Our Team
Dr. Travis J. A. Craddock, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Travis J.A. Craddock, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo and is the Tier I Canada Research Chair in Quantum Neurobiology. Dr. Craddock received his Ph.D. in the field of biophysics at the University of Alberta where his graduate research activities focused on subneural biomolecular information processing, and nanoscale neuroscience descriptions of memory, consciousness, and cognitive dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders. His current research activities are focused on applying computational biophysics and theoretical quantum biology methods towards the purpose of identifying novel treatments and diagnostics for complex chronic illness involving neuroinflammation.
Dr. Lea Gassab, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Dr. Lea Gassab holds a PhD in Physics from Koç University in Türkiye and a Master's in Physics from École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France. Her academic journey has spanned various fields, including quantum biology, quantum optics, and quantum metrology. Now a postdoctoral scholar in the Craddock lab at the University of Waterloo, Lea is passionate about exploring quantum effects in natural phenomena, particularly in the brain. Originally from Réunion Island, a French territory in the Indian Ocean, she loves traveling and hiking and has explored many countries around the world. In addition to her research, Lea enjoys engaging with students. Feel free to contact her.
Lea is the recipient of the University of Waterloo Provost’s Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholar Award.
Co-op Undergraduate Student - Science Honours Psychology
Iren Karapetyan
Iren is currently completing her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Waterloo in Psychology. Her work term project in the Quantum Neurobiology lab is to examine the effects of phenethylamine and indoleamine compounds on cytoskeletal and neuronal morphology.
Matthew Colbourne
Matthew is completing his BSc in Biochemistry at Waterloo. In the summer of 2025, he completed a co-op work term in the Quantum Neurobiology Lab. His project used computational molecular modeling to predict binding sites of indoleamines to the protein tubulin. He is currently volunteering in the lab to further this project.
Biochemistry Undergraduate Volunteer
Aswein Senthilkumaran
Aswein is completing his Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at the University of Waterloo. He started volunteering in the lab in April 2025 and during the summer he was learning the fundamentals of quantum mechanics in biology through weekly meetings. He is currently volunteering in the lab.
Biochemistry Undergraduate Volunteer
Dominic De Roche
Dominic is completing his Bachelor's in Science degree in Biochemistry at the University of Waterloo. He started volunteering back in April 2025, attending weekly meetings to learn the fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics and the various aspects of Quantum Biology. He is currently volunteering in the lab.
Biochemistry Undergraduate Volunteer
Mercury Ming
Mercury is currently completing her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at the University of Waterloo. They joined the lab as a volunteer in April 2025, initially attending weekly meetings to familiarize herself with the fundamentals of quantum physics and quantum biology. Mercury is currently volunteering in the lab, exploring changes in RNA sequences of neurons exposed to various magnetic fields.
Psychology Undergraduate Volunteer
SARENA LUK
Biomedical Sciences Undergraduate Volunteer
Sarena is completing her BSc in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Waterloo. She is interested in exploring how chemical binding to the interdimer interfaces of tubulin can affect microtubule dynamics and function. She began volunteering in the lab in September 2025 and has since been acquiring a strong foundational understanding of quantum biology and molecular docking.
AISHA AAMIR
Honours Science Undergraduate Volunteer
Aisha is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Honours Science at the University of Waterloo. She has been volunteering in the lab since September 2025, learning how to apply key concepts of quantum mechanics to biological processes.
Alumni
Dr. Hadi Zadeh-Haghighi was a Research Associate in the Quantum Neurobiology exploring magnetic field and magnetic isotope effects on cognitive functions. He now operates a private research consulting business in Alberta, Canada.
Dr. Hadi Zadeh-Haghighi, Ph.D.
Caleb Siguenza was a Master’s student in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo, studying the effect of serotonin receptor antagonists on the cytoskeleton. He is now living and working in El Salvador.
Caleb Siguenza, B.Sc.
Isabella was a co-op undergraduate student in the Quantum Neurobiology Lab in Winter of 2025, where her project was to map pathways sensitive to radical pair mechanisms based on magnesium and flavin adenine dinucleotide cofactors. She is currently completing her BSc in Biomedical Engineering.
Isabella Barichello
Haneen was a summer undergraduate student in the Quantum Neurobiology Lab. Her project was to develop an algorithm to detect Fano resonances in the Raman spectra of filamentous proteins. She is currently completing her undergraduate degree in medical physics from the University of Toronto.