Quantitative Morphogenesis Laboratory

University of Toronto

People

Fernandez-Gonzalez Lab, August 2022 (from top to bottom, left to right): Negar Balaghi, Chris McFaul, Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez, Saskia van Beers, Daniel Dick, Gordana Scepanovic, Ray Hawkins, Sofia Mendez-Lopez, Veronica Castle, Ana Maria Carmo, Michelle Ly, Katy Rothenberg

Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez


Associate Professor

Canada Research Chair in Quantitative Cell Biology and MorphogenesisInstitute of Biomedical EngineeringDepartment of Cell and Systems BiologyTed Rogers Centre for Heart Research
B.Sc. Computer Engineering, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, SpainPh.D. Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco
Hometown: Madrid, SpainInterests: sushi, marathons, quantification
rodrigo.fernandez.gonzalez AT utoronto.ca

Ji Hong Sayo


Lab Manager

Institute of Biomedical Engineering
Working on B.A.Sc. Engineering Science (Biomedical Systems), University of Toronto
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, CanadaInterests: novel writing, wrestling, and longevity research
ji.sayo AT mail.utoronto.ca

Katy Rothenberg


Postdoctoral Researcher

Institute of Biomedical Engineering
B.Sc. Biomedical Engineering, Boston UniversityPh.D. Biomedical Engineering, Duke University
Hometown: Syracuse, New York, USAInterests: backpacking, rabbits, cell adhesion
k.rothenberg AT utoronto.caWebsite

Chris McFaul 


M.D./Ph.D. Candidate

Institute of Biomedical Engineering (co-supervised by Prof. Chris Yip)
B.Sc. Physiology and Physics, McGill University
Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaInterests: 3D printing, gardening, cardiogenesis
christopher.mcfaul AT mail.utoronto.ca

Gordana Scepanovic


Ph.D. Candidate

Department of Cell and Systems Biology
B.Sc. Biology for Health Sciences and Psychology, University of TorontoM.Sc. Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto
Hometown: Gaborone, Botswana and Toronto, Ontario, CanadaInterests: painting, dessert, embryogenesis
gordana.scepanovic AT mail.utoronto.ca

Negar Balaghi


Ph.D. Candidate

Institute of Biomedical Engineering
B.A.Sc. Engineering Science (Biomedical Systems), University of Toronto
Hometown: Tehran, IranInterests: graphic novels, D&D, myosin waves
negar.balaghi AT mail.utoronto.ca

Ana Maria Carmo


Ph.D. Candidate

Institute of Biomedical Engineering
B.Sc. Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de LisboaM.Sc. Biological Engineering, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa
Hometown: Porto, PortugalInterests: cats, Ghibli movies, actin dynamics
anamaria.carmo AT mail.utoronto.ca

Michelle Ly

M.A.Sc. Student

Institute of Biomedical Engineering
B.Sc. Biology, McMaster University
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, CanadaInterests: tardigrades, exploring, integrin-based adhesion
mic.ly AT utoronto.ca

Veronica Castle

M.Sc. Student

Department of Cell and Systems Biology
B.Sc Biology and Mathematics, McGill University
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaInterests: painting, knitting, cellular dynamics

veronica.castle AT utoronto.ca

Ray Hawkins


M.A.Sc. Student

Institute of Biomedical Engineering
B.A.Sc. Engineering Science (Biomedical Systems), University of Toronto
Hometown:  Whitby, Ontario, CanadaInterests: squash, tarot, mechanosensing
raymond.hawkins AT mail.utoronto.ca

Sofia Mendez-Lopez


Undergraduate Researcher

Institute of Biomedical Engineering
Working on B.A.Sc. Engineering Science (Biomedical Systems), University of Toronto
Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicInterests: music/dance, photography, tissue regeneration
sofi.karter AT utoronto.ca

Alumni


Postdoctoral fellows

Gonca Erdemci-Tandogan, postdoctoral researcher, 2019-2022

Current position: Assistant Professor, Western Univeristy


Graduate students


Clara Schimmer, visiting M.Sc. student, Heidelberg University, 2019

Current position: Ph.D. student student, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna


Jessica Yu, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, 2019

Current position: Manager, SMBE Undergraduate Teaching Labs & Lancet Commission for Sustainable Healthcare, University of British Columbia


Anna Kobb, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, 2018

Current position: Sessional Instructor & Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science Community Partnerships Officer, University of Victoria


Miranda Hunter, Ph.D. Cell and Systems Biology, 2018

Current position: Postdoctoral researcher, Richard White's Lab, Sloan-Kettering Institute


Teresa Zulueta-Coarasa, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, 2018

Current position: Bioimage Archive Bioinformatician, EMBL


Michael Wang, M.A.Sc. Biomedical Engineering, 2016

Current position: Ph.D. student, Computational Biology, Cornell University


Hester van Dorst, visiting M.Sc. student, Utrecht University, 2016

Current position: Lead Project Manager R&D, Sonova - Dynamic Ear Company


Undergraduates


Kate MacQuarrie, undergraduate thesis 2021-2022

Current position: Graduate student, University of Toronto


Kelly Wang, summer student and researcher 2020-2021


Alex Florea, undergraduate thesis 2018-2019

Current position: Medical student, Western University


Jane Seo, undergraduate thesis 2018-2019

Current position: Software Developer, SeaSpine


Bingruo (Betty) Liu, summer student and undergraduate student 2017-2018 

Current position: Ph.D. student, Bioengineering, Stanford University


Colin Tong, work study, undergraduate thesis, and research associate 2015 - 2017 

Current position: Head of engineering, Insig Corporation and Tia Health


Vicky Zhang, undergraduate thesis 2016 - 2017

Current position: Model risk specialist, BMO Financial Group


Vyshnavi Kommu, summer student and undergraduate thesis  2016 - 2017

Current position: Systems engineer, LivaNova


Danielle Hayes, work study, summer student, undergraduate thesis and research associate 2012 - 2015 

Current position: Associate Director - Bioprocess Engineering, Triumvira Immunologics


Angeline Yasodhara, work study and summer student 2014 - 2015 

Current position: Applied Research Scientist, Georgian


Alina Naramzoiu, work study 2014


Rachel Lanning, work study and undergraduate thesis 2013 - 2014

Current position: Genetic Counselor, Labcorp


Eun Lee, work study and undergraduate thesis 2012 - 2014

Last known position: graduate student, Dentistry, Melbourne


Spencer Hu, undergraduate thesis 2012 - 2013

Current position: Resident Doctor, McMaster University


Katie Goodwin, undergraduate thesis 2012 - 2013

Current position: postdoctoral researcher, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology


Bosco Leung, work study 2012 - 2013

Last known position: Software developer, Financeit


Staff


Gary Hoang, lab manager, 2018-2019

Current position: Teaching lab & design studio technician, IBME, University of Toronto