Graduate Students
PhD students (9 completed)
Christian Bellissimo (PhD 2024 – co-supervised with Dr. Deborah Sloboda) Distinctions: Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2017. Canada Graduate Scholarship-MSC, 2018, Canada Graduate Scholarship-Doctoral 2019. Best Poster Presentation in Placental Biology at the Canadian National Perinatal Research Meeting(2019). Current position: PDF
Elnur Shayhidin (PhD 2019- withdrew 2021 due to COVID restrictions, co-supervised with Dr. Jose Moran-Mirabal). Distinctions: Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2020/2021). Current position: Working in industry in US.
Jessica Breznik (PhD student 2016-2020, co-supervised with Dr. Deborah Sloboda). Distinctions: OGS 2016-2017 & 2018/19. Oral presentation in the plenary session of the Canadian National Perinatal Research Meeting (2017).Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology (QEII-GSST) 2017-2018, 2018-2019. Douglas C. Russell Memorial Scholarship, McMaster Graduate Scholarship (2018). Best poster presentation, Medical Sciences Research Day (2019). Outstanding poster presentation FHS Research Plenary (2019). Teaching Assistant Excellence Award, FHS (2019). Graduate Program of Excellence Award, FHS (2019). The 6th Annual Perey Symposium short talk award (2019). Runner up for best PhD poster award IIDR trainee day 2019. Farncombe Best Research In Progress Seminar by a PhD student (2019). Current position: PDF in the Bowdish Lab.
Sara Makaremi (PhD student – co-supervised with Dr. José Moran-Mirabal). Distinctions: Canadian Foundation for the Development of Microscopy (CFDM) as recipient of a travel scholarship ($1000) for attending the Biophysical Society 60th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles.Registration Award for 10th LFD Workshop on Advanced Fluorescence Imaging and Analysis from University of California Irvine (2015).Student Councillor, Microscopical Society of Canada (2016-2018). First place for an Oral presentation in the Biomedical Engineering Symposium, McMaster (2017). Registration award from the Canadian Foundation for the Development of Microscopy and the organizing committee of the Canadian Microscopy and Cytometry Symposium (2017).Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2017-18. Canadian Foundation for the Development of Microscopy travel award 2018. Gerald T Simon Award from the Microscopical Society of Canada and Microscopical Society of America (2018).
Pat Schenck (2014-2019 – co-supervised with Mike Surette) Distinctions: Boris Albini Award for poster presentation at Buffalo Immunology conference (2015), CIHR PhD studentship (2015-2018). Michael Smith Travel Supplement (2016). Mildred Gulliver Scholarship awarded at IIDR trainee day (2017). Farncome Best Research in Progress Presentation by a PhD student, runner up (2019). Position after leaving the Bowdish lab: Grants advisor for the Weston Family Foundation
Dessi Loukov (2014-2018) Distinctions: Won the Faculty choice award for speed poster talk at the 1st Annual Perey Symposium (2014). Oral presentation at Western University’s IIRF (2014). Oral presentation at the Buffalo Immunology Conference (2015), Poster Excellence award at the FHS plenary (May 2015). Winner of poster award at the McMaster Institute of Geroscience inaugural symposium (2015). Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2016, declined), CIHR-PhD studentship (2016). Department Graduate Research Excellence Scholarship (2017). Position after leaving the Bowdish lab: PDF (Liverpool School of Tropical Health, UK). Current position: Medical Advisor for GSK.
Kyle Novakowski (2012-2017). Distinctions: Graduate Entrance Scholarship. Local poster presentations, IIDR trainee Day (2012 & 2013). Medical Sciences Research Day Poster Presentation Outstanding Achievement Award (2014)Regional poster presentations: Annual Infection & Immunity Forum at UWO (2012 & 2013). International Poster presentations: Buffalo Immunology Conference (2012 & 2013).Connect Canada Internship (2014), Award for Excellence in Poster Presentation in the FHS Research Plenary (2014). Poster presentation at IIRF (2014). Pathology Department Travel Scholarship (2015). Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2015). Abstract chosen for Oral Presentation at the IIDR Trainee day symposium (2015). NSERC-CGM (2016-2018). Oral presentation at Medical Science Research Plenary (2016). People’s choice award in the McMaster Art of Research contest. Oral presentation at the FHS research plenary (2016). Position after leaving the Bowdish lab: PDF with Turnstone Biologics.
