Our Neuro-CPK Laboratory Team
Lab Lead
Sherif Hanafy Mahmoud, BSc (Pharm), MSc, PhD, FNCS
Dr. Sherif Hanafy Mahmoud, BSc (Pharm), MSc, PhD, FNCS, is a Clinical Professor and Associate Dean, Academic at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alberta, and a neurocritical care clinical pharmacist at the University of Alberta Hospital. He earned his BSc and MSc in Clinical Pharmacy from Ain-Shams University and a PhD in pharmacokinetics from the University of Alberta. With over 20 years of experience in pharmacy practice, Dr. Mahmoud has excelled as a clinician, educator, and researcher. His research focuses on epilepsy, neurocritical care pharmacotherapy, and the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in critical illness. In addition, he is the sole editor of “Patient Assessment in Clinical Pharmacy: A Comprehensive Guide”, an indispensable resource for pharmacists looking to learn or improve crucial patient assessment skills relevant to all pharmacy practice settings. Dr. Mahmoud has received numerous awards, including being named the 2024 Canadian Pharmacist of the Year and being inducted as a Fellow of the Neurocritical Care Society. His work has significantly advanced personalized pharmacotherapy and patient care in neurocritical settings.
Graduate Students and Post-Doctoral Fellows
Maged Kharouba, BSc (Pharm)
PhD Student
Maged Kharouba is a graduate research assistant pursuing his master’s degree at the faculty of pharmacy, University of Alberta. He received his BSc degree (Clinical pharmacy) in 2018 from faculty of pharmacy, Alexandria University, Egypt. He had the chance to be involved, as a first author, in a research article that was published in 2022 related to liver cancer treatment. Moreover, he was involved in teaching pharmacy undergraduate students practical topics related to clinical pharmacokinetics, pharmacy practice, dosage forms, and basics of biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics. Research interests include fields of altered pharmacokinetics, neuro-critical care pharmacotherapy, drug delivery, and nanotechnology. Away from research interests, Maged enjoys soccer, ping pong, and swimming.
Asma Aboelezz, BSc (Pharm), MSc
PhD Student
Asma Aboelezz is a graduate research assistant pursuing her PhD at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta. She earned her BSc (Pharm) from Mansoura University, Egypt, in 2015, graduating with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. In 2021, she obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Pharmacy from Al Ain University of Science and Technology, United Arab Emirates. Asma has also been involved in teaching undergraduate pharmacy students, focusing on practical topics related to pharmaceutics. Her research interests include altered pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients, dosing optimization, population pharmacokinetics, and simulations.
Adham Elshamy, BSc (Pharm)
Master Student
Hello! I am Adham Elshamy. I pursued my BSc degree in Pharmacy at Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Egypt in 2022. I worked as a teaching assistant (TA) at my alma mater in the Clinical Pharmacy department for a year and a half. Through this time frame, I had the chance to teach selected clinical topics from pharmacotherapy courses such as: Diabetes mellitus, Multiple sclerosis, Pneumonia, Sepsis, etc. Moreover, I was able to establish good communication with my undergraduate students and be an efficient team player among my colleagues. Getting involved in the newly implemented OSCE system at my alma mater has honed up from my knowledge. Besides, I worked as a community pharmacist in Egypt for one year in one of the reputable pharmacy chains in the Middle East.
Currently, I can say that my academic excellence has come into fruition by joining UofA in Sep 2024. I am a graduate research assistant pursuing my MSc degree in Dr.Sherif’s lab by being part of a multi-center clinical trial conducted across North America.
Outside the scientific frame, I enjoy watching movies, soccer, running and photography.
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Renee Agnew, RN
Registered Nurse and Research Coordinator
Renee Agnew is a Registered Nurse in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit at the University of Alberta Hospital. Renee received her BSc in Nursing from the University of Alberta in 2004. After graduating, she worked as a travel nurse in Winnipeg, Ireland and Scotland. Upon returning to Canada in 2007, she set her roots in New Westminster, BC, where she worked in the Neurosciences program at the Royal Columbian Hospital for 11 years. Renee and her husband along with their 3 kids decided to make the move back to Edmonton in 2018 and she has been working in the Neurosciences program at the University of Alberta Hospital since. In her spare time, Renee enjoys triathlon, coaching soccer and cheering on her kids in all their adventures.
