ENRRICH Welcomes Our First Trainee Council! Meet the Members
Trainees are the lifeblood of any academic lab and are the future of health sciences. To give trainees a central role and leadership opportunities, ENRRICH has established a trainee council to help further amplify trainee voices and experiences within our theme. The trainee council will be present and involved with ENRRICH events, like planning trainee events at our annual research day. We also plan to have the council lead the planning of trainee-centered initiatives, such as professional development opportunities, trainee retreats, and more!
Read more about our awesome trainee leaders below!
Alana Slike (she/her): President
Alana is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of Manitoba. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Winnipeg, earning a BSc Honours in Neuroscience. Under the supervision of Dr. Galen Wright, her research focuses on identifying genetic modifiers of the rare neurodevelopmental disorder Rett syndrome using stem cell–based human neural models. She has been a member of ENRRICH since 2022, working as a trainee representative on ENRRICH Summer Studentship committee and supporting other trainee initiatives. She is passionate about scientific communication and enjoys creating opportunities that connect researchers with the broader community through outreach and engagement. Outside of research, she loves experimenting with new recipes and traveling to new places in her free time.
Farshid Ghiyamihoor (he/him): Vice President
Farshid Ghiyamihoor is a PhD student in the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science at the University of Manitoba, working in Dr. Hassan Marzban’s laboratory on cerebellar development. His research focuses on developmental neurobiology and is supported in part by scholarships including the CHRIM–Research Manitoba PhD Studentship and the University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (UMGF).
Farshid serves as Vice-President of the ENRRICH Trainee Council, where he works to strengthen trainee engagement and support mentorship and professional development opportunities for emerging researchers. Drawing on his experience as a Trainee Lead within the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) network, he brings perspectives gained through cross-institutional trainee initiatives to support ENRRICH activities.
Outside the lab, he enjoys traveling, spending time in nature, photography, and playing ping pong.
Mason Hollebeke (she/her): Media and Communications Co-Coordinator
Mason is currently a second-year MSc student in Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba, working under Dr. Kelly Russell and Dr. Kerstin Roger. She is the recipient of a CHIR CGS-M (2024-2025) studentship. Drawing on her lived experience as a competitive ringette player, Mason’s research explores how adolescent girls experience sport-related concussion, with a focus on mental health outcomes, recovery processes, and return to sport. Mason completed her undergraduate degree in Health Studies at the University of Manitoba in 2024, where she first developed an interest in feminist theory and its application to health research. Her goal is to generate evidence that supports equitable concussion care and informs policies grounded in the lived experiences of injured youth.
As the media and communications co-coordinator, Mason will assist in managing and creating content for ENRRICH’s social media accounts, as well as creating advertisements for ENRRICH events. In her free time, Mason enjoys playing ringette, exercising, baking, and hanging out with her dog, Stella.
Breanna Amoyaw (she/her): Media and Communications Co-Coordinator
Breanna completed her BSc (Hons) with a major in Psychology and a minor in Biological Sciences at the University of Manitoba. She is currently pursuing a MSc in the College of Community and Global Health under the supervision of Dr. Kelly Russell and Dr. Tamara Taillieu. Her research focuses on the health and social outcomes of women with a traumatic brain injury related to intimate partner violence. She was awarded the CIHR CGS-M (2025-2026) to support her graduate research.
As the media and communications co-coordinator, Breanna will support in spotlighting ENRRICH members and trainees on our social media accounts, and assist in creating advertisements for ENRRICH events. She was drawn to this role because she is interested in social media marketing and event planning. Outside of school, she enjoys working out, playing sports, and volunteering in the community.
Henok Tadele (he/him): Events Co-coordinator
Henok Tadele is a first year MSc student in Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of Manitoba, with interests in neuropharmacology and synaptic signaling. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Manitoba with a BSc in Microbiology, with minors in Biology and Chemistry. He is currently conducting research in Dr. Henry Dunn’s lab at St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, where he focuses on molecular pharmacology and neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders. His current work examines synaptic adhesion molecules and their interaction and modulation of G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) across the synapse, with broader interests in the cellular mechanisms underlying brain dysfunction.
As the events co-coordinator, Henok will assist in the behind the scenes involved with planning our ENRRICH events. In his free time, Henok likes playing basketball, reading, and biking.
Delaram Jebreili Rizi (she/her): Events Co-coordinator
Delaram Jebreili Rizi is an MSc student in Biochemistry and Medical Genetics at the University of Manitoba, working in Dr. Paul Marcogliese’s lab. Her research focuses on modeling SYNGAP1-related disorders and investigating variant function using Drosophila melanogaster. Her work is supported by a Research Manitoba MSc Studentship (2025–2026).
She enjoys working in collaborative research environments and is passionate about connecting basic science to real-world impact. Outside the lab, she expresses her creativity through art and design and enjoys spending time outdoors.
As a member of the ENRRICH Trainee Council, she is excited to contribute to initiatives that bring together researchers, trainees, and patient communities.
Published April 1, 2026