Fan Fei (2010-December 2015) Distinctions: NSERC (2010-11), OGS (2011-12), Russell Bell Travel Scholarship award, ”Glasgow Polyomics & University of Strathclyde Young Scientist Award” for outstanding poster presentation of research in the field of metabolomics at the Metabolomic Conference 2013. Winner of Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2014-2015. Selected for speed poster talk at the 1st Annual Perey Symposium. Abstract chosen for oral presentation at the 98th Canadian Chemistry Conference (June 2015). Position after leaving the Bowdish lab: Mass Spectrometry facility, McMaster University. Current position: Lifemine, Boston, US.
Mike Dorrington (September 2010-December 2015). Distinctions: won e-bioscience Best Poster Award for Student < 6 mo, with A. Jiang at the 5th Annual Infection and Immunity Research Forum University of Western Ontario (Nov 2010), Top poster award FHS Research Plenary (May 2012). Best poster presented by a Doctoral student at the FHS Research Plenary (May 2013). Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2013-2014). Abstract selected for talk at the 7th Annual Infection & Immunity Forum (UWO). Oral presentation at the Buffalo Immunology Conference (March 2014). Winner of the Tafts award in Immunology for best first author paper. Winner of the McMaster Medical Sciences Impact Award for Infection & Immunity for best first author paper (2014). Winner of the Canadian Thoracic Society graduate scholarship 2014-2016. Position after leaving the Bowdish lab: PDF with Dr. Ian Fraser (NIH).
Alicja Puchta (May 2010-Sept 2014) Distinctions: abstract chosen for talk at the 5th Annual Infection and Immunity Research Forum University of Western Ontario (Nov 2010), abstract chosen for talk at CREST conference (March 2011), Pro-Immune Travel scholarship and Departmental Travel scholarship to present poster at the Keystone Meeting “Immunity in the respiratory tract” (Feb 28th – Mar3rd, Vancouver), Poster presentation at the McMaster Innovation Showcase Poster Competition (June ’11), Outstanding Achievement Award at the McMaster Medical Sciences Research Day (March 2012), Teaching Assistance Excellence Award at the FHS Research Plenary (May 2012). Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Award of Outstanding Achievement (2012-2013). Oral presentation at the IIDR trainee day (Oct 2012). Ontario Graduate Scholarship Recipient (2012-2013). Position after leaving the Bowdish lab:Law School (Osgoode). Current position: Lawyer with Torys LLP.
MSc Students (8 completed)
Lena Darwish (MSc student September 2022-ongoing, co-supervised by Dr. Brian Coombes). Current position: PhD student
Dominika Boron (MSc student, 2020-2022) Distinctions: Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2020/21), Award for best short talk at the Medical Sciences Graduate Program Virtual Research Day (March 2021), CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship (2021-2022). Selected talk for the Mildred Gulliver award competition – IIDR trainee day 2021. Position after leaving the Bowdish lab: Research coordinator.
Anastasia Chouvalov (MSc student, 2019-2021, co-supervised by Dr. Deborah Sloboda) Distinctions: Canada Graduate Scholarship -MSc (2020). Position after leaving the Bowdish lab: Nurse
Erica de Jong (MSc 2018-2020) Distinctions: Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2019/2020). Certificate of Excellence from the Summer Program in Aging, CIHR (2019).Position after leaving the Bowdish lab: Technician in the Bowdish lab.
Grace Teskey (2016-2018) Distinctions: Recipient of MacART Trainee Travel Awards (2017). Position after leaving the Bowdish lab: Technician at the University of Toronto.
