Team

Principal Investigator

Zachary Laksman, MD, MSc, FRCPC

Associate Professor (Department of Medicine; University of British Columbia 2020-Present)

Associate Professor (School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia 2020- Present)

Dr. Laksman is a Clinician Scientist at the University of British Columbia. Clinically he works as a Cardiac Electrophysiologist at St. Paul’s and Vancouver General Hospital where he is the St. Paul’s Hospital Director of the Atrial Fibrillation Clinic and the British Columbia Inherited Arrhythmia Clinic.

Research Laboratory Staff

Jeremy Parker, Research Manager

Jeremy is a experienced scientist and manager with a demonstrated history of working in a modern research setting. He is a strong research professional skilled in bioinformatics, molecular biology, technical writing, and project management.

Tammy Ying, National Study Coordinator

Tammy is a clinical research professional with a background working in clinical trials as a study monitor. She has experience in oncology, gene therapy, and cardiology. In her free time, she loves to read fiction and can recommend anyone a book!

Trainees

Ardin Sacayanan, MASc Student

Ardin is a Master’s student in Biomedical Engineering with a strong focus on tissue engineering and advanced manufacturing technologies. He completed his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia, where he developed a strong foundation in medical device design and biomaterials.

Ellie Leung, MASc Student

Ellie is a Master’s student in Biomedical Engineering at UBC, joining Laksman Lab in 2024. She finished her undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at UBC, Okanagan campus. Her research interests focus on 3D bioprinting, biomaterials development and tissue engineering. In her spare time, she enjoys skiing, working out and cuddling her cat!

Georgia Donaldson-Barrio, MSc Student

Georgia received her BSc in Biomedical Physiology at Simon Fraser University and is currently pursuing her MSc in Experimental Medicine at UBC. Her research interests include molecular cardiac physiology and disease modelling using human-induced pluripotent stem cells. She would also love to pursue clinical oncological research in the future. In her spare time, she loves to bake, read, and walk her dog!

Grace Zhang, Undergraduate Student

Grace is a fourth-year Honours BSc student in Cellular, Anatomical & Physiological Sciences at UBC. She is completing her honours thesis with the Laksman Lab with interests in cardiovascular sex differences and inherited arrhythmia syndromes. Outside of work, she enjoys crocheting, playing billiards, and making jewelry.

Hattie Luo, PhD Student

Hattie is a PhD candidate in the Laksman lab. She graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor’s in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. Her research focuses on cardiac disease modeling and drug testing using stem cell-based 3D models. Outside the lab, she enjoys skiing, hiking and walking around the city.

Kate Huang, PhD student

Kate is a PhD Candidate studying genetic causes of heart rhythm disorders. Before joining the Laksman Lab, Kate completed her undergraduate studies in the UBC-BCIT Biotechnology program. Her research interests include cardiovascular disease biology, genetics, and developing pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte models. Kate enjoys playing guitar, frisbee, watching movies, and reading in her spare time.

Quynh Nguyen, MASc Student

Quynh is a Master’s student in Biomedical Engineering at UBC. She is also a PGY4 resident in cardiac surgery at UBC. She did her medical school at the University of Alberta. Her thesis focuses on multiomics approach to study hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Raam Sivakumar, PhD Student

Raam is a PhD student in Bioinformatics with a background in both Biomedical Science and Bioinformatics. He is interested in developing software tools for disease biomarker discovery. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring the outdoors and pursuing photography. (Co-supervised by Dr. Amrit Singh)

Raj Dhillon, Undergraduate Student

Raj is a biology undergraduate at the UBC specializing in cellular and molecular biology, with experience in stem cell and yeast-based research. His research work focuses on optimizing hiPSC-derived cardiomyocyte differentiation to support disease modelling for atrial fibrillation. He has worked with UBC’s Zoology teaching team as a project and teaching assistant. Outside of the lab, he enjoys playing flag football, going on hikes and camping trips, and relaxing over boardgames with friends.

Stephanie Nguyen, MASc Student

Stephanie is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Applied Sciences, specializing in Biomedical Engineering. Her interests lie in the generation and downstream testing of cardiac or cardiovascular tissue constructs, aiming to integrate innovation with throughput to further the field of regenerative medicine. Beyond the laboratory, she balances her life by occasionally venturing out on walks to recharge and reflect. She values time with friends, whether engaging in a new series or movies, or experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

Swetha Raghavan, PhD Student

Swetha holds a Bachelors in Genetic Engineering and a Masters in Medical Genetics and Genomics, and she is currently pursuing a PhD in Experimental Medicine. Her interest in stem cells and their potential in treating genetic disorders has been a key driver in shaping her academic and research journey. Her current work focuses on cardiomyocyte differentiation, bioreactor system for suspension culture, and genome editing. Outside the lab, she enjoys dancing, working out, and heading out for hikes on the weekends—it’s her way of staying energized and balanced.