Post Doctoral Fellows
Ifeoluwa (Hiphy) Awogbindin, Ph.D.
“I crossed path with Dr. Marie-Eve Tremblay in December 2018 during an IBRO Advanced School on Neuroimmunology and Gut Brain Axis in South Africa. I am investigating whether alterations of microglial structure and function during infections with SARS-CoV-2 and HSV-1 predispose to future development of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, respectively using transgenic mice.”
Benneth Ben-Azu, Ph.D.
📧 bbenazu@uvic.ca
“I am interested in investigating how gut dysbiosis-induced microglial dysfunction contributes to schizophrenia-like behaviour.”
Marianela Evelyn Traetta, Ph.D.
📧 marianelatraetta@uvic.ca
“My research interest focuses on different microglial states and functions during normal development and their involvement in neurodevelopmental disorders.”
Haley A. Vecchiarelli, Ph.D.
Doctoral Students
Micaël Carrier, M.Sc.
Fernando González Ibáñez, M.Sc.
📧 fernando.gonzalez-ibanez.1@ulaval.ca
“I study the effect of environmental factors in microglia function in contexts of health and disease. Development of electron microscopy techniques and analysis. 3D EM.”
Colin Murray
📧 colinmur@uvic.ca
“I am interested in the impact of psychoactive compounds (cannabis, LSD) on glial cell regulation of myelination across the lifespan.”
📧 esimoncicova@uvic.ca
“I am interested in the impact of aging on microglial functions and responses to immune stimuli and their role in aging-related cognitive decline.”
Jared VanderZwaag
“I investigate how microglia modulate neuronal activity in models of fatigue and how these dynamics shift via psychedelic treatment.”
Sammy Weiser-Novak, M.Sc.
Master Students
Bianca Bobotis
📧 biancabobotis@uvic.ca
“I am interested in microglial sex differences in the brain during adulthood using the four core genotypes mouse model.”
Jaclyn Dunn
Makenna Gargus
📧 mgargus@uvic.ca
“I am interested in the impact of vagus nerve stimulation on microglial inflammatory states and neurodevelopmental disorders.”
Antonia Landwehr, M.Sc.
Victor Lau
📧 vzplau@uvic.ca
“I focus on iron-rich cells, senescence, and neurodegenerative disease (particularly Alzheimer’s).”
Sophia Loewen
📧 sophialoewen@uvic.ca
“I am investigating how viral infections during pregnancy affect the brain immune cells in exposed offspring.”
Research Assistants
📧 parsak@uvic.ca
“I am interested in investigating the impact of glial cells in neurodegenerative diseases and glioblastoma using rodent models and human post-mortem brain.”
Simon Kurkimaki
📧 skurkimaki@uvic.ca
“I’m interested in how microglial functions can be modulated via Sigma-1 receptor ligands and how these effects could be used to promote optimal microenvironments for neurorehabilitation following injury or illness.”
Colby Sandberg
📧 colbysandberg@uvic.ca
“I am interested in neurodevelopmental regulation and how microglia help shape the developing brain.”
Luke Rainier-Pope
📧 lukerainierpope@uvic.ca
“I study the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on microglial density, distribution, and morphology. “
Visiting Students
Raphaël Bourgeois
Léa Siron
Eva Tunderman
📧 edtunderman@uvic.ca
“I am interested in the neuro-immune field, with a specific focus on glial cells such as astrocytes and microglia and how interactions among these cells and the broader immune system influence brain health and progression of diseases and aging.”
Undergraduate Students
Micah Allen
Jamie Chow
Isabella Coral
Capri Eyres
Keysa Mundel
Emiko Osborne
Bella Pienaar
Linnea Poyhia
📧 linneapoyhia@uvic.ca
“I am interested in the effects of mood disorders on microglial functioning and fast-acting treatments with microglia-stimulating strategies.”