Aveshni Naidoo (September 2013- July 2016) Distinctions: Abstract chosen for oral presention at the IIDR Research Day (2013). Poster Presentation at Western’s IIRF (2013); Best Overall Poster – People’s Choice Award (UWO IIRF 2013), Medical Sciences Research Day Poster Presentation Outstanding Achievement Award (2014), International poster presentation at Buffalo Immunology Conference (2014), Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship-Master’s CGS (2014), Award for Excellence in Poster Presentation in the FHS Research Plenary (2014).Selected for speed poster talk at the 1st Annual Perey Symposium (2014). Micheal Hart Memorial Scholarship (2014). Poster presentation at IIRF (2014). Poster Excellence award FHS research plenary (May 2015). CIHR PhD scholarship (2015-2017). Anne Martin-Matthews Doctoral Research Prize of Excellence in Research on Aging (Sept 2015). Travel award to Keystone meeting “Myeloid cells” (2016). Current Position: Medical School at the University of Toronto.
Netusha Thevaranjan (September 2014- July 2016). Distinctions: IIDR-Farncombe Summer Studentship (2013).Poster presentations at the IIDR trainee day (2013), UWO Infection & Immunity Research Forum (2013), Buffalo Immunology Conference (2014). Oral presentation at the Ontario and Quebec Undergraduate Immunology conference (2014). Poster presentation at IIRF (2014). Poster presentation at the Buffalo Immunology Conference (2015). Poster presentation at the FHS Research Plenary (May 2015). Abstract chosen for oral presentation at the Microbiome and Human Immunity meeting (Montreal, Sept 2015). Winner of the MSc Michael Kamin Hart Memorial Scholarship (2015).CIHR-PhD studentship (2016). Current Position: Medical School (Ireland).
Nick Yap (September 2014-June 2016). Distinctions: OGS award (2015). Best oral presentation at the MIRC-Perey Symposium (2015). Current Position: Dental school at the University of Western Ontario.
Fiona Whelan. (September 2010- August 2012). Distinctions: won Biorad Best Poster Award for Student < 6 mo, with S. Chauvin, Z. Tu at the 5th Annual Infection and Immunity Research Forum University of Western Ontario (Nov 2010), won best poster presentation at CREST conference (March 2011), finalist for poster presentation in Health Sciences Graduate Studies Plenary May 2011, Google Anita Borg Finalist Scholarship (2011),Google Anita Borg Winner (2012), Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship (2012), Excellence in Poster Presentation at the FHS Research Plenary (May 2012). Best Poster (Albini Award) at the 2012 Buffalo Immunology Conference. Postition after leaving the Bowdish lab: PhD candidate in Dr. Mike Surette’s lab, McMaster. Current position: Independent investigator UK.
Zhongyuan Tu. Undergraduate Biochem thesis student (May 2009-Aug 2010) MSc student (Sept 2010-Sep2012) Distinctions: won IIDR summer studentship, Summer 2009, won Best Undergraduate Poster with H. Wong, A. Jiang at IIDR Opening Symposium (Oct 2009), won Biorad Best Poster Award for Student < 6 mo, with S. Chauvin, F.Whelan at the 5th Annual Infection and Immunity Research Forum University of Western Ontario (Nov 2010), finalist for poster presentation in Health Sciences Graduate Studies Plenary May 2011. Current position: Industry
Post-doctoral fellows (9 completed)
Dr. Candice Quin (PDF 2020-2023) Distinctions: CIHR Fellowship (2020-2023). Mildred Gulliver Post-doctoral fellow award 2021. Best poster at the IIDR trainee day (2020). Winner of the Perey Symposium postdoctoral fellowship award for best oral presentation (2022). Current position: Faculty member – University of Aberdeen
Dr. Kate Kennedy (PDF 2021-2023) iDistinctions: Award for talk at the 2022 Canadian National Perinatal Research Meeting. Molly Towell Perinatal Research Foundation (2022). Current Position: Academia
Dr. Allison Kennedy (PDF 2017-2021) Distinctions: Best PDF poster presentation at the IIDR trainee day 2018. H.G. Thode Postdoctoral fellowship 2019-2021. Mildred Gulliver award 2019. Current Position: Industry
Dr. Janine Strehmel (PDF 2016-2019). Current Position: Industry
Dr. Cedoljub Bundalovic-Torma (PDF 2018- 2019). Current position: Academia
Dr. Christian Schulz (PDF 2016-2018). Distinctions: DFG fellowship (2016-2018).
