Student Research Group
The Department of Dentistry Student Research Group (SRG) is a student-run organization supported by Network for Canadian Oral Health Research (NCOHR), Canadian Association of Dental Research (CADR), and the School of Dentistry.
Purpose
To foster an environment that encourages undergraduate and graduate student interaction in research. We provide students with networking, leadership training, and mentorship opportunities and foster research collaborations amongst students. Benefits in being associated with the SRG include opportunities for SRG-sponsored research activities and the ability to provide suggestions, comments, and/or concerns regarding student life to the executive committee through your representative.
The SRG representatives are elected in Fall of every year and the student representatives for 2024-2025 are listed below.
Masoud Mirimoghaddam
Elected Representative: Clinically Intensive Graduate Programs
Masoud obtained his DDS degree from Iran in 2018 and practiced dentistry for three years. He then pursued graduate studies at the University of Alberta, joining as an MSc student in 2021, focusing on healthcare utilization of oral cancer patients in Alberta. Currently, he is a PhD student in periodontology, aiming to apply the data analytical skills he developed during his master's studies and utilize artificial intelligence to enhance periodontal and broader dental research. When he's not doing research, Masoud enjoys hiking, spending time in nature, and sharing quality moments with friends and family.
Amir Rahmati
Elected Representative: Research-Intensive Graduate Programs
Amir completed his BSc degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta where his passion for research began. Currently, Amir is pursuing graduate studies in Medical Sciences, investigating the role of immature erythroid cells in a model of breast cancer. In his free time, Amir likes to read and stay active and explore the Edmonton River Valley.
Ava Nasr Esfahani
Member at Large
Emily-Marie Roberts
Member at Large
Emily Roberts completed her studies in Dental Assisting (2017) and Dental Hygiene (2019) at Durham College in Oshawa, ON. Additionally, she earned her Honours Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from George Brown College in Toronto, ON, in 2024. Currently, Emily is advancing her knowledge and research as a Master’s student (MSc) in Dental Hygiene, where her work focuses on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Alongside her studies, she serves as a clinical instructor for dental hygiene students at the University of Alberta. Outside her academic pursuits, Emily is a sports enthusiast, having proudly represented Team Canada in junior roller derby twice. She also enjoys exploring the outdoors through hiking, kayaking, and camping.
Michelle Bey
Michelle obtained her DDS degree from Chile in 2021. She enjoyed working on her undergraduate thesis centered on studying the effects of binaural stimulation on pain perception, and decided to continue her studies focusing on research, joining the MSc in Dentistry program from the University of Alberta. Since she is always asking questions, she decided that she may as well learn to answer them properly, while experiencing new things in Canada.
Rojin Adabdokht
Rojin was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, where she graduated from dental school in 2021. After one year of dental practice, she decided to pursue a research-intensive master's program here at the University of Alberta. Since she has always been fascinated by coding and statistics, she engaged in data science research. Currently, Rojin is developing different Artificial Intelligence models to assist both dental patients and dental staff in having a better experience in the clinic.
Bryan Wang
Daman Kaur
I am an internationally trained dentist and I did a Health Systems Management Post graduate diploma from London Ontario. I am currently in my final year of the DDS program at the University of Alberta. I have lived in India, Belgium and Ontario,Canada and I love to travel to new places around the world and learn new things about them.I have been part of Research at the school and looking forward to this new position at the Student Research Group where I'll be able to learn and contribute to research for myself and my fellow dental students.
Lina Al-Baghdadi
Lina completed her first undergraduate year at MacEwan University and gained admission to the University of Alberta's Bachelors of Dental Hygiene program (Class of 2026). As she immersed herself in oral biology and health sciences coursework, her passion for research deepened. She now volunteers as a research assistant, enthusiastically exploring the world of research and graduate school. Additionally, as the Dental Hygiene class representative, she's dedicated to assisting her peers in pursuing similar opportunities.
Dr. Reid Friesen
Dr. Friesen is a board-certified Oral Medicine specialist. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta in 2014. During his dental education, he won several awards, including the Gold Medal in Dentistry for graduating first overall in his dental class. Subsequently, he embarked on his Oral Medicine Specialty training at the University of
Alberta and obtained a master’s degree in medical sciences in 2018. He is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta and is involved in training Oral Medicine graduate students, as well as undergraduate dental and dental hygiene students. Additionally, he is a fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada (RCDC). His clinical practice focuses on the treatment of Orofacial Pain/Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction, Oral Mucosal Disease and Dental Sleep Medicine.
