Meet your PDAC team.

Dr. Shuhiba Mohammad is a 4th year Postdoc in the Cumming School of Medicine supervised by Dr. Myriam Hemberger and Dr. Wendy Dean, in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Her research focusses on the epigenetic regulation of human trophoblast stem cell identity. Dr. Mohammad also is the founder of the Parent Postdocs Working Group. 

Responsibilities​

Supervises and guides the affairs and actions of the PDAC Executive Council

Conducts or oversees all negotiations done on behalf of PDAC or its members, including collective bargaining

Chairs all meetings of the PDAC membership or Executive, unless delegated to another Executive Officer

Acts as an ex officio member of all PDAC Standing or Working Committees

Acts as the spokesperson for PDAC and its members

Carries primary responsibility for ensuring the effective and efficient functioning of the Executive and the Association and the continuity of PDAC

Presidency started on September 1st, 2026

Shaelyn is a postdoctoral associate in the Parkins Lab in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases. Her research focuses on bacterial strain typing in a cystic fibrosis cohort and using a wastewater-based surveillance platform to characterize pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in marginalized populations. She completed her Ph.D. in Food Microbiology at the University of Alberta, where she served as Chair of the AFNS Graduate Student Association from 2020 to 2023. Outside the office her recreational passions include coffee arts and traveling. As VP communications, she aims to build a more connected and visible postdoc community by promoting events and professional development opportunities across platforms, ensuring postdocs are aware of available resources, and supporting the Executive team in organizing meaningful community-building initiatives.

Responsibilities​

First port of contact for the members of PDAC

Responsible for communicating the affairs of PDAC and the Executive Council to the membership

Manages the PDAC office email account and PDAC member mailing list 

Creates and disseminates the monthly PDAC newsletter

Responsible for designing and updating the PDAC website

Manages the PDAC social media accounts

Advertises PDAC events and manages event registration

Weronika is a postdoctoral associate at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, where she works in the Poissant Lab studying the genetics of Sable Island’s free-living horses. Originally from Poland, she completed her PhD on Arabian horse population genetics and morphometry before relocating to Canada in 2025.

After joining PDAC as a Member-at-Large in April 2026, Weronika now serves as Vice President Operations. In this role, she aims to strengthen coordination across the Executive team, support transparent governance, and ensure that ideas and decisions translate into action for the postdoctoral community.

Away from research and PDAC, Weronika trains for her first Ironman, explores Alberta, and unwinds with nonfiction books.

Dr. Haydee Mesa-Galloso is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary. She completed her PhD in Biophysical Chemistry at the University of Calgary, where she studied lipid–protein interactions using molecular dynamics simulations and computational biophysics. Her current research investigates how membrane lipids regulate proteins involved in cellular function and human health, with a particular focus on ABCA1 regulation during sperm capacitation and the potential effects of environmental contaminants on male fertility.

Beyond academia, Haydee enjoys travelling, spending time outdoors, and exploring Alberta with her family.

As VP Internal, She is committed to strengthening postdoctoral representation, professional development, and community across the university.
Responsibilities: Acts as the primary liaison between the PDAC Executive and the faculties, departments, institutes, and offices within the University of Calgary.

Ellen is a postdoctoral associate in the departments of Kinesiology and Clinical Neurosciences at the Cumming School of Medicine and Hotchkiss Brain Institute. Her research focuses on how motor learning is affected starting at early stages after stroke, how this evolves over time with stroke recovery, and the relationship between motor learning and brain damage in stroke survivors. She is originally from British Columbia and completed her B.Sc. and PhD at the University of British Columbia. In her free time, you’ll find her spending time with her family and pets, practicing and/or teaching yoga, and exploring the great outdoors.

Responsibilities

Responsible for day-to-day financial transactions for PDAC as approved by the executive team in alignment with the annual budget
Compiles budgets to present to the executive team for approval and regularly updates executive on financial standing
Reviews financial transactions and prepares financial reports prior to the annual third-party audit
Creates an annual report and presents findings to the membership at the Annual General Meeting
Provides information regarding current financial standing as requested by members

Helen Okoye is a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Calgary Faculty of Social Work. She completed her doctoral studies at the University of British Columbia examining the intersecting socio-structural determinants of HIV risk behaviour among young people in sub-Saharan Africa. She analyzed the United States Agency for International Development’s Demographic and Health Surveys from sub-Saharan African countries to document regional, within- and between-country differences in the contextual determinants of HIV prevalence among young people. Helen is a firm believer in transdisciplinary scholarship and using mixed methods research approaches to solve real-world complex societal problems affecting young people. She is passionate about social determinants of young people’s mental health and well-being, community-based participatory research and effective interventions that address young people’s mental health challenges, especially for children and adolescents impacted by childhood trauma. Hence, her postdoctoral research is around leveraging implementation science to support the use of trauma-informed principles and the uptake of evidence-based frameworks in children’s residential care services to promote young people’s mental health and well-being.

Her role in PDAC involves promoting a sense of community and fostering connections and belonging among postdocs through planning and executing events that enhance the academic, personal and social lives of postdocs.

Melika is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary. She holds a PhD in Medical Microbiology, and her research focuses on antimicrobial resistance, bacterial genomics, and the discovery and development of new antimicrobial strategies.
As VP External, Melika serves as a liaison between PDAC and its external partners, including other postdoctoral associations at the provincial and national levels. She is passionate about strengthening connections with industry, startups, professional organizations, and the broader community, while sharing relevant opportunities with UCalgary postdocs and expanding access to networking, career development, and professional growth.
Outside of research, Melika enjoys swimming and exploring Calgary and the Rockies.

Dr. Farnaz Sheikhi is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Calgary. Her research focuses on designing trustworthy artificial intelligence and machine learning models for applications in the healthcare and agriculture sectors.

Alongside her research, Dr. Sheikhi has extensive teaching experience and is committed to advancing AI education, knowledge sharing, and the responsible adoption of AI across academic and professional communities. She develops educational programs, fosters collaboration between academia and industry, and creates opportunities for learners to gain knowledge and practical skills in emerging AI technologies.

Dr. Sheikhi serves as the Program Chair of the AI Research School and the Program Coordinator for the National AI Summit, where she is dedicated to advancing AI literacy, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and supporting the next generation of AI researchers and practitioners.