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.

Samira Rasouli Koohi

Laboratory Technician & Research Assistant

MSc Physics, University of Alberta, Canada
MSc Nanotechnology Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
MSc Medical Nanotechnology and BSc Medical Laboratory Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Science, Iran
Project: Antifungal Resistance and Evolution in in vitro Candida Species Communities

Dr. Shamanth Adekhandi Shankarnarayan

Research Associate

PhD Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, India
MSc Physiology, Anatomy, and Biochemistry, Kasturba Medical College, India; BSc Life Science, Kuvempu University, India
Project: Machine Learning-Based Detection of Fungal Pathogens

Dr. Maryam Firoozbakht

Postdoctoral Fellow

PhD, MSc, and BSc Biology (Microbiology), Islamic Azad University, Iran
Project: Antifungal Resistance and Evolution in in vitro Candida Species Communities

Harold Flohr

PhD Candidate (Physics)

BSc (Hons) Physics, University of Calgary, Canada
Project: Experimental Evolution of Synthetic Gene Networks and Antimicrobial Resistance in Fluctuating Drug Conditions
Award: Graduate Student Teaching Award (2002)

Clare Maristela Galon

PhD Candidate (Physics)

MSc Physics and BSc Physics, University of San Carlos, Philippines
Project: Mitigating Antifungal Tolerance and Investigating Evolutionary Dynamics of Pathogenic Yeasts
Award: DOST-SEI-UAlberta S&T Graduate Scholarship Program (2022-2026)

Sanjina Aurin

MSc Student (Physics)

BSc (Hons) Physics, University of Alberta, Canada
Project: Predictive Modelling of Synthetic Gene Network Evolution in Fluctuating Drug Conditions

Luca Bassani

Visiting Research MSc Student (Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino) - Co-Supervised by Prof. Jack Tuszynski

BSc Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
Project: Low-Field Magnetic Exposure Devices for Yeast Magnetobiology Experiments

Vishva Iyer

Undergraduate Research Assistant

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

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 (Supervisor: Dr. Daniel Charlebois), Department of Physics, University of Alberta

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 (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.