Our Team

Our research group prides itself on its dedication to scientific inquiry, to scientific communication, to collegiality and to a work-life balance; we love the diversity of our team members, which benefits all aspects of our group work.

Nancy Forde

Nancy Forde

Principal Investigator

Nancy is responsible for directing research of the lab as a whole

nforde@sfu.ca View CV

Alaa Al-Shaer

Alaa Al-Shaer

NSERC PGS-D funded Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (MBB) PhD student

Alaa is studying collagen and basement membrane assembly

aalshaer@sfu.ca
Koushik Bar

Koushik Bar

Physics PhD student

Koushik is developing instrumentation for the centrifuge force microscope

koushik_bar@sfu.ca
Janine Srocka

Janine Srocka

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (MBB) PhD student

Janine is developing single-molecule fluorescence approaches for studying collagen

janine_srocka@sfu.ca
Luis Ramirez-Ramirez

Luis Ramirez-Ramirez

Physics MSc student

Luis is building our new magnetic tweezers + TIRF microscope

lrr1@sfu.ca
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Shetal Bhandal

Adopted physicist

Shetal is learning about our research

shetal_bhandal@sfu.ca
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Michael Goriainov

Adopted physicist

Michael is learning about our research

michael_goriainov@sfu.ca
Daniel Sloseris

Daniel Sloseris

Undergraduate research assistant

Daniel is studying collagen mechanics and stability

daniel_sloseris@sfu.ca
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Ryan Tam

Undergraduate research volunteer

Ryan is developing assays for our new TIRF microscope

ryan_tam@sfu.ca
Jody Tao

Jody Tao

Undergraduate research assistant

Jody is studying collagen assembly

jody_tao@sfu.ca
Martin Zuckermann

Martin Zuckermann

Honorary Group Member

Martin works with us in designing and investigating the mechanisms of action of novel molecular motors

mjzheb@gmail.com

Are you interested in joining our team?

If so, please write to Nancy including a CV and statement of why you're interested in our research, including how your past research or coursework relates to our ongoing research. If you are an undergraduate student looking for a thesis or ISS project in Physics, Chemistry or Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, we are especially interested in hearing from you.

FordeLab Research Team Group Photo

Alumni - Graduate students

Thomas Brouwer MSc thesis student from VU Amsterdam, 2012-2013 Machine Learning Engineer, RevoData
Ignacio Calderon de la Barça Physics MSc student, 2018-2020 Technical Community Manager - Plutus, Cardano
Linda Dekker MSc thesis student from VU Amsterdam, 2010 Physics teacher
Yi Deng Physics MSc graduate, 2005-2007 Applied Scientist II, Amazon
Benjamin Downing Physics MSc graduate, 2007-2010 Paramedic
Arnau Farré Visiting PhD thesis student from U Barcelona, 2009 Scientific Director, Impetux Optics
Philip Johnson Physics MSc graduate, 2004-2007 Staff Scientist (tenure-track), Paul Scherrer Institut
Mike Kirkness MBB PhD graduate, 2013-2019 CEO and President, 3Helix
Chapin Korosec Physics PhD graduate, 2015-2021 Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Mathematics, York University
Michelle Lee Physics MSc graduate, 2005-2007 and research assistant, 2008 Physics teacher
Victoria Loosemore Physics MSc graduate, 2014-2017 Analyst, British Columbia Provincial Health Services Authority
Naghmeh Rezaei Physics PhD graduate, 2009-2016 Senior research scientist, Google
Laleh Samii Physics PhD graduate, 2007-2013 Financial Engineer, d1g1t Inc.
Juliette Savoye MSc student from École normale supérieure Paris, 2023 Graduate student in Physics, ENS
Marjan Shayegan Chemistry PhD graduate, 2008-2014 Research Development Advisor, Concordia University

