Principle Investigator
Dr. Dustin Little
Dustin received his BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Waterloo. He then worked for one year in the food science industry before completing his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Toronto. Dustin then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster University before joining Toronto Metropolitan University in 2020 establishing his lab in the Department of Chemistry and Biology.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr. Ananya Nanda
Ananya completed her PhD in Biotechnology from the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology. Her project focuses on the evaluation, engineering, and production of rapid detection and immunoassays for infectious diseases. Outside the lab, Ananya enjoys traveling and exploring untouched places, trying out different cuisines, music, dancing, and walking. She is also a pet fanatic!
Graduate Students
Sarah Birstonas
Sarah is a PhD student in the Molecular Sciences program at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her project focuses on the post-translational regulation of the type III secretion system and how it affects bacterial virulence and infection. Sarah's interests include reading Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels, cooking, and cycling around The 6.
Thomas Esmond
Thomas is a PhD student in the Molecular Sciences program at Toronto Metropolitan University. His project focuses on the post-translational regulation of O-antigen biosynthesis and how these modifications affect bacterial virulence and physiology. Outside the lab, Thomas is involved with Toronto Metropolitan University Tabletop Gamers in Science, enjoys video games, and plays the guitar.
Noelle Sawyer
Noelle is a PhD student in the Molecular Sciences program at Toronto Metropolitan University and is Co-supervised with Dr. Gagan Gupta. Her work focuses on using unnatural amino acids for conjugating drugs to recombinant proteins for host-cell delivery.
Mark Zary
Mark is a MSc student in the Molecular Sciences program at Toronto Metropolitan University. His work focuses on characterizing post-translational modifications that affect the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide.
Senthuran Mahendradeva
Senthuran is a PhD student in the Molecular Sciences program at Toronto Metropolitan University. His work focuses on characterizing post-translational modifications that affect the Type III Secretion System.
Undergraduate Students
Paniz Pour Abdi
Paniz is currently a fourth-year Biomedical Sciences student at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her project focuses on the regulation of type III secretion system effectors.
Emi Piro
Emi is currently a fourth-year Biomedical Sciences student at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her project focuses on the regulation of bacterial effectors.
Kofi Gyasi
Kofi is currently a fourth-year Biomedical Sciences student at Toronto Metropolitan University. His project focuses on the recognition and function of type III secretion system effectors.