Staff

Dr. Julie Lajoie
​Research Associate

Hometown: Louiseville, Québec
Education:
  • Post-doctoral fellowship in Dr. Keith Fowke’s Lab, University of Manitoba (2013)
  • Graduate of the International Infectious Disease and Global Health Training Program (2013)
  • PhD with Honours from the Université de Montréal (2010)
  • MSc at Université de Montréal (2004)
Research Project: 
  • Effect of effective sex hormones on HIV susceptibility
  • Effect of role of blocking inflammation in HIV prevention
Other Academic Positions:
  •  Visiting Lecturer at the University of Nairobi
Selected Awards:
  • Frank Plummer Research Associate Research Award (2018)
  • Grand challenge Canada Star in Global Health phase I and II grant (2014)
Interests: Travelling, Baking

Stephen Wayne
Laboratory Technician

Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Education:
  • BSc (honours) in Microbiology, University of Manitoba (1986)
Research Project:
  • Influenza luminex bead assays
Interests: Hockey, Cars, Model Railroading, Food

Natasha Hollett
Laboratory Technician

Hometown: Clarenville, Newfoundland
Education:
  • MSc (Immunology and Infectious Diseases), Memorial University of Newfoundland (2008)
  • BEd. (Post-Secondary), Memorial University of Newfoundland (2008)
  • BSc. (Biology/Psychology), Memorial University of Newfoundland (2005)
Selected Awards: 
  • University of Manitoba - President’s Award of Excellence (2019)
​Other Academic Positions:
  • Program Coordinator- International Infectious Disease and Global Health Training Program (IID&GHTP)
  • Program Coordinator - Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program (QES-2017)
Interests: Sports, Food, Wine, and Climbing

Graduate Students

Allison Balasko
MD/PhD Student

Hometown: Winnipeg, Mantioba
Education:
  • BSc honour Microbiology, University of Manitoba
  • Trainee in the International Infectious Disease & Global Health Training Program

​Research Project: My project focuses on understanding and reversing immune exhaustion in chronic HIV infection. More specifically, I study immune exhaustion markers, such as LAG-3 and PD-1, on immune cells like T, NK and iNKT cells to understand how these exhaustion markers affect immune cell function in people living chronically with HIV; are these immune cells too exhausted to function normally? Can we reverse this immune exhaustion resulting in a healthier immune response?

Selected Awards/Scholarships:
  • Vanier Doctoral Scholarship
  • CIHR Masters Scholarship
  • UM Emerging Leader (2019)
  • Student Affairs Participation Award (2018)
Interests: Basketball (U of M Varsity alumna, Go Bisons!), Biking, Hiking, Boating. Basically, anything outdoors!

Monika Kowatsch
PhD Candidate

Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Education:
  • BSc in Microbiology, University of Manitoba (2015)
  • Trainee in the International Infectious Disease & Global Health Training Program (Current)

Research Project: My research focuses how immune status relates to the risk of HIV acquisition with projects looking at how immune activation induced through solvent use relates to HIV risk as well as how the induction of a resting immune state can help protect individuals from HIV.
​
Selected Awards/Scholarships:
  • CIHR Doctoral Research Award (2019-2022)
  • CIHR gold poster award (2020)
  • CIHR silver poster award (2019)
  • Manitoba Medical Service Foundation (MMSF) poster and travel awards (2019)
  • Mark Wainberg travel award (2018, 2019)
  • University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (2018)
  • Graduate Enhancement of Tri-Council Stipends (2016, 2017)
Currently Anatomy and Physiology Instructor at CMU (2021)
Interests: Crocheting and Knitting, Canoeing and Kayaking, Gardening, Water polo

Kenneth Omollo 
PhD Student at University of Nairobi

Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya
Education:
  • MSc. Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi
  • BSc. Biomedical Technology, University of Nairobi
  • Graduate of the International Infectious Disease and Global Health Training Program

​Research Project: My study is exploring the impact of exogenous sex hormones on the activation of T cells and innate cytokines in the blood and female genital tract as a possible mechanism by which contraceptives may increase one’s risk of HIV infection.

