OUR MISSION
BioSA represents all students in Biological Science programs (Specialists, Majors and Minors) at University of Toronto Scarborough.
BioSA acts as a forum for these students to voice their opinions and concerns and serves as a bridge between the Department of Biological Sciences and the students.
We offer many events and seminars on post-degree opportunities and ways to enhance their experience while pursuing their undergraduate degree. We also offer opportunities to give back to the community while providing members with the resources to further their exploration of science related career paths.
You can view our constitution for the 2024-2025 year here.
2024-25 EXECUTIVE TEAM
Presidents
Danielle Nanquil
Human Biology (Major) and Health Studies (Major)
Danielle is one of the Co-Presidents for this year. She is a 4th-year double majoring in Human Biology and Health Studies. She joined BioSA in hopes of helping UofT students navigate their academic journey in biology. She loves travelling and exploring nature. When she’s not helping out with BioSA, she serves at UTSC’s Campus Church. She is currently a research volunteer at Dr. G. Harvey Anderson’s Research Group at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
Fun fact: Danielle loves sushi!
Simran Batther
Human Biology (Major) and Mental Health Studies (Major)
Simran is in her fourth year, doing a double major in Human Biology and Mental Health Studies. This is her third year at BioSA, and also her third year working together with Danielle (other co-president). She hopes to help lead her team to another successful year, with lots of academic and social events. Some things she enjoys are going on walks with her friends and family (while also yapping), going on long drives, exploring downtown, and taking lots of pictures and videos for memories.
Fun fact: Simran’s current favourite show is Gossip Girl.
Email: president@thebiosa.org
Vice-Presidents of Academics
Kobiga Seralathan
Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Specialist)
Kobiga is a fourth-year Molecular Biology and Biotechnology student, who joined BioSA in her first year, to connect with peers and advance departmental initiatives. This year, she’s excited to lead the BioAID tutoring center and organize professor-centered events. She often spends too much time in the BioSA office, so feel free to come say hi! Known for her curiosity, adventurous spirit, and bubbly personality, Kobiga is always eager to explore new opportunities. In her free time, she enjoys arts and crafts, baking, decorating, marketing, reading fantasy and sci-fi novels and webtoons, meeting new people, and discovering new places.
Fun fact: Kobiga has a huge sweet tooth and enjoys trying a variety of desserts.
Zaynab Azeem
Neuroscience (Specialist) and Applied Statistics (Minor)
Zaynab is a fourth-year Neuroscience Specialist, but that does not mean you bully her for being in BioSA – neuroscience is interdisciplinary. She is always down to talk about various topics in neuroscience and is extensively interested in vision-based research. You can find her on the BioSA couch, which is the primary reason she joined the organization, to begin with.
Fun fact: Zaynab’s favourite university course has been PSYB55.
Email: vpacademics@thebiosa.org
Vice-President of Graduate Affairs
Sumaiya Ahmed Ridi
Human Biology (Major) and Neuroscience (Major)
Sumaiya is a dedicated fifth-year student completing her double major in Neuroscience and Human Biology. With a deep passion for understanding brain cognition and memory, she is committed to making an impact both academically and within her community. A proactive leader, Sumaiya thrives on taking initiative—whether volunteering at senior homes or supporting NGOs. Her enthusiasm for science, combined with her desire to help fellow students succeed in their biology studies and create lasting university memories, led her to join BIOSA, where she continues to inspire and support her peers in achieving their academic and personal goals.
Fun fact: Sumaiya loves watching K-Dramas and has watched more than 100 probably.
Email: vpgradaffairs@thebiosa.org
Vice-President of Public Relations
Alexandra Fernandez
Integrative Biology (Specialist) and Applied Statistics (Minor)
Ally is a third-year Integrative Biology Specialist, currently serving as the Vice President of Public Relations for BioSA. She is also the Performance Director for the UofT Drag Club and a videographer for the Andrade Lab in the Labs Linked to Curriculums in STEM initiative. In the future, she hopes to study and continue sharing her love for biology with the world.
Fun fact: Ally is a drag king and really hates butterflies.
Email: publicrelations@thebiosa.org
Vice-President of Finance and Operations
Solomon Tse
Psychology (Specialist) and Biology (Minor)
Solo is a 5th Year Psychology (Specialist) and Biology (Minor) student and serves as this year’s VP of Finance and Operations. At his core is a love of learning new things and exploring media (games, film/TV, anime, music, photography and art) that drives his passion for new experiences. Solo joined BioSA because he saw an opportunity to help inform and create experiences that inform and prepare students for their future, allowing them to make the most of their undergraduate experience. Feel free to reach out about anything!
Fun fact: Funny or scary stats, Solo has apparently listened to 6774 different tracks across 2655 different artists since April 2024.
