People
Board of Directors
Dr. Dawn Bell
Dr. Dawn Bell, Pharm.D. is a biopharma executive, former start-up CEO and Board Director with experience at large and mid-sized public pharmaceutical companies, as well as early stage and start-up privately held biotech companies. Her areas of expertise span strategic planning, portfolio prioritization, clinical development, business development, market access and commercialization. Dr. Bell is currently Global Development Head of Strategic Partnerships at Novartis. She is a passionate mentor for seed stage life-sciences start-ups and is energized by working with CEOs and founders in the Creative Destruction Lab (Toronto, Canada) and as an Executive Council member, EIT Health’s Gold Track Program (Munich, Germany).
Previously, Dr. Bell was VP Clinical Development and Medical Affairs and member of the Executive Committee for Novartis Pharma Canada, a $600M USD business where she was responsible for new product planning, clinical development and medical affairs across a broad portfolio. She oversaw launch preparations for 8 new medicines across 5 therapeutic areas (neuroscience, GI/hepatology, cardio-metabolic, ophthalmology and respiratory), and built the gene therapy team that launched Zolgensma and Luxturna. She also Tco-founded the Novartis Biome at Mila (Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms), an innovation accelerator created to foster entrepreneurship in data science and machine learning to improve drug development and health care delivery.
Prior to this, Dr. Bell led the global development team for Entresto at Novartis, a multi-billion dollar heart failure asset. Prior to Novartis, she was CEO and co-founder of Cool-Bio, a privately held, pre-clinical stage biotech company. She served as General Manager of Canyon Pharmaceuticals from 2008-2012, a privately held, clinical-stage rare-disease company. Earlier, she had several roles of increasing responsibility in medical affairs and clinical development at The Medicines Company, where she was part of the early company growth from $400M to >$1B valuation. Prior to joining the industry, Dr. Bell was a tenured Associate Professor at West Virginia University where she had an active clinical practice in the coronary care unit and a funded research program in health economics and outcomes research. She earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida, completed residency training at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and returned to Florida as a Genentech Cardiovascular Fellow studying pharmacogenomics in heart failure.


Dr. Dawn Bell
Dr. Tony Brooks
Dr. Tony Brooks is the CFO and VP of Entrepreneurship & Commercialization at Genome BC with over 25 years of experience in the life sciences, not for profit and public accounting environment.
Throughout his career, Tony has worked with both large and small life sciences companies and brings the vast knowledge he has gained to lead our Industry Innovation Program funding early stage start-ups. He believes in applying best practices, integrity and risk management to deliver high quality outputs. Tony is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of BC and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He holds a PhD in developmental biology from the University of London, England and a BSc from the University of Reading.
Prior to joining Genome British Columbia, he was a Senior Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers in their Vancouver Life Sciences group, where he was responsible for managing a portfolio of early stage private and later stage public clients. He has extensive experience in providing accounting and assurance services and advising companies on corporate governance, internal controls and general business matters. He is knowledgeable in US and Canadian GAAP and has worked on a number of public and private equity and debt offerings having spent three years in their San Jose, California office. Before coming to North America, Tony articled in Glasgow, Scotland where he is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He holds a PhD in developmental biology from the University of London, Eng.


Dr. Tony Brooks
Dr. Walter Dixon
Dr. Walter Dixon is Associate Vice-President (Research and Priority Initiatives), at the University of Alberta. In addition to this role, Dr. Dixon is a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science (AFNS) in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences (ALES). Prior to becoming AVP, he was Associate Dean (Research and Graduate Studies) in ALES from 2012 to 2014, and in the Department of AFNS was Associate Chair (Research) from 2006 to 2008, and then Associate Chair (Graduate Programs) from 2011 to 2012.
Dr. Dixon has earned a reputation for being an effective leader and team player, having built strong relationships through the various corners of the research portfolio and beyond, including the Research Services Office, Research Ethics Office, TEC Edmonton, Postdoctoral Fellows and Academic Visitors Office, Field Research Office, Environmental Health and Safety, Risk Management, and Research Computing (IST). Externally, he has worked collegially with partners in the ministries of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism, and Advanced Education and with agencies such as Alberta Innovates and Alberta Health Services. The other Vice-Presidents, Deans, and Associate/Vice Deans (Research) across the University have all valued and benefitted from Dr. Dixon’s advice.
A graduate of the University of Alberta (BSc [Hon]) and the University of Cambridge (MPhil and PhD [Biochemistry]), Dr. Dixon’s research focuses on reproductive performance in livestock species and the impact of nutrition during gestation on embryo / fetal development, lifetime growth potential (especially muscle growth), and health parameters of the animal. He played a lead role in the establishment and expansion of the Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Centre (now called the Agricultural Genomics and Proteomics Unit) in the Agriculture/Forestry Centre on north campus. Dr. Dixon has also served on the graduate supervisory committees of more than 100 University of Alberta MSc and PhD students.
Throughout his career, Dr. Dixon has served the larger provincial and national research community in a variety of ways. He was on the provincial scientific review committee (Livestock Opportunities) for the Agricultural Funding Consortium for over five years, the Advancing Canadian Agriculture and AgriFood scientific review committee, and the Alberta Action Team for the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program. He has also served as both a member and later as chair of the NSERC Scholarships and Fellowships Committee for Life Sciences and Psychology. He currently serves on the Boards of TRIUMF, the Pacific Institute of Mathematical Science. (PIMS), GlycoNet, and the Canadian Mountain Network. He has been an associate editor of the Canadian Journal of Animal Science, as well as a scientific reviewer for numerous other journals.


Dr. Walter Dixon
Dr. Shelly King
Dr. Shelley King is a strategic, decisive, and highly respected leader in the Canadian technology commercialization, innovation, and investment space. For 25 years, she has married her scientific background in academia with her in-depth knowledge of entrepreneurship and industry to help Canadian innovations go from bright idea to market-ready product. As founding CEO of NPC, Shelley has positioned Canada as a global pioneer and trailblazer in the natural product sector. NPC has made connections with more than 800 organizations nationally, involved more than 1000 companies in its development pipeline, invested in 11 early stage enterprises, and experienced two exits.
Previously, Shelley was VP, Research and Business Development for Genome Atlantic, where she catalyzed industry-academic relationships, putting Canadian genomics research on the international map. She spearheaded the development of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Genomics Strategy, directed the management of $28 million in research projects, negotiated $17 million in multi-stakeholder collaborative research and funding agreements, and raised $8 million in co-funding. She has also served as CEO of Synapse, a not-for-profit organization responsible for UPEI’s applied research and industry services and as president of biotechnology start-up NovaLipids Inc.
A sharp risk-taker, relationship broker, and bridge builder, Shelley holds an MSc in medicine specializing in neuroscience and an MBA from Memorial University. She sits on the board of The Metabolomics Innovation Centre and has served on the boards of Springboard Atlantic, Genesis Centre, the Natural Health Products Research Society, the Aquaculture Association of Canada, the Pan American Marine Biotechnology Association, and the Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Technology Industries.


