Current Team
Dr. Tony P. George
Senior Scientist
Dr. Tony P. George is a senior scientist at CAMH’s Institute for Mental Health Policy Research (IMHPR), and a professor of psychiatry at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto (UofT).
He received his undergraduate and medical school training at Dalhousie University, then completed psychiatry residency (1992-96) and fellowship in Translational Neuroscience (1996-98) at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. He was on the Yale Psychiatry faculty from 1998-2007, and then moved to Toronto as the inaugural Chair in Addiction Psychiatry at UofT (2006-2012). He has held several leadership positions, including as Chief of Schizophrenia (2008-16) and Addictions (2016-19) Divisions and Medical Director of the Complex Mental Illness Program (2012-16) at CAMH, and Co-Director of the Brain and Therapeutics Division in the UofT Department of Psychiatry (2006-2018). In 2023, he was appointed as Co-Principal Editor for Neuropsychopharmacology (NPP), the official journal of The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP).
Sofia Ruggiero, MSc
Research Coordinator
Sofia is the Research Coordinator at BACDRL. She earned her MSc in Clinical Psychology from San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy. Before joining BACDRL, she completed a psychology internship at the Addiction Service of San Raffaele Hospital, where she gained experience in the assessment and treatment of substance use disorders. She is passionate about advancing research on concurrent disorders, contributing to the development of effective treatments, and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction.
Maryam Sorkhou, HBSc
PhD Candidate - Institute of Medical Sciences
Maryam holds an Honours BSc in Psychology from the University of Toronto and is currently completing her PhD in Medical Science at the same institution. She studies how sex and gender interact with mental health and substance use, using neurobiological and behavioural approaches. Passionate about blending neuroscience, psychology, and public health, she works toward solutions that centre marginalized populations and elevate voices that are often left out of mainstream science. A fun fact about Maryam is that she’s always hunting for her next favourite film, with a soft spot for international cinema and horror, and she loves experimenting with recipes from around the world.
Julia Ryan, HBSc
MSc Candidate - Institute of Medical Science
Julia graduated from Queen’s University in 2024 with a HBSc, majoring in Life Sciences and minoring in Environmental Studies. Julia’s research interests include cognition, addiction, and mood disorders. Julia’s favourite part of working in the BACDRL lab is getting to meet our participants and work with all the amazing people in the lab!
Parker Grant, HBSc
MSc Candidate - Institute of Medical Science
Parker holds an Honours BSc in Psychology from York University. Her research focuses on how motives for substance use influence outcomes among individuals who use substances. Before pursuing psychology, Parker had a career as a professional contemporary dancer in New York City!
Eryn Lonnee, HBSc
MSc Candidate - Institute of Medical Science
Eryn graduated from Western University with an Honours BSc in Neuroscience and Minor in Pharmacology. Her research interests involve studying the relationship between substance use disorders and psychiatric illness in individuals with dual diagnoses. She is very excited to explore these themes through the BACDRL.
Shreya Sharma, HBSc
MSc Candidate - Institute of Medical Science
Shreya completed her undergraduate studies at McMaster University in the Honours Integrated Sciences program, with an Interdisciplinary minor in Sustainability studies. Her undergraduate thesis in the faculty of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour examined the evolutionary underpinnings of depressive rumination. Her graduate research interests include the relationship between addiction, depression, and motivation.
Emma Zannata, HBSc
Clinical Research Assistant
Emma graduated from the University of Toronto with a HBSc majoring in Human Biology and minoring in Physiology and Immunology. She is an RA in the BACDRL lab and enjoys working with the participants and collaborating on manuscripts. She plans to pursue a career in medicine!