Jerilynn C. Prior is a Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, working on women’s health. She has spent her career studying menstrual cycles and the effects of the cycle’s changing estrogen and progesterone hormone levels on women’s health. In 2002, she founded the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR) and serves as the Centre’s Scientific Director. She is also the British Columbia Centre Director of the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos), a 20-year prospective 9-centre population-based bone and general health study. Dr. Prior studies menstrual cycles, the effects of ovulation and its disturbances on women’s later life osteoporotic fracture, heart attack and breast cancer risks. She has studied progesterone as a treatment for hypothalamic (stress related) period disturbances, low bone density, and for hot flushes and night sweats in menopausal women (1 year since their last flow) and in perimenopausal women (who are in the transition but not yet menopausal).

Dr. Prior grew up in Alaska where she completed grade school and high school. Using scholarships, she received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Linfield College, Oregon (with honours) in 1965. She graduated from Boston University School of Medicine (with honours) in 1969 and began her training in Internal Medicine in Boston. Dr. Prior has previously worked as a physician in Boston, MA, Poughkeepsie and Syracuse NY, and Barrow and Fairbanks, AK. She moved to Canada in 1976 and became a citizen because she believes in the Canadian universal health care system. Dr. Prior has been singing with the Vancouver Bach Choir since 1979, walks and kayaks for relaxation and health and loves to read. Her daughter and son live and work in Vancouver. In 2008 she became the very proud, “Granny J.”

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Dharani (Dhani) Kalidasan is CeMCOR’s Administrative Coordinator with close to 10 years’ experience coordinating the Centre’s daily activities and team interactions. She is responsible for managing all administrative, HR, and financial tasks in addition to facilitating medical student research projects with the Centre. Dhani works closely with CeMCOR’s Scientific Director, Dr. Jerilynn Prior as her academic assistant in scheduling Dr. Prior’s activities but also in helping to decide the Centre’s research priorities and engagement. She is involved in many research projects as a co-investigator aiding in high-level clinical study administration, study recruitment and manuscript writing and publication.

She is currently taking the first authorship role in a PCOS systematic review and meta-analysis. Dhani has a Master of Science in cell and molecular biology and physiology from Simon Fraser University. She enjoys working with the Centre’s diverse team, a unique and one-of-a-kind women’s health research centre and appreciates the international and local collaborations CeMCOR has established and maintained over many years.

Sonia Shirin is a Research Associate at CeMCOR with over 18 years of experience in women’s health, clinical medicine, and public health. Sonia earned her MBBS, MPH, and MPhil in Bangladesh and completed a Master of Health Science at the University of British Columbia where she received the UBC Medicine Graduate Award in 2015. At CeMCOR, she is involved in multiple clinical studies, supports medical students’ FLEX projects, and contributes to peer-reviewed scientific publications. Proficient in SPSS and R, she excels in data management and statistical analysis.

Sonia has a strong academic foundation, having served as a faculty member teaching undergraduate medical students and supervising their research projects. She has also provided mentorship to research and statistical support teams. Sonia’s research expertise spans both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Her clinical experience includes managing obstetric and child patients, enriching her comprehensive understanding of women’s and children’s health. She is passionate about advancing evidence-based approaches to menstrual cycle and ovulation health and remains committed to improving care through research, collaboration, and knowledge translation.

Nahid Shirazian is a dedicated healthcare professional with a passion for improving women’s health and well-being. Residing in Vancouver, BC, Nahid boasts a diverse background in endocrinology, clinical research, and academic instruction. With a Doctor of Medicine degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences and specialized training in endocrinology from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Nahid brings a wealth of expertise to her work in women’s health. Nahid joined CeMCOR in March 2024 as Research Coordinator for the Endometriosis and Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT) Activity Study. Her contributions to the project highlight her dedication addressing critical issues facing women’s health.

In addition to her research endeavors, Nahid has served as a Consultant Physician at Atieh Hospital in Tehran, Iran, where she collaborated on patient care initiatives and led educational seminars on lifestyle interventions for disease prevention. Throughout her career, Nahid has remained dedicated to advancing women’s health through education, research, and advocacy. Her cohort study on Gestational Diabetes resulted in two published papers, showcasing her commitment to evidence-based care and research in women’s health. Her last submitted research was, “Feeling of Self-Worth in Healthy Premenopausal Women—relationships with menstrual cycles and ovulation over 1-year in the Prospective Ovulation Cohort.” Her research areas of interest include–Ovulation, Menstrual Cycle, Self-worth, Gestational Diabetes, and Prolactinoma.

Priyanka Poulose is a communication designer specializing in brand identity, program design, knowledge translation, and project coordination. At CeMCOR, she has spearheaded the Centre’s brand refresh, communications, and led the user interface design for the new website, with a focus on improving accessibility and engagement across diverse audiences. Her practice bridges visual storytelling, user-centered design, and inclusive research methods to help organizations communicate complex information in meaningful and actionable ways.

With a background in architecture and graphic design, she brings 8+ years of experience building meaningful visual identities and spatial experiences for 40+ brands, with a more recent focus on post-secondary education, healthcare, and community-focused projects. Priyanka holds a Master of Design from Emily Carr University (2024) where she was awarded the Governor General Gold Medal and the WA Architects Master of Design Award. She completed a Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) from the University of Mumbai in 2015 and currently resides in Vancouver, BC.