I obtained my BSc degree in Biochemistry from York University, Toronto. My undergraduate research project focused on developing a bioanalytical technique to measure enzyme activity in cancer cells and study cell heterogeneity. As I learned more about cancer biology during my project and upper-year courses, I developed a strong desire and commitment to enhancing cancer diagnosis and patient care through scientific work. I am honored to start my graduate studies in the Pathology Department at McGill University, one of the leading institutions in education and research excellence. I am extremely excited to work under the supervision of Dr. Joanna Przybyl at the Research Institute of the MUHC. My master’s project will investigate extracellular vesicles (EVs) in soft tissue sarcoma, aiming to improve cancer diagnosis through liquid biopsy assays. I believe the excellent research training offered in the Pathology Department will allow me to expand my knowledge in cancer and broaden my expertise in scientific research. I am extremely grateful to join the Pathology Department and continue my studies at McGill University!
I obtained my Hons. B.Sc. in Bio-Medical Science from University of Guelph. My honours thesis focused on investigating the role of oncolytic viral proteins in modulation of programmed cell deaths, which sparked my passion for cancer biology and immunotherapy research. As a graduate student in the Department of Pathology at McGill University, my research focuses on applying spatial omics techniques to ex vivo melanoma tumour models. Through my project, I aim to better understand the tumour microenvironment underlying differential patient responses to immunotherapy and to identify predictive and therapeutically targetable biomarkers that can improve treatment outcomes. Looking ahead, I aspire to combine laboratory-based research with education and science communication. One of my future goals is to enhance public access to cutting-edge cancer research discoveries and promote global scientific literacy through international outreach and education initiatives.
I obtained my undergraduate degree in Pharmacology at McGill, where I also had the chance to start doing research in the Henry C. Witelson Ocular Pathology Laboratory, doing work looking at metastasis markers in Uveal Melanoma, especially relating to the importance of BAP1 protein expression on the prognosis of patients. From there, I had the chance to start doing work in Dr. Julia Burnier’s Laboratory, looking at Methylation Signatures in Uveal Melanoma using the TCGA database. These first opportunities in research reinforced my desire to continue doing cancer research in a translational environment, where it is possible to immediately see the potential impact of your work on the lives of patients. I am very excited to have the opportunity to pursue my graduate studies in the Department of Pathology at McGill, and to be able to work with such talented and driven people. Currently, I am working on research in methylation analysis and liquid biopsy techniques for cancer detection and prognostication.
I completed my undergraduate studies here at McGill University in the spring of 2023, majoring in Physiology. Throughout my bachelor’s degree, I gained a lot of knowledge about how physiological systems encode and process information in order to ensure human health, as well as how these systems can be affected by disease. Curious about the idea of a future career in research, I completed a summer internship where I worked on characterizing the functions of non-coding RNAs in bacterial metabolism. I am now very excited to be starting my master’s research under the supervision of Dr. Joanna Przybyl at the Research Institute of the MUHC. My project will focus on the study of circulating DNA of soft tissue tumours for the improvement of cancer detection and surveillance through liquid biopsy.
Supervisor: Dr. Alex Gregorieff
Before joining the Department of Pathology, I completed my bachelor’s degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University. Throughout my undergraduate study, understanding diseases and their cellular underpinnings have always been my primary interest. It is a great honor and opportunity for me to continue exploring the field of pathology under the supervision of Dr. Alex Gregorieff. During my graduate degree, I will be studying the Hippo signalling pathway underlying intestinal stem cell behavior and tumorigenesis. I’m truly excited to continue my study at McGill, one of the most prestigious university in the world, and staying in the beautiful city of Montreal.
After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University, I pursued a Master’s degree in Pathology under the supervision of Dr. Sonia Cellot at the Sainte-Justine Research Centre, where I developed a passion for scientific discovery. Through my master’s research, I became increasingly interested in understanding the biology of leukemia and identifying new therapeutic approaches. Wanting to explore these questions more deeply, I continued in the same laboratory in January 2026 to pursue a PhD in Pathology. My doctoral research focuses on uncovering therapeutic vulnerabilities in acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL), an aggressive form of leukemia with particularly poor outcomes. Ultimately, I hope to advance my research toward clinical translation and contribute to the development of more effective treatments for patients.
