New Students-Welcome

Farhia Abdullahi
MSc
Supervisor: Jacqueline Quandt
Short bio:
My name is Farhia Abdullahi. I'm a Master's student in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UBC. I was born in Somalia; I did my undergrad in PharmD at the Jordan University of Science and Technology. After graduating I had an opportunity to resettle in Canada through the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) program which I am thankful for and continue with my education. My area of research is Multiple Sclerosis, my project specifically focuses on examining blood biomarkers of multiple sclerosis and looking at their relationship with progression and disability. My interest in this study started in my last year of pharmD degree training when I encountered a case of a young woman with MS unable to walk. In the future, I am hoping to become an expert in autoimmune diseases research especially in Multiple Sclerosis. I am also planning to become a licensed clinical pharmacist in Canada.
Rachel Dunn
MSc
Supervisor: Helene Cote
Short bio:
I am currently a Master’s student with Dr. Helene Cote, identifying placenta mitochondrial DNA mutations connected to negative pregnancy outcomes.  During my undergrad I studied at the University of Waterloo, earning my BSc in 2018.  In my undergrad I did co-ops in a variety of areas, including working as a web developer in northern India, and as a laboratory technician in an HIV clinic in Uganda.  My research interest started when I spent an 8 month co-op at Queen’s University in a lab identifying methylation biomarkers to help diagnose prostate cancer.  I want to do research that can be clinically relevant and make a difference for patients so I decided to move to Vancouver to do my master’s at UBC in the department of pathology and laboratory medicine.  Since I have a background in computer science my research focus has involved bioinformatics and scripting my own analysis pipelines to deal with big data.  When I am not in the lab I spend my time dying my hair blue, knitting, watching Netflix, and teaching with Let’s Talk Science and Genome BC.
Jasmine Gill
MSc
Supervisor: Cheryl Wellington
Short bio:
I am a Master's student in Dr. Cheryl Wellington's lab at DMCBH. My research focuses on the utility of blood-based biomarkers in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and neurodegenerative disease. Specifically, I am investigating the diagnostic and prognostic potential of serum neurofilament light chain (NF-L) as a candidate TBI biomarker in the aging population. I come from a strong medical lab science background. I went through the BCIT lab technology program, followed by a BSc in medical lab sciences at U of Alberta. I have worked as a medical lab technologist for nearly 6 years. Professional interests include obtaining my MSc, furthering my career advancement within a clinical lab and possibly teaching medical lab sciences. Personal interests include painting, traveling and hiking. I chose UBC because I wanted to join an academic environment that offers research experience relating to my interest in medical lab sciences. I believe UBC is leading in research and innovation world-wide and there are unique opportunities here that can help me reach my future career goals.
Emily Kamma
MSc
Supervisor: Jacqueline Quandt
Short bio:
I am a new Master's student in Dr. Jacqueline Quandt's lab. My research interests lie in neuroscience, and I am currently studying neuroprotective factors and their relevance to inflammatory neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis. I completed my Bachelor of Science in the UBC-BCIT Joint Biotechnology program, which gave me an opportunity to pursue diverse research opportunities in both academia and industry. Throughout my undergraduate experiences, I  became fascinated with the research process and finding different ways to treat neuropathologies, which motivated me to continue my studies in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. You can often find me listening to a good podcast or trying out the different restaurants that this beautiful city offers. I chose UBC because I appreciate the access to world-class researchers, professional development opportunities, supportive environment, mentorship, and the beautiful mountain and ocean views!
Rana Jafari-Minab
MSc
Supervisor: Peter van den Elzen
Short bio:
I graduated from the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science Program last year and I wanted to go to graduate school in the same field. Before coming to UBC, I received my BSc in molecular biology and biochemistry from Simon Fraser University and I find that my wet lab experience has come in handy for my research at BC Children’s Hospital. My supervisor, Dr. Peter van den Elzen, and I are looking into the long-term effects of Epstein-Barr virus infection on the immune system and its probable connection to the development of Multiple Sclerosis. Since Canada has the highest rate of MS in the world, it is important to me to work in this field in order to find new treatment options and ultimately a preventative strategy for the population. When I am not in the lab, you can find me drinking tea, ballroom dancing, playing with my dog or all of the above at once.
Amy Nagelberg
MSc
Supervisor: Will Lockwood
Short bio:
I graduated from the University of Victoria with a BSc in Biochemistry. Prior to and throughout my undergrad I had a keen interest in pursuing medicine and helping people. It was through the co-op program at my school as well as personal experiences that drove me to want to push boundaries and help to improve treatments for future generations by conducting research. Now, I am back in Will Lockwood's lab, the same place I first started to see this path in my future. I am currently working to further characterize the lung cancer genomic landscape by systematically validating new candidate drivers identified in a forward mouse model screen. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our doggie, running, cooking, doing crafts, and going on adventures.