Dr. Shelley King
Dr. Liang Li (Co-Scientific Director)
Dr. Li obtained his BSc in Chemistry from Zhejiang (Hangzhou) University in 1983 and his PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan and joined the University of Alberta in July 1989, where he is Professor of Chemistry and Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry. He is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Academy of Science) (2019). Dr. Li was Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Analytical Chemistry from 2005 to 2019. He served as Director, Alberta Cancer Board Proteomics Resource Laboratory, from 2000 to 2005. He was Chair of Analytical Chemistry Division at the University of Alberta from 2007 to 2019. He was a Co-PI of the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) Project; his laboratory generated the HMDB MS/MS spectral library of the endogenous human metabolites which has been widely used by the metabolomics community. His laboratory is a pioneer in developing the high-performance chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HP-CIL LC-MS) platform for quantitative and comprehensive metabolome profiling of bio-systems. Dr. Li has received a number of national and international awards and honors. He is an editor of Analytica Chimica Acta, an international journal on analytical chemistry, since 2005. He is also a member of the editorial advisory board in a number of scientific journals.






Dr. Liang Li
Node Leader
Dr. Fraser Hof
Fraser grew up in Medicine Hat, Alberta. He was educated at the University of Alberta, The Scripps Research Institute (California), and ETH Zurich (Switzerland). He joined UVic as a chemistry professor in 2005. He was the Director of UVic's interdisciplinary Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology from 2020–2022, and became Associate Vice President of Research at UVic in July 2022. Fraser's scholarly work has explored the interface of the physical sciences, life sciences, health research, data science, and ‘omics technologies. He has collaborated extensively with academic and private sector partners from many disciplines. Major recognitions of his research impact include a CIHR New Investigator Award, an NSERC Canada Research Chair, and the Canadian Society for Chemistry's award for excellence in medicinal chemistry. Fraser is active in campus-wide and national initiatives that aim to grow our collective success in research, partnerships, and innovation. Outside of work, Fraser takes his greatest pleasures from family, strong coffee, the great outdoors, and soccer.


Dr. Fraser Hof
Dr. Pamela Valentine
A trained research scientist, Dr. Valentine recently joined the MS Society from Alberta Innovates where she spent over a decade and a half leading innovation and change. Her leadership at Alberta Innovates included significantly growing the health research portfolio and strengthening integration of research and health systems to maximize impact for patients and providers. She also led the establishment of a new Alberta Innovates organization that consolidated four corporations across the health, energy, agriculture, and forestry sectors.
Before joining Alberta Innovates Health Solutions, Dr. Valentine was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary and a member of the Epilepsy and Brain Circuits Program at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute. Her research focused on neural plasticity. She received many awards and scholarships while she obtained her PhD, MSc, and BSc in psychology, all from the University of Calgary.
She has provided leadership to international, national and provincial not-for-profit health and health research-focused organizations including the National Alliance of Provincial Health Research Organizations (NAPHRO), Canadian Cancer Research Alliance (CCRA), National Advisory Group to the Canadian Clinical Trials Coordinating Centre (CCTCC), National Committee for Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (SPOR), Alberta Committee for Strategy for Patient Oriented Research (abSPOR), Scientific Advisory Council of the International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders, Institute of Health Economics, Knight’s Cabin and Wellspring Edmonton.


Dr. Pamela Valentine
Dr. Gijs Van Rooijen
Gijs van Rooijen is a life sciences professional with >25 years of post PhD experience in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Since 2006 he has been the Chief Scientific Officer for Genome Alberta, an organisation that coordinates, funds and administrates genomics research. He is an inventor on 24 issued patents, co-founder on two technology companies and he serves on a number of committees and panels including the International Science Advisory Panel for the Global Institute for Food Security. From 1997 to 2006, he was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary and over the years he held several volunteer positions including 3 years as President of the Dutch Canadian Business Club of Calgary. In September 2017, he was elected to the University of Calgary Senate.


Dr. Gijs Van Rooijen
Co-Directors
Dr. Christoph Borchers (Co-Scientific Director)
Dr. Christoph Borchers received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Konstanz, Germany. After his post-doctoral training and employment as a staff scientist at NIEHS/NIH/RTP, in North Carolina, he became the director of the Duke - UNC Proteomics Facility and held a faculty position at the UNC Medical School in Chapel Hill, NC (2001-2006). Since then, Dr. Borchers holds a joint appointment at the University of Victoria (UVic), Canada and holds the current positions of Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology and the Don and Eleanor Rix BC Leadership Chair in Biomedical and Environmental Proteomics. He is also the Director of the UVic - Genome BC Proteomics Centre, which is one out of six Genome Canada funded Science & Technology Innovation Centres and the only one solely devoted to proteomics.
His research is centred around the improvement, development and application of proteomics technologies with a major focus on techniques for quantitative targeted proteomics for clinical diagnostics. For his research, multiplexed LC-MRM-MS approaches and the immuno-MALDI (iMALDI) technique are of particular interest. Another focus of Dr. Borchers' research is centred on technology development and application of the combined approach of protein chemistry and mass spectrometry for structural proteomics. Dr. Borchers has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals and is the founder and CSO of two companies, Creative Molecules. Inc. and MRM Proteomics Inc. He is also involved in promoting proteomic research and education through his function as HUPO International Council Member, co-leader and Scientific Director of the British Columbia Proteomics Network and President of the Canadian National Proteomics Network.





Dr. Christoph Borchers
Node Leader
Dr. Liang Li (Co-Scientific Director)
Dr. Li obtained his BSc in Chemistry from Zhejiang (Hangzhou) University in 1983 and his PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan and joined the University of Alberta in July 1989, where he is Professor of Chemistry and Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry. He is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Academy of Science) (2019). Dr. Li was Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Analytical Chemistry from 2005 to 2019. He served as Director, Alberta Cancer Board Proteomics Resource Laboratory, from 2000 to 2005. He was Chair of Analytical Chemistry Division at the University of Alberta from 2007 to 2019. He was a Co-PI of the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) Project; his laboratory generated the HMDB MS/MS spectral library of the endogenous human metabolites which has been widely used by the metabolomics community. His laboratory is a pioneer in developing the high-performance chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HP-CIL LC-MS) platform for quantitative and comprehensive metabolome profiling of bio-systems. Dr. Li has received a number of national and international awards and honors. He is an editor of Analytica Chimica Acta, an international journal on analytical chemistry, since 2005. He is also a member of the editorial advisory board in a number of scientific journals.






