Meet our Summer Students: Janvi Patel and Vaibhav Varma!
Janvi Patel: Mapping of the Cerebellar Nuclei in a Mouse Brain using Immunostaining:
My Summer Research Journey
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work as a research student in Dr. Hassan Marzban’s lab alongside PhD student Azam Asemi Rad, focusing on “Mapping of the Cerebellar Nuclei in a Mouse Brain using Immunostaining.” The cerebellum, often called the “little brain,” plays a key role in balance, coordination and fine motor control functions that we rely on every day, often without realizing it. The cerebellum consists of nuclei, these are group of cells that process and send information to help control movement and coordination. My project aimed to provide insight into how nuclei extend across the cerebellum, from the anterior to the posterior regions. Understanding nuclei organization shows how the different regions interact to maintain smooth, balanced, and coordinated movement.
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As an international student, I initially had limited access to research opportunities, and joining a lab felt both exciting and daunting. While exploring programs, I discovered the ENRRICH summer studentship and am grateful I took the chance to apply. This program gave me access to mentoring and hands-on research experience.
Let's Talk About the Cerebellar Nuclei
Before this summer, the cerebellum remained mostly an abstract concept to me. I knew it played a role in motor control, but I hadn’t realized how important its different sub-regions are in processing and relaying information. Interestingly, these nuclei contain some of the fastest firing neurons in the brain, allowing them to coordinate complex motor and cognitive tasks almost in real time. It’s incredible that just a few millimeters of tissue orchestrate such precision in movement and thought.
Learning Through Research
With guidance, I performed hands-on techniques throughout the project, from carefully preparing and preserving mouse brain tissues to freezing them in a special compound and slicing them into paper-thin sections for analysis. I then used a method called immunostaining, which uses antibodies to highlight specific parts of the brain and make the cerebellar nuclei visible under the microscope.
The process was challenging at first, and I made plenty of mistakes, but over time I became more careful and patient while waiting for the stain to develop. Seeing the cerebellar nuclei appear clearly under the microscope was incredibly rewarding and made the effort worthwhile.
These visual findings helped me see how the cerebellar nuclei are organized across different regions of the brain and how their arrangement contributes to precise body control. I also realized that even the smallest observations can lead to meaningful insights when seen in the context of the whole brain,such as how subtle differences in nuclei positioning influence signal transmission
Why This Research Matters
Understanding how the cerebellar nuclei is organized is key to explaining how the cerebellum integrates motor and cognitive functions. Subtle differences in these structures can provide insight into conditions like ataxia (neurological loss of muscle control), which affect coordination and learning in both children and adults. This project aligns with ENRRICH’s goal of advancing research that supports early understanding and treatment of childhood neurological disorders. It also showed me how careful anatomical work can contribute to improving long-term outcomes in pediatric health.
Reflections & Gratitude
This summer taught me that science is not just about discovery; it thrives on curiosity, persistence, and the excitement of unraveling something new. Every small step in the lab contributed to a bigger understanding of the brain, and participating in that process felt incredibly rewarding. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Hassan Marzban and Azam Asemi Rad for their guidance, and to ENRRICH for giving an international student the opportunity to gain hands on experience in neuroscience. This experience strengthened my passion for the field and reinforced my goal of pursuing a future career in neuroscience research.
References
Altman, J., & Bayer, S. A. (1997). Development of the cerebellar system: in relation to its evolution, structure, and functions. CRC Press.
Voogd, J., & Glickstein, M. (1998). The anatomy of the cerebellum. Trends in neurosciences, 21(9), 370–375. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0166-2236(98)01318-6
Vaibhav Varma: Supporting Mental Health for Families of Children Receiving Neurodevelopmental Services: My First Summer of Research
This past summer, I was fortunate enough to be awarded the ENRRICH Summer Studentship to work under the supervision of Dr. Leslie E. Roos, an Associate Professor in Psychology and Pediatrics and Child Health. Dr. Roos also co-leads the Partnering in Research Innovations in Mental Health (PRIME) Theme at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, where I conducted my research.
