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David Eickmeyer, MSc
GReAT lab senior technician Dave's background is in paleolimnology and organic environmental contaminant isolation and quantification, having focused mainly on PAHs, PCBs, and OC pesticides. He is looking forward to helping get the GReAT lab up and running and doing what he can to bring some order to chaos. |
David Schuster
Ph.D. Student David’s project works towards validation of a novel error-corrected sequencing method called Duplex Sequencing (DS). He is comparing mutation frequencies and spectra measured by DS to conventional mutagenicity endpoints. His project involves many international collaborators to potentially establish DS as the new gold standard for in vivo mutagenicity testing. Co-supervisor: Francesco Marchetti, Health Canada, and adjunct at Carleton |
James Alper Alcarez
Post-doctoral fellow James is a Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellow, collaborating with Charles River Laboratories and TwinStrand Biosciences. His research is dedicated to advancing the application of highly accurate error-corrected next-generation sequencing (ecNGS), with a particular emphasis on Duplex Sequencing, for assessing carcinogenicity. His project specifically investigates the use of DuplexSeq to detect clonal expansion of cells harboring cancer driver gene mutations. Mentors: Carole Yauk (uOttawa); Francesco Marchetti (Health Canada/Carleton University); Jake Higgins (TwinStrand Biosciences), and Annie Hamel (Charles River Laboratories) |
Elena Esina
M.Sc. Student Elena’s project focuses on applying error-corrected next-generation sequencing technologies to provide an in-depth analysis of the mutagenic effects of aging in mouse liver and bone marrow. This project will deepen our understanding of the changes brought about by the aging process in different cell types, forming a foundation for developing strategies that protect genome stability and prevent age-related disease. |
Emmanuelle Monniez
Ph.D. Student Emmanuelle is co-supervised by Drs. Vance Trudeau and Carole Yauk. Her research aims to determine the effects of developmental exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) on the regulation of the stress axis in zebrafish. She is investigating the lasting effects of these early life exposures on effects later in life and explores transcriptomic, physiological, and behavioural endpoints. Supervisor: Carole Yauk Co-supervisor: Vance Trudeau |
Reyna Tao
M.Sc. Student The goal of Reyna’s project is to develop an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) that describes how exposure to microplastics and other toxicants could lead to negative effects on male reproduction. She will apply the AOP framework to compile existing data on microplastics and nanoplastics to improve understanding of how plastic particles can cause adverse health effects. Reyna is passionate about AOPs because of their potential to support toxicological predictions and reduce reliance on animal models in regulatory testing. |
Josie Jabbour
M.Sc. Student Josie’s project focuses on implementing CODEC sequencing, a novel error-corrected Next Generation Sequencing (ecNGS) approach for in-vitro and in-vivo mutagenesis studies. This technology offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional NGS while maintaining high precision in genetic testing. Her research will evaluate the applicability of CODEC sequencing and compare it with a well-established ecNGS method, Duplex Sequencing Co-supervisor: Matthew Meier (Health Canada and Junior Fellow, uOttawa) |
Vicky Wang
Post-doctoral fellow Vicky is currently part of a multi-sector collaboration within the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI). She is compiling and analyzing data to validate a transcriptomic biomarker that detects DNA damage in human cells in culture. In this role she is contributing to the qualification of this biomarker for use in regulatory testing during drug development within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Upon completion, she hopes to advance efforts developing and qualifying of other transcriptomic biomarkers for human health risk assessment of environmental chemicals. |
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Annette Dodge
PhD candidate |
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Guess who’s back? After a stint as a Biologist specializing in Bioinformatics at Health Canada, Annette has decided to return to the GReAT lab to do a PhD so that one day she can lead her group. Her PhD research focusses on the development of a novel error-corrected sequencing technology for mutagenicity testing (CODEC). She’ll be dabbling in both the wet and the dry lab this time around. Welcome back Annette!
Co-supervisor: Matthew Meier (Health Canada and Junior Fellow, uOttawa) |
Gone on to other GReAT things
Hyojin Lee
Post-doctoral fellow |
Mikko Herrala
Post-doctoral fellow |
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Hyojin's research in the GReAT lab explored the underlying molecular mechanisms of toxicity and potency of per- and poly-fluorinated substances (PFAS) both individually and when present in mixtures. She will be determining benchmark dose (BMD) /point-of-departure (POD) of PFASs using the zebrafish model and transcriptomics and performing class-based hazard assessments of PFAS mixture. Congratulations to Hyojin who is now a Senior Research Scientist in the Center of Regulatory Toxicology Research, at the Korean Institute of Toxicology.
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Mikko came to the GReAT laboratory on a postdoctoral fellowship from Finland. He evaluated the genotoxicity and toxicity mechanisms associated with natural anthraquinone dyes. Congratulations to Mikko who is now an Assistant Professor at the University of Eastern Finland.
