Our Team

We are a team of clinicians, researchers, data scientists and technical staff working to improve healthcare with hospital data.

GEMINI Executive Team

Co-Lead

Co-Lead

Director, Operations & Strategic Partnerships

Director, Data Science & Innovation

Team Members

Research Coordinator

Research Systems Administrator

Research Assistant

Manager, Research Program

Danika Anoutchina

Daryl Yau

Assistant Professor, Faculty Affiliate

General Paediatrician & Scientist

Research Data Scientist

Manager, Information Systems

Research Data Scientist

Marwa Ismail

Scientific Advisor

Research Coordinator

Research Assistant

Research Assistant

Investigator

Director, Operations & Strategic Partnerships

General Internist

Amol Verma

Co-Lead

My role with the GEMINI team:

I am an internal medicine physician and scientist at Unity Health Toronto and the Temerty Professor of AI Research and Education in Medicine at the University of Toronto.

My educational background:

I completed a BSc in Microbiology and Immunology at Dalhousie, medical school and residency at the University of Toronto, a Masters in Economic and Social History at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, a 1-year interdisciplinary fellowship with the Canadian Frailty Network a 2-year research fellowship studying big data and advanced analytics in the Clinician Investigator Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and a 1-year fellowship in Artificial Intelligence and Compassion with AMS Healthcare.​

My past experience and accomplishments:

I serve as a Provincial Clinical Lead for Quality Improvement in General Internal Medicine with Ontario Health, the Vice-Chair of the Researcher Council of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, and was a member of the Council of Canadian Academies Expert Panel on Health Data Sharing. I received the 2023 Canadian Society of Internal Medicine New Investigator Award, the 2022 Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Early Career Leadership Award and the 2022 Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s early career Trailblazer Award in Population and Public Health Research. 

I feel most inspired when:

I am near the ocean.​

Fahad Razak

Co-Lead

My role with the GEMINI team:

I am a hospital-based general internist at St Michaels Hospital and Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. I am co-lead of the GEMINI program. I am also the Provincial Co-Lead, Quality Improvement in General Internal Medicine at Ontario Health, and I find this a great fit for my clinical work and research focus. ​

At the University of Toronto, I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation.  I am a member of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.

My educational background:

My training includes a degree in Engineering Science (Biomedical Engineering), Medical Doctorate, Residency and Fellowship in General Internal Medicine at the University of Toronto. I was the first physician appointed as a David E. Bell Fellow at Harvard University and my post-doctoral training focused on social determinants of health and population health through use of large datasets.

My past experience and accomplishments:

Notable research recognitions at the University of Toronto include the Dean’s Emerging Leader Award, the President’s Impact Award, and being named a Senior Fellow at Massey College. I received the Canadian Society of Internal Medicine’s New Investigator Award and the Graham Farquharson Knowledge Translation Fellowship from the PSI Foundation.  I have received >$65 million in grant funding as Principal Investigator from sources such as CIHR, NSERC, and the Canadian Cancer Society. I have published >100 peer-reviewed publications (h-index 35, >50 as first/senior author), including in high impact journals such as JAMA, the BMJ, PLOS Medicine and PNAS as first/senior author. 

I am  a Canada Research Chair in Data-Informed Health Care Improvement and Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. I serve as a Provincial Clinical Lead for Quality Improvement in General Internal Medicine with Ontario Health, and am Vice-President Research at the Canadian Society of Internal Medicine. I am on the advisory board of the BMJ.

I was the Scientific Director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table and co-authored >50 science and policy briefs that shaped the policy, public health and clinical response to the COVID-19 crisis. I am a member of the Federal Expert Panel on Science Advisory and Research convened by the Minister of Health.

I feel most inspired when:

I can see something grow that I have nurtured and cared for. For GEMINI, I feel inspired as I see our team grow stronger and more skilled in striving to achieve the complex and broad goals we have set for ourselves.

Vlad Kushnir

Director, Operations & Strategic Partnerships

Educational background

PhD in Pharmaceutical Science, University of Toronto

MSc in Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto

BSc (Hons) in Biology and Psychology, York University

My past accomplishments

Prior to joining GEMINI, I managed a research program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, aimed at developing and evaluating the effectiveness of brief interventions for addictive disorders and co-morbid mental health issues. In my role, I guided the execution of randomized controlled trials and prospective studies, developed protocols and grants proposals, and managed all data collection and analysis efforts. Some of my key accomplishments include successfully leading a national trial on the real-world effectiveness of nicotine patches which involved over 2,000 participants, acquiring grant funding for problem gambling and tobacco dependence research from national and provincial agencies, and authoring dozens of publications in top-tier scientific journals.​

When I feel most inspired

I have the freedom to explore different ideas and make something my own.