Dr. Chris Verschoor: Post-doctoral fellow Aug 2010-Feb 2016. Distinctions: M.G. DeGroote Post-doctoral fellowship (2011-2012), Canadian Thoracic Society Fellowship (2012-2013 and 2013-2014). CIHR Institute of Aging Travel Award (2012). Selected for oral presentation at IIDR Open Day (Oct 2013). Connect Canada Internship (2014). Selected for oral presentation at the 1st annual Perey Symposium. Received “Publication Impact Award” at the FHS research plenary (May 2015). Current position: Faculty Member at Health Sciences North Research Institute
Dr. Peter Pelka: Post-doctoral fellow Jan 2011-May 2012. Current position: Faculty position at the University of Manitoba, Department of Microbiology starting July 2012.
Dr. Preethi Jayanth: Post-doctoral fellow Jan 2010-Jan 2011.Current position: Technician at the University of Guelph.
Undergraduate thesis, summer & co-op students
Aunika Venebles (January 2023-August 2024): Distinctions: NSERC Undergraduate Research Summer Award (Declined). Abstract selected for presentation at the Canadian Undergraduate Conference on Healthcare (2024). IIDR Summer Scholarship (2024). MIRA Best wet lab presentation (2024).
Molly Heath (January 2023-April 2024): Distinctions: NSERC Undergraduate Research Summer Award (2023). Runner-Up Undergraduate Poster Presentation, Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences Research Symposium (2024)
Amanda Densil (September 2023-April 2024). Distinctions: Silver award for undergraduate student poster at the McMaster Institute for Research on Aging trainee day (2023).
Clare Edwards (Co-op student, January 2021- August 2021, Thesis student September 2021-April 2022). Distinctions: Best undergraduate poster – IIDR trainee day 2021.Best oral presentation for final thesis presentation. 2022.
Kevin Dai (Thesis student, September 2020-April 2020). Distinctions: Best presentation (Undergraduate category) at the MIRA Trainee Network’s Pitch Your Project event (2020).
Ansha Suleman (Thesis student, September 2020-April 2020).
Alisa Nykolayeva (Co-op student, June 2020-Dec 2020).
Kate Miyasaki (Sept 2018-Apr 2019)
Maiura Muralitharan (Sept 2018-Apr 2019)
Danny Ma (NSERC USRA – 2018, 4th year thesis student Sept 2018-Apr 2019). Distinctions: NSERC-USRA 2018, MIRA Summer undergraduate scholarship 2018. NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award 2019, IIDR summer studentship 2019.
Judjina Thevarajah (January 2018-Aug 2018 co-op student, 4th year thesis student Sept 2018- April 2019)
Sonia Igboanugo (4th year thesis student, Biomedical Discovery & Commercialization, 2018-2019)
Melodie Kim (Thesis student May- Aug 2016, Sept 2016-Apr 2017, Sept 2017-April 2018, Sept 2018-April 2019). Distinctions: BHSc Summer Studentship 2018. Silver award for poster presentation at MIRA-Labarge Research Day 2018.
Mina Sadeghi (4th year thesis student May 2018, Co-op Student Aug 2018-Apr 2019). Distinctions: MIRA summer studentship 2018. Gold award for poster presentation at MIRA-Labarge Research Day 2018. Current position: finishing undergraduate degree at McMaster.
Joseph Chon (3rd year thesis student Sept 2016-Apr 2017, 4th year thesis student September 2017-April 2018). Distinctions: IIDR summer internship 2018. Current position: Medical school.
Dhanyasri Maddiboina (3rd year project student – Sept 2016-Apr 2017, 4th year thesis September 2017-April 2018).