​Selected Awards/Scholarships: 
  • Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program (2016)

Lucy Mwangi 
PhD Student at University of Nairobi

Home town: Nairobi, Kenya
Education:
  • MSc. Tropical and Infectious Diseases; University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical & Infectious Diseases, Kenya
  • BSc. Medical Laboratory Science; Kenyatta University, Kenya
  • Graduate of the International Infectious Diseases & Global Health Training Program Infectious Diseases and Global Health University of Manitoba, Canada

Research Project: My project studies the use of anti-inflammatory drugs to induce immune quiescence and limit the number of HIV target cells in the female

​Selected Awards/Scholarships:
  • Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholar (2016)
Interests: Infectious diseases and clinical research, global health

Shifa Mohideen
MSc Student

Hometown: Lake Louise, Alberta
Education:
  • BSc Honours Microbiology at University of Manitoba, Masters Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba (2019)

​Research Project: My project studies show the inhibitory receptor, LAG-3, causes functional unresponsiveness in many immune cells in the context of HIV infection. Understanding the mechanistic basis of its expression dynamics and signal transduction can better inform targeted immunotherapies.

Selected Awards/Scholarships:
  • ​Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Entrance Scholarship (2020)
  • Leader of Tomorrow Scholar
  • The Mindel and Tom Olenick Medal for Highest Standing in Honours Microbiology
Interests: hiking, origami, skiing, quantum physics, collard greens

Toby Le
PhD Student

Hometown: Guelph, Ontario
Education:
  • Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMsc) Honors Specialization in Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario (2019)

Research Project: My research project focuses on how the intake of DMPA, a hormonal contraceptive, affects the risk of acquiring HIV among sex workers in Kenya. Specifically, I will be looking for these effects on innate immune cells such as monocytes and NK cells.

Selected Awards/Scholarships: 
  • 3MT First Place & People's Choice Award (2020)
  • MMID Graduate Student Knowledge into Action Award (2020)
  • CIHR Masters Scholarship (2020)
  • MMID Top Rookie Journal Club Presentation (2019)
  • Tunaweza Global Opportunities Award 
Interests: Sustainable development, knowledge translation, running, hiking, & badminton

Morgan Taverner
MSc Student

Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba 
Education:
  • B.Sc. Microbiology, University of Manitoba (2019)
Research Project: My study aims to Investigate the mechanistic effects of oral ASA treatment on HIV susceptibility. This will inform future clinical studies in high-risk individuals to further improve HIV prevention strategies.

Selected Awards/Scholarships: 
  • Student Participation Initiative, Canadian Space Agency (2018)
  • Top 100 Most Fascinating Manitobans (2018)
  • Emerging Leader Award (2018)
Interests: Baking, space​

Summer Students

Paula Pidsadny
​2020  

Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Education:
  • BSc Honours Microbiology with Co-op, University of Manitoba (Current)
Research Project: My project aims to assess how aspirin affects immune cell motility as well as to determine metabolites of the arachidonic acid pathway that may induce the immune quiescence phenotype.
​
Interests: Cooking, house plants, sewing and embroidering, biking

Gillian McIvor
2019 & 2020

Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Education:
  • BSc Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba 
  • University of Manitoba Medicine Class 2014
Research Project: My research was in collaboration with our community partner Sunshine House and focused on the understanding the effect of solvent use on the immune system. During the summer I ran assays to determine the concentration of soluble immune messengers cytokines/chemokines as well as molecules of gut damage in the blood of individuals who use solvents and community matched controls.
​
Selected Awards/Scholarships: 
  • Athena Leadership Leader of Tomorrow 2020 Scholarship
  • Undergraduate Research Award
  • PIKE-Net Internship award
Interests: Camping, Hiking, anything outdoors!

Fowke Fun

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