Email: vpfinance@thebiosa.org
Vice-President of Social
Thiago Moura Estevao Caixeta
Biology (Major), Theatre & Performance (Minor) and Natural Sciences and Environmental Management (Minor)
Thiago is a second-year Biology major working in the Outreach team of the spider lab. In his free time, he likes to pretend he’s in a music video. He also does that when he’s busy. He tends to forget things in places he feels comfortable in. So, if you find a random item in the BioSA office, it’s probably his.
Fun fact: Thiago is a drag queen (and the president and founder of the UofT Drag Club) and Bronze 4 in League of Legends.
Email: vpsocial@thebiosa.org
Secretary
Maria Zimmermann
Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Specialist)
Maria is a third-year Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Specialist, and she joined BioSA because of her passion for helping others strive in their education and career dreams. During her free time, she loves to read, dance ballet, watch Gilmore Girls and spend time with family and friends.
Fun fact: Maria has a Golden Retriever in Brazil named Robin (ask her for pics and she’ll spend 1 hr showing them to you). You can talk to her in Portuguese or Spanish too!
Email: secretary@thebiosa.org
Academics Director
Tiffany Bishun
Human Biology (Major) and Psychology (Major)
Tiffany is a third-year Human Biology and Psychology major. Outside of academics, she enjoys volunteering at the hospital & in her community, playing sports, and spending time with her family & friends. Tiffany joined BioSA to connect with like-minded peers who share a passion for biology and to engage in impactful initiatives. Through BioSA, Tiffany aims to expand her knowledge and contribute to events that will help students find their career path in this dynamic field. She is excited to be a part of BioSA’s amazing team for yet another year!
Fun fact: Tiffany and her brother share the same exact birthday but are two years apart!
Email: academics@thebiosa.org
Volunteer and Charity Director
Shennel Simpson
Human Biology (Major), Health Studies (Major) and Psychology (Minor)
Shennel is a third-year double majoring in Population Health and Human Biology and minoring in Psychology. She is your Volunteer & Charity Director for this academic year, and is happy that she gets to continue serving the biology community at UTSC! Outside of academics, she enjoys volunteering (go figure), writing poems, photography, and listening to music. She also LOVES video games, especially Mario Kart and Splatoon!
Fun fact: Nelson Mandela and Shennel share the same birthday.
Email: vpcharity@thebiosa.org
Medical Sciences Directors
Amirali Nikoo
Human Biology (Major) and Biochemistry (Major)
Amirali is interested in going to medical school so he was like what better extracurricular than being the Medical Science Director lol. He really likes the team and hopes you are all enjoying the events this year. In his free time (if there is such a thing in UofT), he enjoys playing volleyball.
Fun fact: Amirali has a silver medal from the 2018 International Mathematical Competition (IMC) held in Bulgaria.
Shafin Shah
Human Biology (Major) and Psychology (Major)
Shafin is a second-year double majoring in Human Biology and Psychology. When not pretending to know what’s happening in lectures, he’s either coaching tennis or going out fishing. He joined BioSA for the leftover snacks after events, and also to help fellow biologists.
Fun fact: Shafin is a self-declared fastest runner at his elementary school.
Email: medsci@thebiosa.org
Departmental Events Director
Faiza Rutba
Human Biology (Major) and Molecular Biology, Immunology, and Disease (Major)
Faiza is a third-year student double majoring in Human Biology and Molecular Biology, Immunology and Disease. She loves exploring new cafes and restaurants in Toronto with her friends. Faiza joined BioSA to take advantage of the many opportunities BioSA offers to biology students at UTSC. Plus, she couldn’t resist the famous BioSA office couch!
Fun fact: Faiza modelled for a clothing brand and has 3 big jars full of pennies.
Publicity and Marketing Directors
Dhakshi Krishnalingam
Human Biology (Major), Health Studies (Major), and Psychology (Minor)
Dhakshi is a third-year student double majoring in Human Biology and Population Health. She joined BioSA’s PR team so she could combine her passion for both science and art. She loves meeting new people and can’t wait to meet like-minded individuals at the many different events that BioSA has planned for this year!
Fun fact: Dhakshi knows all the best spots downtown and loves exploring new places! She also enjoys doing anything creative, especially sketching!
Jessica Sun
Human Biology (Specialist)
Jess is a third-year Human Biology Specialist. She joined BioSA because of her interest in the events that we host every year! You’ll see her around most likely at the library trying to memorize muscles this year. But if she has time left over, her hobby is to treat herself to a matcha latte and go thrifting.
Fun fact: Jess has an obsession with postcards and stickers, and she likes collecting little trinkets such as pressed pennies.
Nathan Padua
Biochemistry (Major) and Neuroscience (Major)
Nathan is a third-year student pursuing a double major in Biochemistry and Neuroscience. He enjoys spending time outdoors, especially on nature walks, being in the gym or playing volleyball. He also values spending time with friends. His passion for creative design led him to join BioSA, where he aims to use his graphic design skills to help students discover and engage with the amazing resources that BioSA has to offer.