Taylor Pobran
MSc
Supervisor: Mari DeMarco
Short bio:
Hi there! My name is Taylor and I am a graduate student in Dr. Mari DeMarco’s lab at St. Paul’s Hospital. My current research focuses on assay development for the enrichment and detection of a biomarker for frontotemporal dementia. Prior to my graduate studies, I received a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from the University of Victoria. During my undergraduate degree, I had the opportunity to learn about mass spectrometry through co-operative job placements. After graduation, my growing interest in mass spectrometry lead me to join Dr. DeMarco’s laboratory with UBC to learn and acquire training in clinical mass spectrometry. I am an outdoor enthusiast and remain active by skiing, scuba diving and playing hockey (golf is fun too). I also enjoy travelling and immersing myself in new cultural experiences.
Katlyn Richardson
MSc
Supervisor: David Granville
Short bio:
I received a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences from Quest University Canada where I also completed the equivalent of an honours thesis studying the effects of personal care products on human health. During the summer of my third year, I joined the laboratory of UBC’s Dr. Kevin McElwee as an undergraduate research assistant. During this time, I conducted my own experiment on basal cell carcinoma. Following my summer research, Dr. McElwee connected me with Dr. David Granville. I was thrilled by Dr. Granville’s interests in skin research. Ultimately this led me to join his lab this past September where I am currently focused on investigating the role of granzymes in skin inflammation and disease. Aside from Dr. Granville’s wonderful and supportive team, what drew me to UBC was the ability to pursue a graduate degree in skin-related research as well as establishing roots in the beautiful city of Vancouver. When not in the lab, I can be found enjoying a run along the sea wall, playing soccer or trying a new local restaurant.
Marie-Soleil Smith
MSc
Supervisor: Helene Cote
Short bio:
I completed my BSc in Microbiology and Immunology at UBC in the spring of 2018. In the fall, I started graduate school with the Côté lab in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. My research focuses on investigating the effects of HIV antiretroviral therapy on pregnancy outcomes in women living with HIV. I want to determine the effects of the various therapy options on the developing embryo as well as how the drugs could contribute to maternal outcomes such as preeclampsia and preterm birth. Away from the lab I love to attend dance-related fitness classes, as I have danced competitively for 18 years in styles such as jazz, tap, ballet, and contemporary. The endless opportunities UBC had to offer during my undergrad, as well as the gorgeous forests, mountains, and water surrounding Vancouver, encouraged me to stay and pursue my further education here.
Simon Teskey
MSc
Supervisor: Marianne Sadar
Short bio:
Hi everyone! My name is Simon and I'm very excited and grateful to be a part of the incredible community of people within the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in UBC's Faculty of Medicine.  I am a graduate student in Dr. Marianne Sadar's lab at the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre over at the BC Cancer Research Centre. Inspired by a passion for oncology, my research is focused on prostate cancer. My academic background reflects a wide range of interests, with one interesting detour being the study of music at Concordia University in Montreal.  I play the drums, piano, and various percussion instruments and enjoy electroacoustic composition as well.  Having initially started at the University of Manitoba, I ultimately completed my B.Sc. at SFU.  The reasons I chose UBC to continue my studies are too numerous to list in full, but includs the world-class faculty, facilities, campus, and city. Outside of the lab, I spend most of my time with my greatest blessings and sources of joy... my wife, Laura, and son, Jacob.
Adam Ziada
MSc
Supervisor: Helene Cote
Short bio:
I'm a first-year student, studying HIV in the Côté Lab. My project examines the potential effects incurred by people who take short breaks from taking their HIV medicine. Before joining the Department of Pathology, I studied microbiology and immunology at UBC. It was during my studies that I started to ask questions about inflammation and the potential side effects it could have on biological age. This led me to my undergraduate research projects in the Côté Lab where I would explore the potential effects of HIV associated inflammation on markers of accelerated aging. Several biomarkers pointed to the conclusion that uncontrolled viral replication, as might occur during an interruption in HIV therapy, may play a role in HIV accelerated aging. This led us to my current Master’s project, investigating the effects of interruptions in HIV therapy on biomarkers of aging. One day, I’m hoping to take what I’ve learned about inflammation in the context of HIV and explore similar phenomena in the context of cancer.
Joyce (Yu Han) Zhang
MSc
Supervisor: David Huntsman
Short bio:
I am a Master’s student studying how mutations and cellular context drive the tumorigensis process of 2 subtypes of ovarian cancer. Specifically I am using organoid system to model the serous cancers of the Mullerian tract. The early events of transformation events are interrogated with single-cell DNA-sequencing and single-cell RNA-sequencing.  I finished my BSc at UBC with a major in Pharmacology and a minor in Biochemistry, during which I have became involved with the research community.  I did my thesis project with Dr. Thibault Mayor studying the assembly of stress granules in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This has greatly inspired me to pursue scientific research as a career, with an emphasis in basic research.  I have chosen UBC because of its amazing research platform and its stimulating research environment.  I also enjoy the mild weather and various outdoor activities in Vancouver. Particularly I like hiking and skiing in my spare time.