Michael Steffen Kobor, PhD
Edwin S.H. Leong UBC Chair in Healthy Aging – A UBC President’s Excellence Chair
Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Dr. Michael Kobor is a Professor in the Department of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and The Edwin S.H. Leong UBC Chair in Healthy Aging — a UBC President’s Excellence Chair. He has received many distinctions, including a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Social Epigenetics and an appointment as Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Child and Brain Development Program. Until recently, Dr. Kobor served as the Sunny Hill BC Leadership Chair in Early Child Development, as well as the Director for Healthy Starts at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Kobor’s world-class, interdisciplinary research program employs a “society-to-cell” framework to better understand the mechanisms by which environmental exposures and life experiences can “get under the skin” to affect health and behaviour across the life course.
When he is not busy with research, Dr. Kobor enjoys spending time at home and travelling with his wife, son, and family dog.
Eully Ao
Graduate Student
During my undergraduate at UBC, I completed work terms in government and industry labs. After graduating with a BSc in Biology, I joined Dr. Sally Otto’s lab at UBC as a research technician, working on projects investigating the pleiotropic effects of adaptation to metals and complex environments via experimental evolution with yeast. As an MSc student in the Kobor lab, I am interested in using yeast as a model organism to investigate the role of histone variant H2A.Z in gene regulation in response to stress.
Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing video games, checking out new food spots, and going to concerts.
Hilary Brewis, PhD
Research Scientist
I hold a BSc in Biology from Dalhousie University and a PhD in Medical Genetics from UBC which I obtained as a member of the Kobor lab. During my graduate studies, I utilized budding yeast as a model organism to broadly explore the role of the histone variant H2A.Z in gene expression regulation. After graduating, I joined the Kobor Lab Technician Team, working with Julie and Kristy to run DNA methylation and genotyping arrays for collaborators all around the world.
Outside the lab, you can find me playing soccer, camping, hiking, or indulging in way too many board games and video games.
Kristy Dever, MSc
Project Manager
I have a BSc. in Biology and an MSc. in Medical Genetics from UBC. I obtained my Master's in the Kobor lab where I used yeast as a model organism to study transcription regulation, specifically focusing on RNA Polymerase II and the phosphatase Fcp1.I am currently a Project Manager in the Kobor Lab working on the BC Wildfire study, which aims to better understand the effect of pre-natal exposure to wildfire disasters. I also work with Julie and Hilary to run the DNA methylation and genotyping arrays. We work with collaborators around the world and run a wide variety of sample types, running thousands of arrays per year.
Outside the lab, I enjoy hiking, skiing, reading, running, and spending time with my friends and family.
Karlie Edwards, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
I hold a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Willamette University and a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of British Columbia, where I trained in the Kobor Lab. Before graduate school, I worked in fermentation sciences and infectious disease research—experiences that solidified my passion for science and sparked my interest in research specifically to understand the immune system. My graduate research focused on DNA methylation in the developing immune system, exploring both healthy and disease contexts. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Kobor Lab, I continue to build on this work by investigating DNA methylation dynamics in the immune system across additional developmental stages and health-related contexts.
Outside the lab, I enjoy spending time outdoors—running, hiking, camping, or skiing—traveling to new places, and experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes and baked goods.
Awards:
“Society to Cell” Clyde Hertzmann Memorial Fellowship
BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute Healthy Starts Doctoral Studentship
BC Graduate Student Scholarship
CIFAR Next Generation Trainee Fellowship
Hannah-Ruth Engelbrecht, MSc
Graduate Student
I am a South African student who made the leap across the hemispheres to begin my PhD at UBC. I completed my undergraduate training in Human Physiology, and Genetics, and then decided to pursue an MSc(Med) in Human Genetics, specialising in bipolar disorder, all at the University of Cape Town. My current work focuses on perturbations to human health across the lifespan, and the impact of such disturbances on DNA methylation. One goal is to determine whether biomarkers of healthy aging and longevity can be identified at the DNA methylation level.
Beyond the lab, I enjoy hiking, baking, dancing, reading, and writing. I'm also looking forward to indulging in my new passion for snow and cold weather!
Awards:
UBC Four Year Fellowship
Tanya Erb
Research Manager
I manage the administration of the various research activities taking place in the lab. I particularly enjoy supporting the many exciting, multidisciplinary collaborations we have with partners from all over the world. In my spare time, I like spending time with family and friends over a good meal and a new board game, hitting the gym together in the wee hours of the morning, and taking in our beautiful city while cruising the seawall.
Maggie Fu, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
I recently completed my PhD in the Genome Science and Technology program at UBC under the supervision of Dr. Michael Kobor. My research combines statistical modeling and machine learning to study DNA methylation and immune system regulation in health and disease. I am particularly interested in developing computational tools to improve the accuracy and interpretability of epigenomic data and to identify biomarkers for rare disorders.
