Lab Members

Current Lab Members

Sabine Gilch, PhD, PI
I obtained my PhD in Molecular Biotechnology in 2009 from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. Then I undertook postdoctoral studies on the molecular and cellular biology of prion infection at the Technical University of Munich and the University of Wyoming in Laramie, USA. In May 2013, I joined the UCVM Faculty as an Assistant Professor and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Prion Disease Research.

Su Shim, MSc
Researcher/ Lab Manager

Irina Zemlyankina, PhD Candidate
I have been a PhD student at Dr. Glich’s lab since September of 2021. My research is focused on the response that different brain cells have to prions and thus their effect on disease development and progression. I have completed a BSc Hons in Biochemistry at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver where I did research on the relationship between liquid-liquid phase separating proteins and neurodegeneration with aging and disease. Outside the lab, I spend a lot of my time either hiking in the Rockies and doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or playing video games and Dungeons & Dragons with my friends.

Jessica Cashion, PhD Candidate
Jessica received her BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Alberta. She joined Dr. Gilch's lab in the Fall of 2021 as a graduate student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Her project focuses on cholesterol metabolism and its possible role in alleviating prion disease.

Gokhan Yilmaz, PhD student
Gokhan received his BSc in Biochemistry at the University of Ottawa, and started in the Gilch lab as a masters student. His project is on the cellular pathways that are affected in prion infection. In his spare time, he likes playing board games, video games, and sports.

Melissa Razcon Echeagaray, PhD student
I have a bachelor's degree in Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics from the University of Sonora, in Mexico. I just started my graduate program for MSc Veterinary Medical Sciences. I am working with CWD isolates from moose to determine its strain properties and investigate their potential transmission to caribou in the boreal forests. During my free time, I really like playing video games (currently I'm playing Tears of the Kingdom), watching movies and tv shows, and reading.

Anja Itum, MSc
Research Assistant
Kristen Gregg, MSc. student
Aiman Mirza, MSc. student
Former Members
- Samia Hannaoui, PhD, research associate, now an Associate Professor of Animal Prion Biology (University of Calgary, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine)
- Tahir Ali, PhD, post-doctoral fellow, now a Research Associate at the University of Ottawa
- Raychal Ng, Co-op student
- Chris Chang, graduated with PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in August 2023; PhD, post-doctoral fellow
- Jia He, PhD, post-doctoral fellow
- Ryan Sayers, undergraduate summer student
- Haylee Robertson, undergraduate summer student
- Priya Raj, undergraduate summer student
- Maria Arifin, graduated with PhD in Veterinary Medical Sciences in August 2021; DVM, PhD, post-doctoral fellow
- Nicole Wilson, undergraduate summer and thesis student
- Keegan McDonald, Co-op student
- Pearl Cherry, graduated with PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in June 2022; PhD, post-doctoral fellow
- Lovisa Johansson, visiting PhD student
- Wanzhen Zhang, PhD, post-doctoral fellow
- Doris Zeng, Co-op student
- Govinda Sharma, PhD, post-doctoral fellow
- Antonia Klein, PhD, post-doctoral fellow
- Preetha Gopalakrishnan, undergraduate thesis student
- Oliver Huang, Co-op student
- Syeda Atika, undergraduate summer student
- Li Lu, PhD, Research Associate
- Alex Vu, undergraduate summer student & student assistant
- Jie (Bella) Yu, Co-op student
- Srinivasarao Karri, PhD candidate
- Peter Kay, graduated with MSc in October 2017
- Vlad Buiac, BHSc Honours student
- Jimmy Lee, Co-op student
- Ginny Cheng, graduated with MSc in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in March 2016
- Erica Corda, DVM, PhD
- Doug-Doyle Baker, undergraduate student
- Barbara Killy, visiting PhD student
- Evan Cooper, summer student
- Josh Newman, RHISE summer student, University of Oxford