Lab Members

Staff

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

Kenneth Omollo
Postdoctoral Fellow

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
PhD Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi

Research Project: My study is exploring the impact of the anti-inflammatory drug acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on inflammation in the female genital tract and the impact that has on the number of HIV target cells in the FGT. If proven effective, this could be a new HIV prevention approach. Ken is leading a clinical cohort study of ASA in Nairobi.

Selected Awards/Scholarships:

Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program (2016)

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!

Toby Le
PhD Candidate

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
MMID Graduate Student Knowledge into Action Award
CIHR Masters Scholarship
MMID Top Rookie Journal Club Presentation
Tunaweza Global Opportunities Award

Interests: Sustainable development, knowledge translation, running, 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

Cara Follows
2021-2023

Hometown: Winnipeg
Education: Bsc in Microbiology
Research projects: (1) Assessing aspirin’s induction of immune quiescence; (2) Blocking immune checkpoint molecules in HIV infection.
Interests: houseplants, gardening, reading and dogs

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: