Trainees

2022 - 2024

Gabriel Zavala

MSc Candidate
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences 
Faculty of Science
University of Ottawa

Supervisor:

Dr. Roberto Chica 

Project:

Engineering a ligand-gated ion channel activated by glucose 

Description:

Ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) are proteins that bind a substrate and allow transmembrane ion flow. My main objective is to combine machine learning, multi-state design, and directed evolution to create an LGIC activated by glucose that rivals wild-type efficiency. Coupled with research on insulin-secreting cells the goal is to initiate a new solution for diabetic patients 

Hobbies:

Travelling, Craft Beer, Video Games, Swimming, Bouldering and Rock Climbing. 

Home Town:

Monterrey, Mexico

Ilya Dementyev

MSc Candidate
Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences 
Faculty of Science
University of Ottawa

Supervisor:

Dr. Roberto Chica 

Project:

Using multi-state enzyme design and high-performance computational simulations to enhance the catalytic power of a de novo enzyme. 

Description:

Development and experimental validation of next-generation enzyme design algorithms. 

Hobbies:

Designing projects and plugins in Unreal Engine, working out, watching Netflix, listening to and making music. 

Home Town:

Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. 


Megan-Faye Parker

MSc Candidate
Department of Chemistry
Université de Montréal

Supervisor:

Dre. Joelle Pelletier 

Project:

Creating new substrates for transglutaminase labelling by protein engineering

Description:

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) use antibody specificity to direct drugs to their target, for example, cancer cells. This project uses a microbial transglutaminase enzyme (mTG) to conjugate the surface-exposed glutamine residues of antibodies to an amino-payload. The level of reactivity of different glutamine residues varies for unknown reasons, and the only glutamine residue on the surface of the human IgG antibody to react with mTG is hindered by glycosylation, which is essential for antibody stability and solubility. Our objective is to create new reactive sites on the glycosylated antibody by substituting single, surface-exposed residues in the crystallizable fragment (Fc) region with a glutamine, and to then investigate each mutant’s reactivity for conjugation by the mTG enzyme. The mTG-mediated synthesis of glycosylated ADCs could lead to targeted cancer treatments with better efficacy and fewer side effects.  

Hobbies:

I play the piano, I enjoy crafting, knitting, sewing, etc. I am also a huge geek (Harry Potter, Star Wars, LOTR, etc.) 

Home Town:

St-Eustache, Québec, Canada


Iain McDonald

MSc Candidate
Department of Chemistry
Faculty of Science
University of Waterloo

Supervisor:

Dr. Elizabeth Meiering

Project:

Rationally altering protein kinetic stability through design of long range intramolecular contacts and N-myristoyltransferase recognition motifs 

Description:

Kinetic stability is a physical property of proteins that determines their functional lifetime. Using the β-trefoil proteins hisactophilin and ThreeFoil, the Meiering lab determined that long range intramolecular amino acid contacts are a determinant of kinetic stability. We are further investigating the role of long range contacts in protein kinetic stability by designing and characterizing ThreeFoil mutants that contain fewer long range contacts than the extremely stable parent protein. Additionally, we are designing the N-termini of these mutants to accommodate myristoylation, a cotranslational modification that has been shown to influence kinetic stability and folding kinetics. 

Hobbies:

Going to the gym, growing mushrooms and various other things 

Home Town

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Gary Zheng

MSc Candidate
Department of Chemistry
University of Toronto

Supervisor:

Dr. Andrew Woolley

Project:

Designing light-switchable affibody inhibitors

Description:

Therapeutic developments around many clinically relevant protein signaling networks are currently held back by the incomplete characterization of their interactions. My project is on the engineering of selective light-switchable affibody-based inhibitors targeting key interactions within those complex networks. In creating tools that can dynamically and reversibly inhibit protein signaling, I aim to enable descriptions of the spatiotemporal dynamics in complex protein signaling networks, informing systems-level approaches to clinical developments that will ultimately lead to better therapeutic outcomes.

Hobbies:

Tennis, Reading, and Gardening

Home Town:

Mississauga, Ontario, Canada


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