Our Team
Dr. Todd Hoare
Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University
Post-Doctoral Fellows
Hi, I’m Lisha, a postdoctoral fellow working on the development of liposomes, niosomes and other products for Suncor. I completed my PhD thesis at University of Alberta on liposome production to deliver multiple bioactives. In addition to my research, I love hiking and playing Arena of Valor and League of Legends.
Dr. Lisha Zhao
Dr. Fei Xu
Hi, I’m Lei, and I am a postdoctoral fellow working on peptide-based biomaterials for advanced applications. I earned my B.E. and Ph.D. degrees from Nanjing Tech University, with my Ph.D. also being co-cultured at the University of Waterloo. My work outside of the lab is driven by a passion for popular science education and the world of startup enterprises.
Lei Zhang
Ph.D. Students
M.A.Sc Students
Hey everyone! I’m Matt, a PhD Candidate currently researching size-switching nanogels to make chemotherapeutic more effective, efficient, and safe. My undergrad degree is in Chemical Biology from McMaster University, which basically just means I like drawing hexagons and making them react. Outside of the lab I love learning new languages (ciao!) and crying while watching soccer.
Matt Campea (he/him)
Nahieli Preciado
Hey! I’m Ridhdhi, a PhD student co-supervised by Dr. Hoare and Dr. Sheardown! I am working on developing nano-sized drug carriers for efficiently delivering drugs to the front of the eye. I am a “Mac-Lifer” that also completed her undergrad in Chemical and Bioengineering at McMaster University. Outside of the lab, I love trekking up mountains or through forests, running, and hiking!
Ridhdhi Dave
Hi, I am Survanshu, a Ph.D. student working on developing hybrid polymeric materials for improved biosensing co-supervised by Dr. Todd Hoare and Dr. Leyla Soleymani. I completed my M.Tech degree in Biomedical Engineering from IIT Bombay, India, and holds a B.Tech degree in Biotechnology Engineering. Outside of the lab, I like to watch anime and thriller/horror movies, and play chess and table tennis
Survanshu Saxena (he/him)
Hi, I’m Kayla! I’m a PhD candidate working on drug delivery vehicles focusing on controlled release triggered by external stimuli. I completed my undergraduate degree here at McMaster in Materials Science and Engineering, followed by a one-year accelerated master’s on the topic of polymer coatings for orthopedic implants. In my free time I love to play and coach soccer. I also enjoy reading and going on hikes.
Kayla Baker
Milana Pikula
Hey! I’m Sadru, a PhD student co-supervised by Dr. Hoare! My research focuses on combining bacteriophage work from one lab with the hydrogel materials in Dr. Hoare’s lab to fight antimicrobial resistant infections. Science is my first love, but my second love is dad jokes. I also enjoy rock climbing, coffee, and deep dives into the nerdy corners of YouTube.
Sadru Walji (they/them)
Hello! I’m currently a graduate student in Biomedical Engineering at McMaster University under the co-supervision of Dr. Todd Hoare and Dr. Ram Mishra. I completed my undergraduate in Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo. My current research involves the use of nanoparticle network hydrogels as drug delivery systems for various neurological conditions.
Andrew Lofts
Hi everyone! I'm Mya, a Master's student working on creating anti-infective coatings surgical masks and synthesizing antimicrobial microgels for drug delivery applications. I recently completed my undergraduate degree in the Integrated Science program, concentrating in Chemical Biology. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading and learning how to bake!
Mya Sharma
Hi everyone! My name is Gurpreet and I am a PhD student in the Hoare Lab. I did my undergrad at University of Waterloo in Nanotechnology Engineering and my Master's in Chemical Engineering at McMaster in the Hoare Lab. My research is focused on developing a polymer therapeutic ocular drug delivery to stop and prevent further vitreal degeneration in order to combat retinal diseases. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, crafts, makeup, home renovation, and travelling!
Gurpreet Kaur Randhawa
Doren Singh
Hi! I’m Nate, a PhD student working on targeted drug delivery to the lungs using naturally derived polymers. I completed my undergrad at Queen’s University where I received my B.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering. Outside of the lab I am a huge football fan and an avid guitarist.
Nate Dowdall
Hi! I’m Norma, a PhD candidate working on the development of functional bioinks for 3D bioprinting applications. I completed my undergraduate studies in Biotechnology Engineering at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico. In my free time, I enjoy reading, discovering new coffee shops and visiting museums.
