Amgen Scholars Program Faculty Profiles

Jennifer M. Jones
Our research team works with the Princess Margaret Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship Program and participates in a number of ongoing clinical studies related to the detection, prevention and treatment of cancer treatment related sequelae as well as knowledge translation and health systems research.

Joanne Kotsopoulos
Our lab group is a multi-disciplinary team committed to furthering our understanding of hereditary cancer, specifically among BRCA mutation carriers. Our focus is on epidemiological studies (also integrating biomarkers) to investigate risk and prognostic factors in the etiology of breast and ovarian cancer, with the goal of improving upon prevention strategies, quality of life and prognosis for women with a BRCA mutation.

Igor Stagljar
Our lab develops innovative live-cell technologies (MaMTH, SIMPL, SATiN) to study membrane protein interactions and applies AI- and quantum-driven approaches to discover drugs targeting undruggable cancer proteins.

Shirley Wu
Our research focuses on the development of drug delivery strategies and drug delivery systems for enhancing treatment outcomes of major diseases including cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Laura Chiavaroli
Our research focus is on developing tools and strategies to translate clinical practice guidelines on dietary patterns and Canadian Food Policy, including strategies to change food environments and health service delivery models. We use a variety of methods to assess uptake, adherence and effectiveness of these tools for the prevention and management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in diverse populations. We collaborate with stakeholders, particularly those at high cardiovascular risk, and practices to address equity, diversity and inclusivity.

Chung-Wai Chow
Our group develops novel technologies to evaluate lung function and machine learning to improve their diagnostic acumen. Our research is conducted in different clinical cohorts that include patients following lung transplant, interstitial lung diseases, rare and other chronic lung diseases.

Mingyao Liu
Our research in the Toronto Lung Transplant Program, is focused on ischemia-reperfusion induced lung injury in lung transplantation. We are interested in different types of programed cell death on donor lung injury, PANoptosis and ferroptosis. We use cell culture and animal models to develop new preservation solutions for donor lungs and new perfusion solutions for ex vivo lung perfusion systems. In collaboration with our AI/machine learning group, we are looking for molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets for ischemia-reperfusion induced lung injury.

Kozeta Miliku
Our lab studies the critical role of nutrition through a life course perspective to understand the developmental trajectories of chronic diseases and multimorbidity. We investigate how nutrition at various life stages, particularly that of parents during preconception and that of children from infancy to adolescence, impact the long-term development of cardiometabolic, respiratory and neurodevelopmental conditions. We also examine dietary intake and multimorbidity determinants.

Leah Harrington
Our group studies how cellular aging (senescence) affects tissue function with age, with a particular focus on how chromosome end (telomere) erosion contributes to this process. We investigate the mechanisms that drive these changes, and test chemical and genetic perturbations that might alter the senescence trajectory. Our goal is to be able to ameliorate age-associated diseases.

Walid A. Houry
Our team studies cellular stress responses and the role of molecular chaperones and ATP-dependent proteases in these responses. We use structural, biophysical, biochemical, proteomic, and cell biological approaches to understand the mechanism of function of these chaperones and proteases. We also investigate the development of novel anticancers by identifying compounds that target these chaperones and proteases and result in the dysregulation of protein homeostasis in the cell.

Basil Hubbard
We are creating next-generation therapeutics for the treatment of a wide-variety of age-related (e.g., cancer), genetic, and infectious diseases. Our work is interdisciplinary and incorporates experimental techniques that fuse elements of chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, pharmacology, and molecular and synthetic biology. Research in our lab is grouped into three themes: 1) Gene Editing Tools & Macromolecular Therapeutics, 2) Synthetic & Xenobiology, and 3) Molecular Pharmacology.

Kate Lee
Our lab is interested in understanding how functional organelles form without membranes and help cells recover from stressful conditions. We use cell biological and biochemical methods to study this problem.

Christoph Licht
Our lab engages in translational research on complement-mediated renal diseases including aHUS and C3G. My lab focusses on the pathomechanisms of complement-mediated TMA, in particular the consequences of complement dysregulation on endothelial cells. New research directions include a role for complement in organ repair and regeneration.

Karim Mekhail
Our lab studies nuclear and genome dynamics in genome expression, stability, and health. We leverage spatial genome organization to enhance health and longevity, with a focus on aggressive cancers, premature aging conditions, and natural aging. 