Maxim Schlagel
Marko Tokic
Crisel Vital
Cameo Volk
📧 cvolk@uvic.ca
“I am interested in the effects of psychedelics on the function and behaviour of microglia, with further applications extending into novel treatments for mental health disorders and drug development.”
Michael Wanklin
Maryam Zafarullah
Lab Alumni (2013-2024)
Elizabeth Akinluyi, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral fellow
Chantaille Ash
Undergraduate research assistant
Amin Benadjal, M.Sc.
Visiting Master student
Clémentine Beucher, B.Sc.
Undergraduate research assistant
Kanchan Bisht, Ph.D.
Doctoral student
Julien Blouin
Undergraduate research assistant
Leonie Blöbaum, M.Sc.
Visiting Master student
Cyril Bolduc
Undergraduate research assistant
Maude Bordeleau, Ph.D.
Doctoral student
Samuel Boisjoly-Villeneuve, B.Sc.
Undergraduate research assistant
Olivia Braniff, B.Sc.
Research assistant
Fanny Sophia Bunn, M.Sc.
Visiting Master student
Sophia Burns
Undergraduate research assistant
Samuel Comeau, B.Sc.
Undergraduate research assistant
Fanny Decoeur, Ph.D.
Visiting Doctoral student
Charlotte Delage, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral fellow
Jérôme Detuncq
Undergraduate research assistant
Kira Dolhan
Undergraduate research assistant
Alexie Doucet
Undergraduate research assistant
Gabrielle Duvoisin de Soumagnat, M.Sc.
Visiting Master student
Hassan El Hajj, M.Sc.
Master student
Léa Essiembre
Co-op research assistant
Moritz Ferch
Visiting Medical student
Sean Foster
Undergraduate research assistant
Audrey Gagné
Undergraduate research assistant
Éloi Gagnon
Undergraduate research assistant
Steven Gagnon, M.D.
Medical student intern
Isabelle Girard, B.Sc.
Undergraduate research assistant
Elisa Gonçalves de Andrade, M.Sc.
Master student
Émilie Gosselin
Undergraduate research assistant
Torin Halvorson
Undergraduate research assistant
Keelin Henderson Pekarik
Co-op student/University of Toronto
Mathilde Henry, Ph.D.
Doctoral student
Madison Hoffos
Undergraduate research assistant
Chin Wai (Thomas) Hui, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral fellow
Janine Kox, M.Sc.
Visting Master student
Cynthia Lecours, M.Sc.
Master student
Luana Tenorio Lopes, Ph.D.
Lab manager
Mariam Mahmood
Undergraduate research assistant
Chloe McKee, B.Sc.
Undergraduate research assistant
Leo McKee-Reid
Undergraduate research assistant
Imène Melki, Ph.D.
Research assistant
Valerio Messina, M.D.
Visiting Medical student
Marianne Nolin
Undergraduate research assistant
Geneviève Parent, B.Sc.
Undergraduate research assistant
Katherine Picard, Ph.D.
Doctoral student
Danaja Plevel, M.D.
Visiting Medical student
Yvan Rémy, B.Sc.
Undergraduate research assistant
Marie-Ève Robert
Undergraduate research assistant
Louis Samson, M.D.
Undergraduate research assistant
Maria Gabriela Sánchez, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral fellow
Julie C. Savage, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral fellow
Lisa Scheefals, M.Sc.
Visiting Master student
Kaushik Sharma, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral fellow
Natacha Soudier, M.Sc.
Visting Master student
Abygaël St-Pierre, B.Sc.
Undergraduate research assistant
Marie-Kim St-Pierre, Ph.D.
Doctoral student
Vanessa Théberge, M.Sc.
Undergraduate research assistant
Anastasia Trudel
Undergraduate research assistant
Virginie Vidal, M.Sc.
Visiting Master student
Nathalie Vernoux, Ph.D.
Lab manager
Valérie Watters
Undergraduate research assistant