Ellen Gunn, BSc, MPH (c2026)
Research Assistant
Ellen Gunn is a Master of Public Health (MPH) student at the University of Alberta, pursuing graduate certificates in Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Communicable Diseases. She received her BSc in Immunology and Infection from the University of Alberta in 2023, and then worked as a surgical assistant at an ophthalmology clinic before beginning her MPH in 2024. Throughout her education, Ellen has served as a Patient and Family Advisor at the Stollery Children’s Hospital, where she works closely with the Pediatric Pain Committee. She has also worked on several global health initiatives in Tanzania, including community-driven projects focused on Menstrual Health promotion and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), eventually transitioning into a leadership role where she directed the travel internship program. Ellen is passionate about the intersection of her background in immunology, patient-centered care, and public health, and how these areas can be integrated into clinical, evidence-based approaches to improve patient outcomes. In her free time, Ellen enjoys painting, reading, running, and traveling whenever she can!
Research Staff
Heidi Felderhof, RN
Registered Nurse and Research Coordinator
Heidi Felderhof is a Registered Nurse at the University of Alberta Hospital in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit.She originates from Nova Scotia where she completed a BSc Human Kinetics at Saint Francis Xavier University. She moved to Edmonton, Alberta in 2015 for her second undergraduate degree, a BSc in Nursing from the University of Alberta. She has since worked as an RN in the Neurosciences program at the UAH for the past 4.5 years, and occasionally works in the Emergency Department at the Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital.In her spare time, she enjoys adventuring with her husband, son, and dog, drinking coffee, and tackling DIY projects at home.
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Former Lab Members
Fatma Hefny, BSc (Pharm), BCPS, MSc
Current Position: Pharmacist
Fatma Hefny completed her Master’s degree at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alberta. She received her BSc (Pharm) degree from Cairo University and is a pharmacotherapy specialist (BCPS) certified by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS). She has been involved in pharmacy practice for 10 years. She has practiced as a clinical pharmacist in various clinical settings and has precepted many undergraduate clinical pharmacy students as well as practicing PharmD students. In addition, she has practiced teaching pharmacotherapy and critical care specialties in an academic setting. Fatma’s research interests include critical care pharmacotherapy and altered pharmacokinetics in critical illness.
Fadumo Isse, Pharm D, MSc
Current Position: PhD Student
Hello! My name is Fadumo Isse. I grew up in Somalia with loving parents and loving family. After graduating from high school, I moved to Jordan to study Bachelor’s in Pharmacy (Pharm D) at Jordan University of Science and Technology. Living in Jordan was challenging because of being away from family and friends but it was also rewarding as I overcame the challenges and succeeded to complete my BSc.
In 2018, one year after my bachelor’s completion, I moved to Canada with the goal to pursue my dreams and to continue my education. I joined UofA in 2019 and started my journey in Dr. Sherif’s laboratory as a MSc student in Pharmaceutical Sciences. My research involved in studying the variation in nimodipine exposure and its effect on the outcomes in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. During the period that I was doing the Master’s at Dr.Sherif’s lab , I gained a lot of experiences that were indispensable for successfully graduating from the MSc and for my professional development. It was a golden opportunity that helped me grow to my fullest potential.
Currently, I am a PhD student at Dr. El-Kadi’s lab, conducting research on the role of arachidonic acid metabolism in cardiovascular diseases.
Thank you, Dr. Sherif Mahmoud, for your effort to train me and train other researchers.
Khaled Ibrahim, BSc (Pharm), PhD
Current Position: Post Doctoral Fellow
Dr. Khaled Abdelkawy is a Post doctor fellow pursuing his master and PhD’s degrees at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University. He works as assistant professor of clinical pharmacy, faculty of pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University. He has been involved in pharmacy practice for 20 years. He has practiced as a clinical pharmacist in various clinical settings in Egypt. His main research interest includes pharmacokinetics mainly improving the bioavailability for current drugs, optimizing their therapeutic uses and evaluating possible both herbal-drug and drug-drug interactions. In addition, research interest includes pharmacogenetic pharmacokinetic relationship by studying the effects of genetic variations “SNP” on the pharmacokinetic and clinical outcomes of drug in clinical practice.
Meagan Hayashi, BSc (Pharm), MSc
Current Position: PhD Student and Pharmacist
Ms. Hayashi obtained her MSc. in Pharmacy Practice program at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta. After obtaining her BSc. in pharmacy at the University of Alberta in 2014, Meagan has developed clinical practices in community, primary care network, and hospital settings, utilizing evidence-based medicine to optimize the use of expanded pharmacy scope. Clinically and in research, her interests include cardiovascular care, antithrombotic therapy, and chronic disease management. Her thesis research focused on the clinical utility and feasibly of pharmacogenomics in pharmacy practice, with a priority on healthcare provider education, determination ideal populations and settings for the use of pharmacogenomics, and implementation science within pharmacy scope. Outside of her clinical practice and research, Meagan enjoys mountain biking, skiing, and long-distance running in the Rockies.