OUTREACH

CURRENT MEMBERS

HAMID KIAN GAIKANI

PhD Candidate

Having finished my Bachelor's and Master's in chemistry (University of Tehran, Iran), I fell in love with molecular biology and genetics. After graduation, I worked for six months at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Centre for Bioimaging Sciences, before starting my PhD at UBC. Here, in the GGCN lab, I make an effort on yeast genetics to make it resistant against cosmic radiations! I've been involved in a few side projects that are mostly related to chemical-genetic interactions. When not in the lab, I read books, listen to podcasts, run on our beautiful campus, and bore people to tears by talking nerdy to them!

DIVYA KRITI

PhD Candidate

Research:

I study the genetics of variable drug response and aim to pharmacogenetically assess the contribution of these variants in human drug targets to drug exposure.

Academic Profile:

Ph.D. student (current), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

M.S. Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, U.S.A.

B.Tech. Biotechnology, GITAM Institute of Technology, Visakhapatnam, India

Grad Office: 6618-2405Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver,

BC Canada V6T 1Z3

UCHE JOSEPH OGBEDE

PhD Candidate

I obtained my bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria and later moved to the University of Glasgow UK for my MSc in Medical Genetics & Genomics. It was during my MSc degree program that I became so passionate about functional genomics. Interestingly, I found Nislow/Giaever lab at UBC as best fit to achieve my research objectives, and I'm currently a PhD candidate in Genome Science & Technology. My research work involves the use of high throughput technologies to investigate mechanisms of drug actions as well as genes and cellular pathways involved in chemical toxicity. When not busy, I play/watch soccer, read the news or socialize with family and friends.

RUTUJA PATTANSHETTI

Master's student

I am currently a master’s student in Genome Science and Technology. I first joined the GGNC lab as a co-op student in 2020, after which I went on to complete my undergrad honors project here as well. Currently I am being co-supervised by Dr. Nislow and Dr. Measday and the focus of my research is Ty-1 retrotransposons in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When not in the lab, I like to sing, binge-watch TV shows and draw!

MINA KHOSHNOODI

PhD Student

I received my BSc and MSc from the University of Tehran and the Royan institute in Iran, respectively. Then, I joined the GGCN lab in September 2020. My research is focused on 3D cell culture by taking the mammalian cells for spin! We have a new smaller version of the Rotating Wall Vessel (RWV), called Spinpod, which simulates low-shear modeled microgravity. Our goal is to make spheroids from different cell lines using Spinpod and, investigate the effect of low-shear modeled microgravity on gene expression. I love cooking and trying new foods! When not in the lab, I usually hike and bike around Vancouver, but not in rainy days!

MARJAN BARAZANDEH

Research Associate

I was trained as an evolutionary molecular biologist in my PhD at the University of Alberta, Rich Palmer’s lab, where I combined my undergraduate and master’s trainings as a marine biologist with my love and enthusiasm towards genetics to study mating system and population genetics of barnacles, one of Darwin’s favourite animals. Then, I joined Tim Hughes lab at the University of Toronto as a postdoctoral fellow to study the mechanisms of gene regulation and co-evolution of C2H2 transcription factors and repeat elements in the genomes of different species. In the GGCN lab, I am studying how different factors such as pharmaceutical drugs and cosmic radiation affect the gene expression and genomic interactions in model organisms. When not doing science, I bike and hike, watch movies, read books, and hang out with family and friends.

ALUMNI

Apologies for the mess on the part of our lab that makes us the proudest. If you are currently missing from this page, please email Hamid Gaikani at gaikani@mail.ubc.ca

Nicolas Coutin | PhD student (Method Development for High Throughput Biology), 2016-2020
Angelo Lanzilotto | MITACS Postdoctoral Fellow, 2018-2019
Kipling NG | Co-op student, 2020-2021
Sam Breaux | Master student (Pharmacogenomics: from experimental design through patient interactions), 2018, 2021
Credo Casmil | Co-op student 2020-2022