I started as a PhD student in September 2020 investigating new molecular mechanisms involved in glioblastoma resistance to current standard therapy and efficacy of a repurposed drug in human glioblastoma cell lines and patient-derived glioblastoma stem cells. My academic interests have evolved from my university studies and my intrinsic observations of the global society in which I live in. My research work in the field of microbiology has inspired me to look closer at the societal needs in biomedicine evolution, that’s why I successfully finished both bachelor and master programs in Microbiology. I have always been fascinated by cancer research and have decided to continue my research in that field. This has driven me to achieve another master’s degree in Biotechnology at McGill university, to help me develop specific skills that can be applied in cancer research, exercising various techniques and detecting new ones.
Roham obtained his Hons. B.Sc. in Life Sciences at McMaster University. During his undergraduate career, he performed research at SickKids: The Hospital for Sick Children, investigating the mechanisms underlying lipid disorders in metabolic disease such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. This is where he developed his research interests focusing on the relationship between poor lifestyle habits and the onset of disease. This led him to his current thesis project, investigating the systemic and pulmonary immune response to cannabis vape products. With the recent legalization of cannabis, the popularity of vape products among the younger demographic, and the lack of scientific research in his specific field, he is extremely grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to such an emerging industry.
I completed a B.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences at University of Guelph as well as a coursework M.Sc. in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, focusing on Human Anatomy. I am quite excited to join the Pathology Department at McGill as a MSc student with Dr. Carlos Telleria as my supervisor. I will be studying the response of histopathologically different ovarian cancer cells to Pt derivatives. During my undergraduate studies I took human anatomy courses where I was first exposed to cadaver specimens who had a disease including uterine and ovarian cancer. My interest in studying diseases was what drew me to the Pathology graduate program at McGill. I am thrilled to become a part of the Pathology department as well as to move to Quebec and experience the culture of this new city and province.
I received my BSc in Medical Biology from the University of New England. During my undergraduate studies, I conducted a number of research projects on the novel protein biomarker, Collagen Triple Helix Repeat Containing 1 (CTHRC1). The three focuses of my research were:
(1) to characterize CTHRC1 involvement in altering the tumor microenvironment in metastatic carcinogenesis,
(2) elucidate the relationship between CTHRC1 and NFKb signaling in the context of vascular inflammation,
(3) characterize the role and expression of CTHRC1 in interstitial lung disease (ILD) subtypes (This work was especially exciting as it was the first time in which CTHRC1 had been assayed in interstitial lung disease patients).
Prior to this work, I was uncertain if a career in research was the “right” path. However, the curiosity and deep sense of purpose building through each project propelled me to ultimately apply to graduate school. As I take a step into this next chapter of my life, I can only reflect on how grateful I am for the encouragement and tough-love given to me by my past mentors and peers. I’m thrilled and grateful to be joining the program under Dr. Baglole to continue research on the molecular mechanisms of lung disease. On a more personal note, I’m ecstatic about moving to Montreal, where I’ll not only be closer to family, but also be in an incredible place to balance my academic life with my passion for cooking, rock climbing, and photography.
I am currently pursuing a PhD in Dr. Julia Burnier’s laboratory. My research focuses on extracellular vesicles which are nano-particles (size 30-1000nm) emitted by cancer cells. The interesting thing about these nano-particles are, they act as a cargo and carry DNA, oncogenes and oncoproteins from host cancer cells and transfer it to recipient cells. These nano particles can be isolated from human body fluids and therefore, it can be used as biomarker. My project is to understand how cancer cells emit exosomes carrying oncogenic DNA. During my research I fell in love with imaging technologies because I can visually provide an evidence and prove my hypothesis as well as appreciate the beauty of nano-scale particles. Lastly, I would like to thank the department of pathology faculties and staffs for their support in students’ education goals and our well-being.
I earned my bachelor's in Honours Computer Science and Biology at McGill. During my undergrad, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to conduct an honour's project under the supervision of Dr. Maria Vera Ugalde, where I used a computational pipeline to analyze the distribution and colocalization of heat shock protein mRNAs in neurons of ALS patients to determine if ALS would affect the heat shock response. After taking a class on human genetics, I became particularly interested in cancer. My project will aim to mimic cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) using lipid-based nanoparticles in terms of cellular uptake and downstream effects.