Lab Members

Tier 2 Canada Research Chair - Integrative Bioscience

PhDMED, Medicine (University of Adelaide, Australia)

MSc, Cell Biology (University of Alberta)

• Associate Professor, Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Alberta

• Adjunct Associate Professor, Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba

• Adjunct Associate Professor, Pediatrics, University of Alberta

• Adjunct Associate Professor, Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, University of Manitoba

• Research Scientist, IBD Clinical and Research Centre, University of Manitoba

• Research Scientist, Women and Children's Health Research Institute (WCHRI)

BSc: Biology and Psychology (Joint advanced major), St. Francis Xavier University

PhD: Microbiology  and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary

Hayley Gorman completed a joint degree in biology and psychology at St.FX on the east coast of Canada prior to returning to her hometown to complete her PhD in Microbiology and Infectious diseases with a focus on gastroenterology at the University of Calgary. She is passionate about her work with U of C’s Host-Parasite Interaction group where she leads the portfolio on community engagement. Her research focuses on host-pathogen interactions at the colonic epithelial barrier with a specialize focus on the mucus layer in the gut. Her collaborative work with the Armstrong lab focuses on the effects of various dietary fibres on the epithelial barrier. 

PhD: Pediatrics, University of Alberta 

Dr Zaidi is a Research Associate with the Armstrong lab and an original member of the dietary fibre in IBD research program. After finishing medical school, she continued on with her studies, obtaining a Masters and PhD. Her focus is on initiatives related to the causative and translational aspects of chronic diseases, particularly of the gut. Having completed her PhD from the University of Alberta with Dr Wine, she is now one of our lead staff, assisting to direct numerous research programs out of our lead site in Edmonton. As a clinician scientist she has broad interests in progressing research with clinical impacts and continues to excel in work focused on nutrition, immunology, microbiology and gut-brain axis. She presently holds a 0.5FTE position with the Division of Gastroenterology and a 0.5FTE position with Nephrology. She loves canoeing and rock-climbing. 

Jonathan Janveaux is the Armstrong team Research Manager in both the Department of Medicine, University of Alberta and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba. He joined the team from an atypical career path after transitioning from the telecommunications industry where he built team management and coordination skills that he now uses to support logistics and team coordination. Jonathan specializes in coordinating internal teams and brings valuable logistical experience and project management skills to his role with both the clinical and research teams within the Armstrong group. He started his studies in computer engineering at NAIT and grew his technical skills while designing telecommunication systems for several companies across the country. Jonathan continues to expand his knowledge on inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and our relationship with the gut microbiome and our environment. In his position he supports interactions between our patients, their families, and our research group. He also plays an active role in the group's advocacy and engagement programs. 

TBA

TBA

TBA

B.Sc Neuroscience (Cardiff University, Wales)

PhD Behavioural Neuroscience (University of Nottingham, England)

Postdoctoral Researcher (University of Alberta, Edmonton)

Olaide’s PhD work focused on the role of the circadian system on locomotor activity and gene expression of several clock genes, with a particular interest in Sundowning effects in cognitive illnesses. In her PDF she continued working with transgenic mouse models to examine the role of astrocytes in the production of Amyloid-beta in Alzheimer’s disease, followed by a second PDF in immunobiology working in breast cancer, HIV, COVID-19 and PBC. As a member of the Armstrong lab, she supports experiments focused on Neuroscience and Immunology with projects involving the gut-brain axis. 

BSc Medical Nutrition with distinction (Zhejiang University, China)

MSc Biochemistry (Zhejiang University, China)

PhD Nutrition and Metabolism (University of Alberta)

Dr. Chen brings over two decades of experience in the field of nutrition, where she has honed her skills in managing a variety of nutritional issues across both pediatric and adult populations. Her expertise covers a wide range of conditions including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and gut health concerns such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. Dr. Chen advocates for the importance of enjoying food and tailoring nutritional plans to meet the individual needs of her patients, ensuring that dietary recommendations are practical, achievable, and sustainable. As a lead dietitian with the Armstrong team she supports ongoing clinical trials in pediatric and adult gastroenterology studies of nutrition. 

BSc Nutrition (University of Alberta)

Registered Dietitian

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian and Team Lead at the Stollery Children's Hospital. She spends her days helping families navigate the complex world of  feeding children and adolescents with gastrointestinal diseases. Aside from food and cooking, Jessica is always happy to talk about restaurant recommendations, great playgrounds, and the joys of singing in choir. As a lead dietitian with the Armstrong team, Jessica provide clinical dietetics support for a variety of intervention studies in pediatric and adult settings focused on developing precision nutrition interventions using tailored gut and microbiome biomarkers to define the most healthful diet t support optimal clinical outcomes particularly for persons with inflammatory bowel diseases.  

