Principal Investigator

Ji-Young Youn, PhD

Scientist, Molecular Medicine and Cell & Systems Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children
Assistant Professor, Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto

Dr. Youn earned her B.Sc. in Bioengineering from Yonsei University, followed by a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto in 2013, under the supervision of Dr. Brenda Andrews. She subsequently joined the laboratory of Dr. Anne-Claude Gingras at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, where she investigated the proteomes of mammalian RNA-rich biomolecular condensates using cutting-edge quantitative proteomics.
Since starting her independent position in 2020, Dr. Youn’s lab has applied quantitative proteomics methods to study these areas of research: 1) Investigating the role of RNA-rich condensates and their dysregulation in human diseases, 2) Application of proximity labeling tools to identify host targets of pathogen effectors or toxins, and 3) Development and application of proteomics tools. Dr. Youn holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in membraneless organelle proteomics.

Lab Trainees

Kiki (Jie Qi) Huang

PhD candidate 

kiks.huang@mail.utoronto.ca

Research Interest: Using proteomics to investigate the role of highly disordered proteins in stress granules.

Kiki Huang is a PhD candidate who completed her HBSc at the University of Toronto in 2020, where she double majored in Molecular Genetics and Global Health. Her favourite lab instrument is the multichannel pipette.

headshot of Allan Minkovic smiling at the camera

Alan Minkovich

MSc candidate 

alan.minkovich@mail.utoronto.ca

Research Interest: Studying the changes in RNA poly(A) tail-length when stress granules sequester the CCR4-NOT complex. 

Alan Minkovich is a graduate student at UofT who has completed his BSc. at McMaster University. During his undergrad he studied Biochemistry and Biomedical sciences. When not in the lab he plays in the Hart House Symphonic Band.

headshot of Carina Lyons smiling at the camera

Carina Lyons

PhD candidate 

carina.lyons@mail.utoronto.ca

Research Interest: Using cell culture and in vitro models to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying disease, with a current focus on proteins found in pathological aggregates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Carina Lyons is a PhD candidate who completed her HBSc. in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Cell and Molecular Biology, and Immunology at UofT in 2022.

headshot of Rachel Chiang smiling at the camera

Rachel Chiang

MSc candidate 

rachel.chiang@mail.utoronto.ca

Research Interest: Exploring TDP-43 cytoplasmic interactors and the role of stress granules in TDP-43’s phase separation. She is also investigating the molecular determinants that govern its partitioning into stress granules. 

Rachel is a graduate student in the Department of Molecular Genetics at U of T. She previously completed her HBSc. at U of T, specializing in  Molecular Genetics with a minor in Immunology. Her favourite lab instrument is the P200 pipette.

headshot of Faizah Abdullah smiling at the camera

Faizah Abdullah

MSc candidate 

faizah.abdullah@mail.utoronto.ca

Research Interest: Characterizing the effect of ALS-associated variants on the biophysical and biochemical properties of TDP-43. She is also exploring the use of minibinders to alter the effect of these changing phase separation dynamics within RNA-rich biomolecular condensates. 

Faizah is a graduate student in the Department of Molecular Genetics at U of T. She previously completed her HBSc. in Immunology and Biochemistry at the University of Toronto. Her favourite lab activity is collecting her SDS-PAGE gels.

Staff

headshot of Karl Schreiber smiling at the camera

Karl Schreiber

PhD, Research Associate

karl.schreiber@sickkids.ca

Karl was previously employed as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in the laboratories of Drs. Brian Staskawicz and Jennifer Lewis at the University of California in Berkeley, California. He holds a PhD. in Cell and Systems Biology from the University of Toronto, a MSc. in Plant Science from the University of Saskatchewan, and a BSc. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Alberta. His research focuses on proteomic analyses of key proteins associated with the progressive neurodegenerative disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

headshot of Eileigh Kadijk smiling at the camera

Eileigh Kadijk

MSc, Technologist

eileigh.kadijk@sickkids.ca

Eileigh is a technician in the Youn Lab. She has earned her BSc. in Microbiology & Immunology and Certificate in Genetics from Dalhousie University where she continued her research at Dalhousie and earned her MSc. in Microbiology & Immunology in 2022. She works to support a variety of different ongoing projects in the Youn lab. Her favourite tissue culture plate is a 12-well. When she’s not in the lab she enjoys reading and enjoying a good cup of coffee.

Meet Our Alumni

headshot of Sean Miller smiling at the camera

Sean Millar

MSc Graduate, Technologist

headshot of Owen (Yi-Cheng) Tsai smiling at the camera

Owen (Yi-Cheng) Tsai

MSc Graduate