Norma Garza Flores
Hey! I'm Saeid, a PhD candidate working on data-driven modelling of pH-temperature responsive microgels for tailoring their final swelling profile. I received my MSc from Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, and for the last few years, I have been working on the first principle modelling of polyolefin polymerization reactors. My passion is to combine black-box and white-box modelling to make the best possible use of available data and theoretical knowledge and improve understanding of the complex polymerization system dynamics. Outside of the research, I am a big fan of nature tourism and watching series.
Saeid Tayebi
Hi everyone! I'm Laura, a Master's student in the Hoare Lab working on controlled microgel fabrication using microfluidic devices and 3D printing. I recently completed my undergraduate degree in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering from McMaster. In my spare time I love to bake and spend time outdoors hiking with my dog Lexi!
Laura Neely
Hi! I’m Parizad, currently a Master’s student in the Hoare lab working on fabricating plant-based polymer hydrogel films to use as wound dressings for individuals with fragile skin conditions. I recently completed my undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in biology from McMaster. In my free time outside of the lab I enjoy hiking, cooking and playing Mario Kart!
Parizad Katila
Undergraduates
Evelyn Cudmore (she/her)
Owais Amir
Cassandra Symons
Anuj Saini
Luc Gauthier
Sundus Abbas
Sofia Bordignon
Roy Hsieh
Summer Students
Alumni
Chelsey Ellis
Summer Student (2023)
Laura Weiler
Summer Student (2023)
Nada Ibrahim
Undergraduate (2022 - 2023)
Colin Stark
Undergraduate (2022 - 2023)
Meghan Kostashuk
Undergraduate (2022 - 2023)
Melaina Del Grosso
Summer Student (2022)
Hadeel Abu-Jazar
Summer Student (2022)
Sophia Andru
Summer Student (2022)
Madeline Sain (she/her)
Undergraduate (2021 - 2022)
Cynthia Pham (she/her)
Undergraduate (2018 - 2022)
Melanie Chung (she/her)
Undergraduate (2021)
Elizabeth Keane (she/her)
Undergraduate (2020 - 2021)
Couper Smith
Undergraduate (2021)
Isabelle Poulin (she/her)
Undergraduate (2021)
Mina Yeganeh
Undergraduate (2020 - 2021)
Yang Lu
M.A.Sc. Student (2018 - 2020)
Dabeer Abdul-Azeez
Undergraduate (2020)
Riyadh Baksh
Undergraduate (2020)
Nicholas Carbonara
Undergraduate (2020)
Pamela Schimmer
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Parmida Amid
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Olivia Waite
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Yasamin Allahverdi
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Ali Affar
M.A.Sc. Student (2017 - 2019)
Shalimar Ramos
Undergraduate (2019)
Mosana Abraha
Undergraduate (2019)
Dr. Somiraa Said
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2017 - 2019)
Alan Mo
Undergraduate (2018 - 2019)
Nicola Muzzin
M.A.Sc. Student (2016 - 2018)
Ana Arezina
Undergraduate (2016 - 2018)
Lauren Weir
Summer Student (2018)
Dr. Wenwen Xu
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2017 - 2018)
Dr. Lukas Sadowski
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2015 - 2018)
Haniah Shaikh
Undergraduate (2017 - 2018)
Ahmed Koasmh
Undergraduate (2018)
Dr. Rabia Mateen
Ph.D (2011 - 2018)
John Vairo
Undergraduate (2017)
Troy Stoner
Undergraduate (2017)
Trevor Gilbert
Ph.D (2010 - 2017)
Dr. Vitaliy Kapishon
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2015 - 2017)
Katelyn Chan
Undergraduate (2015 - 2017)
Zixin Zhang
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Ali Abu Helal
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Henry Yu
