Advisory Board Committee

The CaMSIGN Advisory Board Committee consists of neurosurgical faculty and residents who provide expert advice that is geared towards improving CaMSIGN’s strategic missions and long-term goals. By relying on their knowledge in the field, critical thinking and analysis we are grateful to be making improvements to our events to best serve medical students across Canada and beyond.

Faculty

Dr. Mojgan Hodaie

MD, MSc, FRCSC

Dr. Mojgan Hodaie

MD, MSc, FRCSC

Dr. Mojgan Hodaie is a Professor at the University of Toronto Department of Neurosurgery and a staff neurosurgeon at the Toronto Western Hospital. With expertise in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, she is the co-director of the Gamma Knife Centre. Dr. Hodaie also runs an active laboratory centred on structural MRI imaging with a focus in neuropathic pain. She has published prolifically and is recognized as a global leader in functional neurosurgery.

Dr. Sunit Das

MD, MA, PhD, FAANS

Dr. Sunit Das

MD, MA, PhD, FAANS

Dr. Sunit Das is a neurosurgeon and scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Kids, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. He currently serves as the CNS Tumours Lead at Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario). Dr. Das’s clinical practice is focused on the care of patients with benign and malignant brain tumours. His laboratory in the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Centre at the Hospital for Sick Kids focuses on the molecular and genetic mechanisms that regulate cellular plasticity, fate specification and treatment resistance in glioblastoma.

Dr. Rolando Del Maestro

MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS, DABNS

Dr. Rolando Del Maestro

MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS, DABNS

Professor Rolando Del Maestro is a Canadian neurosurgeon, scientist, innovator and Director of the Neurosurgical Simulation and Artificial Intelligence Learning Centre. He has led the Brain Research Laboratories at Western before joining McGill in 2000. With over 40 years of experience, he has been involved in training many neurosurgical residents with a practice focused on neuro-oncology procedures. Serving as the Director of McGill's Brain Tumor Research Centre, his current investigation explores the utility of virtual learning and artificial intelligence in surgical education.

Dr. Mostafa Fatehi

MD, MSc, FRCSC

Dr. Mostafa Fatehi

MD, MSc, FRCSC

Dr. Fatehi obtained a double major in Mathematics and Physics (Hons) at the University of Prince Edward Island. He subsequently moved to the University of Toronto for his medical degree and also received a MSc degree in molecular genetics. Early research and clinical exposures to neurosurgical oncology and epilepsy surgery influenced his career aspirations. Thus, upon the completion of his neurosurgical residency in Vancouver, Dr. Fatehi spent a year with Dr. Walter Hader at the University of Calgary to gain further experience in adult and pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Residents & Fellows

Dr. Nicholas Sader

MD, MSc, FRCSC

Dr. Nicholas Sader

MD, MSc, FRCSC

Dr. Nicholas Sader is a Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellow at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and University of Southern California who completed his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Manitoba. He defended his MSc in Clinical Epidemiology under the supervision of Dr. Jay Riva-Cambrin and Dr. Keith Yeates while enrolled in the Clinical Investigator program at the University of Calgary. His research looks at the largest prospective, concurrent cohort of children with a concussion to date, including advanced neuroimaging. Specifically, if a novel MRI technique called quantitative susceptibility mapping can help diagnose and predict concussion recovery in children. The study’s results will provide insights into how mild TBI affects brain structure and help promote advances in clinical care for children with a concussion by facilitating diagnosis and recovery prediction. He plans to pursue a fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery after completing his residency. He aspires to contribute as a neurosurgeon-scientist pushing the boundaries of concussion and pediatric neurosurgery research leading to improved patient care.

Dr. Jenna Smith-Forrester

MD, MSc | PGY-4

Dr. Jenna Smith-Forrester

MD, MSc | PGY-4

Dr. Jenna Smith-Forrester is a PGY-4 Neurosurgical Resident at Dalhousie University. She completed her Doctor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia’s Northern Medical Program, graduating as valedictorian. Prior to medical school, Jenna completed a Master's degree in Neuroscience at UBC and a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at Dalhousie. During her master's she studied the use of new positron emission tomography (PET) tracers as potential biomarkers in the study of traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative disease. Jenna also has extensive experience and academic interest in training undergraduate and medical students in quality improvement methodology and hopes to continue integrating these practices into each phase of her training and medical career. She is currently enjoying maternity leave following the birth of her first child.

Dr. Jasleen Saini

MD | PGY-2

Dr. Jasleen Saini

MD | PGY-2

Jasleen is a PGY-2 neurosurgery resident at the University of Toronto. He recently completed his Doctor of Medicine program at the University of Saskatchewan. During his undergraduate degree, he completed an honours project working on animal models of epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases. His current academic interests include pituitary adenomas and meningiomas.

Dr. Mohammad Mashayekhi

MD, PhD | PGY-1

Dr. Mohammad Mashayekhi

MD, PhD | PGY-1

Mohammad is a PGY-1 neurosurgery resident at the University of Ottawa. He recently completed his Doctor of Medicine program at the University of British Columbia. He has always remained fascinated by the inner workings of the human brain and aspires to continue his future trajectory in neurosurgery. He is excited to help connect all Canadian medical students interested in neurosurgery and provide opportunities for networking between medical students, surgical residents and faculty neurosurgeons.

Dr. Philip Kawalec

MD | PGY-1

Dr. Philip Kawalec

MD | PGY-1

Philip Kawalec is a PGY-1 neurosurgery resident at the University of Manitoba. Philip was first exposed to the field of Neurosurgery and intricacies of the nervous system after shadowing in his first year of medical school. Since then, his interest in the field has grown exponentially and he is delighted to be a part of CaMSIGN.

Advisory Board Committee

Faculty

Dr. Mojgan Hodaie

Dr. Sunit Das

Dr. Rolando Del Maestro

Dr. Mostafa Fatehi

Residents & Fellows

Dr. Nicholas Sader

Dr. Jenna Smith-Forrester

Dr. Jasleen Saini

Dr. Mohammad Mashayekhi

Dr. Philip Kawalec

Events

Resources

Team