Current Lab members
Fellows & Visitors
Gillian Goobie, MD PhD FRCPC – Postdoctoral Fellow
(2022- present)
Project: Alterations in DNA Methylation induced by PM2.5 in fibrotic interstitial lung disease (FILD).
Jingjia Meng – Visiting PhD student from Carnegie Mellon University
(2024- present)
Project:
Graduate Students
Aileen Hsieh – PhD student
(2021- present)
Thesis Title: Investigating Heterogeneity of Small Airways Disease in Asthma.
Najmeh Assadinia, MD.ACP – PhD student
(2022- present)
Thesis Title: Reduction and Remodeling of Small Airways and Small Airway-Associated Vessels in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis; A New Potential Therapeutic Target?
Fatemeh Aminazadeh– PhD student
(2023- present)
Thesis Title: The contribution of sex differences to small airways disease in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Samin Abbasidezfouli- PhD student
(2023- present)
Thesis Title: Uncovering molecular determinants in remodelled small airways and their associated vasculature in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).
Raveen Baydal- MSc student
(2023- present)
Thesis Title: The Effect of Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Receptor Inhibition on Fibrosis in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis.
Brandon Kohlen- MSc student
(2024- present)
Thesis Title: Elucidating the Role of Platelet Derived Growth Factor in Health and Systemic Sclerosis.
Omid Assadinia- MSc student
(2025- present)
Thesis Title:
Undergrad Students
Kasra Hajzargarbashi– Directed studies student
(2023- present)
Project title: Volumetric Assessment of Secondary Pulmonary Lobules and Acini within the Human Lung.
Supporting Staff
May Fouadi, MSc – Research Technician IV/ Lab Manager
(2016-present)
Darren Sutherland, BSc – Lung Registry Manager
(2016-present)
Yolanda Yang, MSc – Statistician and PhD student
(2017-present)
Stacey Ledoux, BSc – Imaging Core Manager
(2022-present)
Former Lab members
Kauna Usman – PhD Student
(2020- 2024)
Thesis Title: Investigation of the role of miR-146a in the regulation of fibrosis in chronic obstruction pulmonary disease.
Jenna Barker-Mulleder- Summer student
(2024)
Project title: Airway Remodeling in Asthma: The Role of Reticular Basement Membrane Proteins in Epithelial Attachment, Spreading, and Barrier Formation.
Arla Xiao– Summer student
(2024)
Max Pare- Summer student
(2024)
Kingsley O. Nwozor – PhD Student
(2019- 2024)
Thesis Title: Accelerated lung ageing in COPD; epithelial barrier dysfunction as driver of abnormal lung tissue repair and remodeling.
Milan Tomassen- Co-op student (Croningen)
(2024)
Project title: Sex Differences in COPD; IL-11 a Potential Mediator.
Fanny Chu, BSc – Lab Technician
(2022-2023)
Anna Kovtunenko– Peter Pare summer student
(2023)
Project: Age-associated gene expression differences in healthy lung fibroblasts.
Arla Xiao– Summer student
(2023)
Project: Development of better bleomycin murine models for testing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis therapeutic targets.
Keith Wu – BSc, Undergrad research student
(2020-2023)
Project: Resolving the Pathobiology of Vascular Remodeling in COPD using High-resolution MicroCT Imaging.
Nicole Coxson, BSc, Summer student
(2020-2022)
Andres Moran-Macdonald – BSc, Co-op student (Biotalent fellowship)
(2021- 2022)
Emmanuel Osei, PhD, Post doctoral fellow
(2016-2021)
Thesis Title: The role of epithelial-fibroblast communication in asthma and COPD.
Current position: Assistant professor at the department of Biology – UBC Okanagan.
Aileen Hsieh, BSc, Summer student
(2016- 2021)
Current position: PhD student at UBC.
Steve Booth, PhD, Post doctoral fellow
(2016-2020)
Thesis Title: Investigating the Nature of Small Airways Disease and Emphysema in Mild & Moderate Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Current position: Senior Research Scientist – Pharmacokinetics at AbCellera.
Leila Mostaco-Guidolin, PhD, Post doctoral fellow
(2015-2019)
Current position: Assistant professor at the department of Systems and Computer Engineering – Carleton University.
Mary Wang, BSc, Summer student
2018
Naomi Vriesde, BSc, Exchange student
2018
Thesis Title: To understand the dynamic environment of airway fibroblasts and their contribution to ECM repair and airway remodeling.
Delaram Maftoon, High School Graduate, Peter Paré Science Scholar
2019
Thesis Title: .Effect of the dynamic airway environment in asthma on fibroblast phenotype in a 3D model.
Hyun-Kyoung Koo, MD, MSc
(2015-2017)
Thesis Title: Micro-CT Analysis of Paraffin Embedded Lung Tissue: Is Small Airway Obstruction an Early Feature of COPD?
Current position: Family physician at Arbutus Medical Clinic.
Gouhai Zhou – PhD, Statistician
Current position: Instructor at Harvard Medical School and Associate Biostatistician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Nick Fishbane – Statistician
Current position: Biostatistician at Emmes.
Dorota Stefanowicz, PhD
Current position: Sector Manager, Agrifood and Natural Resources at Genome BC.
Sijranke Post, PhD
Current position: Project Manager at PRA Health Sciences – Netherlands.
Stephanie Mary Beth Warner, PhD
Current position: Research Officer, Office of the Vice-President – University of Calgary.
Robin Elderman, MD, MSc
Tracee Wee, MD, MSc
Thesis Title: Aberrant Transforming Growth Factor β1-Angiotensin II Crosstalk in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Parenchymal Fibroblasts.
Current position: Radiologist.
Soheil Hajimohammadi, M.Eng Co-op student
Current position: Director Of Software Engineering at Bananatag.
Jari Ullah, BSc, Co-op student
(2009-2011)
Thesis Title: Functions of Lung Parenchymal Versus Bronchial Derived Fibroblasts in Collagen Matrix Remodelling and Contraction.
Current position: Veterinarian Assistant at Terra Nova Village Veterinarian.
Jayoung-Janet Lee, BSc
(2012-2013)
Thesis Title: Epigenetic regulation of lung epithelium in asthma.
Current position: Senior Business Analyst, eHealth department at PHSA.
Wei-Xian Li , 4th year honors student
Thesis Title: Ultrastructure analysis of subepithelial collagen rearrangement in asthma.
Current position: Resident at Stanford University.
Kevin Lee,4th year honors student
Thesis Title: Influence of inflammatory cytokines and asthma medication so TGFb1-induced airway and alveolar epithelial plasticity.
Ekiomoado Olumese, Summer student
Thesis Title: Histone acetylation and phosphrylation in the airway epithelium in asthma.
Current position: Medical student at Vanderbilt University – Tennessee.
Anthony Spearman, Summer student
Thesis Title: The Effect of Galactosialidosis on Collagen Remodelling and Emphysema Developmen.
Christopher Johnson, Summer student
Thesis Title: The Effect of Galactosialidosis on Collagen Remodelling.
David Ahumada, BSc
Thesis Title: Ultrastructure Analysis of Subepithelial Collagen Rearrangement in Asthma.
Furquan Shaheen – Lab technician/manager
Current position: Liquid handling sales specialist at Mettler-Toledo International, Inc.
Soraya Utokaparch– MSc
Current position: Finance & Research Associate at Women’s Health Research Institute at BC Women’s.