PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Dr. Sara N. Andres

Sara received her BSc in Biochemistry (2005) from the University of Guelph. She then completed her PhD in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences (2011) at McMaster University under the supervision of Dr. Murray S. Junop. In 2012 Sara joined the laboratory of Dr. R. Scott Williams at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina before returning back to McMaster University to establish her lab in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences in 2017. Sara's love of science continues outside the lab, where she studies food science through baking treats for her lab, and physics by playing goal in her hockey league.

Research TECHNICIAN

Dr. Madoka Akimoto

Madoka received her MSc in Pharmaceutical Science from the University of Tokyo, and earned her PhD in Chemical Biology from McMaster University. She joined the lab in 2023 as our research technician, and currently manages the x-ray diffraction and protein crystallization equipment as part of the McMaster X-Ray Diffraction Facility. She also works in the Centre of Microbial Chemical Biology, performing experiments and training users on instrumentation in the lab.

Dana Sowa

PhD candidate (2019-present). Dana obtained her BSc in Biochemistry and Biotechnology from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2019. She is currently investigating DNA DSB repair mechanisms in bacteria. She currently holds a NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship Doctoral (PGS-D) award. Outside of the lab she enjoys playing competitive video games and reading the occasional fantasy book.

Monica Warner

PhD candidate (2019-present). Monica completed her Honours Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from McMaster University. She is now working on DNA repair mechanisms in the lab. Outside of the lab, Monica loves to read and enjoys going on hikes with her friends.

Julia Palumbo

4th year thesis student