PATHOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE MAGAZINE

Welcome New Faculty!

Today, you are among the newest members of the pathology community

  1. Nicole Herbers, BSc, MCISc, PA (ASCP)CM (CCCPA-CCCAP)
    Clinical Instructor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC
    Lead Pathologists’ Assistant at St. Paul’s Hospital

I am currently the Lead Pathologists’ Assistant at St. Paul’s Hospital. I completed my BSc in Biological Science at the University of Alberta, followed by my Master of Clinical Science (MCISc) Pathologists’ Assistant at Western University. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

  1. Carol Lee, MD, FRCPC
    Clinical Instructor, Dept of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC
    Forensic Pathologist, Royal Columbian Hospital

I am a Forensic Pathologist, and have served the lower mainland for over 10 years. I grew up in Asia, and moved to Vancouver when I was a teenager. I was trained in the University of British Columbia, and received my Forensic Medicine training in New Mexico, USA. After undergraduate university, I did HIV research at the Biomedical Research Centre at UBC prior to entering medical school. The scope of my work includes performing post-mortem examinations as part of the death investigation process serving the BC Coroners Service as well as lower mainland hospitals, and appearing in court as an expert witness, serving the local judicial system. The thing I like most about my job is the investigative aspect, and the puzzle-solving elements. Outside of work, I have widely varied interests which include singing, playing the guitar, reading, writing, biking, and spending time with my family (husband and three children).

  1. Alicia Andrews, MB BCh BAO, FRCPC
    Clinical Fellow (Pediatric and Perinatal Anatomic Pathology), BCCH/UBC
    Supervisor: Dr. Anna Lee

I was born here in Vancouver but grew up on Denman Island, before moving to Victoria to complete my undergraduate training, after which I was off to Ireland for medical school. Then for the first time in my life, I moved away from the ocean to Saskatoon to undertake my residency training in General Pathology. I am currently completing my fellowship in Pediatric and Perinatal Pathology at BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital. I am happy to be back in Vancouver for a while! Outside of work, I enjoy seeking out delicious food, spending time outdoors, and snuggling up on the couch with a cup of tea to watch a good superhero show.

  1. Pavandeep Gill, MD, FRCPC
    Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC
    Dermatopathologist, Island Health

I graduated from the Vancouver-Fraser Medical Program at the University of British Columbia in 2015. I then completed my residency in General Pathology at the University of Calgary in 2020 and my dermatopathology fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2021. I now join the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) Department of Laboratory & Imaging Medicine in Victoria as a Dermatopathologist and the University of British Columbia Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine as a Clinical Assistant Professor. Aside from clinical work, I am interested in research and teaching, and look forward to getting involved with UBC and the Island Medical Program. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband, family, and friends, traveling, and staying active.

  1. Shu-Huei Tsai (Shuhe), PhD
    Research Associate, UBC
    Supervisor: Dr. Yemin Wang

Born in Taiwan, I obtained my PhD degree from the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from National Taiwan University. My thesis was focused on the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and drug development. When I was in Taiwan, I also researched cancer, diabetes and adipocyte differentiation. After my family immigrated to Canada in 2011, I worked in the Terry Fox Laboratories to study the molecular properties of liver differentiation and genome integrity maintenance in cancer, especially the role of DNA-RNA hybrid R-loops in DNA replication stress. Recently, I joined Dr. Wang’s lab to study the roles of the SWI/SNF complex in gynecologic cancers identify therapeutic vulnerabilities in SWI/SNF-deficient cancers, and define adaptive responses to cancer treatments. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, exploring good food, and reading fiction.

  1. Alexandre Aubert, PhD
    Postdoctoral Fellow, ICORD
    Supervisor: Dr. David Granville

My name is Alexandre Aubert, I am from Lyon (the 2nd biggest French city after Paris) and I arrived in Vancouver 4 months ago. With a training in oncology and a PhD focusing on connective tissue biology, I’m currently in a post-doctoral position at ICORD in Dr. David Granville’s team that is specialized in the study of Granzymes, a family of proteases implicated in numerous physiological and pathological processes. My research project is divided in two main axes: the 1st one aims at understanding the role of Granzyme B during the wound healing process, the 2nd one is focused on its implication on Rheumatoid Arthritis. If I’m not at lab, you can probably find me cooking, running, or hiking (in this order), or roaming at Downtown or Yaletown looking for the best coffee, craft beer or burger.

