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Dr. Melissa Chen

Asst. Prof., Dept. of Biological Sciences

Microbial ecology, plant microbiome. Dr. Chen’s research program explores the ecological mechanisms underlying microbe-mediated pathogen protection in plants. By understanding when and why microbial communities suppress disease, this work will help us build effective pathogen-suppressive microbial treatments for plants. The Chen lab uses scalable, custom 3D printed tools (e.g. miniaturized planters) to screen wild microbes for pathogen suppressive traits. Ecological and bioinformatic data from microbes are then used to build models that can infer why or predict when pathogen suppression is effective. The unique scalability of this approach will help expedite the development of microbial-based solutions for highly managed agricultural systems.

Read more: Dr. Chen's profile on the Department of Biological Sciences website.

Dr. Maksymilian Prondzynski

Asst. Prof., Dept. of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology

Cardiac gene regulatory mechanisms. Dr. Prondzynski's research program explores the cellular and gene regulatory mechanisms underlying cardiac development and disease, with the goal of developing novel in vitro platforms to study approaches for detection, prevention and reversal of heart dysfunction. This work addresses critical gaps in understanding how disease modifiers lead to structural and functional heart abnormalities, providing essential insights for developing targeted therapies for affected patients. His research employs cutting-edge techniques including suspension culture methods for human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) differentiation and organoid formation, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and tissue engineering to create sophisticated disease models that accurately recapitulate organ function.

Read more: Dr. Prondzynski’s profile on the Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology website.

Dr. Xinyue Xu

Asst Prof., Dept. of Earth Sciences

Economic geology and geochemistry. Dr. Xu’s research program investigates high-temperature melts and fluids involved in ore formation, aiming to understand how critical metals are transported and concentrated in crustal environments. This work is essential for improving exploration models and securing domestic metal supplies. She applies advanced fluid and melt inclusion techniques to porphyry, skarn, IOA, carbonatite, and pegmatite systems. Her program is unique in highlighting salt melts as a distinct geologic fluid, reshaping models of mineralization. Ongoing research targets critical mineral systems in Canada, with potential to guide exploration in British Columbia and support the sustainable development of strategic resources.

Read more: Dr. Xu’s profile on the Department of Earth Sciences website.

Dr. Tanya Brown

Asst. Prof., Dept. of Biological Sciences

Marine mammal ecotoxicology and ecology. Dr Brown’s research program is focused on understanding how human-associated stressors – including contaminants, climate change and disturbance - are impacting the health of marine mammals, their food webs and their habitats. Dr. Brown uses a combination of chemical tracers, telemetry, and ‘omic technologies to characterize habitat use, feeding ecology, contaminant exposure and health. Dr. Brown conducts field-based studies in the Northeastern Pacific, St Lawrence Estuary and Canadian Arctic. She works closely with Indigenous communities, NGOs, and other organizations to support the conservation and recovery of valued ecosystem components. Dr. Brown has applied her expertise in support of contaminant site remediation, green infrastructure, and the recovery of at-risk species.

Read more:  Dr. Brown’s profile on the Department of Biological Sciences website.

Dr. Gustavo Balbinot

Asst. Prof., Dept. of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology

Rehabilitation of brain and spinal cord injuries. Dr. Balbinot’s research program explores neurorehabilitation strategies, with the goal of discovering new routes for treatment or optimizing existing technologies. Individuals after a stroke or spinal cord injury often have limited recovery, rehabilitation helps to maximize the recovery potential leading to greater independence and quality of life for the affected individuals. Dr. Balbinot leads the Movement Neurorehabilitation and Neurorepair laboratory specialized in experimental investigations using rodent models. The main techniques involve the recording of neuronal activity in the brain and spinal cord, electrical and optogenetic manipulation of circuits, and computer vision approaches to quantify upper extremity movement loss and recovery.  

Read more:  Dr. Balbinot's profile on the Department ot Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology website.

Dr. Alex Wiesman

Asst. Prof., Dept. of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology

Cognitive neuroscience of aging and neurodegeneration. Dr. Wiesman’s research uses neuroimaging to study the structural, functional, and molecular organization of the human brain during healthy and pathological aging. His recent work has focused on how different neurochemical messengers like dopamine, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine impact brain signaling in patients with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, with the goal of developing better prognostic markers and targets for clinical intervention. He is also the Scientific Director of SFU’s human brain imaging Core Facility: ImageTech Lab.

Read more:  Dr. Wiesman's profile on the Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology website.

Dr. Thomas Jennewein

Prof., Dept. of Physics

Global quantum internet systems. Dr. Jennewein is developing and building systems for the future generation of networking, the Quantum Internet. His research program studies the transfer of information stored in quantum processors such as the silicon-based qubit devices developed at SFU and Photonic Inc. over large distances. The interfaces with fiber optics and satellite to ground links will enable a scalable multi-node quantum network across Canada. 

Read more: Dr. Jennewein's profile on the Department of Physics website.

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