Fun fact: Nathan listens to too much music. His Spotify Wrapped showed that he listened to 147,703 minutes of music at one point..
Social Media Directors
Kirsten Pinera
Human Biology (Major) and Health Studies (Major)
Kirsten is a second-year student pursuing a double major in Human Biology and Population Health. She is passionate about pediatric medicine and is the Social Media Director of BioSA, where she provides creative content to engage her peers. Kirsten enjoys representing diverse voices in STEM and joined BioSA to inspire others to explore biology while building a strong, supportive community. In her free time, she enjoys fashion, volunteering at her church, and participating in Filipino cultural events.
Fun fact: Kirsten loves princess Disney movies and is addicted to iced coffee.
Webmasters
Gabriel Fung
Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Specialist)
Gabriel is a second-year Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Specialist serving as one of BioSA’s webmasters. He has a passion for learning and joined BioSA because of his desire to become more involved with the biology community and work with a team dedicated to reaching out to help other students in the field feel more connected. He makes sure he puts in the effort to reach his goals and will contribute to keeping BioSA running smoothly.
Fun fact: If Gabriel somehow manages to have free time on his hands, he’ll probably either be exercising, playing the piano, watching shows on Netflix, or gaming.
Iknoor Panag
Human Biology (Major) and Health Studies (Major)
Iknoor is a second-year student in the Human Biology and Health Studies (Population Health) program. She joined BioSA to enhance communication and keep biology students connected to resources, events, and opportunities. Outside of academics, Iknoor enjoys reading fiction, watching films and TV shows of almost any genre, and going on walks. She is looking forward to BioSA’s upcoming events planned this year!
Fun fact: Iknoor enjoys baking cakes and her current favourite TV show is B99!
Email: webmaster@thebiosa.org
Senior Year Representatives
Hania Nadeem
Health Studies (Major), Biology (Minor) and Linguistics (Minor)
Hania is a third-year student at the University of Toronto, majoring in Population Health Studies with a double minor in Linguistics and Biology. She is passionate about health policy, event planning, and fostering student engagement. As a Senior Representative for BioSA, Hania joined to bridge the gap between students and opportunities in biology, aiming to create events that promote networking and academic growth. Outside of academics, Hania enjoys graphic design, reading, and volunteering in community outreach programs. Her goal is to contribute to a vibrant and supportive environment for her peers in the Biology Students’ Association.
Fun fact: Hania enjoys mindful walking in nature and often finds peace through reflective journaling and gratitude practices.
Hussain Syed
Human Biology (Major) and Psychology (Major)
Hussain is a fourth-year Human Biology and Psychology major. As a Senior Year Representative, he looks forward to fostering academic success and unforgettable memories for his peers at UTSC. He was eager to join BioSA due to the strong sense of community that it’s helped establish among biology students on campus.
Fun fact: Hussain listens to self-improvement podcasts while procrastinating to convince himself that he’s not really procrastinating.
Email: senioryearrep@thebiosa.org
Second Year Representatives
Naila Tasnin
Molecular Biology & Biotechnology (Specialist) and Biochemistry (Major)
Naila is a second-year Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Specialist (with a major in Biochemistry – she has clearly lost her mind). She also plays a little piano and ukulele sometimes. She joined BioSA because it seemed like it’d be fun (it really is).
Fun fact: Naila has 7 tattoos (and wants more) and has a 3.0-course load (drinks 3 Red Bulls a day).
Nida Rahmani
Human Biology (Major) and Psychology (Major)
Nida is a second-year Life Sciences student, double majoring in Human Biology and Psychology. An aspiring medical practitioner, she loves playing sports and volunteering in her free time. Currently, Nida works as a research assistant at the Lakeridge Health Nephrology Clinic and as a manager at Domino’s Pizza, where she’s known for making the best pizzas. She’s passionate about enhancing the student experience by bridging the gap between academic success and fun, which inspired her to join BioSA!
Fun fact: Nida has a very cute bunny named Snoopy 2 and has rewatched The Office and B99 more times than she can count.
Email: 2ndyearrep@thebiosa.org
First Year Representatives
Isabella Chen
Isabella is a first-year Life Sciences student. She joined BioSA to step out of her comfort zone, get involved, and try to help fellow students thrive in their first year of university by introducing the resources that BioSA can offer.
Fun fact: Isabella is a huge fan of various kinds of fiction novels. Reading fan fiction is also one of the things that she really enjoys doing.
Lily Aligiannis
Lily is a first-year student in the Life Sciences program. She joined BioSA not only because of her passion for the Biological Sciences and the desire to work with like-minded individuals but also to help foster a sense of community among first-year students with similar goals and aspirations in the Biology field. When she’s not in school, you’ll probably find her in the gym lifting, or outside for a run or long bike session. She’s recently been dabbling in crocheting, which has been a fun and rewarding pastime.
Fun fact: Lily has two dogs and a bird, and she has grapheme-colour synesthesia.
Email: firstyearreps@thebiosa.org