Dr. Liang Li
Node Leader
Dr. David Wishart (Founder)
Dr. David Wishart (PhD Yale, 1991) is a Professor in the Departments of Biological Sciences and Computing Science at the University of Alberta. He is also a co-director of the Nanobiology program at the NRC's National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT). He has been with the University of Alberta since 1995 and has published more than 300 articles in various peer reviewed journals. His research interests span many areas including structural biology, bioinformatics, prion biology, nanobiology and metabolomics. From 2006-2009, Dr. Wishart led the "Human Metabolome Project" (HMP), a multi-university, multi-investigator project that catalogued all of the known metabolites in human tissues and biofluids. Using advanced methods in NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, multi-dimensional chromatography and machine learning Dr. Wishart and his colleagues identified or found evidence for more than 8500 endogenous metabolites. This information has been archived on a freely accessible web-resource called the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB). The methods and ideas developed for the HMP have helped lay the foundation for a number of clinical metabolomics projects currently being pursued in his lab. These include studies of several cancer biomarkers, identifying organ transplant biomarkers, exploring wound healing mechanisms, identifying early biomarkers of prion and prion-like diseases, and investigating biomarkers of common diseases in cows.





Dr. David Wishart
Node Leader
Management Committee
Dr. Christoph Borchers (Co-Scientific Director)
Dr. Christoph Borchers received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Konstanz, Germany. After his post-doctoral training and employment as a staff scientist at NIEHS/NIH/RTP, in North Carolina, he became the director of the Duke - UNC Proteomics Facility and held a faculty position at the UNC Medical School in Chapel Hill, NC (2001-2006). Since then, Dr. Borchers holds a joint appointment at the University of Victoria (UVic), Canada and holds the current positions of Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology and the Don and Eleanor Rix BC Leadership Chair in Biomedical and Environmental Proteomics. He is also the Director of the UVic - Genome BC Proteomics Centre, which is one out of six Genome Canada funded Science & Technology Innovation Centres and the only one solely devoted to proteomics.
His research is centred around the improvement, development and application of proteomics technologies with a major focus on techniques for quantitative targeted proteomics for clinical diagnostics. For his research, multiplexed LC-MRM-MS approaches and the immuno-MALDI (iMALDI) technique are of particular interest. Another focus of Dr. Borchers' research is centred on technology development and application of the combined approach of protein chemistry and mass spectrometry for structural proteomics. Dr. Borchers has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals and is the founder and CSO of two companies, Creative Molecules. Inc. and MRM Proteomics Inc. He is also involved in promoting proteomic research and education through his function as HUPO International Council Member, co-leader and Scientific Director of the British Columbia Proteomics Network and President of the Canadian National Proteomics Network.





Dr. Christoph Borchers
Node Leader
Dr. Liang Li (Co-Scientific Director)
Dr. Li obtained his BSc in Chemistry from Zhejiang (Hangzhou) University in 1983 and his PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan and joined the University of Alberta in July 1989, where he is Professor of Chemistry and Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry. He is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Academy of Science) (2019). Dr. Li was Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Analytical Chemistry from 2005 to 2019. He served as Director, Alberta Cancer Board Proteomics Resource Laboratory, from 2000 to 2005. He was Chair of Analytical Chemistry Division at the University of Alberta from 2007 to 2019. He was a Co-PI of the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) Project; his laboratory generated the HMDB MS/MS spectral library of the endogenous human metabolites which has been widely used by the metabolomics community. His laboratory is a pioneer in developing the high-performance chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HP-CIL LC-MS) platform for quantitative and comprehensive metabolome profiling of bio-systems. Dr. Li has received a number of national and international awards and honors. He is an editor of Analytica Chimica Acta, an international journal on analytical chemistry, since 2005. He is also a member of the editorial advisory board in a number of scientific journals.






Dr. Liang Li
Node Leader
Dr. David Wishart (Founder)
Dr. David Wishart (PhD Yale, 1991) is a Professor in the Departments of Biological Sciences and Computing Science at the University of Alberta. He is also a co-director of the Nanobiology program at the NRC's National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT). He has been with the University of Alberta since 1995 and has published more than 300 articles in various peer reviewed journals. His research interests span many areas including structural biology, bioinformatics, prion biology, nanobiology and metabolomics. From 2006-2009, Dr. Wishart led the "Human Metabolome Project" (HMP), a multi-university, multi-investigator project that catalogued all of the known metabolites in human tissues and biofluids. Using advanced methods in NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, multi-dimensional chromatography and machine learning Dr. Wishart and his colleagues identified or found evidence for more than 8500 endogenous metabolites. This information has been archived on a freely accessible web-resource called the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB). The methods and ideas developed for the HMP have helped lay the foundation for a number of clinical metabolomics projects currently being pursued in his lab. These include studies of several cancer biomarkers, identifying organ transplant biomarkers, exploring wound healing mechanisms, identifying early biomarkers of prion and prion-like diseases, and investigating biomarkers of common diseases in cows.





Dr. David Wishart
Node Leader
Michael Lowings
Operations Manager - Core, University of Alberta
Michael was educated in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology at the University of Lethbridge, before transitioning into technology commercialization, working as a bioinformatician, software developer, project manager and operations manager in cattle genomics, cannabis genetics, direct-to-consumer genetic testing, hydrocarbon bioremediation and on-land aquaculture. His specialties include science communication, data science, and management of cross-disciplinary teams. Outside of work, and as a way to pass time during the pandemic, Michael also developed a very consuming passion for e-bikes and alternate transportation technologies.
Location: Edmonton, AB



Michael Lowings
Operations Manager
Core Team
Michael Lowings
Operations Manager - Core, University of Alberta
Michael was educated in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology at the University of Lethbridge, before transitioning into technology commercialization, working as a bioinformatician, software developer, project manager and operations manager in cattle genomics, cannabis genetics, direct-to-consumer genetic testing, hydrocarbon bioremediation and on-land aquaculture. His specialties include science communication, data science, and management of cross-disciplinary teams. Outside of work, and as a way to pass time during the pandemic, Michael also developed a very consuming passion for e-bikes and alternate transportation technologies.
Location: Edmonton, AB



Michael Lowings
Operations Manager
Nargiza Chorieva
Finance and Admin Coordinator - Core, University of Alberta
Education:
- M.Sc. in Resource and Agricultural Economics, University of Alberta
- Master of Public Policy, Nazarbayev University
- B.Sc. in Economics with Finance, Westminster University
Location: Edmonton, AB


Nargiza Chorieva
Grant Program Analyst
Juan Darius
Business Development and Marketing Assistant
Education:
- M.Sc. Chemical Engineering, University of Alberta
- B. Eng. Chemical Engineering, The National University of Malaysia
Location: Edmonton, AB


