Hatching Ideas Lab

Clinical Research Program Manager
nedgar@ohri.ca

Nicole Edgar joined the Hatching Ideas Lab in 2018 and has been the Manager since early 2020. She is a jack of all trades and can often be found fighting the good fight to ensure equitable access to mental health care for underserved populations. Outside of the lab, Nicole is often spending time with her pooch Cricket, communing with nature, and crocheting!

Senior Clinical Research Associate
samaclean@ohri.ca

Sarah MacLean has been with our lab since 2015 and is a PhD Student in the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University. When she isn’t coordinating lab outputs, she can be found living her best 90-year old life, crocheting with her three cats by her side. Sarah is passionate about advocacy, especially around access to mental health services, having lost a loved one to suicide in 2016.

Clinical Research Coordinator
broward@ohri.ca

Brooklyn Ward joined our lab in 2020 and graduated from the University of Ottawa in 2019 with her Bachelor's degree. Outside of work she enjoys running, paddle boarding and trying out different coffee shops around the city. Brooklyn is passionate about accessibility to mental health services, particularly for underserved populations.

Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
josburns@ohri.ca

Joe joined the lab in 2022 after years of working in clinical research with a focus on wellness and gender equity and experience with global health. He has an interest in improving mental health care and access and is eager to help with these efforts. When not working, he might be found tending his community garden plot, writing quirky comedy fiction, or playing the hurdy-gurdy

Social Worker
jderraugh@toh.ca

Jennifer Derraugh-Nelson is a Registered Social Worker with the Ottawa Hospital. She has worked with a variety of different populations both before and during her employment at the Ottawa Hospital. She has always had an interest in mental health and the importance of access to support services. Outside of work you will find her driving her two children to their many sporting events and cheering them on from the sidelines.

Clinical Research Assistant 
jesyu@ohri.ca

Jessica Yu joined the lab in 2022 and is currently a PhD Student at the Institute of Health Sciences Education at McGill University. She has worked on epidemiology studies, clinical trials in mental health research, literature synthesis projects and various qualitative studies. In her free time, Jessica enjoys coffee shop hopping, browsing for trinkets and baking!

Clinical Research Assistant
mjormand@ohri.ca

Mahsa Jormand is a graduate student in the School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies at the University of Ottawa and is completing a Co-Op at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Mahsa’s Master of Arts thesis focuses on working with Government-Assisted Refugees at the Catholic Center for Immigrants regarding housing crisis in Ottawa. Her research interests include homelessness and the figure of the political refugee in Anthropology.

Clinical Research Assistant
deruscuklu@ohri.ca

Deniz Ruscuklu joined the lab in April 2025 and graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Psychology. She has worked in both clinical and research environments, and she is interested in contributing to research that helps improve mental health care and patient experiences. In her free time, Deniz enjoys staying active, trying new food and coffee shops, and watching comfort shows.

PhD Candidate 
(Supervisors: Dr. Jess Fiedorowicz, Dr. Ian Colman)
ssidd089@uottawa.ca

Sara Siddiqi is a PhD Candidate in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. She is supervised by Dr. Jess Fiedorowicz and Dr. Ian Colman, and her research interests include investigating the relationship between mental disorders and cardiovascular disease. She graduated from Carleton University in 2022, receiving a Master of Neuroscience. Sara hopes to work at the interface of medicine and research, conducting translational research. She is an avid EDI advocate, and outside of school she enjoys baking and finding hiking trails! 

Medical Student
(Supervisor: Dr. Simon Hatcher)
schou026@uottawa.ca

Serina Choueiry is a medical student at the University of Ottawa who joined the lab in 2025. She completed her undergraduate studies in sciences and psychology at the University of Ottawa in 2024. Her interests include immigrant health and mental health, with clinical interests in family medicine and other areas of generalist care. In her free time, Serina loves playing volleyball and trying new coffee shops around the city.