Thomas Murooka, PhD
Associate Professor, Departments of Immunology and MMID

Education:  Postdoctoral fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (2009-2014)
                      Ph.D (Immunology), University of Toronto, Canada (2002-2008)
                      B.Sc (Microbiology & Immunology), University of British Columbia, Canada (1997-2002)

I am also an active member of  the Canadian HIV Cure Enterprise (CanCURE), which is a research collaboration focused on studying HIV persistence and developing strategies towards a functional HIV Cure.
Nnamdi Ikeogu, DVM, M.Sc
Research Associate

Education:  Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria Nsukka (2009-2015)
                      M.Sc. (Immunology), University of Manitoba (2019)

Research projects:
  • Understanding how cell-cell communication contribute to HIV persistence in T cells, using a new reporter system to following infected cells longitudinally.
  • Locating and describing cellular mechanisms that drive clonal expansion of HIV-infected T cells under ART in vivo.

Contact:   ikeogun@myumanitoba.ca
Romaniya Zayats, B.Sc
PhD candidate

Education:   B.Sc. (Microbiology), University of Manitoba

Research projects:
  • Using MP-IVM to visualize the dynamic nature of anti-Leishmania T cell responses in vivo, using a new TCR transgenic mouse model that better models T cell responses in humans.
  • My goals is to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms that are in place that support persistent Leishmania major infection even after lesion resolution.

Contact:   umzayatr@myumanitoba.ca
Marina Costa-Fujishima, B.Sc
PhD candidate

Education:   B.Sc. (Microbiology), University of Manitoba
                    
Research projects:
  • Studying the role of mucosal neutrophils as regulators of vaginal epithelial barrier function. Using microscopy and proteomics approaches, my work will dissect how changes in the vaginal microbiota influences neutrophil migration and function.
  • The goal is to better understand the interplay between neutrophils and the epithelium, and how these interactions play a role in sexual HIV transmission.

Contact:   costafum@myumanitoba.ca
Oluwaseun Elizabeth Ajibola, B.Sc
MSc candidate

Education:   B.Sc. (Genetics), University of Manitoba
                    
Research projects:
  • Construction and characterization of a dual-fluorescent HIV reporter that can visually discriminate between productively versus latently-infected T cells in vitro and in vivo.
  • Utilizing humanized mouse model of HIV infection to visually characterize the migratory behavior and cellular distribution of productively- and latently-infected T cells in vivo using MP-IVM.

Contact:   ajibolao@myumanitoba.ca
Morgan Taverner, B.Sc
MSc candidate (MMID graduate program)

Education:   B.Sc. (Microbiology), University of Manitoba
                    
Research projects:
  • Studying the role of inflammation on female genital tract adaptive immunity, especially in the context of vaginal HIV transmission.
  • Investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy of aspirin in dampening genital inflammation, improving vaginal epithelial barrier function and reducing HIV acquisition rates in vivo.

Contact:   tavernem@myumanitoba.ca
Riley Greenslade
Research Assistant

Education:   B.Sc. (Major in Microbiology, Minor is Chemistry), University of Manitoba (in progress)
                    
Research projects:
  • Utilizing mouse models and microscopy to visualize NETosis events directly in female genital tract tissues.
  • Studying the interplay between neutrophil recruitment, NETosis and vaginal epithelial barrier function during bacterial vaginosis (BV)-associated inflammation.

Contact:   greensl1@myumanitoba.ca
Deesha Nayar
Research Assistant

Education:   B.Sc. (Major in Genetics, Minor in Statistics), University of Manitoba (in progress)
                    
Research projects:
  • Studying how the vaginal microbiome influences T cell differentiation and effector responses in the female genital tract.
  • To investigate the possible interplay between neutrophils and Th17 cells in the female genital tract.

Contact:   nayard@myumanitoba.ca
Our esteemed alumni:


Dr. Wan Hon Koh (postdoctoral fellow) 2016-2019

Atta Yazdanpanah (M.Sc student) 2017-2019

Ryan Hnatiuk (co-op student and undergraduate research assistant) 2016-2018

Leo Xinyun Liu (undergraduate summer student) 2019, 2020

Umar Mohammed (co-op student and research technician) 2018-2019

Dr. Carolina Campos Lima Moreira (postdoctoral fellow, co-supervised with Dr. Kelly MacDonald) 2018-2019

Roshan Parvarchian (M.Sc student) 2019-2022

Paul Lopez (lab manager) 2015-2022