Principal investigator

Dr. Chris Verschoor

• HSN Foundation Research Chair in Healthy Aging, HSNRI
• Assistant Professor, Medical Sciences, NOSM University
• Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, McMaster University
• Assistant Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Laurentian University
• Assistant Professor, School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Laurentian University

Chris received a BSc from the University of Guelph in Biomedical Sciences and both a master’s and doctorate in the areas of animal physiology and genetics. He completed his post-doctoral training at McMaster University in the McMaster Immunology Research Centre where he studied the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the susceptibility of older adults to pneumococcal pneumonia with Dr. Dawn Bowdish. He joined the Health Sciences North Research Institute in 2019. 

In his personal life, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, playing frisbee with his dog, exercising, gardening in the summer, playing hockey in the winter, and of course, playing lots of video games year-round.

Flore Van Leemput

• MSc candidate, Medical Studies, NOSM University
• Studying the determinants of immunotherapy-related toxicity in older adults with cancer
• Secondary dataset analysis, epidemiology, biological aging

Flore holds a BSc from the University of Waterloo in honours health sciences, with a minor in gerontology and a pre-clinical specialization. Her research interests lie at the intersection of aging and immunology, with a focus on frailty and biological age. Having moved frequently during childhood, she now considers three places home—Antwerp, Belgium; Stockholm, Sweden; and North Bay, Canada—each shaping her perspective and fueling her curiosity about the world.

Hesam Hafezalseheh

• PhD candidate, Medical Sciences, McMaster University
• Studying mechanisms of aging through Omics data
• Big data analysis, bioinformatics, epidemiology, biostatistics

Hesam obtained his MSc in Biostatistics from Université Laval and is co-supervised by Dr. Chris Verschoor and Dr. Dawn Bowdish for his PhD. His research interests include statistical genetics, bioinformatics, epigenetics, and aging. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, exploring new trails and scenic spots, and reading novels.

Gerardo Vazquez Del Angel

• PhD candidate, Biomolecular Sciences, Laurentian University
• Investigating how TNF-driven metabolic and epigenetic pathways contribute to cellular aging.
• Immunology, biomedical sciences, cellular signalling

Gerardo earned his B.Sc. in Biology from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and holds an Advanced Diploma in Biotechnology from Seneca Polytechnic. His multidisciplinary research interests span aging, epigenetics, cellular senescence, loss of proteostasis, genetic engineering, evolutionary biology, astrobiology, technology, and environmentalism. Outside the lab, he’s a devoted Ubuntu Linux user and Otaku who loves manga and anime and is currently writing and illustrating his own science-inspired manga series.  

Barack John Chengula

• MSc candidate, Chemical Sciences, Laurentian University
• Studying how chronic inflammation and frailty-associated epigenetic changes affect innate immune responses, with a specific focus on monocyte function.
• Immunology, biomedical sciences, cellular signalling

Barack is from Tanzania and earned a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Sciences from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Witnessing the vulnerability of older patients during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked his interest in the intersection of aging and immune function, which now shapes his graduate research. His research interests span aging biology, inflammaging, cytokine signaling, immune cell activation, and immunotherapy. Outside the lab, Barack enjoys traveling, connecting with friends, exploring diverse cultures, and delving into literature focused on healthcare innovation.