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Geronimo Parodi-Matteo
Ph.D. Geronimo is now a post-doctoral fellow at Health Canada. His award-nominated PhD research evaluated the toxicity of plasticizers that are used to replace Bisphenol A (BPA), a widely studied endocrine disrupting chemical. Canada was the first country to take regulatory action on BPA. Many new chemicals have since emerged as replacements to BPA and Geronimo is still using high-throughput transcriptomics to study the estrogenic activity and potency of these replacements. He's also determined that these chemicals interact in an additive manner in mixtures to cause toxicity and inform regulatory decision-making. His work is helping to catalyze the modernization of human health risk assessment
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Madison Steward
M.Sc. Madison’s used Duplex Sequencing, an error-corrected sequencing technology, to analyze the germ cell mutagenicity of benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF), a widespread polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. This analysis will revealed just how well protected male germ cell DNA is from the toxic effects of chemical exposure. .
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Elizabeth Huliganga
M.Sc. Elizabeth’s thesis defence in March 2023 was exceptional, leading to an award nomination. Her MSc focussed on predictive toxicology and developing approaches that we hope someday will reduce or eliminate the need for conventional toxicology tests like those done in animals. She conducted numerous experiments to collect empirical evidence to build Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs: https://aopwiki.org/). Her work involved determining the quantitative relationships between increases in oxidative stress, DNA damage, mutations and chromosomal aberrations. She was co-supervised by Dr. Francesco Marchetti, Health Canada and adjunct at Carleton University. Liz is now working as a Biologist at Health Canada. 
Anne-Marie Fortin
M.Sc. Anne-Marie knocked her defence out of the park in November 2022, to receiver her MSc. Her research focused on the TGx-DDI biomarker, a transcriptomic multigene biomarker that identifies DNA-damaging chemical agents in human cells. The project aimed to determine genetic toxicity point‐of‐departure (PoD) metrics for TGx-DDI, and to investigate the incorporation of the TGx-DDI biomarker into Health Canada's GeneTox21 testing program with Dr. Paul White (Co-supervisor). She is currently a Risk Management Advisor at Health Canada. |
Eunnara Cho
Ph.D. Eunnara defended her PhD in January 2023, receiving an award nomination for her outstanding dissertation. Her thesis involved collaborating with researchers across industry, government and academia to investigate how the application of newer in vitro assays in genetic toxicology can be guided by Adverse Outcome Pathways (https://aopwiki.org/). The work integrated high-throughput DNA damage assays with genomic technologies, such as TempO-seq for gene expression analysis and duplex sequencing for mutation detection. Eunnara is now a Biologist at Health Canada, pursuing her passion for developing and applying new approach methodologies to reduce reliance on animal testing and to increase understanding of human toxicology. 
Tatiana Kozbenko
M.Sc. Tatiana is our rocket scientist! She defended her MSc in November 2023. Her research involved building space-flight relevant AOPs (adverse outcome pathways). Specifically, she worked in teams with Health Canada (Health Canada supervisor: Vinita Chauhan) to collect and analyze data to support the link between ionizing radiation in space and resulting cardiovascular disease, ocular disorders, bone loss and cognitive effects. Tatiana is also passionate about science communication and completed the illustrations for our GReAT website! Tatiana is currently a Project Coordinator at Risk Sciences International |
Jonatan Axelsson
Visiting scientist Jonatan is a physician who visited the GReAT lab from Sweden. His research focuses on the role of environmental and life-style related factors that may mediate germ cell mutation frequencies and spectra in males as possible explanations behind diseases in offspring. He continues to collaborate with the GReAT lab in studying mutation using DS in both mice and humans to explore this possibility. 
Anthony Reardon
Post-doctoral fellow Anthony was doing research to understand the toxicological effects of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as 'forever chemicals'. With over 4,000 in the environment, he used transcriptomic profiling technologies to understand the dose-response behaviours of untested PFAS on their own and in mixtures. Co-supervisor: Ella Atlas, Health Canada and adjunct uOttawa Anthony is now a regulatory scientist in the Existing Substances and Risk Assessment Bureau at Health Canada. He's putting the newest approaches in genomics and in vitro tests into action in regulatory decision making to protect human health. |
Kundai Mufara
Volunteer Kundai was a volunteer helping us to build Adverse Outcome Pathways linking chemically induced DNA damage to downstream effects like chromosome breaks and mutations. She's now a science content writer for an environmental software company, combining her love of science, writing and communication. http://kuecreates.com/professional-portfolio/ 
Annette Dodge
M.Sc. Annette's research focused on the application of new in vivo assays in genetic toxicology. Specifically, she was working on applying Duplex Sequencing™ as a novel method for the analysis of mutation induction and spectra in tissues exposed to toxic substances. This work aimed to investigate if Duplex Sequencing could serve as a new standard for in vivo mutagenicity testing that obviates the need for transgenic organisms. Co-supervisor: Francesco Marchetti, Health Canada and adjunct at Carleton Annette Dodge defended her MSc thesis and received an award nomination! She has gone on to a job as a Biologist at Health Canada!!! |