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PRIME’s mandate is to identify the key priorities of those who are interested in improving child, youth, and family mental health, through a variety of in-person and eHealth services.
I was drawn to Dr. Roos’ work through learning about the BEAM (Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health) Program, which is an app-based intervention platform co-designed by parents and clinicians to support family mental health. BEAM connects parents with expert-led psychoeducational videos, psychologist-supervised peer coaching, community forums, symptom tracking, and health systems navigation. Previous clinical trials have demonstrated significant reductions in parent depression, suicidality, anxiety, and harsh practices.
Approximately 7–14% of Canadian children are diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Early intervention is critical as NDD service pathways for assessment and intervention are complex with lengthy waitlists, often resulting in elevated levels of parental distress and increases children’s risk for subsequent mental health disorders. Given the current challenges faced by NDD families on waitlist for services, we wanted to explore whether the current version of BEAM was effective in addressing the unique needs of NDD families. Funded by the Kid’s Brain Health Network, this two year project consists of three distinct components (1) a pre-implementation integrated knowledge exchange (iKX) (2) a randomized controlled trial (RCT) assessing the current version of BEAM’s effectiveness for NDD families, and (3) a follow-up iKX event to gain feedback from trial participants.
My work this summer mainly consisted of planning the pre-implementation iKX event, also funded through ENRRICH Theme. I completed our ethics submission to the Research Ethics Board, along with research access applications to our individual partner organizations. This introduced me to the research ethics process and what researchers need to consider when drafting their protocols, including data protection, transparency with participants, and an overall diligence with working in alignment with the conditions of our approval. As we prepare the ethics submission for our RCT, I am also familiarizing myself with the new RITHIM Harmony system.
During our iKX event, we heard from 4 parents from our PRIME NDD Parent Advisory Board, alongside 12 service providers from our partner organizations, including Clinical Health
Psychology, Shared Health Child & Youth Treatment Services, and St. Amant. Our discussions centered on (1) identifying priorities and barriers for NDD families, and (2) assessing the feasibility and acceptability of BEAM within each organization’s service pathway. This was my first time facilitating formal research focus groups, and I quickly learned that an effective facilitator gently guides the conversation, while allowing participants to share their perspectives openly and build off others in the room.
The research team and I are currently analyzing the qualitative data collected from the event using a site-specific inductive framework analysis to identify key themes. I have some previous qualitative coding experience, but working with this specific coding framework on approximately 8 hours of focus group recordings is a meaningful learning opportunity and challenge.
Working with a very bright research team allowed me to absorb these research skills so well and provided me with important insights on research in psychology. A final major highlight from the summer were the delicious King & Bannatyne sandwiches at our iKX event, which were extremely well-received by our participants.
I would like to thank ENRRICH for awarding me their summer studentship, and to Dr. Roos and PRIME for supporting my growth as a student researcher and future clinical psychologist.
Published November 3, 2025
About the Author
Janvi Patel (she/her)
Janvi Hitenkumar Patel is an undergraduate student at the University of Manitoba majoring in Microbiology (Honours) and minoring in Chemistry and Biological Sciences this summer she worked in Dr. Hassan Marzban’s lab in the Human Anatomy and Cell Science department, an experience that strengthened her passion for the brain and reinforced her goal of pursuing a future career in the field.
About the Author
Vaibhav Varma (he/him)
Vaibhav Varma is an undergraduate Honours student in Psychology at the University of Manitoba. After almost completing an Honours degree in Political Science with plans for law school, Vaibhav transitioned to psychology to pursue his genuine passion for supporting mental health research and implementation. Vaibhav’s research interests are individual and family mental health, culturally adapted models of intervention, and men’s mental health. Vaibhav hopes to pursue a master’s degree and PhD in clinical psychology to work as a clinical psychologist.