Laboratory Technician

Expertise: Imaging, molecular biology and advanced cell culture

About Me:  Cheryl completed her PhD at the University of Alberta and her postdoctoral research at the University of Calgary. She joined the Gillrie Lab in May 2025 as a laboratory technician. Outside of the lab, she enjoys watching movies, building LEGO sets, and doing puzzles.

Post-Doctoral Fellow 2025-

Project: Developing 3D peripheral lymphoid organs on chip to study vaccination

About Me: Nima earned his PhD in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from the Schulich School of Engineering, where his research focused on advanced biofabrication, biomaterials design, and organ-on-chip technologies. His long-term vision is to advance next-generation immune-enabled tissue platforms that accelerate translational research and precision medicine.

Post-Doctoral Fellow 2025-

Project: Deciphering cortical neuron responses to toxic metabolites in Cerebral Malaria

MSc Student 2024-

Co-supervised by Dr Bas Surewaard

Project: Examining the role of Zinc metalloproteinases in pneumococcal pneumonia

About Me: Simran is supported by the Paul Kubes Graduate Scholarship. Outside of her graduate work, she likes to run and play soccer on the Snyder Strikers!

PhD Student 2025-

Co-supervised by Dr Christina Thornton

Project: Characterizing the therapeutic potential of the healthy human lung microbiome in bronchiectasis

About Me: Ariel earned her MSc in 2023 investigating colonic mucus and inflammatory responses before working in finance for the International Microbiome Centre. She received the Distinguished Doctoral Recruitment Scholarship. In her spare time, she likes to go to Orange Theory, bake, and spend time with her two dogs.

PhD Student 2025-

Project: Developing a bone marrow on a chip platform to study immune responses in sepsis

About Me: Zahra earned her MSc in Hematology and Blood Banking before receiving the Beverly Phillips Rising Star Award to pursue her PhD in Biomedical Engineering. She has contributed to several peer-reviewed publications, including serving as the corresponding author for one published in BMC Infectious Diseases focusing on bloodstream infections in cancer patients. She loves to run and spend time with animals, particularly cats!

Undergraduate Summer Student 2026-

Project: Investigating Lung Microbiome Alterations in response to Vaping

About Me: Alison finished her first year of Life Sciences at Queen's University, but she is transferring to MIT next year to study Chemistry and Biology! In her free time, she fences and plays the harp, and she loves camping and travelling as well! 

Braedon McDonald MD PhD

Dept. of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary

Microbiome, Immunology, and Critical Illness

Lab Website

Christina Thornton MD PhD

Dept. of Medicine, University of Calgary

Lung Microbiome, CF and Non-CF Bronchiectasis

Lab Website

Bas Surewaard PhD

Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases (MIID), University of Calgary

Microbiology and Immunology

Lab Website

Bryan Yipp MD MSc

Dept. of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary

Lung Immunology

Lab Website

Roger D. Kamm PhD

Dept. Mech and Biological Engineering, MIT

Tissue Engineering

Lab Website

COVID-19 Lung Imaging Collaborative and BSL3 Team

Drs Paul Kubes, Chris Mody, Jennifer Corcoran, Craig Jenne, Margaret Kelly, Nathan Peters and Braedon McDonald

News Article 

Jeff Biernaskie PhD

Dept. University of Calgary

Tissue Repair and Bioinformatics

Lab Website

Lung Injury Collaboration

Drs Margaret Kelly, Matthias Amrein, David Proud, University of Calgary

Airway Inflammation Research Group

COVID-19 Clinical Trials Group

Dept Medicine, Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Calgary

Drs Deepa Suryanarayan, Davinder Sidhu, Alejandra Ugarte-Torres, 

Study Nurses: Traci Robinson and Suzanne Westcott