Care & Outcomes Research, Toronto Western Research Institute; Professor, Rheumatology Division, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: HLA and Rheumatic Diseases, Genetic Studies in Rheumatic Diseases, Prognosis Studies, Outcome Measures
Headshot of Robert Inman

Robert D. Inman

Senior Scientist, Division of Genetics & Development, Toronto Western Research Institute; Professor, Department of Immunology, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Genetics of Arthritis, Autoimmunity & Infection
Headshot of James Kennedy

James L. Kennedy

Head, Molecular Science; Head, Tanenbaum Centre for Pharmacogenetics, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health; Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Molecular Biology, Genetics, Schizophrenia, Pharmacogenetics, Panic Disorder, Bipolar Disorder
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Geoffrey Liu

Senior Scientist, Director, Applied Molecular Profiling Pharmacogenomic Epidemiologic Laboratory, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre; Co-Director, Ontario Patient Reported Outcomes of Symptoms & Toxicity; Co-Director, COMBIEL Training Initiative; Director, CALIBRE; Professor, Department of Medicine, Medical Biophysics, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Institute of Medical Science, Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Research Keywords: Pharmacogenetics, Prognosis, Molecular epidemiology, Cancer *Clinician Scientist
Headshot of Alexander G. Logan

Alexander G. Logan

Investigator, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Professor, Department of Medicine, Department of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto; Member, The Heart & Stroke Richard Lewar Centre of Excellence
Research Keywords: Clinical and Nutritional Epidemiology, Human Hypertension, Sleep-Disordered Breathing, Clinical Trials, Human Physiology, Health Services Delivery, Clinical Nephrology, Endocrinology

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