The Journal of Undergraduate
McGill Physiology Students

Simone is a U2 student pursuing a major in Physiology and a minor in English Literature. Through the interdisciplinary lens of both fields, Simone is passionate about making science accessible to anyone keen to learn. She is dedicated to bridging the gap between complex physiological research and public understanding, fostering curiosity and scientific literacy among students from all backgrounds. Her research interest lies in brain hypoxia in critical care patients after cardiac death. As an editor for JUMPS, Simone sees the journal as an invaluable way for undergraduate students to interact with scientific research in a meaningful way. She also sees JUMPS as a resource for students to gain insight into undergraduate research opportunities and the process of academic reviewing and publishing. Outside of academics, Simone serves as the Vice President of the Physiology Undergraduate League of Students, as well as reading, card games, and skiing in her free time. 

Olivia is a U2 Neuroscience student and is currently serving as the U2 representative for the Neuroscience Undergraduates of McGill. Olivia brings a unique interdisciplinary and neuroscientific perspective to JUMPS. Her background in neuroscience allows her to appreciate the immense overlap within these fields Her research primarily focuses on neurogenetics, where she is investigating the genetic basis of a rare neurological disease under the supervision of Dr. Bernard Brais at the Montreal Neurological Institute. Her work involves analyzing patient DNA to uncover genetic patterns linked to the neurodegenerative condition, using statistical and computational tools to explore potential biomarkers. Beyond the lab, Olivia is passionate about making scientific research more accessible to students. She believes that JUMPS offers students a platform to share their work and engage with the research community. When she is not analyzing data or editing manuscripts, Olivia enjoys reading, taking mental health walks with her friends, and spending time with her dog. 

Grace is a U1 Physiology student interested in applying for the Honours program. Her current research focuses on microbial adhesins under Dr. Shuaiqi Guo in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University. She is working towards the structural and functional characterization of TosA, a protein found in uropathogenic E. coli that mediates adherence to host tissues during urinary tract infections. Grace joined the JUMPS editor team in hopes of making scientific literature more accessible to undergraduate students and providing a platform for physiology students to share their research experiences. In the latter half of her degree, Grace looks forward to exploring different avenues of biomedical research, such as cardiovascular physiology, and taking more specialized courses. Beyond her studies, Grace enjoys reading, playing video games, and exploring Montreal.  

Jathin is a U2 student in the Honours Physiology program and serves as a U2 Student Representative on the Physiology Undergraduate League of Students. His research primarily focuses on cardiovascular and endothelial cell genetics, with an emphasis on causal variant discovery and functional characterization in cardiovascular disease. Specifically, he investigates Familial and Sporadic Cerebral Cavernous Malformations (CCM) under Dr. Rajat Gupta in the Mass General Brigham Department of Human Genetics at Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He most recently worked on discovering a novel causal splicing variant in the pathogenesis of CCM.  For his work, he was awarded best presenter at the annual Harvard Genetics Retreat. His newer projects focus on functional proteomics and characterization of the CCM pathway, and further genetic characterization of the disease. Beyond academic pursuits, Jathin is a freelance photographer, tutor, martial artist, powerlifter, and lifelong musician with over 16 years of training in Tabla. 

Ariella is a U3 student with a major in Physiology and a minor in Social Studies of Medicine. She has served on the Physiology Undergraduate League of Students for the past three years and was born and raised in Montreal. Her research interests lie in the field of neurophysiology. For the past two years, she has been working as a research assistant in Dr. Kai Florian Storch’s psychopathology lab where she continues to investigate the link between the infradian mood and sleep-wake rhythms with periods of 48 hours and bipolar disorder in mouse models. Ariella is overjoyed to be a JUMPS editor this year, as she is excited to support the physiology community in their research endeavors by promoting collaboration, scientific curiosity, and the dissemination of impactful findings that can drive innovation in medicine and healthcare. In her free time, she loves trying new restaurants, spending time with friends, and watching a good movie. 

Lareina is a U2 Honours Physiology student and Vice President of Communications of the Physiology Undergraduate League of Students. Her previous research experience focused on cardiovascular physiology under Dr. Alvin Shrier and Dr. Gil Bub. Her independent research project involved optogenetically pacing cardiomyocytes to investigate irregular cardiac dynamics that could cause arrhythmia. She also developed an interactive Javascript- and HTML-based app that helps students understand the complex biophysical phenomenon of circus movement reentry and its increased prevalence in stress conditions. Dr. Bub has used this app in BIOL 309 and PHGY 210 earning positive feedback from students on its impact of learning outcomes. Currently, she is exploring neuroscience research under Dr. Sjostrom, focusing on brain plasticity in the context of  learning and memory. Beyond academics, Lareina is a varsity badminton athlete, tutor, pianist, marathon runner, passionate foodie, and novice content creator with a YouTube channel!

Bruno is a  U1 Physiology student interested in neurodegenerative pathology and research methodology. While JUMPS is his first experience with undergraduate research, he has nevertheless come to appreciate the incredible diversity of topics in physiological research and the numerous ways authors engage with them. By working on JUMPS, Bruno aims to expand the influence of undergraduate research by increasing its accessibility for everyone. He hopes to inspire current undergraduate students to engage with science and academia. Bruno looks forward to conducting research at McGill in the upcoming semesters and applying to the Honours program. Outside academics, he is a frequent photography contributor for The Tribune, a private tutor in STEM, and a (very much novice) member of the Nordic Ski team at McGill.