Lab members
Anna Mikhailov
Research Analyst & Lab Lead
Anna Mikhailov started at MiND lab as a research project course student during her fourth year at the University of Toronto back in 2005. She is celebrating 20 years at CAMH in 2025!
After graduating from UofT in 2006 with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Genes, Genetics, and Biotechnology, she stayed at CAMH as a research analyst, and later took on the role of lab lead as well. Anna oversees lab housekeeping, mentors junior students, and supports senior lab members.
Anna has lived in three countries! She was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, grew up in Israel, and later moved to Toronto.
Away from the lab, Anna spends her free time outside in nature. She loves hiking, walking trails, and cottaging in Northern Ontario. As a mother of two, she spends most of her time with her family, clocking out of the lab lead position and into her mom lead one. Anna also loves spending time with her grandchild (her daughters puppy) and watching travel programs. Anna’s recent trip to Italy and Switzerland has been her favourite travel experience by far.
Katrina Good
PhD Student
(she/her)
Katrina Good is a visiting PhD student from the University of Victoria working with the Vincent Lab. Her research focuses on how regulatory RNAs interact with the protein MECP2, mutations of which are linked to Rett syndrome. After completing her PhD, Katrina will join the lab as a post-doctoral fellow.
Originally from Toronto, Katrina has been fascinated by proteins and epigenetics since her undergrad at UVic, where she first joined Dr. Juan Ausió’s lab. Along the way, she’s earned both Master’s and Doctoral Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships form NSERC.
Outside of science, she enjoys spending time with friends at local parks and a wide range of restaurants, from hole-in-the-wall diners to Michelin-level establishments—often guided by her past experience and connections in the food industry. Her taste in music is broad, spanning from artists like Brian Eno, Metronomy, and Dimmu Borgir.
Margarita Zemechman
Research Trainee
Margarita Zemechman is a research trainee working on a wide range of projects, including SHH signaling, CRISPR9, guide design cell culturing, ZNID6 SOGA1 validation, and ARSID NPW validations. She is completing her Ontario Advanced Diploma in Biotechnology at Fleming College, where her current internship at the MiND Lab serves as a program requirement and an early step in her career.
Before pursuing biotechnology, she studied medicine for two semesters and completed a hospital internship, gaining familiarity with the medical field. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she volunteered at two horse rescues, where she was trained to administer medicine and carry our daily livestock care.
Margarita has lived in four countries- Russia, Israel, the United States, and now Canada- and speaks three languages fluently. Outside the lab, Margarita is an artist who enjoys creating original drawings and custom portraits. She’s also a passionate foodie with a special love for sushi. In her downtime, she enjoys reading (with The Hunger Games as a favorite), watching Stranger Things, and listening to a wide variety of music, from Imagine Dragons and Linkin Park to Sia, Eminem, and Chris Brown. While not an avid sports fan, she enjoys watching games with her dad, especially when cheering for their favorite team, the Kansas Jays.
Clara Wang
Research Assistant
Clara Wang is a research assistant working on in silico and in vitro analyses of interactions between binding partners of the CHD2 protein and its mutants, which are linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto, Clara is specializing in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, with a major in Applied Genetics and Biotechnology. Before Joining the MiND Lab, she volunteered at a therapeutic summer camp for children with autism, an experience that inspired her current research on the molecular basis of autism. She also volunteers at the UHN, providing administrative support for a genetics clinic.
Outside of academics, Clara enjoys baking, playing piano, reading (her favourite book being Little Women), and hiking- especially during the fall, her favourite season.
Tahir Muhammad
PhD Candidate
Tahir Muhammad is a PhD candidate in Medical Science a the University of Toronto. His research focuses on understanding how missense mutations in chromatin-modifying genes such as CHD2 and CHD8 contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders, using both in silico and in vitro approaches to explore their molecular their molecular mechanisms.
Originally from Pakistan, Tahir earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Peshawar and a Master’s in Applied Life Sciences (Neuroscience) from Gyeongsang National University in South Korea, where his research focused on the neuroprotective effects of melatonin and hesperetin—a citrus flavonoid—in models of Alzheimer’s disease. His current doctoral work builds on htis foundation by integrating computational biology and molecular neuroscience to advance the development of precision medicine for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Outside the lab, Tahir enjoys exploring Toronto’s diverse food scene, spending time outdoors, and following new developments in science communication and mental health advocacy.
