Quantitative Morphogenesis Laboratory
University of Toronto
People
Fernandez-Gonzalez Lab, September 2023 (from left to right): Katy Rothenberg, Negar Balaghi, Ray Hawkins, Ana Maria Carmo, Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez, Gordana Scepanovic, Veronica Castle, Sofia Mendez-Lopez, Ji Hong Sayo, Nour Ghanem
Rodrigo Fernandez-Gonzalez
Professor
Canada Research Chair in Quantitative Cell Biology and MorphogenesisInstitute of Biomedical EngineeringDepartment of Cell and Systems BiologyTed Rogers Centre for Heart ResearchB.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
Veronica Castle
Lab Manager
Institute of Biomedical EngineeringB.Sc. Biology and Mathematics, McGill UniversityM.Sc. Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia, CanadaInterests: painting, knitting, cellular dynamics
veronica.castle AT utoronto.ca
Gordana Scepanovic
Postdoctoral Researcher
Institute of Biomedical EngineeringB.Sc. Biology for Health Sciences and Psychology, University of TorontoM.Sc. Cell & Systems Biology, University of TorontoPh.D. Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto
Hometown: Gaborone, Botswana and Toronto, Ontario, CanadaInterests: painting, dessert, cell size regulation
gordana.scepanovic AT mail.utoronto.ca
Negar Balaghi
Ph.D. Candidate
Institute of Biomedical EngineeringB.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 EngineeringB.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
Sasha Korolov
Ph.D. Student
Institute of Biomedical EngineeringB.A.Sc. Biomedical Engineering, University of Waterloo
Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ontario, CanadaInterests: figure skating, baking, coordinated cell movement
sasha.korolov AT utoronto.ca
Willow Peterson
Ph.D. Student
Institute of Biomedical EngineeringB.Sc. Bioengineering, Oregon State University
Hometown: Hillsboro, Oregon, USInterests: cooking, crochet, cell-cell interactions
willow.peterson AT mail.utoronto.ca
Ray Hawkins
M.A.Sc. Student
Institute of Biomedical EngineeringB.A.Sc. Engineering Science (Biomedical Systems), University of Toronto
Hometown: Whitby, Ontario, CanadaInterests: squash, tarot, mechanosensing
raymond.hawkins AT mail.utoronto.ca
Nour Ghanem
M.A.Sc. Student
Institute of Biomedical EngineeringB.Sc. Pharmaceutical Chemistry Specialist and Immunology, University of Toronto
Hometown: Ramallah, PalestineInterests: cooking, painting, stem cells
nour.ghanem AT mail.utoronto.ca
Ji Hong Sayo
Undergraduate thesis student
Division of Engineering ScienceWorking on B.A.Sc. Engineering Science (Biomedical Systems), University of Toronto
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, CanadaInterests: novel writing, wrestling, longevity research
ji.sayo AT mail.utoronto.ca
Alumni
Postdoctoral fellows
Katy Rothenberg, postdoctoral researcher, 2018-2024
Current position: Assistant Professor, University of Iowa
Gonca Erdemci-Tandogan, postdoctoral researcher, 2019-2022
Current position: Assistant Professor, Western University
Graduate students
Gordana Scepanovic, Ph.D. Cell and Systems Biology, 2023
Current position: postdoctoral researcher, University of Toronto
Chris McFaul, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, 2023
Current position: M.D. student, University of Toronto
Michelle Ly, M.A.Sc. Biomedical Engineering, 2022
Current position: Research Assistant, Create Fertility Centre
Clara Schimmer, visiting M.Sc. student, Heidelberg University, 2019
Current position: Ph.D. student, Stephanie Ellis' Lab, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna
Jessica Yu, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, 2019
Current position: Manager, Lancet Commission for Sustainable Healthcare, University of British Columbia
Anna Kobb, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, 2018
Current position: Community Partnerships Officer, Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, 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: Computational Genomics Scientist, Altos Labs
Hester van Dorst, visiting M.Sc. student, Utrecht University, 2016
Current position: Lead Project Manager R&D, Sonova - Dynamic Ear Company
Undergraduates
Sofia Mendez-Lopez, PEY and undergraduate student 2022-2024
Current position: undergraduate student, University of Toronto
Saskia van Beers, PEY and undergraduate student 2021-2022
Current position: graduate student, University of Toronto
Kate MacQuarrie, undergraduate thesis 2021-2022
Current position: graduate student, University of Toronto
Kelly Wang, summer student and researcher 2020-2021
Current position: undergraduate student, University of Toronto
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