Jiami Completed her BS degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Jilin University, China. She completed her postdoctoral training with Dr. Eva Anton at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Angela first completed her master’s degree in chemistry at Queen’s University, following by a second master’s degree in nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan. During the latter study she focused on pre-clinical stroke research and has developed a great passion about neuroscience. Currently working as a research assistant in the lab, Angela is focusing on the identification of neurons involved in the cerebellum-cerebral cortex circuitry to decipher the cerebellar-driven mechanisms underlying mental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Outside of work, Angela enjoys hiking, practicing Pilate and reading good books

Colten initially started in the Guo Lab as a Laboratory Aide, where he thoroughly enjoyed his research and his time with the group - so much so that he became a graduate student in September 2019. Previously, he attended the University of Calgary from 2014-2018, where he received a BSc in Neuroscience (Honours) from the University of Calgary and graduated First Class. It was during his undergrad that he became fascinated with neurodevelopment, neuronal activity, and neural circuits. As of Fall 2021, Colten will be starting his third year in the doctoral stream of the Neuroscience graduate program at the University of Calgary. In his free time, Colten enjoys doing puzzles (mainly jigsaws, sudokus, and crosswords), reading detective and murder mystery novels, having game nights, (amateurly) cooking and baking, and hanging out with his friends and family.

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Delineating the role of primary cilia in dendrite morphogenesis and circuit formation

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In the Guo Lab, Colten plans to characterize the influence that defective primary cilia may have on dendrite and dendritic spine morphogenesis on neurons. As dendrites and spines are vital to neuronal communication, deviations in neurotypically normal structures and conditions have been implicated in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological disorders. Due to its role as a cellular signalling antenna, it has been previously shown that primary cilia can influence dendritic growth, but the ways they do so remain elusive. To do so, defective primary ciliary models that are specific to excitatory cortical neurons have been generated and will be used to complete morphological analyses at various developmental time points. This will be complemented with behavioural analyses that focus on cognitive and motor behaviours, and then further studied through an exploration of signalling cascades candidates. Together, this will provide an insight into the role and function of primary cilia in dendrite development and circuit formation throughout development and neuronal maintenance.

Christy completed a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) degree at the University of Calgary in 2016. After spending two years travelling and teaching English in Vietnam, she returned to Calgary to pursue a Master’s degree in Medical Science. With an interest in medicine and the genetic basis of disease, Christy’s research focuses on a group of genetic diseases affecting primary cilia, collectively termed ‘ciliopathies’. Specifically, Christy’s project investigates the neurological deficits that mark these diseases in order to better understand the role of primary cilia in neurons and neural circuitry. In particular, her project will examine the effects of ciliary dysfunction on axons, in order to elucidate the role of cilia-driven signalling on axonal development and function. Outside of academia, Christy enjoys travelling, weight lifting, and relaxing on a beach somewhere.

Ms. Vo is a happy person with a ready smile who has raised two lovely daughters, now embarked on their own busy lives. Ms. Vo enjoys many activities with her friends – swimming, dancing, concerts, evenings out, and travels often with her family and friends to various sunny spots around the world.

Raised and educated in Manitoba, Ms. Vo has called Calgary home for many years now and regularly walks and hikes in various parks around the city, enjoying the weather in all four seasons. She loves the city and shows it off to her guests – her many friends and extended family visit her almost as often as she visits them.

Ms. Vo has lived and worked all across Canada and is proud of her accomplishments as a lab technician and supervisor and her skill in various types of surgery and analysis. She is also very good with patients in a clinical setting, helping them relax and preparing them for various tests and then performing the tests. Ms. Vo looks forward to continuing to add to her career accomplishments and enjoys working in Dr. Jiami Guo’s lab at the University of Calgary.

Having graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences, Vanessa is currently pursuing a Masters in Medical Science.  Her interests include pediatric health and understanding the mechanisms underlying neurological disorders. In the Guo lab, her project involves characterizing the morphology and function of astrocytes with dysfunctional cilia within the context of epilepsy. 

Brandon attended the University of British Columbia (UBC) from 2014-2018 where he completed a Bachelor’s of Science in Medical Biochemistry (Honours). His undergraduate thesis focused on smoke-taint in wine, caused by the release of volatile phenolic compounds during forest fires. He studied the mechanisms of volatile phenol (VP) release from VP-bound glycosides during fermentation and aging of wine. After his undergrad, Brandon spent time with Aurora Cannabis working as a Tissue Culture Technician studying alternative ways to grow cannabis to improve plant quality and yield. He started his Masters of Medical Science at the University of Calgary in September 2019. Currently he is in his second year with expected graduation in summer of 2021. After the completion of his Masters, Brandon will be moving to Vancouver in fall 2021 to start a Dr. of Pharmacy (PharmD) at UBC. In his free time, Brandon enjoys hiking, camping, backpacking, and generally exploring new places. 

To define the interactome in neuronal primary cilia

My research focuses on understanding the membrane composition of the neuronal primary cilia. Primary cilia are projections of the cellular membrane that act as a signaling antenna due a membrane rich in receptors (GPCRs, RTKs, etc.) and ion channels. My project focuses on using proximity labeling proteomics to molecularly tag proteins within the primary cilia and then isolate them via CO-IP. In addition to the proteomics, I am working on identifying primary cilia signaling modulators with the use of High-throughput drug screening. Taken together, this project will identify the receptors and extracellular signaling cues sensed by primary cilia on neurons. This information will be used to construct a connectome of signaling directed by neuronal primary cilia. 

I have been working with the Guo Lab since September of 2019. During my undergrad, I have done research in Pombe yeast looking at the cell cycle, and currently, I am researching the correlations between cilia related genes and dendritic spines. My primary role in the lab is performing dendritic spine tracings on a software called Imaris to look for any discrepancies in spine morphology between ciliary mutant and wildtype mice. In June of 2020, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences with Distinction. I will be continuing my education in Fall 2020 at Pacific University studying optometry.

Bhanvi Sachdeva is a second-year student at the University of Toronto, specializing in Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology. Her academic interests include machine learning applications, emergence of new neurotechnologies in surgical practices, as well as a comprehensive understanding of neurodegenerative and cognitive disorders. As an undergraduate researcher in the Guo Lab, she is involved in examining how dysfunctional cilia lead to defects in cerebellular circuits. A few of her achievements include the Alberta Association of Chemical Professions Award in both 2018 and 2019, NSERC studentship in 2019, as well as a bronze medal in the International English Olympiad. In her spare time, she loves to read, travel, and play tennis.

Undergrad at the University of Calgary entering my second year. Pursing a Bachelors of Science - Honours, with a major in Neuroscience. Assisting in a project looking to define the role of primary cilia on astrocyte morphology and function. Main research interests are understanding the mechanisms a part of the synapse and their role in human neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Passionate about using my knowledge of science and experience in research to help others.