Alexander Palazzo
We study the rules that govern whether an RNA molecule is exported from the nucleus of human cells and subsequently transported to specific subcellular regions, or whether it is retained in the nucleus and degraded. We use a combination of cell biological, biochemical and computational methods in order to gain insight into these fundamental processes.

Micheline Piquette-Miller
Our research focuses on understanding the regulation of drug transport proteins in the placenta. We use cellular, molecular and proteomic techniques to study critical transporters that are involved in the passage of drugs, toxins, hormones and nutrients across the placental-fetal barriers. 

Artem Babaian
The biodiversity of Earth’s RNA viruses is vast and unexplored. Less than 0.1% of RNA viruses are known. Our lab uses ultra high-performance computing and AI to explore the deep unknowns of virology and molecular genetics. We are searching for highly divergent or "Dark RNA Viruses" which cause diseases of unknown etiology such as Alzheimer's, Encephalitis, Endometriosis, and Cancer.

K. Sandy Pang
Our research encompasses fields in pharmacokinetics (PK), drug metabolism (DM), transporters, the vitamin D receptor (VDR), and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our work spans from the development of physiological models surrounding hepatic clearance and novel intestinal models for drug absorption, and other PK principles.

Mikko Taipale
We use functional proteomics and genomics methods to study how the human protein interaction network is wired, how it is rewired by disease mutations, pathogens, and evolution, and how we can target the network for therapeutic purposes. We also develop new technologies for genome engineering, transcriptional regulation, and for characterizing protein/protein interactions.

Jonathan Rocheleau
We develop tools to study the metabolism and function of pancreatic islets. Recently, we created methods to measure insulin secretion and oxygen consumption from individual islets using custom islet-on-a-chip devices. Trainees will learn about glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, live cell imaging, and microfluidic design.

Certina Ho
My lab is a virtual environment. We primarily operate through emails and remote communication. We use a mixed methods approach to explore and understand patient/medication safety, quality improvement, pharmacy education, medical education, educational program evaluation, and scholarship related work. 

Reina Bendayan
We study the location, expression, activity and regulation of several membrane transport proteins that are involved in the disposition of antiretroviral drugs at blood-tissue barrier sites (i.e., at the blood-brain barrier). In particular, we are interested in the role of efflux pumps under normal physiological and HIV-associated neuro-inflammatory conditions. We also examine novel molecular targets for the treatment of HIV-associated brain inflammation and the regulation of folate transport to the brain to identify novel approaches for the treatment of cerebral folate deficiency.

Joseph Brown
We build self-driving laboratories that unite automated synthesis, high-throughput mass spectrometry, custom bioassays, and AI/machine learning to accelerate drug discovery, primarily with peptides and peptidomimetics for their therapeutic potential in cancer and antibiotic discovery.

Vinod Chandran
Our lab investigates the genetic and molecular epidemiology of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, especially with respect to prognosis. Our research is focused on developing a soluble biomarker-based screening and prognostic tool for, and identifying mechanisms underlying inflammation and joint damage in, psoriatic arthritis. We are also focused on identifying and reducing barriers to multidisciplinary care of patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Leah Cowen
We are focused on the overarching goals of understanding what allows some microbes to exploit the host and cause disease and developing new strategies to thwart drug resistance and treat life-threatening infections.

Thierry Mallevaey
We study how the intestinal microbiota and the immune system influence each other, in the context of intestinal inflammation. We focus primarily on T lymphocytes and use mouse models ranging from germ-free to “dirty” pet store mice.

Trevor Moraes
Our research focuses on gram-negative bacterial pathogens and the proteins that decorate their surface. We employ a number of biochemical, structural and microbiology tools to understand the function of these proteins and how we can target them for the development of novel drugs or vaccines. 

Arthur Mortha 
Our lab investigates fundamental mechanisms of host-microbiota interactions and their consequences on health and disease. A strong focus of the lab is the biology of tissue resident innate immune cells, like innate lymphoid cells (ILC) or macrophages. 

Keith Pardee
Our lab advances human health by creating portable and affordable biotechnologies rooted in synthetic biology.  We are developing low-cost molecular diagnostic platforms, portable systems for manufacturing therapeutics outside the laboratory, and innovative approaches to directed evolution and computational design for next-generation biologic therapeutics.

Lena Serghides
Our lab studies the impact of HIV and HIV antiretrovirals on placenta and fetal development and the mechanisms that underlie adverse birth outcomes and long-term health effects of children born HIV exposed but uninfected. Our goal is to optimize treatment for pregnant women with HIV and ensure the best outcomes for mother and child.

