CURRENT MEMBERS
Aida Ali Bagheri
Aida Ali Bagheri | MSc Candidate
Aida is an MSc candidate at Dalhousie University with a research focus on quantifying HIV in humanized mouse models of HIV/TB co-infection. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Tehran. In her free time, she enjoys singing, playing the guitar, and exploring the diverse international food scene in Halifax.
Masters Student
Claire Attersley
Claire Attersley | Summer Student
After completing her BSc in Honours Microbiology and Immunology at Dalhousie, Claire is continuing her research as a Summer Student Research Scholar. She is currently focused on exploring NK-cell-based therapies for HIV. In her free time, she is an avid weightlifter and outdoor enthusiast.
Honors Student
Dr. Ali Toloue Ostadgavahi
Ali Toloue Ostadgavahi | Postdoctoral Fellow
Bringing expertise in transcriptomics and immunology, Ali specializes in identifying biomarkers and host responses to severe infection. In his current research, he utilizes spatial biology and high-resolution tissue imaging to decode immune responses in HIV/TB co-infection, with a focus on translating complex data into clinical insights. Outside the lab, he enjoys photography, cinema, and exploring Halifax.
Postdoc
Dr. Kelcey Patterson
Research Lab Technician
ALUMNI
Research Lab Technician
Madeleine Lepard
Maddie graduated with her Masters of Science in the Gillgrass Lab and then worked as a research technician in the lab. She completed her undergraduate degree in the Honours Biology & Pharmacology Co-op program at McMaster University. Her thesis project involved establishing and validating a humanized mouse model of HIV-1 and tuberculosis co-infection. Outside the lab, she enjoys cooking & baking, hiking and watching reality TV.
M.Sc Graduate (2023)
Alexis Chacon
Alexis graduated from McMaster University in 2021 with a BSc in Honours Molecular Biology and Genetics. She then completed her MSc in Medical Sciences in the Gillgrass lab in 2023. Her research involved utilizing humanized mouse models to further investigate TB and HIV co-infection. In her spare time, Alexis loves hiking, baking, photography, creating art and playing with her cat Klyde!
M.Sc Graduate (2024)
Victoria Lee
Victoria graduated from University of Waterloo and obtained her Honours Bachelors of Biomedical Sciences. She then joined the Gillgrass lab as a Medical Sciences master's student. Victoria's thesis focused on investigating the role of IL-17 in HIV, TB, and HIV/TB co-infections using humanized mouse models. Outside the lab, Victoria loves baking, running, reading books, and playing with her friends' cats.
Health Sciences III - Project Student (2022-2023)
Esther Jeong
Esther was a third-year health BHSc student in the Gillgrass lab. Her project focuses on optimizing the ex vivo expansion of cord blood-derived CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells for engraftment. Outside of school, Esther enjoys hanging out with her friends and spending time with her dog.
Current Position: MD student at University of Toronto
M.Sc Graduate (2022)
Jack Yang
Jack graduated from the BHSc program at McMaster University and then completed his MSc in the Gillgrass lab. In his master's project, he investigated HIV and TB using humanized mice and helped advance the establishment of a pre-clinical model for vaccine and therapeutic studies. Jack also aspires to implement his research knowledge in the clinical setting and advocate for those who are impacted by social stigma from infectious diseases. Outside the lab, Jack enjoys analyzing architectural designs and likes to stay active by playing badminton and basketball.
Health Sciences IV - Thesis Student (2020-2022)
Carmina Isidoro
Carmina was a fourth-year BHSc student in the Biomedical Sciences specialization. She completed her third-year project with the lab and returned for her fourth-year thesis to investigate the inflammatory profile of the HIV, TB and HIV/TB diseased states. In her free time, Carmina enjoys baking, listening to podcasts and audiobooks and (pre-COVID) travelling.
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M.Sc Graduate (2025)
Margaret Choi
Margaret graduated from the Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization program. She began in the lab as an undergraduate project student and continued to complete her master's in the Gillgrass lab. Margaret's project focused on characterizing the effects of HIV, TB, and HIV/TB co-infection on the CD4+ T cell subsets in the lungs using humanized mice. In her free time, Margaret loves marking art and spending time with her cat Popcorn.
Health Sciences IV - Thesis Student (2019-2020)
Rhea Jangra
Rhea was a fourth-year BHSc student in the Gillgrass lab. Her project focuses on investigating the role of the macrophage microenvironment in macrophage extracellular trap formation.
Current Position: MD Student at Queen's University