Dr. Daniel Charlebois

Associate Professor of Biophysics

I am an interdisciplinary computational and experimental researcher with an academic background in physics, biology, and applied mathematics. I teach undergraduate and graduate courses in biophysics and engineering physics. Outside of the lab, I can be found running, playing acoustic guitar, gardening, or riding motorcycles.

Dr. Shamanth Adekhandi Shankarnarayan

Research Associate and Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering

PhD Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, India
Project: Machine Learning-Based Detection of Fungal Pathogens

Prof. Md Zahurul Islam

Visiting Professor from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

PhD Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta (2012)
Project: Machine Learning-Based Detection of Fungal Pathogens

Dr. Maryam Firoozbakht

Postdoctoral Fellow

PhD (Microbiology), Islamic Azad University, Iran
Project: Antifungal Resistance Evolution in Candida Species Communities

Samira Rasouli Koohi

Laboratory Technician & Research Assistant

MSc Physics, University of Alberta, Canada
Project: Antifungal Resistance Evolution in Candida Species Communities

Lina Lim

Research Assistant

MSc Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Canada
Project: Antifungal Resistance Evolution in Candida Species Communities

Harold Flohr

PhD Candidate (Physics)

BSc (Hons) Physics, University of Calgary, Canada
Project: Experimental Evolution of Antimicrobial Resistance and Synthetic Gene Networks in Alternating Drug Environments
Award: Graduate Student Teaching Award (2025 & 2022)

Clare Maristela Galon

PhD Candidate (Physics)

MSc Physics, University of San Carlos, Philippines
Project: Mitigating Antifungal Tolerance and Investigating Evolutionary Dynamics of Pathogenic Yeasts
Awards: DOST-SEI-UAlberta S&T Graduate Scholarship Program (2022-2026); GPS J. Gordin Kaplan Graduate Student Award (2026)

Sanjina Aurin

MSc Student (Physics)

BSc (Hons) Physics, University of Alberta, Canada
Project: Predictive Modelling of Synthetic Gene Network Evolution in Alternating Drug Environments
Award: GPS Graduate Student Elevation Award (2025-2026)

Yiheng Zhao

MSc Student (Physics)

BSc (Hons) Physics, University of Waterloo, Canada
Project: TBD

Vishva Iyer

Undergraduate Research Assistant

BSc student (Physics), University of Alberta, Canada
Project: Sequence Analysis of Synthetic Gene Network Evolution in Alternating Drug Environments
Awards: Science Experiential Skills Advantage (2025)

Luca Bassani, MSc Biomedical Engineering, '26

Thesis: Low-Magnetic Field Exposure Devices for Yeast Magnetobiology Experiments
Co-Supervisor: Prof. Jack Tuszynski
Current Position: PhD Student, Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta

Aidan Dozorec

Award: NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (2025)
Current Position: Engineering Physics Nanoengineering + Co-op Student at Teledyne MEMS

Dr. Shamanth Adekhandi Shankarnarayan, Postdoctoral Fellow, '25

Current Position: Research Associate (Advisor: Dr. Daniel Charlebois), Department of Physics and Adjunct Professor, Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta. Co-founder of BioSciAI Inc.

Akila Bandara, PhD Physics, '25

Thesis: Magnetic Field Devices and Yeast Magnetobiology
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow (Advisor: Prof. Dan Sameoto), Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta

Joshua Guthrie, MSc Physics, '24

Thesis: Quantitatively Modelling the Transition from Non-Genetic to Genetic Antimicrobial Resistance
Awards: AGES - Indigenous (2023); NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (2021)
Current Position: Radiation Specialist at Cameco Corporation

Samira Rasouli Koohi, MSc Physics, '24

Thesis: Quantifying and Mitigating Antifungal Tolerance in the Pathogenic Yeast Candida auris
Current Position: Laboratory Technician and Research Assistant (Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Charlebois), Department of Physics, University of Alberta

Enoki Li, BSc Pharmacology, '27

Award: URI Undergraduate Researcher Stipend (2023)
Current Position: Undergraduate Student and President of the Mycology Club, University of Alberta

Sanjina Aurin, BSc (Hons) Physics, '24

Awards: Department of Physics - CCUWiP Travel Award (2023); URI Undergraduate Support Fund (2021)
Current Position: Master's Student (Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Charlebois), Department of Physics, University of Alberta

Rebekah Hall, BSc (Hons) Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, '22

Awards: Silver Medal in Science (2022); NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (2021); AI Summer Research Studentship (2020)
Current Position: PhD Student (Supervisor: Prof. Vincent Calvez), Department of Mathematics, l'Université de Bretagne Occidentale

Samiha Ali, BSc Physics and Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, '21

Awards: Department of Physics - CCUWiP Travel Award (2023); URI Undergraduate Support Fund (2021)
Current Position: Environmental Science Intern at WaterSMART Solutions Ltd.