Beyond research, I enjoy board games, snowboarding, and traveling.
Awards:
ECOSCOPE
Genome Science and Technology Rotation Award
Chaini Konwar, PhD
Bioinformatician
I have a PhD in Medical Genetics from the University of British Columbia. My thesis work largely involved understanding molecular variation in placenta associated with inflammation in preterm births. Briefly, I compared molecular marks such as DNA methylation, miRNA, and SNP profiles in placentas from preterm deliveries with and without inflammation. My dissertation laid the groundwork for development of placental-derived biomarkers that could be detected in maternal blood when the inflammation is present.
Currently, as a bioinformatician in the Kobor Lab I work on a myriad of research projects mainly focused on understanding molecular variation in multiple tissues across human populations. Using computational tools in the R programming environment I analyze high dimensional epigenetic, genetic and expression data to understand the impact of early life experiences, with a special focus on social environmental influences on overall child development and adult health outcomes. I am also working closely with our bioinformatics team to ensure data integrity and devise methods for optimal large-scale genomic data management. In addition, I provide mentorship to computation biology trainees, research personnel, and graduate students, and interact with collaborators on a regular basis.
Aside from my computer, I am particularly passionate about cooking, eating, traveling and learning about different cultures!
Julie MacIsaac, PhD
Lab Manager and Research Scientist
I am involved in many admin and wet-lab aspects of lab operations. My main job, however, together with Kristy, Hilary, and Karlie, is to keep the array pipeline running smoothly. We run thousands of DNA methylation and genotyping arrays yearly for collaborators all around the world and in Canada. I have a BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology from Colorado State University and an MSc (focused on multifactorial neural tube defects) and PhD (focused on genetic imprinting) in Medical Genetics from the University of British Columbia.
When I am not in the lab I enjoy playing basketball, traveling, and spending time with my family.
Mandy Meijer, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
I received both my BSc and MSc in Biomedical Sciences from the Leiden University Medical Center (The Netherlands), followed by a PhD from the Radboud University (The Netherlands) in Medical Sciences under supervision of Prof. Dr. Barbara Franke and Prof. Dr. Carmen Sandi. My doctoral thesis aimed to better understand externalizing behaviours and associated neurodevelopmental disorders through studying epigenetic mechanisms, as a link between the genome and environment, across species. More specifically, I studied DNA methylation and histone tail modifications.
I spent two years of my PhD trajectory at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland) to perform research. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Kobor lab, I am extending my previous research by aiming to better understand which genetic and environmental factors contribute to early development, and how epigenetics could inform us on the molecular mechanisms in the brain underlying neurodevelopment and externalizing behaviours. Besides performing the actual research, I am very passionate about science outreach.
When I am not working on exciting science, you can find me dancing (swing, ballet, jazz) or baking cookies and cakes (and sharing them with friends)!
Awards:
“Society to Cell” Clyde Hertzmann Memorial Fellowship
Erick Navarro
Graduate Student
I am a graduate student in Bioinformatics at UBC, co-supervised by Dr. Michael Kobor and Dr. Keegan Korthauer. I hold a B.Sc. degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Prior to joining Kobor’s and Korthauer’s lab, I worked in epigenetic-related projects involving mainly the analysis of transcriptomic data in Mexico’s National Cancerology Institute.
Currently, I am interested in how, and under which conditions, individual genetic susceptibility and environmental factors work together or separately to influence DNA methylation in early life, a very sensitive and plastic human stage. To do so, I am developing a bioinformatic framework to identify Variable Methylated Regions, and modelling the contribution of the genotype and the environment to their variation.
Outside the lab, my hobbies include practicing archery, hiking, trying new food, playing board games and dancing!
Awards:
“Society to Cell” Clyde Hertzmann Memorial Fellowship
Bank of Montreal Graduate Fellowship
Gertrude Langridge Graduate Scholarship in Medical Sciences
Patrick David Campbell Graduate Fellowship
4-Year PhD Fellowship
Dr. Michael Schulzer Memorial Award in Biostatistics
BCCHR Healthy Starts Master’s Studentship
MITACS Graduate Globalink Fellowship
Smruthi Ramachandran
Project Manager
Smruthi is the Project Manager for the Canadian Microbiome Mapping Initiative (CMMI), a large, trans-disciplinary research program with the primary goal of developing an integrated multi ’omics platform to investigate the biological mechanisms and pathways by which the microbiome influences health and disease.
Smruthi completed her BSc in Biology and MSc in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of British Columbia. Her research focused on mHealth tools, physical activity, and behaviour change techniques to support people with osteoarthritis self-manage their symptoms.