Juan Darius
Business Development and Marketing Assistant
Node Leaders
Dr. Christoph Borchers (Co-Scientific Director)
Dr. Christoph Borchers received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Konstanz, Germany. After his post-doctoral training and employment as a staff scientist at NIEHS/NIH/RTP, in North Carolina, he became the director of the Duke - UNC Proteomics Facility and held a faculty position at the UNC Medical School in Chapel Hill, NC (2001-2006). Since then, Dr. Borchers holds a joint appointment at the University of Victoria (UVic), Canada and holds the current positions of Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology and the Don and Eleanor Rix BC Leadership Chair in Biomedical and Environmental Proteomics. He is also the Director of the UVic - Genome BC Proteomics Centre, which is one out of six Genome Canada funded Science & Technology Innovation Centres and the only one solely devoted to proteomics.
His research is centred around the improvement, development and application of proteomics technologies with a major focus on techniques for quantitative targeted proteomics for clinical diagnostics. For his research, multiplexed LC-MRM-MS approaches and the immuno-MALDI (iMALDI) technique are of particular interest. Another focus of Dr. Borchers' research is centred on technology development and application of the combined approach of protein chemistry and mass spectrometry for structural proteomics. Dr. Borchers has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals and is the founder and CSO of two companies, Creative Molecules. Inc. and MRM Proteomics Inc. He is also involved in promoting proteomic research and education through his function as HUPO International Council Member, co-leader and Scientific Director of the British Columbia Proteomics Network and President of the Canadian National Proteomics Network.





Dr. Christoph Borchers
Node Leader
Dr. Philip Britz-McKibbin
Dr. Britz-McKibbin received his PhD from the University of British Columbia prior to joining the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at McMaster University in 2003, where is now a Professor and currently a Cystic Fibrosis Canada Researcher. Dr. Britz-McKibbin has contributed to innovations in capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry for metabolomics as applied to preventative health. His research program includes the development of higher throughput methods for identifying and quantifying metabolites of clinical significance in human biological samples, including the introduction of multiplexed separations and accelerated data workflows for biomarker discovery. His research has been funded by NSERC, CFI, CIHR, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Canada, the Ontario Genomics Institute, and the Ontario Ministry of Labour. He has presented over 100 invited talks and published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles, including 6 invited reviews, 5 book chapters, 2 technical reports and 3 filed patents. Dr. Britz-McKibbin is the recipient of several prestigious awards for his important contributions to separation science, MS and metabolomics, including the American Chemical Society – Young Investigator Award in Separation Science (2010), Japan Society for Promotion of Science (2009), Petro-Canada Young Investigator Award (2007) and Premier’s Research Excellence Award (2004-2010). He is currently co-chair in analytical/physical chemistry in the NSERC Discovery Grant Evaluation Committee, a founding member of the North American Chapter of the Metabolomics Society, and a Section Editor in Chemical Biology for the journal Scientific Reports (Nature). He has also served as a scientific advisory board member on several metabolomics initiatives across North America. Dr. Britz-McKibbin’s research program strives to bridges the major gap existing between basic scientific research and large-scale epidemiological studies for population health, including expanding newborn screening programs.



Dr. Philip Britz-McKibbin
Node Leader
Dr. David R. Goodlett
Dr. David R. Goodlett has spent his career using mass spectrometry to solve biomedical problems via novel technology and software developments. His Ph.D. training with Prof. Richard B. van Breemen on protein adducts concluded in 1991 and his postdoctoral work with Dr.Richard D. Smith on Native MS and ESI fundamentals in 1993. He has been active in a variety of fields including medicine, oceanography, pharmacy, microbiology, proteomics (including clinical applications), lipidomics, and protein and glycolipid structure-function relationships. Dr. Goodlett has published over 250 papers generating an H-index of 80. He is currently a Professor at the University of Victoria and Director of their Genome BC Proteome Centre. Prior to this he was Professor at the Universities of Washington (2004-2012) and Maryland-Baltimore (2013-2020) as well as first Director of Proteomics at the Institute for Systems Biology (2000-2003). From 2012-2016 he was a Finland Distinguished Professor studying pediatric type 1 diabetes. For the last dozen years he has been an Editor at Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry for Wiley-Blackwell publishing. Dr. Goodlett has founded two companies based on his patents: Deurion of Seattle, WA which is developing mass spectrometry ion sources and Pataigin of Baltimore, MD which is focused on microbial diagnostics. Since 2007 he has been a co-organizer of the Mass Spectrometry in Biotechnology and Medicine summer school held annually in Dubrovnik. Recently, Dr. Goodlett was appointed Visiting Professor at the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science (ICCVS) at the University of Gdansk.



Dr. David R. Goodlett
Node Leader
Dr. James Harynuk
Dr. James Harynuk received his PhD from the University of Waterloo in 2004 where he conducted pioneering work in the emerging field of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and won the WB Pearson Medal for creative research in a doctoral thesis. He then moved to Melbourne, Australia to continue the study of multidimensional separations with Dr. Philip Marriott at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. In 2007 he started his own research group at the University of Alberta where he continues to advance our understanding of multidimensional separations science. Current research interests include the development of tools to identify molecules based on their thermodynamic behavior in a gas phase separation and tools for the rapid interpretation of GCxGC and GC-MS data. The tools that Dr. Harynuk is developing have been applied in a diversity of fields with a variety of collaborators including petroleum (Syncrude, Imperial Oil), forensics (RCMP), foods (University of Jaen, Spain), anti-doping (UFRJ, Brazil), and textile science (UofA).
He has a special interest in using metabolomics to advance drug discovery and drug screening. He has developed several large libraries of biologically significant small molecules, including nucleotides, amino acid derivatives, ions, and lipids, as well as stabilizers such as osmolytes and short-chain polymers. This diverse library has been used to screen and identify novel ligands, profile binding specificities, and map interaction sites for a number of protein signaling and enzymatic domains (GTPases, kinases, phosphatases, and proteases). He also co-created an open access drug fragment library optimized by multiple drug discovery campaigns for high-throughput screening by NMR. The Membrane Optimal Docking Area (MODA) software he co-developed is freely available at Molsoft, providing a basis for further studies on specificities and cellular localization of the thousands of novel membrane binders (i.e., metabolites) that can now be easily predicted by any researcher.



Dr. James Harynuk
Node Leader
Dr. Ian Lewis
Dr. Ian Lewis is an Associate Professor and Alberta Innovates Translational Health Chair in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary. Dr. Lewis earned a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his postdoctoral training at Princeton University. The Lewis laboratory specializes in unraveling the complex metabolic underpinnings of infections. To support this research, Dr. Lewis founded the Calgary Metabolomics Research Facility (CMRF), an integrated suite of microbiology, engineering, and analytical laboratories that was specifically built for studying microbial metabolism and building tools for fighting infections. Recently, Dr. Lewis launched the Alberta Precision Exchange (APEX), a province-wide program that leverage’s Canada’s unique health infrastructure to fast-track the development of medical diagnostic technology. Dr. Lewis has leveraged APEX to launch a suite of new diagnostic tools and treatment practices that may significantly reduce the number of people who die from infection.



