Dr. Jan Mennigen - Principal Investigator
Our research group is principally interested in the mechanistic basis underlying metabolic and reproductive phenotypes in the diverse infraclass of teleost fishes. A current focus lies on the role of epigenetic determinants, particularly microRNAs. It is our goal to use basic research findings towards three relevant areas for translation: new approaches in ecotoxicology testing, freshwater fish aquaculture, and finally the development and utilization of relevant fish models to study human disease. To this end we benefit from close collaborations with OCIB colleagues and government here in Ottawa (Environment and Climate Change; Health Canada) as well as an (Inter)national network of collaborators. |
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Graduate students
Dinusha Rajapaksha - PhD student 2023-present
(Tom Moon scholarship) My research explores the comparative physiology of nonapeptides using zebrafish knock-out lines and acute pharmacological inhibition approaches. A specific focus is placed on reproductive roles of these peptides and effects at the ovarian level of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. I am also a member of Dr. Trudeau's laboratory. 
Lai Wei - MSc student - 2024-present (OGS; NSERC)
I use a transgenic zebrafish reporter line labelling insulin in pancreatic beta cells to assess developmental beta-cell toxicity and consequences on glucoregulation. In collaboration with the Bruin lab, I am specifically interested in developing this New Approach methodology to screen for metabolism-disrupting effects of PFAS compounds quantified in human pancreatic tissues. Using histological and molecular techniques, my goal is to develop an ethical and economical viable screening tool to prioritize metabolically active PFAS compounds for subsequent testing in rodent and human model systems. |
Nipu Niepukolie - PhD student 2023-present
(Heather Glendinning McMurter Award; Tom Moon scholarship; Antoine Morin scholarship; MITACS) My research uses zebrafish as a model to investigate intra-, inter- and transgenerational inheritance of metabolic phenotypes in response to environmental stimuli (hypoxia, nutrition, chronic stress). Mechanistically, I investigate potential roles parental gamete miRNAs and their roles in early development and metabolic physiology in offspring. 
Catherine Cao - MSc/PhD student 2024-present
I am intersted in hypoxia tolerance in fishes, and my project, co-supervised by Dr. Pamenter, will investigate the interaction of hypoxia and immune system at the molecular level in tissues of field-collected hypoxia-tolerant shark species, and in lab-exposed comparative studies between hypoxia-intolerant rainbow trout and hypoxia-tolerant goldfish. |
Undergraduate students
Ahmed Haris Jamal - BSc Honour's student
I am interested in using zebrafish larvae as New Approach Methodology to study the ecotoxicology of the SSRI fluoxetine, an aquatic contaminant in urban watersheds. Specifically, I am using pharmacological exposure to the SSRI fluoxetine and the monoamine oxidase inhibitor deprenyl to investigate serotonin-depdendency of apical (survival, development, behaviour) and metabolic (oxidative metabolism, metabolomics) consequences of dose-depedent exposure to fluoxetine. 
Huy Nguyen - USRO student 2024-current
I am interested in characterizing inter- individual variability of adult zebrafish in response to high fat diet. My goal is to robustly characterize high and non-responding phenotypes in this obesity disease model in zebrafish. I am specifically interested in inter individual differences in metabolic (body weight, lipid deposition), as well as behavioural including endocrine stress-response differences. |
Bronwyn Williams - BSc Honour's student
I am developing a standardized protocol and data analysis pipeline to establish olfactory attraction and repulsion assays in adult zebrafish. Specifically, I am interested in quantifying differences in alanine attraction in zebrafish under different dietary regimes (HFD) compared to control fish, as well as differences in response to a known aversive olfactory stimulus, Schreckstoff. 
