University of Toronto

Undergraduate Lab Fellow

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Department of Human Biology 

Zhongxinyao (Jack) Du is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a double major in Biology and Health and Disease. With a strong interest in the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and molecular biology, Jack explores how Buddhism psychology and anatomical perspectives contribute to understanding depression and anxiety. Additionally, he investigates the transmission of intergenerational and transgenerational trauma through the lens of epigenetics.

Jack’s research interests center on the biological and psychological mechanisms underlying mental health disorders, particularly how stress, trauma, and environmental influences shape mental health outcomes across generations. By integrating perspectives from Buddhist philosophy, psychological resilience, and molecular biology, Jack seeks to explore novel frameworks for understanding emotional well-being. 

Jack has also gained hands-on laboratory experience working in the Department of Cardiology Laboratory at The Third Military Medical University (Daping Hospital), also known as the Chongqing Key Laboratory of Hypertension Research. There, he focused on cardiovascular pathophysiology, particularly myocardial infarction and hypertensive cardiac remodeling. He had extensive experience in establishing and analyzing murine models of myocardial infarction, applying histological and molecular techniques to investigate cardiac tissue changes under pathological conditions. 

Moving forward, Jack aims to bridge his expertise in biomedical research with a holistic understanding of mental health, integrating insights from Buddhist contemplative traditions with modern neurobiological frameworks. His long-term goal is to contribute to research that not only deepens our understanding of psychiatric disorders but also promotes interdisciplinary approaches to healing and resilience.

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University of Toronto Undergraduate Lab Fellow

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Department of Human Biology

Specialist in Neuroscience with a minor in Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health Minor

Nicolas Viulet is a fourth-year undergraduate student, pursuing a Specialist in Neuroscience with a minor in Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health. 

Nicolas' research interests include altered states of consciousness, mental health, and the ethics of emerging technologies. Nicolas is doing an undergraduate thesis, a systematic review of the effects of psilocybin on mood brain networks in depressed and healthy individuals. 

Furthermore, Nicolas works in the BOLD Lab, on the REF project, which aims to understand language development in refugees. Nicolas aims to use these experiences in hopes of integrating his research interests with efforts to promote the inclusion of marginalized groups in research.

Nic is interested in exploring how structural and functional neuroimaging can serve as the empirical basis for exploring whether Buddhist and Western conceptions of selfhood integrate or differentiate in shaping modern perspectives on ethical dilemmas related to death. Recent neuroimaging research (Dor-Ziderman et al., 2025) has demonstrated that the neural mechanisms which repress the human tendency to associate death with the conception of our embodied self are malleable through meditative practice.

This research has made me interested in understanding how neuroimaging can be combined with  Buddhist and Western philosophical conceptions of selfhood.

Furthermore, I want to understand the relationship and value of these philosophical lenses in shaping modern ethical debates surrounding death, such as palliative care and advanced directives. For example, the idea of "bardo", or the intermediate state between life and rebirth, offers an interesting Buddhist phenomenological description which neuroimaging and Western philosophy can explore (Lott et al., 2021).

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University of Toronto

Undergraduate Fellow

Department of Psychology

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Psychology, Neuroscience Major, and Buddhist Psychology and Mental Health Minor

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Janet Pham is completing a Psychology Specialist, Neuroscience Major, and Buddhist Psychology and Mental Health (BPMH) Minor at the University of Toronto, a unique interdisciplinary combination that reflects her deep commitment to understanding the brain, mind, and human flourishing. Her academic focus integrates cognitive neuroscience, brain health, neurotechnology, contemplative science, and clinical mental health. Through this lens, she explores both empirical and experiential dimensions of consciousness, aging, and neurodegeneration. Janet’s independent research investigates neurofeedback-assisted mindfulness interventions for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers, seeking to bridge neuroscience and contemplative practice in a clinical context.

In addition to her work on Parkinson’s, she has contributed extensively to research on vision, aging, and cognitive decline at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest. Her academic trajectory reflects a passion for harnessing the intersection of cutting-edge neuroscience and ancient contemplative traditions to advance mental health, resilience, and compassionate care across the lifespan.

University of Toronto

Undergraduate Fellow

Department of Human Biology,
Neuroscience, Human Biology & Neurodegenerative Diseases

Moaz Saber is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, pursuing a double major in Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences with a minor in Drama. His academic focus centers on neuroscience and neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, with a strong interest in how fatty acid metabolism and nutritional interventions impact brain function, cognitive decline, and neurological resilience.

Moaz is passionate about understanding the biochemical pathways that contribute to neuronal degeneration and exploring how dietary strategies can be leveraged to support long-term brain health and disease prevention.

This passion has evolved through both academic research and personal curiosity, further deepened by his exposure to mindfulness and meditation practices, which he now studies as complementary approaches to nutritional neuroscience.

Moaz also contributes as a mentor and tutor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine Saturday Program, where he supports youth interested in healthcare.

Outside the classroom, he enjoys playing guitar, squash, and volunteering at St. Michael’s Hospital, striving to connect science, compassion, and service as he works toward a future in medicine and neuroscience education.

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