Derya Sargin
Associate Professor, PI
Derya received her BSc degree in Molecular Biology & Genetics from Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey and joined the International Max Planck Research School graduate program in Neurosciences in Goettingen, Germany. Her PhD work with Dr. Hannelore Ehrenreich at the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine identified molecular and cellular mechanisms contributing to the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric diseases and led to the development of novel and effective treatment strategies for patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disease. She completed her first postdoctoral training with Dr. Sheena Josselyn at the Hospital for Sick Children on emotional memory formation and allocation. She then moved onto Dr. Evelyn Lambe’s lab at the University of Toronto where she identified novel chronic stress-induced regulatory mechanisms in serotonergic neurotransmission. She started her lab in August 2019 at the Department of Psychology, University of Calgary and holds membership in the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute.
Daniel Feng
Lab Manager
Daniel completed his B.Sc in Biochemistry at the University of Waterloo and M.Sc in Pharmacology at the Université de Montréal and has been working in the field of behavioural neuroscience in both academic and industry research labs since. His research interests in neuroscience are broad spanning from next-gen. psychedelics, motivation, chronic stress, epilepsy and enjoys the challenge of developing pre-clinical models to study these focus areas. His interest in neuroscience led him to join the University of Calgary in April 2024 as lab manager for the Sargin Lab and the Epp Lab to continue supporting neuroscience research. Outside of the lab, Daniel enjoys being outdoors by hiking and exploring parks in the summer and shredding the mountains in the winter.
Mio Tsutsui
Research Associate
Mio received her B.Sc and D.V.M at the Nihon University School and Veterinary Medicine. After working as a Research Associate in the Department of Pathology, she immigrated to the United States and soon after to Canada. Mio worked as a Research Technician in the laboratories of Dr. Quentin Pittman and Dr. Jaideep Bains at the University of Calgary. In March 2022, Mio joined the Sargin lab as a Research Associate. Having expertise with stereotaxic injections, jugular vein implantation, CSF sampling, histopathology, and cell culture systems, she is an asset to a variety of subjects within the lab. In her free time, Mio enjoys teaching Japanese and gardening when the weather permits in Calgary.
Nahid Rouhi
Postdoctoral Researcher, Harley Hotchkiss-Samuel Weiss and ACHRI Postdoctoral Fellow
Nahid obtained her BSc degree in Biology from Kurdistan University, Iran. Her passion for neuroscience led her to join the Neuroscience Research Center of Medical Sciences at Hamadan University, Iran, where she investigated the role of glutamatergic receptors in the reward pathway using conditioned place preference. Nahid joined the Mirnajafizadeh lab at Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran, as a PhD student in 2014. During her PhD, she unraveled the impact of dopamine on hippocampus-dependent synaptic plasticity using electrophysiological and behavioural techniques in animal models of epilepsy. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Sargin lab, Nahid is investigating the effects of early life stress on serotonin physiology. Her work aims to shed light on the intricate mechanisms underlying stress and complex behaviours, ultimately contributing to the understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Shaista Jabeen
Postdoctoral Researcher, ACHRI STEP Postdoctoral Fellow
Shaista completed her undergraduate studies at Patna Women’s College, India, earning a BSc degree in Industrial Microbiology. She then pursued her MSc degree in marine biotechnology from Goa University, India. During her Master's program, she developed a keen interest in biophysics and the intricate mechanisms of neural conduction, particularly the resemblance of a neuron to a cable. This fascination served as a strong motivation for her to join the lab of Dr. Vatsala Thirumalai at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, India, which focused on neuroscience research using the larval zebrafish model. In her Ph.D. work, Shaista investigated the roles of gap junctions in chemical synaptogenesis using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology and electron microscopy. Following her PhD, Shaista pursued a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in Dr. Vidita Vaidya's Lab at TIFR Mumbai, India. During this time, she explored the effects of serotonergic psychedelics on hippocampal plasticity using in vivo electrophysiology. Currently, in Dr. Sargin’s lab, Shaista is delving into the impact of early-onset serotonin dysfunction on the neurobehavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease. Additionally, she is investigating potential treatment interventions using serotonergic psychedelics. In her personal life, Shaista enjoys various activities such as reading books, painting, and cooking but above all, she cherishes spending time with her little girl.
Hoda Ranbar
Postdoctoral Researcher, Eyes High and CIHR Postdoctoral Fellow
Hoda obtained her MSc degree in medical physiology from Isfahan University of Medical Science and completed her PhD in neuroscience under the supervision of Dr. Mohammad Shabani at the Kerman Neuroscience Center, Iran. During her PhD, she focused on characterizing changes in the electrophysiological activity of Purkinje cells in an animal model of cerebellar ataxia using patch clamp techniques. She gained extensive experience in various behavioural, electrophysiological, and molecular techniques through the development of numerous research projects. In the Sargin lab, Hoda is investigating the role of cerebellar serotonin circuits in a mouse model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. In her personal life, Hoda loves engaging in a wide range of activities like doing DIY projects, immersing herself in the world of fiction through reading books, exploring new cultures and places through travel, and playing basketball.
Matt Dawson
PhD Student, Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship Awardee
Matt received his BSc in Psychology from University of Calgary. After successfully defending his MSc thesis in the Sargin lab, Matt continued to pursue his PhD in September 2022. Matt uses in vivo calcium imaging, optogenetic and chemogenetic techniques and machine-learning based behavioural analysis to examine the neural systems that regulate social interaction. Outside of the lab, Matt trains on an Olympic weightlifting team and enjoys hiking with his two Labrador Retrievers.
Olivia O'Neill
PhD Student, Harley Hotchkiss-Samuel Weiss Graduate, Eyes High Fellowships, NSERC CGS-D Awardee
Olivia completed her BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience from Wilfrid Laurier University. She received her MSc degree in Neuroscience and Applied Cognitive Science from the University of Guelph supervised by Dr. Boyer Winters where she focused on identifying the involvement of dopaminergic D1 receptors in memory modification using pharmacological manipulations and various behavioural tasks in rodents. As a PhD student in the Sargin lab, Olivia is studying how chronic unpredictable stress during development impacts neural circuitry and function, and how these changes contribute to deficits in socioemotional behaviours. Outside the lab, Olivia enjoys exploring new restaurants and coffee shops, catching up on reality TV, and hanging out with her cat Murphy.
Ayşegül Gemici Sinen
Visiting PhD candidate, TÜBİTAK 2214/A International Doctoral Research Fellow
Ayşegül completed her MSc in Physiology at Manisa Celal Bayar University and is currently pursuing her PhD in Biophysics at Akdeniz University under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Narin Derin. Her research is particularly centered on synaptic plasticity mechanisms underlying cognitive dysfunction in neurodegenerative conditions. Since May 2025, she has been conducting part of her doctoral research in the Sargin Lab as a visiting researcher, focusing on measuring hippocampal calcium dynamics using in vivo fiber photometry. Outside the lab, she enjoys hiking in nature, reading books, and developing new recipes in the kitchen.
Osman Sinen
Visiting Researcher
Osman received both his MSc and PhD degrees in Physiology from Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine. His graduate studies focused on the gut-brain axis, particularly investigating neural mechanisms involving the dorsal vagal complex. His postdoctoral work focuses on translational approaches to alleviate both motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. Since May 2025, he has joined the Sargın Lab as a visiting researcher, contributing to ongoing neuroscience projects alongside his spouse, Ayşegül. Outside the lab, Osman enjoys fishing, being at sea, camping, and playing chess.