Dr. Ian Lewis
Node Leader
Dr. Liang Li (Co-Scientific Director)
Dr. Li obtained his BSc in Chemistry from Zhejiang (Hangzhou) University in 1983 and his PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan and joined the University of Alberta in July 1989, where he is Professor of Chemistry and Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry. He is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Academy of Science) (2019). Dr. Li was Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Analytical Chemistry from 2005 to 2019. He served as Director, Alberta Cancer Board Proteomics Resource Laboratory, from 2000 to 2005. He was Chair of Analytical Chemistry Division at the University of Alberta from 2007 to 2019. He was a Co-PI of the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) Project; his laboratory generated the HMDB MS/MS spectral library of the endogenous human metabolites which has been widely used by the metabolomics community. His laboratory is a pioneer in developing the high-performance chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HP-CIL LC-MS) platform for quantitative and comprehensive metabolome profiling of bio-systems. Dr. Li has received a number of national and international awards and honors. He is an editor of Analytica Chimica Acta, an international journal on analytical chemistry, since 2005. He is also a member of the editorial advisory board in a number of scientific journals.






Dr. Liang Li
Node Leader
Dr. Michael Overduin
Dr. Michael Overduin is an internationally recognized structural biologist who focuses on protein:lipid recognition and signaling mechanisms of therapeutic targets. He has done pioneering work in the study of interactions of small molecules with proteins and membranes, with a primary focus on NMR-based metabolomics. He has recently taken over as Executive Director of NANUC (the National High Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Centre) at UofA, which is equipped with 2 600 MHz NMR instrument and a specially contained 500 MHz instrument. He previously led the Henry Wellcome Building for Biomolecular NMR in the UK. He has published over 100 papers in journals including Cell, Mol Cell, Dev Cell, EMBO, JACS, Nature, Nature Struct Mol Biol, Nature Communs, PNAS USA and Science, (h-index = 34; 5387 citations). He has patented the styrene maleic acid lipid particle system for preparation and analysis of native membrane proteins and developed the international SMALP network (SMALP.net). Dr. Overduin launched Science Capital as a start-up that has connected hundreds of scientists, spin-offs, industry and business experts to tackle grand challenges, is one of the original editors of the J Chem Biol Drug Design, and founded academic-pharma partnering networks at www.discoverylab.ca and www.drugdiscovery.org.uk, with outputs including molecular libraries for ligand screening and drug discovery.



Dr. Michael Overduin
Node Leader
Dr. David Wishart (Founder)
Dr. David Wishart (PhD Yale, 1991) is a Professor in the Departments of Biological Sciences and Computing Science at the University of Alberta. He is also a co-director of the Nanobiology program at the NRC's National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT). He has been with the University of Alberta since 1995 and has published more than 300 articles in various peer reviewed journals. His research interests span many areas including structural biology, bioinformatics, prion biology, nanobiology and metabolomics. From 2006-2009, Dr. Wishart led the "Human Metabolome Project" (HMP), a multi-university, multi-investigator project that catalogued all of the known metabolites in human tissues and biofluids. Using advanced methods in NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, multi-dimensional chromatography and machine learning Dr. Wishart and his colleagues identified or found evidence for more than 8500 endogenous metabolites. This information has been archived on a freely accessible web-resource called the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB). The methods and ideas developed for the HMP have helped lay the foundation for a number of clinical metabolomics projects currently being pursued in his lab. These include studies of several cancer biomarkers, identifying organ transplant biomarkers, exploring wound healing mechanisms, identifying early biomarkers of prion and prion-like diseases, and investigating biomarkers of common diseases in cows.





Dr. David Wishart
Node Leader
Alberta Nodes
Lewis Node, University of Calgary
Dr. Ian Lewis
Dr. Ian Lewis is an Associate Professor and Alberta Innovates Translational Health Chair in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary. Dr. Lewis earned a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed his postdoctoral training at Princeton University. The Lewis laboratory specializes in unraveling the complex metabolic underpinnings of infections. To support this research, Dr. Lewis founded the Calgary Metabolomics Research Facility (CMRF), an integrated suite of microbiology, engineering, and analytical laboratories that was specifically built for studying microbial metabolism and building tools for fighting infections. Recently, Dr. Lewis launched the Alberta Precision Exchange (APEX), a province-wide program that leverage’s Canada’s unique health infrastructure to fast-track the development of medical diagnostic technology. Dr. Lewis has leveraged APEX to launch a suite of new diagnostic tools and treatment practices that may significantly reduce the number of people who die from infection.



Dr. Ian Lewis
Node Leader
Dominique Bihan
Analytical Chemist, Lewis Node – University of Calgary
Education:
- Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, France
Location: Calgary, AB


Dr. Dominique Bihan
Analytical Chemist
Marija Drikic
Metabolomics Research Associate – CMRF Service Lead, Lewis Node – University of Calgary
Education:
- Ph.D. Genetic Engineering and Microbiology – University of Calgary, Canada
- M.Sc. Molecular Immunology and Virology, University of Trieste, Italy
- B.Sc. Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Trieste, Italy
Location: Calgary, AB


Dr. Marija Drikic
Metabolomics Research Associate
Li Node, University of Alberta
Dr. Liang Li (Co-Scientific Director)
Dr. Li obtained his BSc in Chemistry from Zhejiang (Hangzhou) University in 1983 and his PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan and joined the University of Alberta in July 1989, where he is Professor of Chemistry and Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry. He is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Academy of Science) (2019). Dr. Li was Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Analytical Chemistry from 2005 to 2019. He served as Director, Alberta Cancer Board Proteomics Resource Laboratory, from 2000 to 2005. He was Chair of Analytical Chemistry Division at the University of Alberta from 2007 to 2019. He was a Co-PI of the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB) Project; his laboratory generated the HMDB MS/MS spectral library of the endogenous human metabolites which has been widely used by the metabolomics community. His laboratory is a pioneer in developing the high-performance chemical isotope labeling liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HP-CIL LC-MS) platform for quantitative and comprehensive metabolome profiling of bio-systems. Dr. Li has received a number of national and international awards and honors. He is an editor of Analytica Chimica Acta, an international journal on analytical chemistry, since 2005. He is also a member of the editorial advisory board in a number of scientific journals.