Jason Fan (High School student 2012, Summer student 2015, 3rd year thesis student Sept 2015-Apr 2015, Summer student 2016,2017). Distinctions: IIDR summer internship winner (2012). IIDR summer studentship (2016). NSERC USRA (2017). Current Position: Medical School
Sureka Pavalagantharajah (Thesis student Sept 2016-Apr 2017)
Jenny Sun (Co-op student Jan 2016-Aug 2016).
Justin Boyle (co-supervised with Dr. José Moran-Mirabal, NSERC-USRA 2015, Thesis student Sept 2015-Apr 2015, NSERC-USRA 2016). Distinctions: NSERC-USRA (2015, 2016), OGS (2016). NSERC MSc scholarship (2015, declined). Current Position: Medical School at the University of Toronto.
Mohammad Malik (Biotechnology Co-op student, January-August 2015, Thesis student May-Aug 2016). Distinctions: IIDR summer studentship (2015)
Vikash Chawla (Summer student 2015, Thesis student Sept 2015-Apr 2015).
Alejandra Lagos (Summer student 2015, Thesis student Sept 2015-Apr 2015). Distinctions: Won top poster award at the Ontario Biology Day (2016).
Alan Zhou (3rd year thesis student Jan-Apr 2015). Distinctions: Accepted to Queen’s University Medical School after 3rd year. Canadian Society of Microbiologists Undergraduate award. Current Position: Queen’s University Medical School.
Melissa Ling (3rd year thesis student Jan-Apr 2013, summer student 2014, 4th year thesis student 2014-2015). Distinctions: IIDR Summer Studentship (2014). Current Position: MSc of Medical Sciences, Yale University in the Physician Associate Program.
James Han (Summer student, 2013 and 4th year thesis student 2013-2014). Distinctions: IIDR Summer Studentship (2013). Award of Excellence for undergraduate poster presentation at the IIDR Trainee Day. Poster presentations: Infection and Immunology Research Forum (IIRF) Western University 2013,Buffalo Immunology Conference March 2014, American Association of Immunology Annual Meeting June 2014. Oral presentations: Canadian Undergraduate Healthcare Conference (CUCOH, Nov 2013), 7th annual Ontario-Quebec Undergraduate Immunology Conference (OQUIC) (March 2014), Ontario Biology Day (March 2014), Canadian-Korean Conference in Science and Technology (August 2014). CIHR CGS-MSc scholarship to attend graduate school at UWO. Current Position: MSc student at the University of Toronto
Charles Yin (3rd year thesis student 2012, 4th year thesis student Sept 2013-Apr 2014.NSERC-USRA summer student 2012 & 2014). Distinctions: NSERC-USRA winner (2012, 2014). Award for best 0ral presentation at the 7th annual Ontario Quebec Undergraduate Immunology Conference (OQUIC) (March 2014). Current position: MD-PhD student at Western University, supervised by Brian Heit.
Netusha Thevaranjan (Sept 2013-Apr 2014) 4th year Life Sciences thesis student. Distinctions: Poster presentations at the IIDR trainee day (2013), UWO Infection & Immunity Research Forum (2013), Buffalo Immunology Conference (2014). Oral presentation at the Ontario and Quebec Undergraduate Immunology conference (2014). Current position: Graduate student in the Bowdish lab.
Jessica Wallace (Sept 2013-Apr 2014) 4th year Life Sciences thesis student.Current position: MSc student at McMaster (Dr. Deb Sloboda’s lab).
Samanthy Balachandran (January 2013-April 2013) 4th year Biology & Pharmacology Co-op Student. Current position: Medical Student at the University of Western Australia.
Keith Lee (May 2012-April 2013) 4th year BHSC thesis student. Distinctions: Canadian Society of Immunology Summer Studentship award (2012). BHSc program Summer Studentship award (2012). IIDR Award of Excellence for best undergraduate poster presentation at the IIDR Trainee Day (Nov 2012). Current position: Medical student at U of Toronto.
