About Us

Parneet Deo is a second-year medical student at the University of British Columbia. During her first year, she joined the PRISM Oncology team through her FLEX block and continued her involvement after receiving a Student Summer Research Program (SSRP) grant. Her research focuses on understanding patient-reported outcomes following breast cancer surgery in the context of social determinants of health among patients in Southeastern British Columbia. Through this work, Parneet aims to better understand how quality of life changes after surgery and how these experiences can inform decision-making for patients considering surgical treatment. She is excited to continue working with the PRISM Oncology team and to contribute to advancing research in women's health.

Ruben is a recent Computer Science graduate from the University of Waterloo and will be starting his Master's at UBCO this fall. His project centers on using AI to accurately estimate tumor volume from mammograms—work that feels both technically exciting and deeply meaningful. He feels incredibly fortunate to be joining the PRISM Oncology team, where he hopes to learn as much as possible from the experienced professionals around him. Since this is his first real exposure to healthcare, Ruben is looking forward to absorbing everything he can—about the field, the people, and how AI can make a real difference.

Andrew Loe is an incoming second-year medical student at the University of British Columbia's Island Medical Program and a research student with the BC Cancer surgical oncology team. His research focuses on the application of artificial intelligence to cancer care and medical imaging. He is currently co-leading a scoping review of deep learning approaches to breast cancer segmentation in 2D mammography. More broadly, his interests span diagnostic imaging, the clinical translation of machine learning, and tools that make specialized medical information more accessible to patients. Outside of research, Andrew is an accomplished violist who continues to perform both locally in Victoria and internationally. You can currently find him playing in a number of local orchestras, performing with his award-winning chamber group, or continuing his private study under UVic's Joanna Hood. He also co-founded the Canadian Doctors Orchestra, a national ensemble bringing together physicians and medical professionals from across Canada to combat rising rates of burnout and raise money for charity.

Alexander Niazi is a second-year medical student at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He also serves as a researcher at the University of British Columbia, where he works in the field of DNA nanotechnology. Additionally, he is the founder of NanoVisualize, a biotechnology company that specializes in custom biomedical software development and operates through the website nanovisualize.ca. Currently, he is working on the mammographic tumor accuracy project, which involves developing artificial intelligence models for breast tumor segmentation and validating their performance against pathological findings. The primary goal of this project is to apply machine learning techniques to mammograms in order to improve the preoperative assessment of surgical margins. Overall, Alexander Niazi is deeply interested in the integration of machine learning with clinical medicine. Main contact email: alexander.niazi@bccancer.bc.ca Alternate email: alexanderniazi25@rcsi.com

Lauren Pitre is a medical student at the University of Alberta (c2029) with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of British Columbia Okanagan. As a First Nations scholar, she is committed to advancing Indigenous cultural safety in healthcare and research, with a focus on addressing systemic inequities and supporting culturally grounded, community-centered care. Through her work with PRISM Oncology, Lauren contributes to data entry and quality improvement projects, gaining experience in health data management and system-level improvement initiatives.

Luigi completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Human Kinetics at Ohio Wesleyan University and is currently a medical student at the University of British Columbia’s Southern Medical Program in Kelowna. Having served as a research coordinator at BC Cancer Kelowna for three years, his previous work with the PRISM Oncology team includes evaluating the impact of level 1 oncoplastic breast surgery on patient-reported outcomes following breast-conserving surgery. His current project aims to evaluate how pre-existing psychiatric disorders affect surgical treatment choices and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following breast cancer surgery. Luigi hopes his work will contribute to more informed surgical decision-making and enhanced patient care. He is excited to continue contributing to local research initiatives and is deeply passionate about serving and giving back to his hometown of Kelowna and the Interior Health region as a whole!

Olivia is a medical student at the University of Limerick in Ireland and a graduate of the University of British Columbia Okanagan, where she earned a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Psychology. She spent three years as a research intern at BC Cancer during her undergraduate studies and transitioned into a Research Coordinator role shortly after graduation. Olivia has been involved with the PRISM team since its early stages, contributing to the program’s development and success. Her work with the PRISM team has primarily focused on patient-reported outcomes following breast cancer surgery, including studies examining the impact of oncoplastic breast surgery on quality of life and patient experience. Through this work she has developed a passion for surgical research and advancing patient-centered care. She credits BC Cancer and the PRISM team as instrumental to her personal and professional development, providing opportunities to grow as both a researcher and future physician. Although she now studies abroad, Olivia remains closely connected to the program and is proud to continue supporting the PRISM team and its ongoing impact.

Jennifer is currently studying Information Design at Mount Royal University, and she's thankful for the chance to work in a health program for the first time. She's helping out with the project's visual identity—logo design, domain name selection, website building, and other communication materials as they come up.