Dr. Liang Li
Node Leader
Monica X. Li
- M.Sc. Chemistry, University of Rochester
- Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Michigan
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Monica X. Li
Node Manager
Shuang Zhao
Laboratory Coordinator - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University
- M.Sc. Biology, Tsinghua University
- Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Shuang Zhao
Laboratory Coordinator
Adriana Zardini Buzatto
Research Scientist - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Computer Technician, Divino Salvador College
- B.Sc. Chemistry and Technological Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP)
- M.Sc. Analytical Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP)
- Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Adriana Zardini Buzatto
Research Scientist
Carlos Canez Quijada
Graduate Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Carleton University
- M.Sc. Carleton University
Location: Edmonton, AB


Carlos Canez Quijada
Graduate Research Assistant
Caley Campkin
Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Chemistry and Biological Sciences, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Caley Campkin
Research Assistant
Chu-Fan Wang
Graduate Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
TMIC start date: May 2020
Education:
- B.Sc., China University of Mining and Technology
- M.Sc., China University of Mining and Technology
Location: Edmonton, AB


Chu-Fan Wang
Graduate Research Assistant
Cyrene Jonah Catenza
Graduate Research Assistant- Li Node, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Cyrene Jonah Catenza
Graduate Research Assistant
Daniel Patience
Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Biology (Cell/Molecular), Concordia University of Edmonton
Location: Edmonton, AB


Daniel Patience Research Assistant
Elvis Lo
Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.S. Computing Science with Specialization in Bioinformatics, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Elvis Lo
Research Assistant
Fernando Monteiro Queiroz
Graduate Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Fernando Monteiro Queiroz
Graduate Research Assistant
Janet Li
Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Chemistry with Biological Sciences minor, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Janet Li
Research Assistant
Kaitlyn Melo
Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Kaitlyn Melo
Research Assistant
Ke Shen
Research Scientist - Li Node, University of Alberta
TMIC start date: July 2021
Education:
- B.Sc. Chemistry, Sichuan University
- Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, Sichuan University
- Project Management, NAIT
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Ke Shen
Research Scientist
Michal Lazarek
Graduate Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Michal Lazarek
Graduate Research Assistant
Ryan Duruisseau-Kuntz
Research Scientist - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- BSc. Honours in Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Ryan Duruisseau-Kuntz
Research Scientist
Sicheng (Kevin) Quan
Graduate Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. with Specialization in Biochemistry, University of Alberta
- PhD in Analytical Chemistry (in progress), University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Sicheng (Kevin) Quan Graduate Research Assistant
Vi Tran
Research Assistant- Li Node, University of Alberta


Vi Tran
Graduate Research Assistant
Wayne Cheng
Laboratory Assistant- Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Wayne Cheng
Laboratory Assistant
William Xu
Research Assistant- Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Computing Science + Psychology, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


William Xu
Research Assistant
Xian Luo
Research Scientist - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Applied Chemistry, Beijing Institute of Technology
- Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Xian Luo
Research Scientist
Xiaohang Wang
Research Scientist - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc Materials Chemistry, Shandong University (China)
- M.Sc Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Xiaohang Wang
Research Scientist
Zhan Cheng
Graduate Research Assistant - Li Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Beijing Forestry University
- M.Sc. China Agricultural University
Location: Edmonton, AB


Zhan Cheng
Graduate Research Assistant
Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Dr. James Harynuk
Dr. James Harynuk received his PhD from the University of Waterloo in 2004 where he conducted pioneering work in the emerging field of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and won the WB Pearson Medal for creative research in a doctoral thesis. He then moved to Melbourne, Australia to continue the study of multidimensional separations with Dr. Philip Marriott at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. In 2007 he started his own research group at the University of Alberta where he continues to advance our understanding of multidimensional separations science. Current research interests include the development of tools to identify molecules based on their thermodynamic behavior in a gas phase separation and tools for the rapid interpretation of GCxGC and GC-MS data. The tools that Dr. Harynuk is developing have been applied in a diversity of fields with a variety of collaborators including petroleum (Syncrude, Imperial Oil), forensics (RCMP), foods (University of Jaen, Spain), anti-doping (UFRJ, Brazil), and textile science (UofA).
He has a special interest in using metabolomics to advance drug discovery and drug screening. He has developed several large libraries of biologically significant small molecules, including nucleotides, amino acid derivatives, ions, and lipids, as well as stabilizers such as osmolytes and short-chain polymers. This diverse library has been used to screen and identify novel ligands, profile binding specificities, and map interaction sites for a number of protein signaling and enzymatic domains (GTPases, kinases, phosphatases, and proteases). He also co-created an open access drug fragment library optimized by multiple drug discovery campaigns for high-throughput screening by NMR. The Membrane Optimal Docking Area (MODA) software he co-developed is freely available at Molsoft, providing a basis for further studies on specificities and cellular localization of the thousands of novel membrane binders (i.e., metabolites) that can now be easily predicted by any researcher.



Dr. James Harynuk
Node Leader
Paulina de la Mata
Node Manager - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D. Analytical Chemistry, University of Granada
- M.Sc. Analytical Chemistry, University of Granada
- MBA, Universidad de las Americas
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Paulina de la Mata
Node Manager
Brandon Weber
Administrative Coordinator - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc., University of Alberta
- Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Brandon Weber
Administrative Coordinator
Seo Lin Nam
Postdoc - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc., University of Alberta
- Ph.D. University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Seo Lin Nam
Postdoc
Kavitha Elisha
Laboratory Technican - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. currently in progress at the University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Kavitha Elisha
Laboratory Technician
Nathaniel McCallum
Laboratory Technican - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. currently in progress at the University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Nathaniel McCallum
Laboratory Technican
Ryan Dias
Ph.D. candidate - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc., Towson University
- Ph.D. currently in progress at the University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Ryan Dias
Ph.D. Candidate
Trevor Johnson
Ph.D. candidate - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc., Thompson Rivers University
- Ph.D. currently in progress at the University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Trevor Johnson
Ph.D. Candidate
Kieran Tarazona Carrillo
Ph.D. student, aspiring Ph.D. candidate- Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. in Biochemistry (co-op) University of Waterloo
- Ph.D. currently in progress, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Kieran Tarazona Carrillo
Ph.D. Student
Ryland Giebelhaus
Ph.D. student - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. (hons) in Chemistry, University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus
- Ph.D. student, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Ryland Giebelhaus
Ph.D. Student
Sheri Schmidt
PhD student - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc., University of Alberta
- Ph.D. currently in progress at the University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Sheri Schmidt
Ph.D. Student
Andrea
M.Sc. student - Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. in Biotechnology Engineering, National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico
- M.Sc. currently in progress, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Andrea Velasco Suarez
M.Sc. Student
Ewenet Mesfin
Undergraduate research assistant- Harynuk Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. currently in progress at the University of Granada
Location: Edmonton, AB


