Meet the Moraes Lab Team

Professor Trevor Moraes

PDF Biochemistry, University of British Columbia
PhD Biochemistry, University of Alberta
MSc Biochemistry, Queen’s University
BSc Biochemistry, Queen’s University

Professor of Biochemistry

Christine Lai, MSc

MSc Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia
BSc Biochemistry, University of British Columbia

Lab Manager
Research Associate

Gregory Cole, PhD

PhD Biochemistry, University of Toronto
BSc Biochemistry, University of Waterloo

Jamie Fegan, PhD

Co-Appointed with Prof. Scott Gray-Owen, University of Toronto

PhD Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary

Research Project: Vaccine Development Against Gram-Negative Bacteria

Research Associate

Dixon Ng, PhD

PDF Biochemistry, University of Toronto
PDF MI&ID, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
PhD Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University
BSc Biology and Geography, Simon Fraser University

Research Project: Translational bioengineering of Slam for heterologous protein production

Research Associate
Research Associate

Megha Shah, PhD

PhD Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand
MTech D.Y.Patil University, India
BSc Biochemistry, Gujarat University, India

Natalie Au, PhD

PhD Biochemistry, University of Toronto
BSc Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Toronto Scarborough

Research Project: Development of a TbpB-Based Gonococcal Vaccine

Postdoctoral Researcher

Trevor Bell, MSc

MSc Génie chimique, Université Laval
BEng Bioresource Engineering, McGill University

Reserach Project: Heme acquisition in Acinetobacter baumannii

PhD Student
PhD Student

Matt Giles, MSc

Joint PhD with Prof. McDevitt, University of Melbourne, Australia

MSc Biotechnology, University of Lincoln, UK
BSc Nutrition and Food Science, Colorado State University, USA

Reserach Project: Characterizing the Zinc Uptake Systems of Klebsiella pneumoniae

Emily Wellwood, BSc

HBSc Molecular Biology, Immunology & Disease, University of Toronto Scarborough

Research Project: How Mannheimia haemolytica utilizes surface lipoproteins to escape the host complement immune system

PhD Student

Caitlyn Xu, MSc

MSc Cell and Developmental Biology, University of British Columbia
BSc Biochemistry, University of British Columbia

Research Project: Identification and characterization of small molecules that inhibit Slam

PhD Student
MSc Student

Chiara D’Addario, BSc

Co-supervised with Prof. Christine Bear, SickKids Research Institute

BSc Biochemistry & Microbiology, University of Toronto

Reserach Project: Characterizing Cell-type Specific Interactions with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cystic Fibrosis Epithelium

Tiana Lee, BSc

BSc Biochemistry, University of Toronto

Reserach Project: Mechanism of Slam-Dependent Translocation of Surface Lipoproteins in Gram-Negative Bacteria

MSc Student

Undergraduate Students:

Maria Acosta - 4th Year Student of Biochemistry & Biomedical Toxicology
Research Project: LCL-based antigen design for Neisseria gonorrhoeae


Ryan Georgiev - 4th Year Student of Biochemistry & Psychology
Co-supervised with Prof. Warren Lee, St. Michael’s Hospital
Research Project: Discovery of mechanism and binding partner of anti-inflammatory compounds


Saanvi Mazumdar - 3rd Year Specialist Student of Biochemistry & Minor in Immunology
Research Project: Designing TbpB-based vaccine antigens for Neisserial infections


Vattanak Mean - 2nd Year Specialist Student of Biochemistry & Minor in Immunology
Research Project: Heme acquisition in Acinetobacter baumannii

Lab Alumni

Lab Manager

  • Cathy Horvatin

Postdoctoral Fellows‍ & Research Associates ‍

  • Charles Calmettes (2009-2016) - Assistant Professor at INRS-Institute Armand-Frappier

  • Xiaoyun Bai (2013-2015, co-supervised with Dr. R. Reithmeier) - Visiting PDF at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, USA

  • Volodymyr Shnitsar (2010-2013, co-supervised with Dr. R. Reithmeier) - Research and Development Chemist, Airboss of America

  • Maciej Jagielnicki (2019-2022) - Assistant Professor at the University of Miami, Frost Institute for Chemistry and Molecular Science

  • Epshita Islam (2017-2025) - Advanced Skills Development Lead at BioHubNet

  • David Curran (2019-2025)

PhD Students ‍ ‍

  • Yogesh Hooda (PhD 2018) - Senior Scientist at CHRF

  • Anastassia Pogoutse (PhD 2019) - Strategic Research Development Officer, University of Toronto Mississauga

  • Nick Ostan (PhD 2022) - Scientist at IBM

  • Tom Bateman (PhD 2022)

  • Esther Shin (PhD 2023) - PDF at Stanford Univeristy

  • Sang Huynh (PhD 2024) - PDF at UHN

  • Quynh Huong Nguyen (PhD 2025) - PDF at University of Bristol

MSc Students‍ ‍

  • Rediet Taddese (MSc 2013, Co-supervised with Dr. R. Reithmeier) - Lead Consultant at Q&C

  • Andrew Judd (MSc 2013) - Research Scientist at Green Relief

  • Fan Xia (MSc 2016, Co-supervised with Dr. R. Reithmeier) - PhD student in the Kelley Lab at the University of Toronto

  • Chuxi Pan (MSc 2019) - Data Analyst for Unity Health Toronto

  • Alima Khan (MSc 2021, Co-supervised with Dr. K. Maxwell) - Research Associate at ProtienQure

  • Mahrukh Fatimah (MSc 2024) - MD Student

  • Stephanie Deng (MSc 2025)

Undergraduates and Project Students

  • Shilo Chislett

  • Sidney Middleton

  • Devin Robb

  • James Shi

  • April Yu

  • Yaxin Guo

  • Haoxuan Qing

  • Ali Bin Munim

  • Derrick Chong

  • Alex Daiejavad

  • Sherwin Xu

  • Doa Chaki

  • Raina Yuzi Li

  • Timothy Pham Ho

  • Flora Zhiqi Wang

  • Benjamin Zheng

  • Ashutosh Gupta

  • Yancheng Li

  • Brandon Mitchell

  • Sarah Soyoung Kim

  • Royce Chun Lai

  • Parnian Dolati Ardejani

  • Robert Lu

  • Linda En Ze Zhong

  • Marim Barghash

  • Alexandra Zimmer

  • Weike Liang

  • Judy Truong

  • Adrienn Goczi

  • Donghe Yang

  • Michelle Quach

  • Brandon Sit

  • Anastasia Bosc

  • River Jiang

  • David Guo

  • Henry Chang

  • Amanda Miles

  • YeeSoo Kim

  • David Shen

  • Anselm Hui

  • Duncan Holbrook-Smith

  • Hao Li

  • Kang Wei David Lui

  • Calvin Tang

  • Olof Fahleson

  • Justine Berson