A few of my favourite things

Backcountry canoe camping with my friends and kids

Building something with my kids (i.e. mini catapult, fuel-powered rocket, etc.), essentially anything that has the potential to be launched or explode

Backyard BBQ with friends and family on a sunny summer afternoon

Denise Mak

Director, Data Science & Innovation

Educational background

I have a Computer Science undergraduate degree from the University of Waterloo, as well as a Masters and PhD in Bioinformatics from Boston University.

My past accomplishments

I have been fortunate to have been involved with several major data projects that include managing a national longitudinal database of clinical patient data for a rare disease to studying mental illness using anonymized genetic data.

When I feel most inspired

I know I can’t save lives directly but try to contribute in other ways to make a meaningful impact.

A few of my favourite things

Relaxing with a cup of coffee or glass of wine (depending on the time of day)

Rewatching my favourite shows

Sitting by a fire doing any of the above!

​

Kathlyn Babaran-Henfrey

Research Coordinator

My past accomplishments

I have been involved in several research projects such as the healthcare utilization project, benzodiazepine study, mental health and social determinants of health study to name a few.

A few of my favourite things

Hiking

Travelling

Spending time with family and friends

Krupal Barot

Research Systems Administrator

Educational background

I completed my Masters of Science in computer applications and information technology. I completed a postgraduate diploma in computer and network support technician. I also hold a RHCE and RHCSA certification.

My past accomplishments

I worked as a System Admin where I configured, implemented, troubleshot, updated and maintained production and administrative computing system hardware and infrastructure. I worked for a data center and the GIS (Geographic Information System) industry.

When I feel most inspired

When I am with my family and when I throw myself into it. Just do it! This is what I find myself doing more often than not when I’m stuck on something.

A few of my favourite things

Riding a motorcycle​

Exploring mountains

Photography

Sylvia Cheng

Research Assistant

Educational background

I received my Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Honours Psychology and Business, and a minor in Legal Studies from the University of Waterloo.

When I feel most inspired

When I can make a positive impact in people’s lives. A nice cup of tea doesn’t hurt either.

A few of my favourite things

– Archery
– Drawing
– Every dog in the world 🙂

Chloe Chow

Manager, Research Program

Educational background

I received my Bachelor’s of Science, majoring in Life Science, and then my Masters of Science in Epidemiology from Queen’s University.

My past accomplishments

My past experiences include my Masters thesis project, which investigated the prevalence and determinants of physical activity among ovarian cancer survivors. After completing my masters thesis, I worked at SickKids Hospital for The Children’s Stroke Program, coordinating an international multi-centre study that investigated the Vascular Effects of Infection in Paediatric Stroke.

A few of my favourite things

Movie theatre popcorn (with lots of butter)

Dogs

Swimming in lakes/oceans/pools

Elham Dolatabadi

Assistant Professor, Faculty Affiliate

University of Toronto

Elham Dolatabadi is an Assistant Professor at the School of Health Policy and Management in Machine Learning and Health Informatics at York University and a Faculty Affiliate at Vector Institute. Prior to this, she was a Scientist and Health Lead at Vector Institute, where she led various large-scale projects in collaboration with hospitals, government, and private sectors in Ontario and Canada to deliver innovative AI solutions for real-world healthcare problems. Her interdisciplinary research harmonizes innovations in health informatics and machine learning to address complex challenges influencing human health and to reduce health disparities. In particular, her interest revolves around the three core pillars of multimodal learning in health, health equity analysis using causal mechanisms, and ambient intelligence. She is actively involved in various application domains stemming from these pillars, including characterizing Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC) in Canada, improving youth mental health, building an early warning system for mental health crisis, and responsible development and deployment of clinical AI models.

Peter Gill

General Paediatrician & Scientist

Hospital for Sick Children SickKids Research Institute

My role with GEMINI team:

I am a general paediatrician and scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children SickKids Research Institute, an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, and a Senior Associate at the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford. I am Co-Lead of the GEMINI-Pediatrics program.

My educational background:

I completed a BMSc and MD from the University of Alberta, and a DPhil in Primary Health Care and MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. I completed my paediatrics residency at the Hospital for Sick Children at the University of Toronto.

My past experience and accomplishments:

I co-founded and am Vice-Chair of the Canadian Pediatric Inpatient Research Network (PIRN – https://www.pirncanada.com/), which is focused on generating research evidence to improve outcomes of hospitalized children in general pediatric settings. PIRN includes hospital sites affiliated with all 17 academic children’s hospitals across Canada and over 10 large community hospitals. In 2023, I received the Canadian Paediatric Society Young Investigator Award and the Paediatric Chairs of Canada Emerging Academic Leader Award. I am also a member of the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine and Hospital Pediatrics Editorial Board.

