Our Team
Dr. Ayush Kumar, PhD
Ayush is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba. He completed is BSc (Microbiology and Biochemistry) and MSc (Microbiology) from Dr. R.M.L. Awadh University, Faizabad, India. His PhD work was carried out in the laboratory of Dr. Elizabeth Worobec, Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba. Ayush received his post-doctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Herbert Schweizer, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO. He joined the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (now Ontario Tech University) as an Assistant Professor in 2007. Ayush relocated his laboratory to the University of Manitoba in 2013.
Ayush is currently the member of the Executive Committee of Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CSM) as the Past-President. He was the President of the CSM in 2020-2021. He is also the Chair of the CSM Equity, Diversity, Inclusion subcommittee.
Present Lab Members
Dr. Soumya Deo, PhD. Research Associate
PhD: University of Manitoba
MSc: University of Glasgow
Soumya is designing novel antimicrobials that can be used to reduce bacterial growth on hospital surfaces. This is a collaborative project with Polyamyna Inc., NL.
When not testing novel antimicrobials, Soumya enjoys cricket and running.
Vanessa Kornelsen, PhD Candidate*
BSc: University of Manitoba
Vanessa is studying mechanisms of virulence in A. baumannii.
Vanessa is the podcast expert of the lab and has suggestions for good podcasts on all topics. Vanessa enjoys teaching and when not in the lab, Vanessa loves spending time with her cats.
Ellen Sykes, PhD Candidate
BSc: University of Alberta
Ellen is studying physiological functions of RND efflux pumps in A. baumannii.
Ellen is our chief bioinformatician and her favorite lab apparatus is the Minion. Ellen is the official foodie of the lab, no one in the lab tries out a new restaurant without Ellen's reviews.
Aamer Kurdi, PhD Student (co-supervised with Dr. Georg Hausner)
MSc: University of Manitoba
BSc: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia
Aamer is characterizing novel antimicrobial compound producing fungi.
Aamer truly appreciates the diversity in fungi and has an impressive collection of pictures of various fungal isolates.
Jade Wish, PhD Student (co-supervised with Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst)
MSc: University of Manitoba
BSc: University of Winnipeg
Jade is studying the presence of bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes from water bodies in and around Winnipeg.
Chi Dang, MSc Student
BSc: University of Ottawa
Chi is studying the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that control the expression of AdeAB efflux pump in A. baumannii.
Ruwani Wimalasekara, MSc Student
MSc: University of Kelaniya (Sri Lanka)
BSc: University of Kelaniya (Sri Lanka)
Ruwani is studying the regulatory networks that control antibiotic resistance and virulence of A. baumannii.
Anna Muzaleva, NSERC URA
BSc (In Progress): University of Manitoba
Anna is determining the substrate profiles of multidrug resistance efflux pumps in A. baumannii.
Aman Dheer, Mitacs Globalink Fellow
BSc (In Progress): SRM University, India
Aman is studying the environmental determinants of antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii.
*Photo credit: Kira Koop (@kirakoop) and Faculty of Science, University of Manitoba
A parody video created by Yasser, Dinesh, and Alex (2014)
Past
Dr. Yanqi Li, PDF
Dr. Rakesh Patidar, RA
Dr. Yanelis Acebo-Guerrero, PDF
Dr. Manu Singh, PhD (2019)
Dr. Malaka De Silva, PhD (2019)
Dr. Dinesh Fernando, PhD (2015)
Anita Murdock, MSc (co-supervised with Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst) (2022)
Debjyoti Thakur, MSc (2022)
Tajinder Kainth, MSc (2021)
Sabrin Bashar, MSc (co-supervised with Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst) (2021)
Amal Ibrahim, MSc (co-supervised with Dr. Georg Hausner) (2020)
Aamer Kurdi, MSc (co-supervised with Dr. Georg Hausner) (2020)
Ruidong Mi, MSc (co-supervised with Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst) (2018)
Mark Unger, MSc (2017)
Yasser Alsaadi, MSc (2014)
Sarah Warren, MSc (2013)
Andrei Bazyleu, MSc (2013)
Sujani Ganeshanantham, MSc (2011)
Jenny Cortez-Cardova, MSc (2010)
Aimeen Sharoze, Undergraduate Researcher (Co-Op program)
Katarina Kowatsch, Honors Thesis Student
Meerim Esenbekova, Undergraduate Researcher (Co-Op program)
Sydney McLaughlin, U Manitoba VPRI Summer Award
Raelene Engelberg, Honors Thesis Student
Owen Barber-Dueck, Honors Thesis Student
Matt Mayor, NSERC USRA
Nathan Glowach, Faculty of Science USRA
Rebecca Zimmer, U Manitoba VPRI Summer Award
Kristen Graham, Undergraduate Researcher
Umema Rafay, U Manitoba VPRI Summer Award (co-supervised with Dr. Georg Hausner)
Kaleigh Ducas-Mowchun, Honors Thesis Student
Shady Rizk, Faculty of Science USRA (co-supervised with Dr. Georg Hausner)
Madison Chapel, NSERC USRA (co-supervised with Dr. Georg Hausner)
Megan Guimond, NSERC USRA
Daniela Noriega, (Mitacs Globalink intern)
Oreofe Okunnu, NSERC Undergraduate Researcher
Sehar Nurpuri, Honors Thesis Student (co-supervised with Dr. Georg Hausner)
Shirley Wang, Honors Thesis Student
Shaheer Shahat, U Manitoba VPRI Summer Award (co-supervised with Dr. Georg Hausner)
Alexa McAdam, Honors Thesis Student
Taylor Morriseau, Undergraduate Researcher (Co-Op program)
Shane Cameron, NSERC Undergraduate Researcher
Swastik Sen, Undergraduate Researcher (Mitacs Globalink intern)
Austein McLoughlin, Honors Thesis Student (co-supervised with Dr. Deborah Court)
Monica Mai, Undergraduate Researcher (co-supervised with Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst)
Jasmine Frost, Honors Thesis Student
Jenna Poole, Undergraduate Researcher
Vincent Law, Faculty of Science Undergraduate Researcher
Sohini Bagchi, Undergraduate Researcher (Mitacs Globalink intern)
Alexander Tsibulski, Undergraduate Researcher (Co-Op program)
Leah Brown, NSERC Undergraduate Researcher
Blake Harris, Undergraduate Researcher
Jasleen Hora, Honors Thesis Student
Aajab Abdulhusein, Undergraduate Researcher
Massimo Narini, Undergraduate Researcher
Jade Greenly, NSERC Undergraduate Researcher
Hira Sohail, Honors Thesis Student
Ian Ngaira, Honors Thesis Student
Tremayne Peart, Undergraduate Researcher (UOIT Summer Research Award recipient, 2010)
Elliot Byrne, Undergraduate Researcher
Sean Chin, Undergraduate Researcher
Courtney Dalton, Undergraduate Researcher (UOIT Summer Research Award recipient, 2009)
Melissa Schultz, Honors Thesis Student
Dr. Alireza Samarbaf, Visiting Scientist
Bukola Fakayode, Visiting Scientist
Ravitej Goteti, Undergraduate Researcher (UOIT Summer Research Award recipient, 2008)
Reza Jafari, Undergraduate Researcher
Elizabeth Racz, Honors Thesis Student
Shoshana Cook-Libin, Technician
Oscar Sze, Technician
Dr. Kari Kumar, Research Associate