MSc. Molecular Biology (Coventry University, UK)

BSc. Medical Laboratory Sciences (University of Medicine and Pharmacy, HCMC, Vietnam)

Advanced Diploma of Technology Management (Red River College, Manitoba)

Vi was a Medical Laboratory Technician in a Molecular Biology clinical lab and spent one year serving on the frontline team for COVID-19 detection during the pandemic. With her Master's Degree in Molecular Biology, she studied how defective interfering particles (DIPs) affect influenza A and Rotavirus yields and developed solutions for reducing DIPs to improve live attenuated and inactivated vaccine products. As a member of the Santer Lab (Department of Immunology) and the Armstrong Lab she is eager to extend her knowledge in the field of immunology, models of infection, and gain experience with metagenomics library preparations and sequencing.  Her expansive knowledge in genomics and virology offers unique support to both teams.

BSc. Biotechnology (University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB)

Richard graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Analytical Biotechnology from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a focus on computer science. Their undergraduate research optimized chemically-defined growth media for animal cell culture to replace bovine fetal serum-based media and improve the productivity of animal cells for antibody production. They also recently obtained a Medical Laboratory Assistant Certificate from the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science with an emphasis on medical microbiology and phlebotomy. They hope to combine their expertise in culture techniques, analytical chemistry, and immunoassays with metabolomics and bioinformatics to develop treatments for microbiome-related diseases and elucidate their complex relationship with the immune system.

BSc. (Hon) Genetics (University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB)

Sasha graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Genetics from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with prior medical training in Ukraine. Throughout her undergraduate journey, she had an opportunity to participate in several studies as a summer student and during her honours project. The latest focused on the intricate connection between mTOR and protein translation with MeCP2 using a mouse model for Rett Syndrome. With a foundation in some essential laboratory techniques, Sasha hopes to contribute meaningfully to Dr. Armstrong and Dr. Santer's research works. At the same time, she continues to expand her repertoire of techniques and deepening her understanding of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), the impact of fibre on IBD, and the link between IFN-lambda and IBD.

BSc. Biology Mj, Psychology Mn (Hollins University, United States of America)

MSc Immunology (Univerity of Manitoba, Armstrong lab)

Hana Olof, originally from Ethiopia, is currently a technician for the Armstrong Lab Winnipeg site. She completed her BSc at Hollins University in the United States, majoring in Biology and minoring in psychology. She has a varied undergraduate research experience from working on a conceptual treatment plan for COVID-19 focusing on the NLRP3 Inflammasome pathway and studying the microorganisms found in the preen oil of birds to analyzing the effects of glucose on facial identification accuracy. She completed her MSc, Immunology with the Armstrong Lab, Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology in September 2024. Her research focuses on uncovering opportunities for science-backed prebiotics through an understanding of inflammatory response to fermentable dietary factors in inflammatory diseases, mediated by gut microbiota through industry collaborators. 

Awards: Mindel & Tom Olenick Immunology Award, International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship, Mitacs scholarship, 

B.Sc (Hons) Biomedical Science (Trent University, Canada)

MSc, MMID (University of Manitoba, Armstrong Lab)

Athalia Voisin holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biomedical Science from Trent University in Ontario, Canada. Her undergraduate research focused on the use of interleukin-17 inhibitors in the treatment of psoriasis and the spread of COVID-19 disinformation. Athalia also recently worked at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) helping to research ways to increase the time efficiency of assessing chromosomal damage from radiation. She completed her MSc, MMID in the Armstrong Lab, Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology in July 2024 and is now a technician for the Armstrong lab out of Dr Kris Chadee's space at the University of Calgary lead the fibre in IBD RCT subsite. Her research focuses on uncovering the role(s) of the microbes and microbial functions that mediate host response to select dietary fibres in IBD and associated malignancies including colorectal cancer.

Awards: Research Manitoba Graduate Studentship, NSERC Graduate Studentship 

BSc (Hons): Exercise Physiology, University of Calgary

Cameron completed his Bachelor of Science Honours with a Major in Biology at the University of Winnipeg. He is passionate about the intersection of immunology and nutrition, particularly in how nutritional factors can modulate the activity of immune cells via shifts in the intestinal microbiota. Cameron was a volunteer with Let’s Talk Science and participated in events aimed at promoting STEM education in youth. He has several years experience teaching labs, including Cell Biology, and worked in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences at the University of Manitoba where he became passionate about understanding how nutrition influences health. His MSc is focused on how dietary carbohydrates shape the gut microbiome in early life and how altered microbiome impacts how the body responds to specific fermentable carbohydrates throughout life.  

