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Nijnik Lab Alumni
The team members at Nijnik Lab are made up of experienced and dedicated researchers from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds. What unites them is an undying passion for learning and discovery. Meet them below.
Michael Förster, PhD
Post-doctoral Fellow (2013-16)
Dr. Michael Förster was a Post-doctoral Fellow in the research team between 2013-2016, studying the roles of histone deubiquitinase MYSM1 in B and T cell-mediated immunity. During this time, Michael contributed to 5 papers, including 3 that he published as a first-author.
Jad Belle
M.Sc. Graduate and Research Assistant (2012-16)
Jad Belle completed his M.Sc. student in the Nijnik Lab, graduating in 2014, and subsequently worked as a Research Assistant in the team for several years. Jad's M.Sc. thesis characterized the roles of histone deubiquitinase MYSM1 in the regulation of gene expression and p53-mediated stress response in hematopoietic stem cells. During this time Jad contributed to 9 publications, including 4 that he published as first author.
Jessica Petrov
M.Sc. Graduate and Work-Study student (2013-16)
Jessica Petrov joined the lab as an undergraduate Work-Study student in 2013, and subsequently continued her work as an M.Sc. student, graduating in 2016. Jessica's M.Sc. thesis characterized the MYSM1 regulated transcriptional network of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. During this time Jessica contributed to 7 publications, including one first-author paper.
Rupinder Boora
M.Sc. graduate (2014-16)
Rupinder Boora was an M.Sc. graduate student in the research team between 2014-2016. Rupinder's M.Sc. Thesis analyzed the mechanisms through which deubiquitinase MYSM1 regulates the p53 stress response pathway in hematopoietic cells. During this time Rupinder contributed to one publication as second-author. Following her research, she completed her studies at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. Currently, she is in her first year of residency at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.
Amanda Fiore
M.Sc. Graduate (2017-19)
Amanda Fiore was an M.Sc. graduate student in the research team between 2017-2019. Amanda's M.Sc. thesis characterized the role of MYSM1 in the regulation of ribosomal protein gene expression in hematopoietic cells. During this time Amanda contributed to 2 papers, including one that she published as a first-author.
Yun Hsiao Lin (Minnie)
PhD Graduate (2016-20)
Yun Hsiao Lin was a PhD student studying the roles of various nuclear deubiquitinases in normal and malignant blood cell production using mouse models. During her time in the lab she contributed to x papers, including x first author papers.
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HanChen Wang
Research Assistant, M.Sc. Graduate, and Honours Student (2016-2022)
HanChen graduated from the Nijnik Lab as an Honours (Immunology) and M.Sc. (Physiology) student. In addition to molecular biology and animal models, he specializes in bioinformatics analysis. His M.Sc. project investigated the transcriptional regulation by MYSM1 in mouse HSCs. He is interested to pursue a joint career in medicine and research. In the spare time, he enjoys playing basketball and volleyball, watching TV shows and movies, and hosting board game nights with friends.
Google Scholar
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Marwah Mousa
M.Sc. Graduate (2020-2022)
Marwah graduated from the Nijnik Lab with M.Sc. in physiology that focused the biology of hematopoietic stem cells and the regulation of blood and immune cell production in health and disease. Prior to joining the lab she obtained bachelor's degree in pharmacy, from the University of Jordan. During her undergraduate studies, she always found herself interested in the physiology of the human body and the complexity of the immune system. For her, science has always proven that the more we know the more we realize there is much more to know and with the COVID-19 pandemic there proved to be more to discover and a lot to do if we want to save humanity even from a simple virus.
June Kim
M.Sc. Graduate (2021-2023)
June graduated with an M.Sc in Physiology. Prior to the joining the lab she had completed her undergraduate studies in the Honours Physiology program at McGill University. Her research project focused on studying the causes and mechanisms of interstitial lung disease in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. She studied the specific role of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), to better understand what causes a perpetuated state of inflammation in these diseases.
Awards
Canada Graduate Scholarship - M.Sc. program 2022 - 2023
Viktoria Plackoska
M.Sc. Graduate (2021-2023)
Viktoria graduated with an M.Sc in Physiology. Prior to joining the lab, she completed a B.Sc in biology with a focus on microbiology and immunology at the University of Waterloo. Her research work mainly focused on understanding the impacts that stress/inflammation have on hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) differentiation. Particularly by looking at the roles MYSM1 has. ​
Awards
Canada Graduate Scholarship - M.Sc. program 2022-2023
Over the past years, many undergraduate students have also been valued members of our research team. This includes 20 research students enrolled in the PHGY-419, PHGY-461, or PHGY-396 Research Courses, and 14 student employees recruited via the McGill Work-Study program. Some of these trainees are listed here.
Temi Oladeji
Work-Study student (2018-19)​
Susan (Suijian) Zhou
Undergraduate student (2018)
Akansha Gupta
MSc in Biotechnology, Work-study (2020)
Gabriela Blaszczyk
Undergraduate Student (2018-2022)