SynBioApps

Alaa Selim 

MSc, Dr. Shih's lab

In my research, I use digital microfluidics (DMF) as a platform to expand the abilities of Biosensors, developing a protein-based biosensor that will automate the process of analyte detection.

Andrew Diamond

PhD, Isabel Desgagné-Penix's lab, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR)

I am working on metabolic engineering for production of plant-specialized metabolites using the diatom Phaeodactylum Tricornutum as a host microorganism.

Charlotte Golden 

MSc, Dr. Brett's lab

My research focuses on the isolation and humanization of yeast exosomes for use as bio-therapeutics. I am constructing a library of yeast with proteins, lipids, and sugars that release bioactive exosome populations that can be recognized and internalized by human cell targets.

Chiara Leal Alves

MASc, Dr. Shih's lab

My research involves genetic engineering of cellulase enzymes to create enzymes capable of degrading cellulosic materials for biofuels production. I am doing directed evolution studies using microfluidics devices under ionic conditions.

Daniel Tsyplenkov

MSc, Dr. Martin's lab
Muconic acid (MA) is a dicarboxylic acid which can serve as a platform chemical for the production of chemicals such as adipic- and terephthalic acid which can be used to produce nylons and plastics. My work focuses on metabolic pathway engineering of yeast for the bioproduction of MA.

Devina Singh

MSc, Dr. Kachroo's lab

In humans, disruption of highly conserved essential cellular machinery has been linked to diverse diseases. I am focusing on these conserved human genes and propose to systematically “humanize” yeast cells by replacing each essential yeast gene with the human version. 

Farhat Zafar

MSc, Dr. Kachroo's lab

Human disease can be studied through the “humanization” of yeast cells. My research focuses on replacing a gene in the sterol biosynthesis pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with its human ortholog in order to study mevalonate kinase deficiency.

F. Ifthiha Mohideen

PhD, Dr. Kwan's lab

Using synthetic biology tools, I am engineering an improved biocatalyst for the production of a high value anthracycline anticancer drug. Using a novel in vitro enzymatic pathway, I have produced modified sugar-donor substrates for the enzymatic synthesis of anthracyclines.

Giselle McCallum

PhD, Dr. Potvin-Trottier's lab

My project involves building a tuneable and robust synthetic oscillator. We hope that building this gene network will lead to a deeper understanding of natural biological oscillators, and have potential biomedical applications.

Henri Thomas

MASc, Dr. Kharma's lab

My research is focused on the computational design of RNA-based circuits for selective targeting and silencing of pathogenic genes.

Iain Summerby-Murray

MSc, Dr. Martin's lab

My research is focused on identifying acid tolerance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and developing a production host from these acidophilic yeasts.

Imge Ozugergin

PhD, Dr. Piekny's lab

I am studying how a DNA-sensing pathway helps set up the division plane in early C. elegans embryos. By knocking down and mutating proteins in this pathway, I will further our understanding of the pathway and identify its targets.

Jay Kapadia

MASc, Dr. Kharma's lab

In my research, I use digital microfluidics (DMF) as a platform to expand the abilities of Biosensors, developing a protein-based biosensor that will automate the process of analyte detection.

Jenny-Ann Gagnon

MSc, Dr. Shih's lab

My project is designing an automated gut-on-a-chip device that would allow the testing of several conditions in parallel. I will use the device to test different types and concentrations of chemotherapeutic agents, as well as different bacteria strains found in the gut microbiota.

Kenza Samlali

PhD, Dr. Shih's lab

My research is focused on developing novel devices for single-cell engineering and analysis. I love anything hardware/software/biology related, and preferably work across these disciplines.

Koa Wells

MASc, Dr. Kharma's lab

I am trying to develop a model for an oscillating gene circuit that will then be tested in a wet lab. The goal is for the circuit to have a short period of around 10-20 minutes.

Krista Jager

MSc, Dr. Potvin-Trottier's lab

I use microfluidics as a platform to study the dynamics of synthetic gene circuits at the single cell level.

Manjari Shrivastava

PhD, Dr. Whiteway's lab

The goal of my study is to determine the rewiring of the transcription factors in Candida albicans, an opportunistic human pathogen, as compared with Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the non-pathogenic baker’s yeast.

Mathieu Harb

MSc, Dr. Hallett's lab

My project makes use of microfluidics, next generation sequencing, high-throughput CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genetic knock-downs, directed evolution and deep learning. These tools will assist me in discovering the regulatory network of breast cancer.

Mathieu Husser

MSc, Dr. Martin's lab

I am studying cellular processes by genetically engineering human cells using high-throughput equipment.

Nicolas Kamel

PhD, Dr. Kharma's lab

I am using machine learning to design larger riboswitch-based genetic circuits. These circuits would allow future synthetic biologists to program more complex decision-making processes into cells.

Pegah Hadavi

MASc, Dr. Kharma's and Dr. Perreault's labs

My research involves using synthetically generated selective riboswitches to target the transcripts of mutant proteins responsible for neurodegenerative diseases.

Saba Mesgari

MSc, Dr. Potvin-Trottier's and Dr. Kachroo's labs

My research aims to design a dual fluorescent reporter to quantify humanized proteasome activity in yeast. This will allow us to determine how changes to human proteasome subunits impact the rate of removal of proteins within the cell.

Sabrine Najeh

PhD, Dr. Perreault's lab

I am using ribozyme design and in vitro evolution techniques to identify ribozymes that can be controlled allosterically. These ribozymes will be used to sense multiple intracellular conditions unique to cancer cells, to specifically target RNAs in order to kill these cells.

Samuel Little

PhD, Dr. Shih's lab

My project focuses on using automated liquid handling techniques to perform the genetic engineering of human immune cells. Specifically, I am interested in miniaturizing and automating the transfection and culture of mammalian cells.

Sarah Laframboise

MSc, Dr. Baetz's lab

My research project is focused on understanding a strange phenotype in yeast called a nuclear flare which leads to a flux in membrane synthesis. Based on deletion of yeast lysine acetyltransferase, I am uncovering a role of acetylation in governing this lipid synthesis pathway.

Tina Papzotos

MSc, Dr. Potvin-Trottier's lab

My research is focused on engineering E. coli populations to exhibit non-genetic heterogeneity. I am using a synthetic oscillator to achieve switching between interdependent metabolic states within a clonal population.

Trisha Ghosh

MSc, Dr. Kwan's lab

My research aims to design potent inhibitory molecules for the enzyme UDP-galactopyranose mutase which is responsible for cell wall biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. I will utilise FIT (Flexible In vitro Translation) and RaPID systems to select molecules from a library of macrocyclic peptides and affibodies against our target.

Yi Wang

PhD, Dr. Lee's lab

I am developing a biochemical platform to measure ligand-receptor and/or receptor-receptor binding kinetics. I hope to determine if differences in ligand-induced activation of receptor kinases contribute to specific biological outputs.