Previously, she worked with the Kobor Lab, Arthritis Research Canada, and other health science settings in different capacities to plan clinical trials, research health outcomes, and disseminate data. Smruthi brings experience in developing grant proposals, stakeholder management, and executing large-scale projects to coordinate diverse research teams and achieve project goals.
Jamie Vanden Broek
Research Coordinator
I provide research, administrative, and communications support for the Kobor Lab as well as the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, which is led by Dr. Kobor. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Integrated Science, specializing in Pharmacology and Genomics, from the University of British Columbia. I have previously supported research at UBC focused on health equity, community engagement, and culturally-tailored health education for older adults. I have experience in health and science communication, event management, and partnership development, with particular interest in community-engaged research and supporting underserved communities including women, people with disabilities, and cultural minorities.
Outside of work, I enjoy playing sports, teaching adaptive skiing, being in nature, and spending time with friends and family.
Manan Verma
Research Assistant
I hold an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of British Columbia. At the Kobor Lab, I work with the bioinformatics team, contributing to data analysis pipelines, quality control workflows, and the development of computational tools for DNA methylation studies. I am interested in building a career in bioinformatics and data-driven biomedical research. Outside of work, I enjoy playing football and badminton and staying active through running.
Hannah Waldman
Graduate Student
I have a BSc in Biology with a concentration in genetics from McGill University. During my undergraduate degree, I contributed to research in the genetics of aging and atavistic traits. As a MSc student in the Kobor Lab, my research will focus on human epigenetics with an emphasis on social factors and biological embedding. Outside the lab, I enjoy hiking, dancing, pottery, and spending time with friends.
Awards:
“Society to Cell” Clyde Hertzmann Memorial Fellowship
Medical Genetics Entrance Award
Cynthia Wei
Project Assistant, Communications and Outreach
I am currently an undergraduate student at UBC majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Creative Writing. I am excited to be part of the Kobor Lab as a Project Assistant in Communications and Outreach working on the BC Wildfire Study. Before this role, I was a Co-op Student at STEMCELL Technologies, where I worked in both Marketing and RND. I also worked as a Research Assistant at the Kopp Lab in the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences that studies pancreatic cancer.
Whenever I have spare time outside of work or school, you can find me skiing, doing improv, or watching my favourite TV sitcoms.
Beryl Zhuang, MSc
Bioinformatician
I have an MSc in Bioinformatics from the University of British Columbia. My thesis work focused on identifying potential common underlying mechanisms of disease initiation and progression across mouse models of Alzheimer's disease from public datasets. At the Kobor Lab, I work closely with our bioinformatics team and our students on various projects and collaborations. I am interested in studying the impacts of positive events in early life on DNA methylation and its short- and long-term impacts on health.
In my free time, I enjoy baking, gardening, and going on nature walks with friends and family.
Nazanin Yousefzadeh
Graduate Student
I have a background in Computing Science from the University of Alberta. My master’s thesis focused on reinforcement learning and AI in the game domain. After working as a Data Scientist in the financial industry for two years, my passion for AI and biology led me back to academia to explore research at the intersection of these fields. In the Kobor Lab, I am focusing on AI-driven approaches to studying DNA methylation. Outside of research, I enjoy following fashion trends, cooking, and singing.
Awards:
Faculty of Science Graduate Award
Alumni
We are very proud of the continuing success of all former Kobor Lab members!
Current positions are up to date to the best of our knowledge. If you have updated information, please let us know!
Former Postdoctoral Fellows
Maria Aristizabal, PhD, Assistant Professor in Molecular Genetics, Queen's University, Kingston, ON
Timothy Bredy, PhD, Associate Professor, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, Australia (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Assistant Professor, University of California Irvine, CA, USA)
Meingold Chan, Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Science, Purdue University, IN, USA
Rachel Clifford, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Research Fellow, University of Nottingham, UK)
Anke Hüls, PhD, Associate Professor of Epidemiology & Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA)
Meaghan Jones, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB
Linda Lee, PhD, Lab Specialist I, Alberta Precision Laboratories, Calgary, AB
Paula Littlejohn, Lead, Clinical Research, Fraser Health, Vancouver BC (former postdoc)
Sarah Merrill, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Lowell, MA, USA (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Research Fellow, The Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA)
Sarah Moore, PhD, Assistant Professor, Health Promotion, Kinesiology, and Recreation and Leisure Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary, AB)
