The Heart of the Lab
Translational Medicine, SickKids Research Institute
Dr. Chi enormously contributes in multiple aspects to all the projects in our lab. In addition, Dr. Chi is investigating the function of histone methyltransferases that form part of epigenetic silencing complexes in the development of cardiovascular precursor cells and their descendants.
Translational Medicine, SickKids Research Institute
Jielin is investigating the link between chromatin structure and gene expression dynamics during cardiac maturation. By generating and cross-referencing multiple transcriptomics and epigenomics datasets from mouse cardiomyocytes with mutations in various chromatin modifiers, Jielin aims to uncover the basis of the heart’s adaptation during the fetal to postnatal transition.
Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Adar is delving into the interplay between transcription factors and chromatin modifiers that control cardiac metabolism. Adar is applying multiple epigenomics approaches to map transcription factor occupancy and chromatin structure in regulatory elements controlling cardiac metabolism in homeostasis and heart failure.
Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Daniel is investigating the consequences of ectopic activation of a family of RNA binding proteins in the heart. Daniel is developing gain-of-function systems to identify mRNAs bound by these proteins and reveal their effect on translation. Daniel’s work will provide insight into the post-transcriptional control of cardiomyocyte growth in both health and in response to pathological stimuli.
Honors Bachelor of Science, Health & Disease, Animal Physiology at Woodsworth College, U of T
Hamna is characterizing the cardiac phenotype of mouse embryos in which the histone methyltransferase Ezh2 is inactive in a subpopulation of cardiac progenitor cells. Hamna also uses genetic tools to label and isolate mutant cardiac progenitors and their descendants to analyze gene expression and chromatin structure at single cell resolution.
Translational Medicine, SickKids Research Institute
Cristina is our point of contact for logistics, onboarding, and navigating the Research Institute’s policy.
Alumni
Research Fellows
Abdalla Ahmed, PhD
Abdalla discovered a pathway controlled via histone demethylation and that is dysregulated to initiate cardiac deterioration leading to heart failure.
Present position: Consultant, Biotech Industry
Graduate Students
Amaury Aguilar Lomas, PhD
Biochemical Sciences. Fellow student co-supervised with Dr. Mayra Furlan-Magaril at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Amalia Caballero, PhD
Graduated from the PhD Program in the Department of Molecular Genetics at U of T
Ling Zhong, MD, PhD
Fellow student supervised by Professor Ming Li at the Peking Union Medical College. Graduated with a PhD in Internal Medicine
Jibran Nehal Syed
Graduated from the MSc program in the Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Thesis: The Polycomb Group Protein L3MBTL2 Controls Postnatal and Pathological Cardiac Hypertrophy
Position after graduation: Consultant, biotech industry
Quetzalcoatl Escalante Covarrubias, PhD
Fellow student supervised by Dr. Lorena Aguilar-Arnal. Graduated from the Biomedical Sciences program, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Abdalla Ahmed, PhD
Graduated from the PhD Program in the Department of Molecular Genetics at U of T Abdalla investigated the earliest effects of obesity during pregnancy on the developing heart and the molecular events that program an increased risk of adult-onset heart disease.
Thesis: Transcriptional Origins of Adult Cardiac Disease in Response to Maternal Obesity.
Position after graduation: Research Fellow, The Hospital for Sick Children
Anna Roy
Graduated from the MSc program in the Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Thesis: CCCTC-binding Factor (Ctcf) is Required for Mouse Cardiovascular Development.
Position after graduation: Project Coordinator, The Hospital for Sick Children
Sandra Vuong
Graduated from the MSc program in the Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Thesis: Loss of L3mbtl2 in Cardiac Progenitor Cells Causes Subtle Defects in the Developing Heart Leading to Cardiac Dysfunction in Adulthood.
Position after graduation: MD Candidate, Australia
Undergraduate Research Students
Bei Yan
Honors Bachelor of Science, Neuroscience, Immunology, Physiology, U of T
Raina Cui
Research Student, Advanced Research Project in Molecular Genetics, U of T
Jasmine Li
Research Student, Advanced Research Project in Molecular Genetics, U of T
Position after graduation: Student MSc program in Genetic Counseling, U of T
Sofia Wang
Position after graduation: PhD Student in the Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Mabel Yang
Research Student, Special Research Project, Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Evonne Anin
Research Student
Etri Kocaqi
Position after graduation: Medical School, McMaster University
Dorothy Lee
Position after graduation: Student in the PhD program in the Department of Physiology, U of T
Tao Wang
Position after graduation: Student in the MSc program in the Department of Physiology, U of T
Meaghan Leslie
Position after graduation: Graduate Student in the MSc program in the Department of Molecular Genetics, U of T
Ryan Tracey
Alicia Jarosz
Position after graduation: MD Candidate, University of Alberta
Volunteers
Sina Fatehi Someeh
Position after graduation: Student in the MSc program in the Department of Medical Science, U of T
Angela Chen
Position after graduation: Undergraduate Student, U of T
Angela An Qi Duan
Position after graduation: Student in the MSc program in the Department of Medical Science, U of T