Maria Nicula currently works on the mySupport Team as a research assistant supervised by Dr. Sharon Kaasalainen with the McMaster University team in Canada. She graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour in the Mental Health Specialization in 2018, and is now back at McMaster pursuing her Masters of Science in the Health Research Methodology Program. Over the past few years, she has worked with the McMaster team on projects related to building capacity in end-of-life care and palliative care amongst staff in long-term care, evaluating tools that help residents, families, and staff have conversations about advance care planning and end-of-life wishes, and study interventions that aim to improve the quality of life for persons with dementia and their families. Although she has worked in the palliative care field for some time, her research interests also centre around the factors that influence the etiology, development, and treatment success associated with various mental illnesses, specifically affective (Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder), anxiety, and eating disorders.