Former Graduate Students
Josh Brown, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. LeAnn Howe Lab, UBC, Vancouver, BC
Joe Dong, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA
Evan Gatev, PhD (Bioinformatics), PhD (Finance) at Yale, Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC
Aline Gaub, MSc, (University of Konstanz), PhD Student, Max Planck Institute for Immunology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
Nicole Gladish, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. David Rehkopf Lab, Stanford, CA, USA
Sarah Goodman, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toronto, ON
Sumaiya Islam, PhD, Variant Scientist, Tempus, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA
Ruiwei Jiang, MSc, Research Scientist, Amazon, Vancouver, BC (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Data Analyst, Boeing Canada, Richmond, BC)
Grace Leung, PhD, Research Scientist, AbCellera, Vancouver, BC (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Postdoctoral Fellow, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA)
Nancy Lévesque, PhD, Exploration Scientist, Canadian Space Agency, Montreal, QC (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Postdoctoral Fellow, McGill University, Montreal, QC)
Dorothy Lin, MSc, Medical Writer, British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC
Phoebe Lu, PhD, Research Manager, Office of Research Services, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Alexandre Lussier, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA)
Lisa McEwen, PhD, Clinical Data Consultant, Vancouver Island Health Authority, Victoria, BC & Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC
Anna Saccani, Graduate Student, Italy
Thorsten Schmidt, MSc, (University of Tübingen), Global Portfolio and Strategy Manager, Roche Diagnostics, Basel, Switzerland
Julia Schulze-Hentrich, PhD, Junior Group Leader, Neuroepigenomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
Samantha Schaffner, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging, UBC, Vancouver, BC
Lea Separovic, MSc, Epidemiologist, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC
Katarzyna Stepien, MSc, MA, Clinical Counsellor, Mental Freedom Counselling, BC
Christopher Taplin, MSc, Medical Resident, University of Ottawa (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Medical Student, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC)
Aaron Nikita Verheyden, MSc, (Martin-Luther-Universität Halle), PhD Student, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
Alice Wang, PhD, Medical Student, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB)
Rui Wang, MSc
Former Staff
Rebecca Asiimwe, MSc, Computational Science Analyst, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Woodbury Genome Center, New York
Parmida Atashzay
Rachel Edgar, MSc, European Bioinformatics Institute | EMBL-EBI, Cambridge, UK
Cath Ennis, PhD, Scientific Communications Consultant
Anthony Fejes, PhD, Head of Bioinformatics, SolveBio, Oakland, CA, USA (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Senior Director of Bioinformatics, Omicia, Oakland, CA, USA)
Alexandra Fok, MSc, Genetic Counselor, Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, BC
Kiara Gibbons, Student in Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University
Sonja Horte, Product Manager, Digital Supercluster and Strategic Partnerships, LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services, Vancouver, BC (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Laboratory Manager, Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC)
Marcia Jude, Doctoral Student, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Kendrix Kek, Research Assistant, Vaccine Evaluation Centre, UBC, Vancouver, BC
Alan Kerr, MRes
Adithya Vishnu Kumar, Graduate Student, UBC, Vancouver, BC
Lucia Lam, Bioinformatician, Rancho BioSciences, Toronto, ON (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Bioinformatician, GenomeDX Biosciences, Vancouver, BC)
David Lin, PhD, Research Scientist, AbCellera Laboratories, Vancouver, BC
Sarah M Mah, Assistant Professor, University of Vermont
Alexander Morin, MSc, Graduate Student, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Sarah Neumann, Marketing Business Development Consultant, Contextual Genomics, Vancouver, BC (First position after leaving the Kobor Lab: Marketing Associate, GenomeDX Biosciences, Vancouver, BC)
Sharlin Patel, MSc, Research Associate 1, Baylor Scott and White Genomics Core Laboratory, Dallas Texas, USA
Katia Ramadori, Clinical Genetics Technologist, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Vancouver, BC
Gabrielle Savage, Project Manager, Strategy and Transformation, BC Emergency Health Services
Oscar Urtatiz, PhD, Research Scientist, AbCellera Laboratories, Vancouver, BC
Joanne Whitehead, Co-Founder, Earsim Digital Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC
Former Undergraduate Students
Srishti Ahuja
Alessandra Albertini
Neeku Amanat
Muhamed Amirie
Hossein Amirjamshidi
Maria Aristizabal
Sanjit Bains
Derek Bogdanoff
Jenny Chen
Kristy Dever
Michael Doyle
Joseliya Embuscado
Anya Fineman
Alysa Gutierrez
Amy Ho
Jessica Ho
Atiya Jaffar
Nicole Janusz
Analisa Jia
Pareesa Kassam
Jayme Kim
Jeongin Kim
Luxcia Kugathasan
Lara Lampe
Justin Lau
Anson Law
Junoh Lee
Grace Leung
Phoebe Lu
Henry Li
Lisa McEwen
Quinn McVeigh
Taylor Morrison
Lindy Moxham
Viola Ng
Stevens Qiu
Mary Shen
Irina Stier
Leyla Tabanfar
Michael Tjong
Yana Uzelac
Erik Venalainen
Alice Wang
Evan Wang
Jessica Wang
Maya Willms
Rebecka Wombacher
Calvin Wong
Ziqing Ye
Xinyuan You
Steven Zhao