Awards: 

MSc. Health Science in Nutrition (Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran)

BSc. Nutrition Sciences, (Tehran Islamic Azad University, Iran)

Reihane was previously a clinical dietitian at a hospital, providing nutrition care to patients with chronic disease, Iran. She joined the Armstrong Lab, Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology in May 2022 as a MSc candidate within the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, University of Manitoba. Her research is focused on evaluating dietary patterns through patient food frequency questionnaires, and using complex statistical techniques combined with biochemical assays to understand the links between fermentable dietary factors (e.g., fibers), the gut microbiome, and immune response in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). She is intrigued to broaden her knowledge regarding the role of dietary intervention in mitigating inflammation in IBD and beyond, aiming to achieve personalized dietary recommendations to improve quality of life.

Awards: CNS Equity in Nutrition Travel and Registration Award, James Gordon Fletcher Ph.D. Fellowship for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Research  

Robin is in her fourth year of a BSc. Biochemistry degree program at the University of Manitoba. Her previous undergraduate research experience focused on the role of various enzymes contributing to the activity of fungal plant pathogens. She joined the Armstrong Lab, Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology, in May 2024 as a Science Co-op student. Her summer research project will focus on examining the molecular mechanisms involved in regulating host gut sensitivity to B-fructan dietary fibres using various biochemical assays on samples collected from cell lines along with blood and biopsy primary cultures. She will further learn how to use an anaerobic chamber and culture live gut microbes which will support extension of her 8-month co-op term with the sister labs (Armstrong and Santer).

Awards: TRIANGLE CONNECT summer studentship  

Ph.D. Life Sciences (National Cheng Kung University, Tainan)

MSc. Molecular Medicine (National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu)

BSc. Microbiology-Biochemistry (University Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Ouagadougou)

Eunice has worked as a research assistant after graduating from the College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, in the group of Biomedicine of the Department of Life Sciences (National Cheng Kung University). With a particular interest in the field of medical microbiology, she has dedicated her efforts to comprehending the physiology and molecular pathways underlying the

virulence of typhoidal and non-typhoidal Salmonella, as well as exploring their interrelationships. Prior to this, she conducted research on the modulation of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain's secretome and the bacterial physiology by endopeptidases elastase A, B, and Protease IV. She has recently joined Dr. Armstrong's laboratory where she intends to leverage her expertise in microbiological, analytical, and molecular techniques to expand her knowledge in the realm of clinical studies and trials.

MSc. Gastrointestinal Sciences (University of Calgary, Calgary AB)

BSc. Biological Sciences (University of Calgary, Calgary AB)

Ramsha graduated with a Bachelor of Science (majoring in Biological Sciences) and recently with a Master of Science (majoring in Gastrointestinal Sciences) from the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta. Her research during her masters focused on the influence of dietary factors, specifically vitamin A and retinoid signaling, on the mucosal immune response and the development of IBD. Upon moving to Winnipeg she joined the Armstrong Lab, in collaboration with the Santer Lab (Department of Immunology) as a research technician. She played a pivotal role in establishing the Armstrong lab at UManitoba where she worked tirelessly to perfect our novel ex vivo biopsy model of the gut and improving our understanding of the complex role of diet and other immune mediators in the pathogenesis of IBD. She has expertise in clinical sample collection and processing, complex biochemical assays and is an outstanding member of our team for life. 

BPharm. Pharmacy (Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria)

Samuel Adefisoye Lawal graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria, his undergraduate research work focused on molecular mechanisms by which microorganisms evade the therapeutic effects of antimicrobials. He joined The Armstrong Lab., Manitoba Centre for Proteomics and Systems Biology in May 2022 as an MSc Candidate in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba. His research is focused on identifying the link between fermentable dietary factors (fibers and proteins), microbial fermentation processes, and how the resultant gut microenvironment can mediate changes in microbe functions such as pathogenicity. His long-term research interests relate to understanding how microorganisms evade the immune system and development of interventions against major diseases. 

Awards: Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Studentship, International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship, Research Manitoba Graduate Studentship 

BSc, Microbiology (University of Manitoba; in progress)

Japji entered our lab in her fourth year of her BSc. Microbiology program at the University of Manitoba. Her undergraduate research experience focused on using RNAi technology to develop a species-specific pesticide against the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Her project centered on accessing the stability of different dsRNA structures against the gut exonucleases of various insect models. She joined the Armstrong Lab, Manitoba Center for Proteomics and Systems Biology, in May 2023 as a summer research student. During her time with the team she was focused on preparing for medical school applications and broadening her knowledge to understand how certain dietary fibers can drive tumorigenic processes that are associated with IBD progression to CRC.

Awards: Undergraduate Research Award