OUR TEAM
Diversity is the foundation of life. At the core of our research is the cross-pollination of ideas and expertise from different perspectives.
We are committed to nurturing a group of scientists with diverse life history and scientific backgrounds.
Freeman Lan
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor, Institute of Biomedical Engineering
I spent undergraduate at University of Toronto dabbling in engineering, biochemistry, and microbiology before doing my PhD in high-throughput biology and synthetic biology in the UC Berkeley/UCSF Joint Graduate Program in Bioengineering. After two years working in industry with startup companies, I spent several years as a Postdoctoral fellow at UW Madison studying microbial communities of the human gut using in vitro culturing and computational modelling approaches. In 2023, I started as faculty at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. My scientific interests are in innovating ultrahigh-throughput approaches to study microbial communities and in developing ways to precisely manipulate them.
Xinyao Miao
Postdoctoral Fellow
Institute of Biomedical Engineering
I am a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Lan’s lab at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering. I obtained my doctoral degree in forensic medicine from Xi’an Jiaotong University, where I specialized in genomics, forensics, and bioinformatics. Currently, I am working on single-cell sequencing technology for microbial genomes, focusing on novel methodology development and its applications. When not working, I enjoy reading, traveling around the world, and spending time with my two beloved cats.
Jann Aldrin Gamboa
Graduate Student
Institute of Biomedical Engineering
I am an incoming PhD student at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at University of Toronto. I obtained my undergraduate degree also from University of Toronto, where I pursued a double major in Biochemistry and Pharmacology. My research interests and goals are in understanding and manipulating the gut microbiome using ultrahigh-throughput experimentation for therapeutic and other applications. Outside of research, I enjoy hiking, online gaming, and reading Filipino novels!
Tereza Blahova
Graduate Student
Institute of Biomedical Engineering
I am an incoming MASc student in the Institute of Biomedical Engineering. During my undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto studying Pharmacology and Global Health, I developed an interest in interdisciplinary research which led me to pursue graduate studies in biomedical engineering. My research is focused on developing ultrahigh-throughput microfluidics approaches for single cell genomic sequencing to help us characterize and understand microbial populations. Outside of the lab, I love playing volleyball and ultimate frisbee, playing the violin, and painting.
Tien Nguyen
Graduate Student
Institute of Biomedical Engineering
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill
This quote resonates with me deeply, as it aligns with my main ambition. My love for engineering ignited when I was in grade 3. However, this passion truly blossomed during my Master's degree at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, shaping who I am today. After spending some time working as a former application scientist team member at Dolomite Microfluidic, I had the chance to learn and work with some of the most cutting-edge technologies available. However, as the saying goes, any party must come to an end. Now pursue my passion in Professor Freeman’s lab studying the latest microfluidic-related technologies and their real-life applications.
Heidi Li
Volunteer Researcher
I am a graduate student in the M.H.Sc Medical Genomics program at the University of Toronto. I received an Honours Bachelor of Science in Immunology and Human Biology from the University of Toronto. I have been interested in clinical microbiology, single-cell sequencing technology, and bioinformatics. Ultimately, I hope to contribute to the interdisciplinary field of genomic analysis with a specialization in pathogen genomic surveillance. During my free time, I enjoy painting and pencil sketching.
Raphaël Rakotomahanina
Visiting Graduate Student
I am currently a visiting student from EPFL (Switzerland) at the Lan Lab, undertaking my Master's Project. My major is Life Sciences Engineering with a specialization in Biological Data Sciences. Prior to this, I completed my undergraduate studies at EPFL, with an exchange year at KTH/Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, majoring in Life Sciences Engineering. During my internships, I worked on neurobehavioral experiments on mice, organoid microfluidics, and 3D design for surgical robotics. Additionally, I carried out school projects involving Machine Learning and Data Analysis. At the Lan Lab, I aim to develop bacterial microfluidics and plasmid design. Personally, I enjoy learning new languages, running, and have a keen interest in history.
Celena Guo
Undergraduate Researcher
I am an undergraduate student at the University of Toronto in Engineering Science. I’m interested in anything physics or computational, spending my high school creating DIY microscopy techniques, fluids/optics simulations, and image analysis algorithms. In the lab, I’m currently working on calibrating a portable and inexpensive microfluidic device setup which eliminates the use of syringe pumps. Other than academics, I love watching animated shows, drawing/painting, playing video games, and going on morning runs!
Joseph Yeh
Undergraduate Researcher
I am an EngSci 2T7 at U of T intending to choose the Biomedical Systems Engineering. In the lab, I am currently looking into improving current single cell genome assembly techniques and creating new tools for studying the gut microbiome. Outside of academics I enjoy activities such as being part of the EngSci club, NAMUN, and the Iron Dragons dragon boat team.
