Zahra Abdali

Zahra is pursuing her PhD in Chemical Engineering.  She is the recipient of a MEDA award and an FRQNT Doctoral Research Scholarship. She was born in Iran and completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in chemistry and biomedical engineering, in Iran. During her Master’s, she focused on antibacterial thermoresponsive polymers for wound dressing applications. She has also worked on electrospining of bacteria-responsive polymers. She joined the Dorval lab in the Winter 2018.  She is investigating the characterization and modification of protein-based materials produced by bacteria.  Her personal interests are reading, painting, and cooking!

E-mail: zahra.abdali(at)mail.mcgill.ca 

Office: Wong 6080

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Masoud Aminzare

Masoud has joined the Dorval Lab to pursue his PhD in Chemical Engineering, and to work on a joint project co-advised by Prof. Sara Mahshid (Bioengineering).  He is the recipient of a MEDA award and an FRQNT Doctoral Research Scholarship.  He received his first MSc degree in material science and engineering from Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST). He has recently finished his second MSc degree in chemistry at McMaster University, Canada. He also worked as a research assistant in National Taiwan University (NTU) and Academia Sinica, Taiwan (2015-2016). Therefore, he has several experiences on the synthesis, characterization and applications of advanced materials. As a PhD student at McGill University, he is focusing on biologically-derived nanostructures for optoelectronic applications. Outside the lab, Masoud is interested in sports and social activities.

E-mail: masoud.aminzare(at)mail.mcgill.ca

Office: Wong 6290

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Daniel Modafferi

Daniel joined the group as a PhD student in Chemical Engineering.  He is the recipient of an FRQNT Doctoral Research Scholarship and a Vadasz Scholar MEDA Award.  He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry as a member of the Co-op program, and an M.Sc. in Physics at Concordia University, in Montreal.  He continues to dismiss barriers between classical scientific disciplines and fields, as he applies his interdisciplinary knowledge to develop new bioelectronic materials from proteins, for the application of wearable or implantable electronic devices.  His interests include, but are not restricted to, piano playing, the outdoors, and baking (eating).

E-mail: daniel.modafferi(at)mail.mcgill.ca

Office: Wong 6130

Mario Alfonso Arenas Garcia

Mario is the recipient of a CONACYT-SENER Energy Sustainability Scholarship, awarded to pursue his PhD in Chemical Engineering at McGill University. His project consists of generating a bio-hybrid solar cell device based on engineered photoactive proteins. He did his Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology in Mexico and his Master's degree in Biochemical Engineering in England. As of recent, he was in a research stay at Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Estado de México, which involved the evaluation of three-phase systems in different bioreactors for the production of bioplastics. When not involved in research, he enjoys spending his time trying out new foods, reading about history and attending concerts!

E-mail: mario.arenasgarcia(at)mail.mcgill.ca

Office: Wong 6080

Dalia Saldanha

Dalia Saldanha recently completed a research internship in the Dorval Lab, as part of the Biotechnology Graduate Program at McGill University.  She has now joined the group as a PhD student in Chemical Engineering. She is the recipient of a MEDA award and an FRQNT Doctoral Research Scholarship.  With a triple major Undergraduate degree in Biotechnology, Chemistry and Zoology from Christ University (India) she is now channeling her diverse research interests into developing genetically engineered and chemically conjugated biosensors with bacterial proteins. She is interested in modifying the properties of these sensors to meet a wide range of potential biomedical, environmental and food safety needs. Having lived in Kuwait, Dubai, India and now Montreal, she considers herself to be almost as cosmopolitan as the E. coli she works with and hopes that one day her future career as a research scientist (and part-time science journalist ) will help her see more of the world than she already has. When she is not holding a pipette or typing furiously into a laptop, she enjoys writing poetry, creating scientific comics and reading contemporary YA novels.

E-mail: dalia.saldanha(at)mail.mcgill.ca

Office: Wong 6080

Catrina Huyer

Catrina is a MEng student in Chemical Engineering, working on a joint project between the Dorval Lab and the Cicoira Lab (Polytechnique Montreal).  She completed her undergraduate degree in Biotechnology at McMaster University (Ontario). Catrina’s research experience includes the fabrication of micropillar chips for mechanobiology studies at McMaster University and the investigation of RNA-RNA interactions at the University of Stuttgart (Germany) as a recipient of the MITACS Globalink Research Award. She is now studying the fabrication of composite materials for bioelectronics. Catrina’s personal interests include sustainability, white-water sports, reading and playing piano.

E-mail: catrina.huyer(at)mail.mcgill.ca

Office: Wong 6130

Amy Chow

Amy is a Master of Engineering student in Chemical Engineering, exploring the production of recombinant bacterial proteins for biomedical applications in the Dorval Lab. She was born and raised in Barbados and completed her Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology at McMaster University, Canada. During her undergraduate studies, she investigated the fabrication of a nanopillar chip for mechanobiology research and disease diagnostics and performed intensive research on the biocompatibility of using Medpor Porous Polyethylene in facial implants. Apart from school, Amy enjoys dancing, exercising, travelling and reading.

E-mail: amy.chow2(at)mail.mcgill.ca

Office: Wong 6290

Angie Cai

Angie is a MEng student in Chemical Engineering and a recipient of a MEUSMA award. She was born and raised in Tianjin, China and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering – Internship Program at McGill University. During her undergraduate studies, her research experience included microencapsulation of islets and microenvironmental control of placental cell fusion. She has also investigated the enzymatic degradation of biomass at RWTH Aachen University in Germany, as a recipient of the MITACS Globalink Research Award. In the Dorval Lab, she will be studying protein-based materials with novel properties.  Outside the lab, she loves travelling, playing the piano/ukulele, trying new restaurants/recipes, and spending time with her cat.

E-mail: anqi.cai(at)mail.mcgill.ca

Office: Wong 6130