Research Team

Principal Investigator

Dr. Giannina Descalzi

Dr. Giannina Descalzi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, at the Ontario Veterinary College, in the University of Guelph. Their research focuses on the intersection of pain and emotion, investigating the molecular mechanisms involved in chronic pain development and mental health disorders. Dr. Descalzi’s methods bridge animal models of chronic pain with molecular biology and systems neuroscience to enhance our understanding of chronic pain, mental health, and circuit-wide gene function. Dr. Descalzi holds a doctorate and a master's in Neuroscience from the University of Toronto, and a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Guelph. Dr. Descalzi completed a Banting postdoctoral fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and a second postdoctoral fellowship at NYU.

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Current Graduate Students

Ana Letícia Simal, they/them

PhD Student

Hi! I am an queer Latinx PhD student in Biomedical Sciences with the Collaborative Specialization in Neuroscience at the University of Guelph.

I have a mater's degree in Plant Biology (2016), and a Biological Sciences bachelor's degree (2013), both from the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Besides having a plant biology master's degree, my research background is mainly in molecular biology and genetics.

I am academically inspired to understand the molecular and neurological mechanisms responsible for altering physiological pathways and behaviors in relation to the sensory and affective aspects of pain. I personally connected to this subject because of my family’s health history and for the fact that women, gender diverse, and people in the queer community are heavily affected by one or more forms of chronic pain. The complexity of the brain’s plasticity to adapt to new situations and enable us to learn and survive captivates me. Currently I am still passionate about molecular biology and genetics, but now I combine the aforementioned interests with neuroscience and the study of chronic pain.

Outside of the lab, I like puzzles, 3D printing, and spending time with friends.

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Paige Reid, she/her

MSc Student, '23

I am a Master of Science Student with a specialization in Neuroscience! I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Guelph with a focus on both Biomedical Science and Psychology.

Chronic Pain is a debilitating condition that affects 1 in 4 Canadians, including my amazing sister. Given my personal connection to the cause, and my interest in neuroscience, psychology, and pharmacology, I was thrilled when Dr. Descalzi offered me a fourth-year research position in her lab and even more excited to transition my research into a Master of Science.

My current research investigates sex differences in the molecular mechanisms involved of chronic pain development, with a particular focus on the role lactate, and its precursors in the astrocyte neuronal lactate shuttle. I am also working towards implementing artificial intelligence software to objectively analyze pain-like behaviours of our animals. Soon, I will be investigating the effects of cannabinoids as a potential analgesic for inflammatory derived chronic pain.

Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading, running and spending time in the sun.

Ava Rae Noon

MBS Student, '23

Current Undergraduate Students

Danielle Halasz

4th-Year Undergraduate Student, '22

I am a senior Bio-Medical Science Major at the University of Guelph in the class of 2023.

As someone with a keen interest in mental health and research, I am more than delighted to contribute to work that explores the relationships between chronic pain, neural circuits, emotion, and gene function in the Descalzi lab! I look forward to working on a project throughout my final year of studies that encompasses all these topics.

In my time outside the lab I enjoy volunteering as a distress line operator, as well as an eating disorder clinic volunteer, and my favorite way to de-stress is going for nature walks!

Fariya Zaheer

3rd-Year Undergraduate Student, '24

I am an undergraduate student entering my third year of Biomedical Sciences in Fall 2022. My interest for studying chronic pain stems from personal experiences, which further motivates me to study pain chronification from a preventative perspective.

My current tasks include assisting ongoing projects currently taking place in the Descalzi lab. Alongside with graduate students, I am investigating several brain regions to determine what happens in those localized regions and their interaction with one another when subjected to inflammatory chronic pain.

Outside of the lab, I love to go on long drives and catching up on comedy shows!

Gabriel Levine

2nd-Year Undergratudate Student, '25

I am an undergraduate science student at the University of Guelph entering my third year in the fall of 2023. My involvement in the lab began in my second year of undergrad, where I began investigating the role of the protein Beclin-1 and its involvement in the development of chronic neuropathic pain.

I hope to further our current understanding of chronic pain to promote the development of novel treatment options, ultimately to improve the lives of those affected.

In my free time, I enjoy hiking, playing basketball and reading.

Jocelyn Anderson

1st-Year Undergratudate Student, '25

Lab Alumni

Graduate Students

Kaitlin (Katie) Scherer, MSc Student, '22

James Tang, MSc Student, '21

Aquilla Reid-John, MBS Student, '21

Rahul Thakuri, MBS Student, '21

Mercedes Bair, MBS Student, '20

Undergraduate Students

Rachael Rowe, 4th-Year Undergraduate Student, '22

Grace Guillaume, 4th-Year Major Project (BIOM4522), '22

Maria (Lupita) Reyes, 4th-Year Major Project (NEUR4450), '22

Elia Arbana, 4th-Year Major Project, '21

Tarunpriya Rainu, 4th-Year Major Project, '21

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