Omar Alshehabi

Hello! My name is Omar Alshehabi and I am currently studying computer science and biology at McGill University. My research interests lie primarily in the translational potential of gene therapeutics and computational genomics, especially as it pertains to the understanding and treatment of rare and complex diseases. In my free time, I enjoy learning languages, tasting new cuisines and volunteering in the community.

Last summer, I had the privilege of working under Dr. Theodore Perkins’ supervision at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, where I developed the foundations of an efficient, scalable Python library for manipulating, analyzing and visualizing high-throughput genomic data. 

This summer, I am very excited to be joining Dr. Bowen Li’s lab at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, where I will be contributing to the discovery and characterization of virus-like particles to optimize the delivery of gene therapeutics to specific cells and tissues in the context of cystic fibrosis.

I am infinitely grateful for this opportunity and am looking forward to meeting my peers and learning from the inspiring scientists and mentors both within the Li Lab and across the University of Toronto and Amgen Foundation, while continuing to develop my research skills and experimental techniques. The team behind the program has clearly devoted so much effort into organizing a fulfilling, jam-packed schedule for us and I cannot wait to experience it all!