Design thinking for
BIOLOGICAL TOPOGRAPHY
in service of community
Meet the team
Dr. Shamini Ayyadhury
CEO, Founder
Dr. Shamini Ayyadhury is the Founder and CEO of Panoramics – A Vision, an organization dedicated to advancing collaboration, education, and innovation across the rapidly evolving fields of spatial and single-cell biology.
Under her leadership, Panoramics has grown into a vibrant hub for interdisciplinary collaboration, scientific dialogue, and technology education. She is the creative visionary behind The Panoramic Chapters, the Spatial Nexus Program, and the upcoming Panoramic Innovations, initiatives designed to help researchers navigate the increasingly complex landscape of emerging technologies. She also serves as Chair of True North Spatial, where she conceived and continues to shape a program that brings together scientists, clinicians, technologists, and industry leaders to explore the future of spatial biology.
Dr. Ayyadhury is currently a Scientific Associate at the University Health Network and previously held a Spatial Biology and Computer Vision role at the University of Toronto as a postdoctoral fellow.
She holds a PhD in Neuroscience from McGill University, a Master's in Integrative Neuroscience from Imperial College London, and a Bachelor of Science from the National University of Singapore. Her career has spanned internationally recognized institutions across Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Canada, including Nanyang Technological University, the National Neuroscience Institute, the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (ASTAR), and the Singapore Immunology Network (A-STAR). She was also the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Astraea Bio.
With expertise spanning computational biology, spatial biology, experimental design, computer vision, and high-dimensional imaging analysis, Dr. Ayyadhury combines technical depth with scientific vision. Her work focuses on helping researchers navigate the expanding ecosystem of spatial and single-cell technologies, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and encouraging thoughtful approaches to technology adoption and scientific discovery.
Outside science, she enjoys boxing and creative art - pursuits that reflect the discipline, curiosity, and creativity she brings to her work.
Alyona Ivanova
Creative Director
(The Panoramic Chapters)
Alyona joined Panoramics in 2024 as our Creative Content Manager, where she is responsible for content creation that resonates deeply with our audience. She is instrumental in identifying relevant themes and topics by conducting thorough literature reviews and analyzing insights from community surveys. Her work ensures that Panoramics’ content is both informed and impactful, fostering engagement and curiosity within the scientific community. She served as Program Director for True North Spatial 2026 as part of its inaugural team.
In addition to her role at Panoramics, Alyona is pursuing a PhD in Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr. Sunit Das. Her research focuses on developing novel therapies to overcome chemo-resistance in glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Working at the Brain Tumour Research Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children, Alyona collaborates closely with bioinformaticians, clinicians, neuropathologists, and scientists to bridge the gap between clinical practice and foundational research. Her work aims to advance therapeutic options for glioblastoma patients, bringing hope to those affected by this challenging disease.
Dr. Ashleigh Willis
Creative Director
(The Panoramic Chapters)
Ashleigh is our Creative Director and served as Program Director for True North Spatial 2026 as part of its inaugural team. In her role as Creative Director, she is now developing the workshops for the Enlighten-Me Chapter.
She is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Freda Miller's lab at the University of British Columbia. Her broad goal is to understand how resident neural stem cells in the brain can be harnessed to repair damage from injury and neurological disease, with a particular focus on the role of the surrounding cellular microenvironment. Her current work, supported by an MS Society endMS postdoctoral fellowship, explores how endogenous neural stem cells contribute to the repair of white matter injury-a key pathology in diseases such as multiple sclerosis. To address these questions, she combines single-cell RNA sequencing and single-cell spatial transcriptomics with in vitro systems and in vivo murine models. Before moving to Canada, Ashleigh completed her PhD in Neuroscience in her hometown at the University of Glasgow, where she investigated the interplay of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to schizophrenia. She is passionate about rigorous, collaborative science, loves thinking about challenging ideas, and is committed to contributing to a rich, supportive research environment.
Outside of the lab, Ashleigh enjoys ballet dancing, hiking, birdwatching, and baking.
Kasra Rahimian
Web Development and Tech Manager (Panoramics - A Vision)
Kasra Rahimian is a developer and designer based in Canada with a multidisciplinary background. His work centers on creating thoughtful, functional digital solutions that support research, collaboration, and community engagement. Kasra is interested in how technology can be applied across fields, including science, education, and public knowledge-sharing. With experience in both software development and engineering, he values problem-solving, continuous learning, and fostering supportive environments where ideas can grow.
Arzu
Kirici
Project Management
(Panoramics A - Vision)
Arzu is the Project Manager at Panoramics-a-vision, where she leads the coordination of TNS2026, Canada's first spatial biology summit. She specializes in bridging technical and non-technical teams across biotechnology, healthcare, and IT, translating complex scientific requirements into actionable business solutions. With experience spanning molecular biology, data science, and cross-functional project management, she ensures seamless stakeholder engagement across research teams, software developers, and executive leadership.