  1. Jordan E. Hamden, PhD
    Postdoctoral Fellow, St. Paul's Hospital
    Supervisor: Dr. Mari DeMarco

Hello all! I started as a Postdoctoral fellow in the DeMarco lab in January 2022. I am currently working on developing diagnostic mass spectrometry assays for frontotemporal dementia. Originally, I am from Virginia where I received my B.S. in Biology from Radford University. I was granted my PhD in Zoology from UBC in 2021 where I was awarded a Four-Year Doctoral Fellowship to study the effects of early-life stress on the immune system and brain development. My long-term research interests lie in studying the effects of early-life experiences (e.g., diet and stress) on brain aging and dementia. In my free time, I enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities such as basketball, hiking, biking, walking my dog on new trails, and lazy days at the beach, making BC the ideal place for me.

  1. Afif Yusof, MD, MPath, FIAC, DipRCPath
    Clinical Fellow (Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology), Vancouver General Hospital
    Supervisor: Dr. Torsten Nielsen

I grew up in Malaysia and left for Russia at the age of 18 to study medicine for 6 years. After graduating, I began working in various clinical disciplines for three years in Borneo, including one year as an emergency physician, before joining the pathology service for a year. I then completed a 4-year master's program in pathology to become an anatomic pathologist, a position that I held for the past 5 years, with special interests in cytopathology as well as bone and soft tissue pathology. In addition to English, I also speak Malay, Russian, and a little bit of Japanese. Whenever I have time, I like to take care of the garden that surrounds the house. On weekends, my family goes hiking and strolling on the beach. Additionally, I enjoy baking and cooking, including Thai, Korean, and Japanese cuisine. As well, I enjoy exploring new locations and experiencing diverse cultures.

  1. Zhenwei Ma, PhD
    Postdoctoral Fellow, BCCA
    Supervisor: Dr. Zu-hua Gao

I’m currently a Killam Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UBC and BC Cancer. I recently obtained my PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering, and have previously obtained my Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, both from McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada. I’m broadly interested in developing innovative biomaterials and devices for clinical and biomedical applications, including regenerative medicine, cancer therapy and tissue engineering. Outside the lab, I enjoy hiking, playing racket sports (tennis, badminton, and squash) or just hanging out with my friends.

> Recently published work (Aug 11, 2022)

  1. Anne-Sophie Archambault, PhD
    Postdoctoral Fellow, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
    Supervisor: Dr. Ramon Klein Geltink

I grew up in Quebec City, where I obtained my PhD in immunology at Université Laval. During my PhD, I worked on various projects all focusing on how bioactive lipids are produced and how they affect immune cells in the context of lung inflammation. I then moved to Vancouver to join Dr Ramon Klein Geltink’s research group as a postdoctoral fellow at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. My main research interest lies in understanding the metabolic regulation of immune cells in the context of diseases like cancer. Outside of work, I love to foster kittens and cats, take long drives in the mountains, and try new craft beers.

  1. Michaël Kulka, PhD
    Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Blood Research, LSC
    Supervisor: Dr. Jayachandran Kizhakkedathu

Obtained a doctorate in chemistry at the Free University of Berlin in 2020, and subsequently worked in industrial R&D for the most of 2021. My doctoral work focused on the development of antithrombogenic coatings for ventricular assist devices (VADs), and was performed in close collaboration with Berlin Heart GmbH, which is one of the leading producers of VAD systems worldwide. During my work in industry, I got familiarized with the GMP procedures surrounding the commercial development of antibody-drug-conjugates; I was responsible for the development and synthesis of small cleavable PEG-based linkers for the tethering of pharmaceutically active small molecules to antibodies. Experienced in the fields of polymer- & small molecule synthesis, hemocompatible biomaterials, and surface chemistry & characterization. Successfully managed & conceived multiple industrial & academic scientific projects, was in charge of customer communication, and wrote multiple peer-reviewed scientific publications. Supervised multiple theoretical & practical courses, and supervised lab technicians, interns, and PhD students. Currently, I am working as a postdoctoral fellow in the group of Dr. Jayachandran Kizhakkedathu and in the startup company ABOzymes Biomedical Inc., where we are trying to commercialize a method for the creation of enzymatically converted O-type blood. In my free time I like to play the (bass)guitar, go skateboarding, visit concerts or festivals, travel, or go on a nice bike ride through the city.

  1. Katie Mayne, PhD
    Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Blood Research, LSC
    Supervisor: Dr. Jacqueline Quandt

I was born and raised in Ireland, and I completed my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science at Queen’s University Belfast. In 2018, I joined Prof. Denise Fitzgerald’s lab for my PhD in multiple sclerosis research, focused on the role of effector T cells in CNS remyelination. I am very excited to be joining the Pathology department at UBC to continue my postdoctoral research in neuroimmunology in Dr. Jacqueline Quandt’s lab. Outside of research, I enjoy reading, spending time with friends, and exploring beautiful BC.