Vanessa Ross

Vanessa is a second-year medical student at McGill University. She studied for one year as a Med-P student. Vanessa’s curiosity and little knowledge of rare diseases motivated her to join RareDIG in 2021 as VP finance. Throughout her time at RareDIG she has enjoyed learning all about rare diseases and helping in the planning of Rare Disease Day. As president this year, she looks forward to continuing to raise awareness and advocate for patients with rare diseases this year!

Elie Fadel

Elie is a Medical student at McGill University and this year's VP Communications for RareDIG. Elie decided to join RareDIG because of the very honorable mission of this initiative. When thinking about rare diseases individually, they do indeed seem very infrequent in the population. However, importantly, when looked at collectively, these diseases are not as rare as one may think. Thus, Elie is very honored to be part of an initiative that puts rare diseases at its core, and is always happy to contribute to the team!

Ana Maria Stamatescu

Ana Maria is a second-year medical student at McGill University. She completed the Med-P program at McGill prior to entering medical school. She is passionate about RareDIG's mission of being a voice for people with rare diseases, as these patients often face immense hurdles in receiving quality healthcare. Ana Maria is excited to join the RareDIG team as VP Finance this year and to contribute to the organization of another enriching RareDIG Day!

Alex Chapleau

Alex is a PhD student in Neuroscience at McGill University. Having grown up in a family affected by a rare neurodegenerative disease, Alex knows first-hand of the struggle patients and their loved ones face. She has been involved with various PAGs over the years, most notably, the United Leukodystrophy Foundation since 2008. Alex also spent 3 summers working for Easter Seals as a supervisor at their overnight camp for children with physical disabilities, helping her campers achieve greater independence, accessibility and integration. Her experiences have driven Alex to pursue a career in rare disease research which she is currently fulfilling in the laboratory of Dr. Bernard. Alex is one of the students spearheading the creation of a rareDIG research chapter in order to better bridge the fundamental “bench to bedside” link in patient care and advocate the importance and value of researching orphan disorders.

Valeria Sygal

Valeria is a second-year medical student at McGill University. Since the very beginning of her medical journey, she has been engaged in several activities aimed at raising awareness about rare diseases in various specialties. She joined RareDig during her first year of medical school with the hope of continuing to promote the crucial importance of sensitizing the general public and her fellow colleagues to the challenges posed by rare diseases. She firmly believes that every aspiring medical professional should possess a foundational awareness of rare diseases to improve patient care. As the VP of Professional Development, Valeria will work to establish this year's mentorship and shadowing program, providing students with the opportunity to explore diverse medical specialties while gaining insight into the realm of rare diseases.

Shreya Udupa

Shreya is currently a first-year medical student at McGill University, having completed the Med-P program before entering medical school. Rare diseases have always held a profound fascination for Shreya, driving her curiosity to explore the depths of the medical world. Joining RareDIG isn’t just an opportunity for her to learn more; it’s a chance to actively contribute to the club’s mission. Shreya’s interest in advocacy and equity motivates her to make a meaningful impact. As VP of Professional Development, she is excited to collaborate with the team and bring her passion to this important cause.

Emma Rodriguez

Emma is a second-year medical student at McGill University who completed the Med-P program before starting medical school. Her journey through medical education and active participation in research projects has ignited a deep interest in medical genetics, with a particular focus on neurogenetics and congenital malformations. This passion has drawn her to RareDig's mission, where she is dedicated to raising awareness about rare diseases, advocating for individuals affected by them, and promoting education to enhance patient care.

Hongda Li

Hongda is a medical student at McGill University. He completed the Med-p program prior to entering medical school. According to him, patients with rare disease often receive a sub-optimal quality of healthcare, and it is importance to raise awareness for those individuals. He joined the rareDIG group at the beginning of his Med-p program as VP junior. His current works consist of organizing events and running the rareDIG website. 

Julia Macintosh

Julia is a PhD student in Neuroscience at McGill, researching rare forms of severe neurodevelopment disorders. Prior to starting her PhD, she completed a BSc in Anatomy and Cell Biology and Pharmacology and an MSc in Neuroscience. It was during her master’s degree studying rare forms of pediatric neurodegeneration that she first learned about the collective prevalence of rare diseases. Motivated by this experience, she joined RareDIG to help improve awareness of rare diseases and the need for rare disease research.

Miriam Taza

Miriam is a Neuroscience master student at McGill University. She completed her HBSc at the University of Toronto, double majoring in neuroscience and psychology. She currently researches the relationship between preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease and neuromodulatory inputs in the hopes to identify early biomarkers for disease prevention. Through her involvement in several research projects and speaking directly with people living with different types of dementias, she felt inspired by the patients strength and felt motivated to learn more about rare diseases by joining RareDIG. By being part of RareDIG, Miriam hopes to increase awareness and expand research efforts of rare disease to improve the lives of patients.

Amanda Morrone

Amanda Morrone is a medical student; prior to medical school, she completed the Med-P program and attended Marianopolis College. Amanda is very passionate about the field of Medical Genetics, music and student government; she is excited to share her logistical skills in the planning of RareDig Day!

Siavash Kermani Koosheh

Sia is a medical student at McGill University. He completed his bachelors in Neuroscience at the University of Winnipeg and is currently finishing a Master's degree at the Integrated program in Neuroscience. During his time in graduate school, Sia first became aware of the collective high prevalence of rare diseases and the lack of resources and support offered to patients and their loved ones. After hearing about RareDIG in his first-year medical class, Sia decided to join the newly formed research branch. With the advent of molecular genetic sequencing, rare diseases are being discovered and diagnosed at an unprecedented rate. Improving awareness of current rare disease science is pivotal to being able to provide accurate and timely diagnoses as well as propel the field forward with increased interest in rare research.