UBC Prisman Lab | Meet the Team

Meet the Team

2026 Core Lab Members

We are currently recruiting graduate (Master's/PhD) students to join our lab! Please inquire at ubcvirtualsurgery@gmail.com with your CV attached.

Principal Investigator

Eitan Prisman

Dr. Eitan Prisman, a distinguished head and neck surgeon at Vancouver General Hospital and UBC, blends medical expertise with technological innovation. He has pioneered advanced robotic surgeries and virtual surgical planning since 2014, revolutionizing medical technology in clinical practice.

Medical Office Assistant

Kelly Rai

As Dr. Prisman's Medical Assistant and Prisman Lab head manager, Kelly ensures the smooth operation of Dr. Prisman's practice by managing patient appointments, handling booking logistics, and providing support for clinical and surgical scheduling needs. She is the heart of the research lab!

Lab Manager

Diane Pan

Diane started at Prisman Lab in 2023 as a clinical research co-op student. She completed her undergraduate degree in Behavioural Neuroscience at UBC and is continuing at the lab as a research assistant. She helps with managing projects, grant submissions, and other lab logistics. In her free time, she loves to make pottery and go hiking.

Research & Development Engineer

Chayce Ross

Chayce joined the team in May 2025 and received his BASc in Engineering Physics in 2026.

Research Coordinator

Tayo Steininger

Tayo is a third-year student in Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience at UBC. She joined the team in May 2025 as the Clinical Research Assistant. She loves to ski and spends her free time enjoying the ocean as much as possible.

Research Coordinator

Alan Wei

Alan is a third-year student in Integrated Sciences at UBC, specializing in pathophysiology and public health. He joined the team in May 2026 as a Clinical Research Assistant. He loves to play badminton and ultimate in his free time.

Surgical Post-Doctorate Fellow

Naseem Saleh

Dr. Naseem Saleh joined us in June 2026 as a Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Fellow at UBC.

PhD student

Jamie Kwon

Jamie is a PhD student in the Experimental Medicine program at UBC. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry in 2023, MSc in Experimental Medicine in 2025, and is currently studying early diagnosis and TORS outcomes for oropharyngeal cancer patients, as well as the utility of virtual tumour margin communication in optimizing radiation planning in head and neck cancer.

Research & Development Engineer

Jessica Rosenberry

Jessica is a third-year biomedical engineering student at UBC, specializing in biomechanics. She joined the team in May 2025 as an R&D Engineering co-op. Outside of work, Jessica is part of the UBC cheer team.

Research & Development Engineer

Josh Njongwe

Joshua is a third-year biomedical engineering student at University of British Columbia, specializing in signals and systems. He joined the team in May 2026 as a R&D Engineering co-op, contributing to virtual surgical planning and biomedical engineering research projects. Outside of work, Joshua plays varsity soccer at UBC.

Research Coordinator

Jovan Cheema

Jovan is an undergraduate Co-op student just out of his third-year, majoring in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience at UBC. He joined the Prisman Lab in September 2025 as the Clinical Research Assistant.

Research Coordinator

Mathew Fu

Mathew is a third-year student in Cellular, Anatomical & Physiological Sciences at UBC. He joined the team in May 2026 as a Clinical Research Assistant. Outside of work, Mathew enjoys travelling, skiing and spending time with friends and family.

Collaboration

We closely collaborate with...

Head, VGH Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery

J. Scott Durham

Dr. Durham is a highly experienced Clinical Professor at UBC and the Head of VGH Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. He specializes in head and neck oncology as well as oromandibular and facial reconstructive surgery. Our team works closely Dr. Durham's to provide the best possible care.

ISTAR - UBC Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor

Sid Fels

Dr. Sid Fels has been a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UBC since 1998. Dr. Fels received his PhD and MSc in computer science at the University of Toronto in 1994 and 1990 respectively and his BASc in electrical engineering at the University of Waterloo in 1988.

ISTAR - UBC CS and Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor

John E. Lloyd

Dr. John E. Lloyd is a Research Engineer in CS and Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia. He is the Principal software developer for the ArtiSynth project.

ISTAR - UBC Mechanical Engineering Professor

Antony J Hodgson

Dr. Antony J Hodgson is a senior professor in biomedical engineering with an established research program in surgical technologies, experience in entrepreneurship and technology transfer, and a demonstrated history of curricular leadership and innovation.

ISTAR Group - UBC Electrical and Computer Engineering Ph.D. Candiadate

Hamidreza Aftabi

Hamidreza Aftabi is a PhD candidate and research assistant at the HCT Lab and the ISTAR group within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia. His research primarily focuses on surgical simulations, biomechanics, machine learning, and robotics.

UBC Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor

Septimiu Salcudean

Dr. Septimiu (Tim) E. Salcudean is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UBC. He received his BEng and MEng from McGill University and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, all in electrical engineering. His research focuses on ultrasound, teleoperation and image-guided surgical robotics.

UBC Electrical and Computer Engineering Postdoctoral Fellow

Wanwen Chen

Dr. Wanwen Chen received her PhD within the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of British Columbia in 2026, supervised by Dr. Tim Salcudean. Her research interests are in ultrasound imaging and image guidance for robot-assisted surgery.

Associate Professor and Director of Research for the Division of Otolaryngology in the UBC Faculty of Medicine

Cathie Garnis

Dr. Cathie Garnis is currently appointed as Associate Professor and Director of Research for the Division of Otolaryngology in the UBC Faculty of Medicine and as a Scientist at the BC Cancer Research Centre. Her work is focused on deriving new knowledge regarding tumor biology and the creation of molecular tools that can be effectively applied to guide clinical management of cancer patients.