Ewenet Mesfin
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Overduin Node, University of Alberta
Dr. Michael Overduin
Dr. Michael Overduin is an internationally recognized structural biologist who focuses on protein:lipid recognition and signaling mechanisms of therapeutic targets. He has done pioneering work in the study of interactions of small molecules with proteins and membranes, with a primary focus on NMR-based metabolomics. He has recently taken over as Executive Director of NANUC (the National High Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Centre) at UofA, which is equipped with 2 600 MHz NMR instrument and a specially contained 500 MHz instrument. He previously led the Henry Wellcome Building for Biomolecular NMR in the UK. He has published over 100 papers in journals including Cell, Mol Cell, Dev Cell, EMBO, JACS, Nature, Nature Struct Mol Biol, Nature Communs, PNAS USA and Science, (h-index = 34; 5387 citations). He has patented the styrene maleic acid lipid particle system for preparation and analysis of native membrane proteins and developed the international SMALP network (SMALP.net). Dr. Overduin launched Science Capital as a start-up that has connected hundreds of scientists, spin-offs, industry and business experts to tackle grand challenges, is one of the original editors of the J Chem Biol Drug Design, and founded academic-pharma partnering networks at www.discoverylab.ca and www.drugdiscovery.org.uk, with outputs including molecular libraries for ligand screening and drug discovery.



Dr. Michael Overduin
Node Leader
Pascal Mercier
NANUC Manager/MNR Specialist - Overduin Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Chemistry, Université Laval
- M.Sc. Chemistry, Université Lava
- Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Alberta
- Post-doctoral Researcher Biochemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Pascal Mercier
Node Manager
Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Dr. David Wishart (Founder)
Dr. David Wishart (PhD Yale, 1991) is a Professor in the Departments of Biological Sciences and Computing Science at the University of Alberta. He is also a co-director of the Nanobiology program at the NRC's National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT). He has been with the University of Alberta since 1995 and has published more than 300 articles in various peer reviewed journals. His research interests span many areas including structural biology, bioinformatics, prion biology, nanobiology and metabolomics. From 2006-2009, Dr. Wishart led the "Human Metabolome Project" (HMP), a multi-university, multi-investigator project that catalogued all of the known metabolites in human tissues and biofluids. Using advanced methods in NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, multi-dimensional chromatography and machine learning Dr. Wishart and his colleagues identified or found evidence for more than 8500 endogenous metabolites. This information has been archived on a freely accessible web-resource called the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB). The methods and ideas developed for the HMP have helped lay the foundation for a number of clinical metabolomics projects currently being pursued in his lab. These include studies of several cancer biomarkers, identifying organ transplant biomarkers, exploring wound healing mechanisms, identifying early biomarkers of prion and prion-like diseases, and investigating biomarkers of common diseases in cows.





Dr. David Wishart
Node Leader
Rupasri Mandal
Node Manager - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D. Analytical Chemistry, Carleton University
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Rupasri Mandal
Node Manager
David Arndt
Bioinformatician - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Honors in Molecular Genetics, University of Alberta
- B.Sc. Computing Science (Bioinformatics Specialization), University of Alberta
- M.A. Theological Studies, Regent College
Location: Edmonton, AB


David Arndt
Bioinformatician
Mark Berjanskii
Bioinformatician - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Mark Berjanskii
Bioinformatician
Dipanjan Bhattacharyya
Research Associate - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D. Synthetic Organic Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Dipanjan Bhattacharyya
Research Associate
Dr. Marcia Levatte
Scientific writer/editor – Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D. in Microbiology, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Marcia Levatte
Scientific writer/editor
Galina Durant
Administrative Assistant - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Food Science, Moscow University of Cooperation
- Diploma in Local Government Management, University of Victoria
Location: Edmonton, AB


Galina Durant
Administrative Assistant
Vasuk Gautam
Sr. Bioinformatician/Computing Group Manager - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D. Computational Biology, Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli. Italy
- CAPM – Project Management Institute
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Vasuk Gautam
Sr. Bioinformatician / Computing Group Manager
Oxana Tarassova
Administrative HR support - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- M.Sc. Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Oxana Tarassova
Administrative HR Support
Mathew Johnson
Lab Technician - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Specialization in Biochemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Mathew Johnson
Lab Technician
Siyang Tian
Programmer - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- M.Sc. in Computing Science, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Siyang Tian
Programmer
Prashanthi Kovur
Research Coordinator - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D. Electrical Engineering (Specialization: Micro/Nanofabrication)
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-Bombay)
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Prashanthi Kovur
Research Coordinator
Brian Lee
Research Associate - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Brian Lee
Research Associate
Sindhu Nair
Lab and Quality Management Manager - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Alberta
- Quality Management Course, University of Manitoba Extended Studies
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Sindhu Nair
Lab and Quality Management Manager
Eponine Oler
Junior Bioinformatician - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- B.Sc. Biology and Bioinformatics
Location: Edmonton, AB


Eponine Oler
Junior Bioinformatician
Dr. Alyaa Selim
Research Assistant - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
-
Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacognosy), Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Egypt.
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Alyaa Selim
Research Assistant
Louisa Normington
Bioinformatician – Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- M.Sc.
Location: Edmonton, AB


Louisa Normington
Bioinformatician
Lun Zhang
Research Associate, Wishart node – University of Alberta
Education:
- B.A Pharmacy, Chinese Pharmaceutical University
- Ph.D. Pharmacology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Lun Zhang
Research Associate
Jiamin Zheng
Senior Metabolomics Technologist - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- M.Sc. in Chemistry, University of Alberta
Location: Edmonton, AB


Jiamin Zheng
Senior Metabolomics Technologist
Dr. Juan Jovel
Bioinformatician - Wishart Node, University of Alberta
Education:
- Ph.D.
Location: Edmonton, AB


Dr. Juan Jovel
Bioinformatician
Quebec Nodes
Borchers Node, McGill University
Dr. Christoph Borchers (Co-Scientific Director)
Dr. Christoph Borchers received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Konstanz, Germany. After his post-doctoral training and employment as a staff scientist at NIEHS/NIH/RTP, in North Carolina, he became the director of the Duke - UNC Proteomics Facility and held a faculty position at the UNC Medical School in Chapel Hill, NC (2001-2006). Since then, Dr. Borchers holds a joint appointment at the University of Victoria (UVic), Canada and holds the current positions of Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology and the Don and Eleanor Rix BC Leadership Chair in Biomedical and Environmental Proteomics. He is also the Director of the UVic - Genome BC Proteomics Centre, which is one out of six Genome Canada funded Science & Technology Innovation Centres and the only one solely devoted to proteomics.
His research is centred around the improvement, development and application of proteomics technologies with a major focus on techniques for quantitative targeted proteomics for clinical diagnostics. For his research, multiplexed LC-MRM-MS approaches and the immuno-MALDI (iMALDI) technique are of particular interest. Another focus of Dr. Borchers' research is centred on technology development and application of the combined approach of protein chemistry and mass spectrometry for structural proteomics. Dr. Borchers has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals and is the founder and CSO of two companies, Creative Molecules. Inc. and MRM Proteomics Inc. He is also involved in promoting proteomic research and education through his function as HUPO International Council Member, co-leader and Scientific Director of the British Columbia Proteomics Network and President of the Canadian National Proteomics Network.