I feel most inspired when:

When I work with inspirational, passionate, and dedicated people  

Yishan Guo

Research Data Scientist

Educational background

I have a Bachelors degree in marine biology and yes I know a bit about planktons, fishes, and whales. I completed my Masters degree in Biostatistics at the University of Toronto.

My past accomplishments

I was the first Data Analyst at GEMINI for two years. Before I join GEMINI again, I spent 4 years in China with my family and I worked in project management and business operation in the manufacturing business.

When I feel most inspired

When I learn something I don’t know

A few of my favourite things

Travelling
Playing sports (basketball, bouldering, snowboarding and more)
Playing with my dog

Ijere Ijere

Manager, Information Systems

Educational background

A graduate of Economics, I have actively pursued a career in Linux Infrastructure management, Automation, Containerization and Orchestration, over an 8-year period, attaining the RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer) and RHCDS (Red Hat Certified Datacenter Specialist) credentials.

My past accomplishments

I have worked as a DevOps Engineer where I created and maintained various continuous integration and deployment strategies for clients in Banking, Telecoms, Education, and Hospitality —using CI/CD tools like Ansible and Jenkins to cut deployment time by 40%.

When I feel most inspired

I share something that helps others overcome a challenge.

I make genuine connections I didn’t think possible, and with someone /people I could never have imagined.

I experience people who transcend their limitations to achieve a feat, small or big.

In knowing that I am a better person today, because of my actions yesterday.

A few of my favourite things

Cooking

Photography

Discovering new places

Arshad Imrit

Research Data Scientist

Educational background

I obtained an Honours BSc (Biology) and later a MSc (Bioinformatics) from York University. During my masters I worked with honey bees, getting stung every summer because we were stealing their honey.

My past accomplishments

I worked as a junior data scientist in ecology, where I looked at the long-term effects of climate change on lake ice in the Northern Hemisphere, where our lake ice work has been recognized several times on the news.

When I feel most inspired

After paddling on Lake Shore after sunrise.

A few of my favourite things

Paddling, camping, race cars, parkour

Jeruby Retnakanthan

Research Coordinator

Educational background

I received my Honours Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Health Studies and Equity Studies from the University of Toronto.

My past accomplishments

Prior to joining GEMINI, I worked to support strategic partnerships and third party researchers at ICES. I also have experience working as a Clinical Research Assistant for a study examining the impact of geriatric assessment and management on quality of life for older adults with cancer.

A few of my favourite things

  • Anything crafty! Knitting, crocheting, sewing – you name it.
  • Ridiculously spicy ramen
  • Road trips

Victoria Kadey

Research Assistant

My past accomplishments

I have over 15 years experience working in various industries and can draw on my knowledge to bring creative solutions to my daily tasks.

A few of my favourite things

Listening to podcasts, walking in nature

Radha Koppula

Research Assistant

Educational background

I received my Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada, India. I also received a PG Diploma in Clinical Research from Oxford College of Arts, Business and Technology, Scarborough Campus, Toronto.

My past accomplishments

​As a Physician, I was involved in service to patients in a variety of healthcare settings such as primary health care centre (PHC) as a Junior Doctor, lab resident in a clinical Biochemistry lab.

When I feel most inspired

Being part of Medical Science research

A few of my favourite things

Gardening & Painting

Amrit Krishnan

Investigator

Amrit Krishnan is a Technical Team Lead at the Vector Institute. He leads the development of open-source software tools for the responsible development and deployment of Machine Learning (ML) systems for healthcare. Specifically, his team develops tools for:

1. Evaluating and monitoring ML systems to help clinical teams adopt them into their workflows in a safe and transparent way.

2. Researching and developing federated learning systems in healthcare settings.

3. Researching and developing foundation models for clinical time-series data.

He has a master’s degree in Engineering Physics, focusing on robotics and complex adaptive systems.

Janice Kwan

General Internist

Sinai Health

Dr. Janice Kwan practices general internal medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and is an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She completed her undergraduate, medical, and residency training all at the University of Toronto.

She was Chief Medical Resident and a fellow with the Veterans Affairs Quality Scholars program in her final year of postgraduate medical training. She went on to earn a Master of Public Health in health policy and management at Harvard University. She was awarded a research fellowship in diagnostic medicine with the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine.

Dr. Kwan’s research focuses broadly on diagnostic error, a relatively neglected topic in patient safety and quality improvement until recent years. In addition, her areas of interest include the study of missed test results, quality of care in general internal medicine, clinical decision support systems, medication reconciliation, and evidence synthesis. Her work has appeared in Annals of Internal Medicine and British Medical Journal.