Introduction

dear reader,

Welcome to the inaugural issue of The MeduCollab! Over the past year, we were able to collaborate with an incredible team to explore the vast field of health sciences through both writing and visual mediums. Through this small, hearty zine we hope to showcase the many pieces our mentees have worked hard on throughout the academic year!

We are excited to feature two Opinion pieces, an Interview Spotlight, and six Artist Showcases in this issue! In his opinion piece, Nehal Lubana outlines common stressors affecting undergraduate undergraduate students and discusses the negative lifestyle changes that follow. Meanwhile, Alan Cheng examines the consequences of Homecoming and Fake Homecoming traditions frequenting Ontario universities. Hannah Silverman parts from social issues with her interview with Dr. Eric Brown, a Professor at McMaster University whose research explores novel strategies in combating the ever-growing antibiotic resistance.

From the Graphics and Illustration side, we have two Artist Showcases for each of our three illustrators. Sowmithreee Ragothaman beautifully depicts the workings of the blood brain barrier as well as how social determinants impact one’s health. David Zhao illustrates the imminent dangers of water toxicity and the emergence of soft robotics in medicine. Aishwaria Maxwell carefully captures a microscopic view of the coronavirus and the eerieness of xenotransplantation.

This issue was the product of the combined efforts between all of our talented mentors and mentees, who are all irreplaceable members of the MeduCollab family. We would like to thank our mentors, Aaron, Matthew, Kien, Ruby, Michelle, Sophie, Meera, and Adrian, who took the time out of their busy schedules to help foster the next generation of writers and artists. And of course, we would like to thank our mentees, Alan, Nehal, Hannah, David, Aishwaria, and Sowmithree, who gave MeduCollab a chance and inspired us with their passions for the health sciences. We wholeheartedly look forward to witnessing their continued growth and future creative pursuits.

Sincerely,

ANNISA SIU Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) Class of 2021 DANIEL RAYNER Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) Class of 2022