Alumni - Research associates

Tuba Altındal Postdoctoral researcher, 2013-2016
Ryan Bauer Postdoctoral researcher, 2021-2022
Marieke Berga Research assistant, 2005-2007 High school science teacher
Gerhard Blab Postdoctoral researcher, 2009-2010 Assistant professor of Molecular Biophysics, Universiteit Utrecht
Astrid van der Horst Postdoctoral researcher, 2006-2009 Senior Researcher, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam
Suckjoon Jun Summer visitor, 2007 Professor of Biology and of Physics, UC San Diego
Shahryar Khattak Short-term postdoctoral researcher, 2005 Stem Cell Core Manager, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute QBRI
Suzana Kovacic Research associate, 2007-2011 Research associate, Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University
Kathrin Lehmann Postdoctoral researcher, 2018-2020 Scientific Coordinator, University of Duisburg-Essen
Cindy Li Research assistant, 2009 Communications Coordinator, Simon Fraser University
Eric Lin Research associate, 2020-2022 Manager, R&D Operations, Photonic
Andrew Wieczorek Research associate, 2008-2013 Research associate, Department of Biology, Simon Fraser University

Alumni - Undergraduates

Braden Brinkman NSERC USRA and undergraduate researcher, 2006-2007 Assistant Professor, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University
Daniel Cecchi NSERC USRA, 2019 Medical Physics PhD student, University of Victoria
Clara Chan Physics thesis student, VPR USRA and research assistant, 2010-2011 Research Associate at Evasc Medical Systems
Samuel Chan MBB co-op student, 2009 Laboratory Technician, LifeLabs
Gina Chang NSERC USRA, 2007 Pharmacist
Jeanie Chiu Chem 481 and Chemistry co-op student, 2007-2008 Clinical Trial Associate, Seattle Genetics
Darshil Dave MITACS GlobaLink student, 2016 Risk Management Analyst at American Express
Alex Fong Biology co-op student, 2011
Katie Gagnon BISC 498 student, 2005 Global Research Alliance Manager, Cyclotrons and TRACERcenter, GE Healthcare, Sweden
Karmen Gill USRA, BISC 497 student and undergraduate research assistant, 2021-2022
Tristan Hansen BISC 498, 499 student and undergraduate volunteer, 2012-2014 Teacher
Derek Howell Undergraduate research volunteer, 2005 Physics Laboratory Supervisor, Capilano University
Sameera Jhamb Undergraduate research volunteer, 2012
Josipa Kafadar Undergraduate research assistant and volunteer, 2020-2022 Biological Physics student, SFU
Evan Kiefl NSERC USRA, 2014 Biophysics PhD student, University of Chicago
Joshua Koehn VPR USRA, 2013 Physician
AJ Koenig Physics Honours Thesis student, 2018 Small business entrepreneur, Calgary
Antonia Kowalewski Biological Physics research student, 2019-2023 Biological and Biomedical Sciences PhD student, Harvard University
Norman Lam NSERC USRA, 2012 Physics PhD graduate, Yale University
Jorraine Lim Undergraduate research volunteer, 2015-2016 MBB BSc graduate, SFU
Karen Lo BISC 498 student and undergraduate researcher, 2006-2007 Postdoctoral teaching associate, Trinity Western University
Aaron Lyons Physics Honours Thesis and Biological Physics undergraduate research assistant, 2016-2018 Physics PhD student, University of Alberta
Angelina Marinkovic CIHR trainee, NSERC USRA and undergraduate research volunteer, 2012-2013, 2015 Physician
Alyssa Oke NSERC USRA + research assistant, 2021
Jos One NSERC USRA, 2008
Teo Penkov Biology ISS student, 2016 Medical school student
Michael Pettigrew Undergraduate summer student (joint with Eldon Emberly), 2010 Founder and CEO, Archive Sciences
Kassandra Richard Undergraduate summer student, 2019 Physics BSc graduate, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Mathew Schneider Undergraduate researcher, 2018-2020 Physics MSc student, McMaster University
Gary Tom Undergraduate summer volunteer (joint with Martin Zuckermann), 2014 Chemistry PhD student, University of Toronto
Ronnie Tsai Undergraduate research volunteer, 2012-2013 Physician
Jason Wang Undergraduate volunteer, 2012
Rob Welch NSERC USRA, 2009 Data analyst, Echologics
Ruobing Yang NSERC USRA and Biophysics co-op student, 2008 Physician
Doris Zhao Work-study student, 2012