Dr. Christoph Borchers
Node Leader
Evgeniy Petrotchenko
Node Manager - McGill Node
Education:
- M.D. 2nd Moscow Medical Institute
- Ph.D. Bioorganic Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences Belarus
Location: Montreal, QC


Dr. Evgeniy Petrotchenko
Node Manager
Deema Qasrawi
Research Technician, Borchers - McGill University
Education:
- M.Sc. Medical Science, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
- B.Sc. Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST)
Location: Montreal, QC


Deema Qasrawi
Research Technician
Vincent Richard
Research Associate, Borchers - McGill University
Education:
- Ph.D. Cell & Molecular Biology, Concordia University
Location: Montreal, QC


Dr. Vincent Richard
Research Associate
Ontario Nodes
Britz-McKibbin Node, McMaster University
Dr. Philip Britz-McKibbin
Dr. Britz-McKibbin received his PhD from the University of British Columbia prior to joining the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at McMaster University in 2003, where is now a Professor and currently a Cystic Fibrosis Canada Researcher. Dr. Britz-McKibbin has contributed to innovations in capillary electrophoresis and mass spectrometry for metabolomics as applied to preventative health. His research program includes the development of higher throughput methods for identifying and quantifying metabolites of clinical significance in human biological samples, including the introduction of multiplexed separations and accelerated data workflows for biomarker discovery. His research has been funded by NSERC, CFI, CIHR, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Canada, the Ontario Genomics Institute, and the Ontario Ministry of Labour. He has presented over 100 invited talks and published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles, including 6 invited reviews, 5 book chapters, 2 technical reports and 3 filed patents. Dr. Britz-McKibbin is the recipient of several prestigious awards for his important contributions to separation science, MS and metabolomics, including the American Chemical Society – Young Investigator Award in Separation Science (2010), Japan Society for Promotion of Science (2009), Petro-Canada Young Investigator Award (2007) and Premier’s Research Excellence Award (2004-2010). He is currently co-chair in analytical/physical chemistry in the NSERC Discovery Grant Evaluation Committee, a founding member of the North American Chapter of the Metabolomics Society, and a Section Editor in Chemical Biology for the journal Scientific Reports (Nature). He has also served as a scientific advisory board member on several metabolomics initiatives across North America. Dr. Britz-McKibbin’s research program strives to bridges the major gap existing between basic scientific research and large-scale epidemiological studies for population health, including expanding newborn screening programs.



Dr. Philip Britz-McKibbin
Node Leader
Meera Shanmuganathan Node Manager
Research Scientist - McMaster Node
Education:
- NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship, Environment Canada
- Ph.D. McMaster University
- B.Sc. Co-op, Simon Fraser University
Location: McMaster University, ON


Dr. Meera Shanmuganathan
Node Manager
Erick Helmeczi
PhD Candidate - McMaster Node
Education:
- Ph.D. ongoing McMaster University
- B.Sc. Honors, Co-op, Brock University
Location: McMaster University, ON


Erick Helmeczi
PhD Candidate
Zachary Kroezen
Research Assistant - McMaster Node
Education:
- Honours B.Sc. in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at McMaster University
Location: McMaster University, ON


Zachary Kroezen
Research Assistant
BC Nodes
Goodlett Node, University of Victoria
Dr. David R. Goodlett
Dr. David R. Goodlett has spent his career using mass spectrometry to solve biomedical problems via novel technology and software developments. His Ph.D. training with Prof. Richard B. van Breemen on protein adducts concluded in 1991 and his postdoctoral work with Dr.Richard D. Smith on Native MS and ESI fundamentals in 1993. He has been active in a variety of fields including medicine, oceanography, pharmacy, microbiology, proteomics (including clinical applications), lipidomics, and protein and glycolipid structure-function relationships. Dr. Goodlett has published over 250 papers generating an H-index of 80. He is currently a Professor at the University of Victoria and Director of their Genome BC Proteome Centre. Prior to this he was Professor at the Universities of Washington (2004-2012) and Maryland-Baltimore (2013-2020) as well as first Director of Proteomics at the Institute for Systems Biology (2000-2003). From 2012-2016 he was a Finland Distinguished Professor studying pediatric type 1 diabetes. For the last dozen years he has been an Editor at Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry for Wiley-Blackwell publishing. Dr. Goodlett has founded two companies based on his patents: Deurion of Seattle, WA which is developing mass spectrometry ion sources and Pataigin of Baltimore, MD which is focused on microbial diagnostics. Since 2007 he has been a co-organizer of the Mass Spectrometry in Biotechnology and Medicine summer school held annually in Dubrovnik. Recently, Dr. Goodlett was appointed Visiting Professor at the International Centre for Cancer Vaccine Science (ICCVS) at the University of Gdansk.



Dr. David R. Goodlett
Node Leader
David Schibli
Associate Director, UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre - University of Victoria Node
Education:
- B.Sc. Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria
- Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Calgary
- MBA, Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario
Location: Victoria, BC


Dr. David Schibli
Node Manager
Melissa DaSilva
Research Administrator, UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre - University of Victoria Node
Education:
- B.Sc. Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria
- Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Victoria
Location: Victoria, BC


Dr. Melissa DaSilva
Research Administrator
Evan Dyson-Loewen
Technician, UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre - University of Victoria Node
Education:
- B.Sc. Chemistry, Carleton University
Location: Victoria, BC


Evan Dyson-Loewen
Technician
Jun Han
Metabolomics Group Leader, UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre - University of Victoria Node
Education:
- Diploma in Experimental Chemistry, Soochow University
- M.Sc. Pharmaceutical Analysis (Chromatography), China Pharmaceutical University
- Ph.D. Pharmaceutical Analysis (Mass Spectrometry), China Pharmaceutical University
Location: Victoria, BC


Dr. Jun Han
Metabolomics Group Leader
Darryl Hardie
Technician, UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre - University of Victoria Node
Education:
- B.Sc. Chemistry, University of Victoria
Location: Victoria, BC


Darryl Hardie
Technician
Jamie McGuire
Technician, UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre - University of Victoria Node
Education:
- B.Sc. Chemistry, University of Victoria
Location: Victoria, BC


Jamie McGuire
Technician
Derek Smith
Facility Manager, UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre - University of Victoria Node
Education:
- B.Sc. Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria
Location: Victoria, BC


Derek Smith
Facility Manager
Juncong Yang
Technician, UVic-Genome BC Proteomics Centre - University of Victoria Node
Education:
- B.Sc. Guangzhou University
Location: Victoria, BC