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Ashutosh Kulkarni
M.A.Sc. Student (2014 - 2017)
Ivan Urosev
M.A.Sc. Student (2014 - 2016)
Xudong Deng
Ph.D (2012 - 2016)
Donovan Ramkishun
Undergraduate (2015 - 2016)
Dr. Scott Campbell
Ph.D (2010 - 2016)
Juhina Elmajdoub
M.A.Sc. Student (2014 - 2015)
Dennis Kinio
Undergraduate (2012, 2014-2015)
Owen Barrigar
Undergraduate (2015)
Juhina Elmajdoub
M.A.Sc. Student (2014 - 2015)
Danielle Maitland
M.A.Sc. Student (2012 - 2014)
Stephanie Truelove
Undergraduate (2014)
Rowen Moon
Undergraduate (2012 - 2014)
Justin Piazza
M.A.Sc. Student (2012 - 2013)
Dr. Niels Smeets
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2011 - 2013)
Pardis Assi
Undergraduate (2012)
Paniz Sheikholeslami
M.A.Sc. Student (2010 - 2012)
Leah Kesselman
Undergraduate (2009 - 2012)
Iza Noor
Undergraduate (2011 - 2012)
Jenny (Mayra) Tzoc
M.A.Sc. Student (2009 - 2011)
Syed Usman Ahmed
Undergraduate (2009 - 2011)
Thaksena Rangaranjan
Undergraduate (2011)
Steven Zhao
Undergraduate (2011)
Chris Ewaschuk
Undergraduate (2009 - 2010)
Nils Nordstrom
Undergraduate (2023)
Julia Pona
Summer Student (2023)
Youssef Emam
Undergraduate (2022 - 2023)
Cam Macdonald (He/Him)
Undergraduate (2022 - 2023)
Chloe Dawson (she/her)
M.A.Sc. Student (2019 - 2022)
Lauren Choi
Summer Student (2022)
Rosalie Wang (she/her)
Summer Student (2022)
Amber Monteiro (she/her)
Undergraduate (2021 - 2022)
Kevin Gulo
Undergraduate (2019 - 2022)
Dr. Madeline Simpson (she/her)
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2014 - 2021)
Diane Kim (she/her)
Undergraduate (2021)
Jonathan Que
Undergraduate (2019 - 2021)
Zheng Fu Zhou
Undergraduate (2020 - 2021)
Michael Majcher
Ph.D (2014 - 2021)
Michael Kiriakou
M.A.Sc. Student (2018 - 2020)
Elizabeth Keane
Undergraduate (2020)
Elizabeth Keane
Undergraduate (2020)
Alexandra Colville-Reeves
Undergraduate (2020)
Dr. Zhicheng Pan
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2018 - 2020)
Lucas Jarrett
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Cecilia Tran
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Coulter Montague Szakaly
Undergraduate (2018 - 2020)
Shilpa Bhardwaj
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Sophia Emerson
M.A.Sc. Student (2018 - 2019)
Terrel Marshall
Undergraduate (2019)
Kathryn Whitesell-O’Melia
Undergraduate (2019)
Kevin De France
Ph.D (2014 - 2019)
Vishrut Panchal
Undergraduate (2018 - 2019)
Kelli Johnson
M.A.Sc. Student (2016 - 2018)
Amy Ling
Summer Student (2018)
Juliana Onesi
Summer Student (2018)
Dr. Emilia Bakaic
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2012 - 2018)
Ugonwa Echendu
Undergraduate (2017 - 2018)
Abigail Go
Undergraduate (2018)
Jennifer Boughton
Undergraduate (2017 - 2018)
Jonathan Dorogin
M.A.Sc. Student (2016 - 2018)
Annika Yardy
Undergraduate (2017)
Kaylie Lau
Undergraduate (2017)
Dr. Julijana Milosevic
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2015 - 2017)
Maria Budi Hartono
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Kaleela Kadir
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Mimi Deng
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Carter McInnis
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Ashutosh Kulkarni
M.A.Sc. Student (2014 - 2017)
Helen Dorrington
M.A.Sc. Student (2015 - 2016)
Courtney van Ballegooie
Undergraduate (2014 - 2016)
Scott Campbell
Ph.D (2010 - 2016)
Jenny Chen
Undergraduate (2014 - 2016)
Ivan Urosev
M.A.Sc. Student (2014 - 2016)
Ian Gough
Undergraduate (2015)
Dr. Daryl Sivakumaran
Ph.D (2010 - 2015)
Sahil Azeez
Undergraduate (2012 - 2015)
Cameron Shaw
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2014)
Sahar Mokhtari
M.A.Sc. Student (2012 - 2014)
