Meet Our Lab Members
The lab is a collegial and enthusiastic environment. Students participate in weekly lab meeting and monthly journal club and acquire analytical and presentation skills. There is also a bi-weekly joint lab meeting among all the labs on the floor, giving the student the opportunity to present their work to (and learn from) a multidisciplinary audience. Dr. Lee makes mentorship and education of students and fellows a top priority.
Changsen Wang, Lab Manager
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Kuiru Wei, Lab Technician
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Rajiv Sanwal, PhD Candidate
I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Western Ontario and my MSc at the University of Toronto; during my Masters I studied the role of the endothelial barrier in regulating insulin action. During my PhD I will be exploring the use of ultrasound and microbubbles to deliver therapy to the injured lung.
Elyse Latreille, PhD Candidate
I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa in Biology. My undergraduate thesis focused on the role of autophagy in breast cancer invasion and metastasis. Before joining Dr. Lee's lab in 2018, I worked in a virology lab, investigating the role of lipid mediators in Zika virus infection of neural progenitor cells. I am currently enrolled as a PhD student in the department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology. My project aims to identify and characterize the mechanisms of action of novel therapies for severe influenza infections and acute lung injury.
Erika Jang, PhD candidate
I completed my undergraduate degree in Biotechnology at the University of British Columbia. Before Joining Dr. Lee's lab, I studied the signaling pathways involved in myocarditis and identified potential biomarkers for the disease. I am currently a PhD student in Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto. My project focuses on LDL transcytosis by coronary artery endothelial cells.
Xinying Guo, PhD candidate
I completed my undergraduate studies at China Pharmaceutical University, majoring in bioengineering. I am currently enrolled as a PhD student in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and my project will focus on the regulation and function of endothelial Duffy antigen. Outside of the lab, I am an avid foodie and enjoy following the NBA.
Tse Wing Winnie Ho, MSc candidate
I completed my undergraduate degree in Medical Sciences at the University of Western Ontario. During my undergraduate studies, I conducted my research in cell biology and psychology labs, studying multisensory perception in autism spectrum disorder. I am currently a master’s student in the department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology. My project focuses on studying the relationship between estrogen and interferon gamma with LDL transcytosis in human coronary artery endothelial cells.
Kushal Rajendra Joshi, PhD candidate
I completed my undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, India, and my MS in Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. During my Masters, I developed a low-cost, machine-learning assisted micro-chip for electro-phenotyping of cancer cells. I am currently enrolled as a PhD student at Ryerson University in Mechanical Engineering, co-supervised by Dr. Scott Tsai and Dr. Lee. During my PhD, I will be exploring the use of nanobubbles and lung-on-a-chip technology for treating acute lung injury diseases.
Andria Henry, MSc candidate
I completed my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and Neuroscience at the University of Toronto. My third year project focused on investigating the effects of novel regulators on transcriptional effectors part of the Hippo signaling pathway. My undergraduate thesis project focused on probing the allosteric mechanism of a critical transcription factor found in H. pylori. I am currently a MSc student in the Department of Biochemistry. My project will focus on studying the mechanisms of LDL transcytosis in endothelial cells. .
Alexandra Beltran Montoya, MSc candidate
I completed my undergraduate degree in Human Biology at the University of Toronto. During my undergraduate degree, I found myself interested in human diseases which led me to conduct a thesis project on the current vaccine trends and antiviral mechanisms against the Dengue Virus (DENV). I am currently a Master’s student in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and my project will focus on vascular leakage during septic shock. Outside the lab, I enjoy dancing latin music and working out.
Grace Wen, PhD candidate
I completed my B.Sc. in Health and Biomedical Science and M.Sc. in Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Windsor. Throughout my undergraduate and Master's studies, I primarily examined the significance of biomolecular interactions in infection and survival of the parasitic protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. I am currently a Ph.D. student in the department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto. My project will be focused on regulation of LDL transcytosis.