Sarah Chauvin (May 2010 – September 2011) 4th year Biochemistry thesis student. NSERC-USRA award winner. Distinctions: won NSERC USRA (Summer 2011), won Biorad Best Poster Award for Student < 6 mo, with F. Whelan, Z. Tu at the 5th Annual Infection and Immunity Research Forum University of Western Ontario (Nov 2010). Current position: MSc student at University of Toronto.
Alex Jiang (June 2009-July 2011) 3rd & 4th year thesis student. Distinctions: Pathology & Molecular Medicine summer studentship(Summer 2009), won Best Undergraduate Poster with H. Wong, Z. Tu at IIDR Opening Symposium (Oct 2009), won ebioscience Best Poster Award for Student < 6 mo, with M. Dorrington at the 5th Annual Infection and Immunity Research Forum University of Western Ontario (Nov 2010). Current position: UWO medical school.
Harikesh Wong (July 2009-August 2010) 4th yr Biochemistry thesis student, currently a graduate student at the University of Toronto. Distinctions: won Best Undergraduate Poster with A. Jiang Z. Tu at IIDR Opening Symposium (Oct 2009). Current Position: PhD candidate at the University of Toronto
High School Students
Kazi Akther (August 2014), High School Student Distinctions: Winner of the IIDR internship for the Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair. Current position: McMaster University student.
Priynka Dhillon (August 2014), High School Student, Distinctions: Winner of the IIDR internship for the Bay Area Science & Engineering FairCurrent position: McMaster University student.
Catharine Bowman (Jan 2014- May 2014). Presented at the BASEF, Canada wide and International Science Fairs. Distinctions: BASEF gold medal, Cancer Assistance Programme Award – First, Hillfield Strathallan College Awards of Excellence- Biological Sciences Award, Hamilton Association da Vinci Award, Drs. Ranjan Sur and Monalisa Sur Award, Pinnacle Best in Fair and the Arcelor-Mittal Dofasco Pinnacle best-in-fair award at the Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair
Eisha Ahmed High School Student (Apr -Aug 2013) supervised preparation for the International Science fair (Apr -Aug 2013)& hosted with Dr. Mike Surette for her receipt of the IIDR Summer Student Internship. Current Position: McGill University student.
Leonard Rivet (September 2012-June 2013, co-supervised by Dr. Alba Guarne) was a high school co-op student from Sir John A MacDonald Secondary school and member of the Youth Engaged in Science Program. Distinctions: Silver Merit Award at BASEF 2013.
Jason Fan (July-August 2012) won 2012 IIDR Internship for the best performance at the Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair. He performed the internship in the Bowdish lab. Distinctions: Gold Merit Award at BASEF 2013. Silver Merit Award at the Canada-wide Science Fair.
Julia Lee, while she was a grade 11 student at Hill Park Secondary school (2009-2010) participated in the Youth Engaged in Science Program and worked in the Bowdish lab to participate in the Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair. Distinctions: Silver Merit Award at BASEF 2010, Delegate at the Canada wide Science fair 2010.
Undergraduate Summer Students
Prashant Bharadwaj (2013). Distinctions: MITACS summer internship. Current position: Graduate student at John Hopkins University.
Michael Danesi (Summer 2011)
Jaskiran Nanda (Summer 2011)
Technicians & Support Staff
Lucas Bilaver (2021-2023): Technician and Data Analyst.
Sussan Kianpour (2020-2022): Research Coordinator
Jessica Wallace (2019 – 2021) Research Coordinator
Mohammad Malik (2017-2019) Research Coordinator
Grace Teskey (2017-2018) Technician.
Robert Valencia (Sept 2013-Apr 2015) Lab Manager.
Ashu Ebasi (Oct 2013-Feb 2013) Bioinformaticist
Netusha Thevaranjan (May 2013-Apr 2014) Animal Care Technician.
Peter Mu (Sept 2011-April 2013) Work-Study Undergraduate Lab Manager.
Tanja Thurn (September 2010-May 2011) Technician, currently working as a Medical Lab Technologist at the Juravinski Cancer Centre
Iris Wang (May 2010-September 2011) Technician, currently working in the lab of Dr. Mark Larche.