Andrew McMillen
Undergraduate (2014)
Rebecca Chu
Undergraduate (2012 - 2014)
Jared Gour
Undergraduate (2013)
Helen Dorrington
Undergraduate (2012 - 2013)
Sahar Mokhtari
Undergraduate (2012)
Hua Tong
Undergraduate (2012)
Janine Ho
Undergraduate (2011 - 2012)
Thomas Oszustowicz
Undergraduate (2011)
Elysia Jellema
Undergraduate (2010 - 2011)
Ho Mak
Undergraduate (2011)
Sonia Nijampatnam
Undergraduate (2010 - 2011)
Hamzeh Qureshi
Undergraduate (2009 - 2010)
Stuart Young
Undergraduate (2010)
Charlotte Fleet
Summer Student (2023)
Dr. Afshin Abrishamkar (he/him)
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2020 - 2023)
Trent Ignaczewski
Undergraduate (2022 - 2023)
Emma Chalupka
Undergraduate (2022 - 2023)
Eva Mueller
Ph.D (2017 - 2022)
Thomas Kalab
Undergraduate (2022)
Vivek Kannan
Summer Student (2022)
Chloe Wu (she/her)
Undergraduate (2021 - 2022)
Simranjeet Singh (he/him)
Undergraduate (2021 - 2022)
Dr. Ali Akbari
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2014 - 2021)
Dr. James Bodnaryk
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2020 - 2021)
Blake Patterson
M.A.Sc. Student (2018 - 2021)
Makenzie Lamb
Undergraduate (2020 - 2021)
Angela Pollinzi
Undergraduate (2019 - 2021)
Dr. Xiaoyun Li
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2018 - 2020)
Maya Ziolkowska
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Bridget Latka
Undergraduate (2020)
Maggie Zhu
Undergraduate (2020)
Dr. Zohreh Farsangi
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2018 - 2020)
Yulia Shcherbakova
Undergraduate (2020)
Victoria Kirkness
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Albert Stancescu
Undergraduate (2019 - 2020)
Ali Babar
M.A.Sc. Student (2017 - 2019)
Menatalla Ellag
Undergraduate (2019)
Anna Basatskaya
Undergraduate (2019)
Maryam Badv
Ph.D (2013 - 2019)
Francesco Vito
Undergraduate (2018 - 2019)
Alexander McKay
Undergraduate (2018 - 2019)
Angus Lam
Undergraduate (2014 - 2018)
Laura Carter
Summer Student (2018)
Rabia Mateen
Ph.D (2011 - 2018)
Gero Padberg
Summer Student (2018)
Karishni Ramamoorthi
Undergraduate (2017 - 2018)
Nazrin Azeez
Undergraduate (2017 - 2018)
Jacob Saunders
Undergraduate (2018)
Ashlyn Leung
Undergraduate (2017)
Michel Syriani
Undergraduate (2017)
Seamus Ingram
Undergraduate (2017)
Dr. Brandon Corbett
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2016 - 2017)
Meghan Rothenbroker
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Sydney Bell
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Francis Yavitt
Undergraduate (2013 - 2017)
Caleb Seo
Undergraduate (2016 - 2017)
Dr. Trevor Gilbert
Ph.D (2010 - 2017)
Helen Dorrington
M.A.Sc. Student (2015 - 2016)
Dr. Jianfeng Zhang
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2015 - 2016)
Haiming Luo
Undergraduate (2015 - 2016)
Dr. Xudong Deng
Ph.D (2012 - 2016)
Dr. Varvara Pokrovskaya
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2015)
Spencer Imbrogno
Undergraduate (2015)
Samuel Suntharalingham
Undergraduate (2014 - 2015)
Katya D’Costa
Undergraduate (2014 - 2015)
Sara Amjad
Undergraduate (2014)
Jacqueline Chau
Undergraduate (2014)
Mathew Patenaude
Ph.D (2009 - 2014)
Danielle Maitland
M.A.Sc. Student (2012 - 2014)
Dr. Hongxia Guo
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2011 - 2013)
Tyler Homer
Undergraduate (2012 - 2013)
Ahmed Eltom
Undergraduate (2012)
Danielle Maitland
Undergraduate (2009 - 2012)
Miles Montgomery
Undergraduate (2011 - 2012)
Genevieve Conant
Undergraduate (2011)
Robert Fuller
Undergraduate (2011)
Sabika Raza
Undergraduate (2010 - 2011)
Benjamin Greenlay
Undergraduate (2010 - 2011)
Cameron MacLean
Undergraduate (2009 - 2010)