Martin Beaulieu
My group develops innovative approaches to cell signaling interventions in the context of mental illness and other complex disorders. Projects range from AI-driven molecular structure based small molecule development to application of CRISPR technologies study gene functions. We use cell-based screening assay development, behavioral studies in rodents and investigation of the genome wide impact of specific disruptions on gene expression and mRNA translation. 

Tim Corson
My lab explores drug discovery for eye diseases, particularly those associated with abnormal blood vessel growth like macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy that are major causes of blindness. Our interdisciplinary team uses biochemical assays, cell-based screens, and in vivo disease models to evaluate novel chemical compounds for their therapeutic potential, dissect disease mechanisms, and develop new drug delivery methods.

Michael Fehlings
Our basic science lab integrates molecular, imaging, electrophysiological, and neurobehavioural approaches to examine the pathophysiology and treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). Current studies in the lab focus on the use of neural stem cells.

Rachel Harding
Our team uses structural biology, protein biochemistry and chemical biology to validate drug targets and study the molecular mechanisms of pathology of repeat expansion disorders, with a primary focus on Huntington’s disease.

Sheena Josselyn
Our lab studies how information is acquired, stored and used in the brain. We study memory in mice at the molecular, cellular, circuit and behavioural levels using a variety of cutting-edge tools.

James L. Kennedy
Our lab studies genetics/genomics of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as DNA variants in schizophrenia, bipolar, depression and Alzheimers. We study the pharmacogenetics of drug response and side effects and engage in clinical trial data analysis with AI/ML.

Julie Lefebvre
We study developmental neurobiology and neural circuit formation, such as how neurons develop and wire up into neural circuits. We seek to identify molecular and cellular mechanisms that guide the formation of these specific connectivity patterns and aim to link alterations in neuronal development to abnormal circuit function and behaviour, to better understand how these alterations lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. We use mouse models, molecular-genetic tools to label and manipulate neurons at the population or single-cell level, gene expression profiling, and microscopy.

Julien Muffat
Our lab combines tissue engineering and genome engineering to study neurodegenerative disorders using pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids. We are interested in the interaction of genetic predispositions and immune triggers, including viruses, on inflammatory processes that challenge humans across their lifespan. Our goal is to identify novel strategies to interrupt pathological progression at early stages.

Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia
The mission of the ReSTORE lab is to identify and assess risk and develop occupation-based interventions for preventing high-risk behaviours, optimizing functioning and improving mental and physical health in the workplace.

Stephen Scherer
Our research includes understanding the composition of the genome for studies of genetic disease built upon three themes: (1) gene copy number- and structural- variation (CNV or SV) in the human genome, (2) determining the genetic architecture underlying autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and (3) developing technology, infrastructure, and capacity for translational genomic research.

Gerold Schmitt-Ulms
The overarching goal of our work is to develop treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, Tauopathies and prion disorders by studying the molecular etiologies of these diseases.

Carol Schuurmans
Our lab studies how proneural transcription factors specify neural cell fates, through combinatorial codes and multi-level regulation. We leverage these insights to design neuronal reprogramming strategies and to study human neurogenesis in organoids.

Peter Selby
The INTREPID Lab is focused on learning health systems designed to facilitate bidirectional flow between research and practice. Our lab focuses on nicotine and vaping addiction with a variety of studies from brain imaging, neurostimulation, novel treatments, to the use of LLMs (chatbots) for care.

Thomas Hurd
We use an integrated genetic, cell biological and imaging approach to understand how mitochondria influence development, differentiation and inheritance.

Bowen Li
Our lab develops AI-guided lipid nanoparticles and RNA platforms (mRNA, circRNA, tRNA, CRISPR) for targeted gene editing, vaccines, and immunotherapies.

Miguel Ramalho-Santos
Our lab is interested in understanding the genome-environment interactions that shape mammalian development and reproduction. We are particularly interested in pluripotent cells that exist in the mammalian embryo and give rise to all cell types of the body.  

Ian Rogers
Our lab studies organ engineering using stem cells and ex vivo organ perfusion systems. Our goals are to use the system to: (1) make humanized organs for disease modelling, drug and cell therapy development and (2) make donor organs for transplantation.

Molly Shoichet
Our lab is engaged in discovery to translational research. We are working at the intersection of biology, chemistry and engineering related to applications in regenerative medicine and cancer, including cell and therapeutic delivery and drug screening.