




The CRBS is home to hundreds of talented graduate students, undergraduate students, and postdoctoral trainees.
The executive represents the trainees on the CRBS board, and organizes many events and activities.
CRBS Student Consortium
Meet The Team
Harry Kaur
Co-President

Harry Kaur is a postdoctoral researcher in the Guarné Lab, Department of Biochemistry at McGill University. Her research focuses on the structural characterization of a Tn7-like transposon linked to antibiotic resistance in clinically relevant pathogens. She centers her research on understanding how this mobile genetic element jumps into chromosomes and plasmids with remarkable precision, driving the spread of resistance genes across bacterial populations. Altogether, her work holds significant potential for both medicine and biotechnology, offering insight into resistance dissemination and opening avenues for programming these elements to target different DNA sites. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling and cooking. As co-president of CRBS, she is excited to foster connections among researchers across disciplines and to contribute to the outreach initiatives and workshops that CRBS organizes for the community's growth.
Seyed Ehsan Vasegh
VP External

Seyed obtained an Honours Bachelor's degree in Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill. During his undergraduate studies, he focused on the synthesis of thienopyrimidine amino bisphosphonates and antisense oligonucleotide therapeutics in the Department of Chemistry. In Fall 2023, he joined Dr. Castagner’s lab, moving into the field of carbohydrate chemistry while building on his synthesis skills. His current research centers on designing and developing inositol phosphate therapeutics to combat Clostridioides difficile infection. When not in the lab, you can find Seyed exercising at the gym or checking out new places to eat.
Julie Nadeau
VP Academic

Julie is originally from Dieppe, New Brunswick, and obtained her undergraduate degree from Mount Allison University in Biochemistry with Honours, with double minors in Chemistry and Biology. She is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University, working in Dr. Shuaiqi Guo’s lab. Her research focuses on RTX adhesin proteins in Vibrio vulnificus, using structural biology and biophysical techniques to investigate their roles in host recognition and bacterial adhesion. Outside of the lab, Julie enjoys reading, running, and trying new things.
James Iarocci
VP Communications

James grew up in Montreal, Quebec, and completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University. He is now a PhD student in the Guo Lab, where he uses structural biology techniques, including cryo-electron tomography and cryo-EM single-particle analysis, to study the architecture and mechanisms of Type IV pilus machines in bacteria. He hopes to further develop his expertise in cryo-EM and structural biology. Outside the lab, James enjoys travelling, trying new foods, and playing piano.
Mingyu Wang
VP Finance

Mingyu obtained his B.A. in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT, USA) where he completed an undergraduate thesis under Prof. Rich Olson. In the Guo Lab, Mingyu is excited to learn and apply cutting-edge cryo-EM techniques such as cryo-electron tomography with subtomogram averaging to investigate structures and functions of membrane-embedded protein nanomachineries. He hopes to pursue research on biomolecules and proteins that have the potential to impact human health and climate change. Outside the lab, Mingyu is learning the French language. Motivated by a sense of responsibility, Mingyu follows the topics of active climate policy, just economic development, and the social basis for sustainable pluralism.
Antoine Moitessier
VP Mentorship

Born in Nancy, France, Antoine graduated from McGill University with an Honours degree in Pharmacology in 2023. He then moved to Strasbourg to complete a Master’s degree in Chemoinformatics at the University of Strasbourg. Since 2025, he has been pursuing a PhD in Chemistry at McGill University under the supervision of Profs. Maureen McKeague and Anthony Mittermaier. His research focuses on RNA riboswitches, with particular interest in understanding their switching mechanisms. Outside the lab, Antoine enjoys basketball, discovering new music, traveling, and exploring new cultures.
Angeline Mozrall
VP Social

Angie completed her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at Skidmore College in spring 2026, where she conducted research in structural biochemistry and bioinorganic chemistry. In Fall 2026, she joined McGill University’s MSc in Biochemistry program and the Centre for Research in Biological Systems (CRBS), where she is excited to continue exploring structural biology and molecular biochemistry. Outside of the lab, Angie enjoys staying active, spending time with friends, and taking on creative projects. As VP Social of CRBS, Angie is excited to plan social events and activities that bring students together and help build a strong and welcoming research community!
Ryu Williston
Co-President

Ryu is from Miramichi, New Brunswick, and has close ties to Fukushima, Japan. He obtained his B.Sc. in Biochemistry at Mount Allison University. Ryu is co-supervised by Dr. Shuaiqi Guo and Dr. John Presley. His research focuses on protein complexes, particularly adhesins, that enable pathogens to invade and survive within the intracellular environment of mammalian cells. He hopes to gain valuable experience by mastering techniques in Cryo-EM, fluorescence microscopy, and tissue culture. Outside the lab, Ryu enjoys reading, skateboarding, and playing rugby.
Danielle Simons
VP External

Born in Brockville, Ontario Danielle obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Waterloo in Honours Biochemistry (Co-op). Currently she is a third year PhD student in the lab of Jean-Francois Trempe. Danielle’s research aims to uncover novel functions of the mitochondrial processing peptidase, a protein crucial for regulating mitochondrial protein import with implications in cerebellar ataxia and childhood neurodegeneration. Outside the lab, she enjoys cooking, going to the gym, and traveling.
Mia Yang
VP Academic

Mia has completed her undergraduate studies in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Alberta, where she discovered her interest in topics related to protein-protein interactions and structural biology.
Her M.Sc. and Ph.D. research, as part of the Zeytuni lab, is investigating the structure and function of signaling cascades regulating bacterial virulence.
Outside the lab, Mia enjoys watching movies, baking, and relaxing at home with her lovely cat.
Theodore Philippe
VP Communications

Theodore is an MSc. student in cell biology. He uses cryo-electron tomography to investigate the role of ribosomal stalling in the transport of mRNA translation complexes in neurons, a critical process for neuroplasticity in the developing brain. In addition, Theodore studies the binding of inhibitors to bacterial ribosomes through single particle analysis to discover new antibiotics. He wishes to do a PhD and employ cryo-EM for drug development in the future. Outside the lab, Theodore enjoys scuba diving, climbing and reading adventure novels.
Lee Rowsell
VP Equity Diversity Inclusion

Lee is from the small island town of Harrington Harbour, Québec, and earned her BSc in Biochemistry with a minor in Pharmacology from McGill University in 2024. During her undergraduate studies, she developed a passion for biophysics and structural biology which she is building on as a member of the Bui Lab (co-supervised by Dr. Albert Berghuis) studying centrioles and the assembly of proteins key for ciliogenesis. Alongside gaining hands-on experience in Cryo-EM, Lee enjoys live music, running, reading, and exploring the city. As VP EDI, she looks forward to contributing to CRBS outreach and helping to build a community where science is accessible to all.
Nicolas Tong
VP Mentorship

Nicolas completed his bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences at McMaster University. Currently, he is a master’s student in the Thibodeaux lab, where he studies lanthipeptide synthetases using mass spectrometry and chemical biology techniques. His project studies how these enzymes achieve stereoselective catalysis in the biosynthesis of peptide natural products. When not puzzling over proteins, Nicolas enjoys going on hikes, biking, and programming.
Sabrina Romanelli
Emeritus Advisor

Sabrina obtained her undergraduate degree from McGill University in Honours Pharmacology in spring 2022. During her undergraduate training, she participated in research projects in the domains of reproductive immunology and toxicology. In Fall 2022, she joined Dr. Trempe’s lab, excited to join the world of structural biology research. Her research focuses on better understanding proteins implicated in Early Onset Parkinson’s disease. When not in the lab, you can find her binge-watching Disney+ shows or spending time with her dog (Stella) and her friends!