Evan Hong - USRO student 2025-current
My research focuses on individual variation in zebrafish in response to a high fat diet regime. I will be studying high and low responders metabolism and that of their offspring their offspring's metabolism to determine if the difference is linked to genetic factors. |
Volunteers
Varshika Segar 2024-current
Una Bilcar 2026-current
Una Bilcar 2026-current
Mennigen lab alumni
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Visiting researchers/ Post-docs
Dr. Hyojin Lee - Post-doctoral fellow co-supervised with Dr. Yauk and Dr. O'Brien ECCC Award: Korean Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship Current position: Senior Research Scientist at Korea Institute of Toxicology Dr. Wenqin Tu - Visiting Scholar 2018-2019 Current position: Group leader at the Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang Dr. Lucie Marandel - Visiting Scholar 2018 Awards: Funding: Marie-Curie Agreenskills + FP 7 Current position: Group leader at INRA NuMeA, St. Pee-sur-Nivelle, France Graduate students
Liam Johnston - M.Sc. 2023-2025 Awards: OGS Jory Curry - M.Sc. 2021-2023 Awards: NSERC-CGS; Nomination for best MSc thesis Faculty of Science Current position: Bioinformatician / Toxicogenomics Specialist, Environment and Climate Change Canada Sergio Cortes-Ramires - visiting Ph.D. 2023 Giancarlo Talarico - M.Sc. 2021-2023 Current position: Law school, University of Leicester, UK. Divya Ramachandran - M.Sc. 2020-2022 Current positions: Thermo Fisher Sales Representative; Patent examiner for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada - Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada. Bailey Bedard - M.Sc. 2019-2022 Current position: Research technician, Canadian Wildlife Federation Mais Jubouri - M.Sc. 2018-2020 Current position: Lab technician University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine Rubén Martínez López - visiting Ph.D. student 2017-2019 Funding: Spanish Ministry of Education) Awards: Best PhD thesis Univeritad de Barcelona Current position: Scientific Researcher in LEITAT Technological Center Reem Al-Harti - Ph.D. student 2017-2018 Funding: Saudi Arabia Scholarship Current position: PhD student, University of Manchester, UK. Dan Kostyniuk - M.Sc. 2018-2020 Awards: Mitacs Globalink; John Armstrong Award for best BSc thesis in Biology; MSc thesis award Faculty of Science Positions: Technical Support Specialist / Technologist at DNA Genotek; Health Canada; Scientific Evaluator, Environmental Assessment Directorate of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Health Canada Zeinab Altmieme - M.Sc. student 2017-2019 Current position: Research technician in the Department of Regenerative Medicine at the OHRI, Ottawa Undergraduate students
Joaquin-Andres Ackland-Snow - BEng student 2025-2026 Elizabeth Brown - 4th Year Honour's student 2025-2026 Shuai Dong - 4th Year Honour's student 2025-2026 Marina Spitz - 4th Year Honour's student 2025-2026 Current position: MSc student (co-supervised with Dr. Standen) Sally Adil - NSERC USRA student and 4th Year Honour's student 2024-2025 Current position: Medical school student uOttawa Matthew Damboise - 4th Year Honour's student 2024-2025 Current position: MSc student in Dr. Blais lab (uOttawa) Sophie Sullivan - 4th Year Honour's student 2024-2025 Catherine Cao - 4th Year Honour's student 2023-2024 Current position: MSc/PhD student uOttawa (Mennigen/Pamenter) Lai Wei - 4th Year Honour's student 2023-2024 Current position: MSc student (Mennigen/Bruin) Anna-Maria Lachowicz-Kolbik- 4th Year Honour's student 2023-2024 Vaibhav Kulkarni - 4th Year Honour's student 2022-2023 Current position: MSc student in Bioinformatics uOttawa (Dr. Aris-Broussou) Shahd Haddad - 4th Year Honour's student 2020-2021 Current position: M.Sc. student in Dr.Karpowicz lab at the University of Windsor, ON, Canada. Mélissa Grégoire - 4th Year Honour's student 2020-2021 Current position: Plant pathology technician at Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Julianne Magnan - 4th year Hon. student 2019-2020 Current position: Administrative officer at the Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Jordan Corcoran - 4th year Hon. student 2019-2020 Current position: MSc. student in Dr. Akimenko's lab at uOttawa, ON, Canada; Lab technician in Dr. Akimenko's lab at uOttawa, ON, Canada Giancarlo Talarico - 4th year Hon. student 2019-2020 Current position: Law school, University of Leicester, UK. Kenan Touma - 4th Year Honours student 2018-2019 Current position: M.Sc. student in Dr. Cory Harris' lab, University of Ottawa, ON, Canada. Christine Hum - 4th Year Honours student 2018-2019 Current position: M.Sc. student in John Pezacki's lab at uOttawa, ON, Canada. Mais Jubouri - 4th Year Honour's student 2017-2018 Current position: Lab technician uOttawa, ON , Canada Rida Haider - 4th Year Honours student 2017-2018 Current position: Policy Analyst Health Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada. Majd Haddad - 4th Year Honours student 2017-2018 Current position: PharmD candidate, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, ON, Canada. Jessica Zon - 4th Year Honours student 2017-2018 Current position: Research technician Sick Kids; Med School U of T/ Tel Aviv Fatameh Pakdelsamadi - 4th Year Honour's student 2022-2023 Kusum Sharma - 4th Year Honour's student and NSERC USRA student 2021-2022 Rita Wehbe - 4th Year Honour's student 2021-2022 and summer volunteer Sham Haddad - 4th Year Honour's student 2021-2022 and summer volunteer Jacey Chou - 4th Year Honour's student 2020-2021 Current position: M.Ed., University of Toronto, ON, Canada. Raphaël Chakal - 4th Year Honour's student 2020-2021 Current position: General dentistry (DMD), McGill University, QC, Canada. Tyler Eng - 4th year Honours student 2019-2020 Awards: EcoCanada Current position: M.Sc. student in Dr. Chan's lab at uOttawa, ON, Canada. Melissa Allaire-Leung - 4th Year Hon. student 2018-2019 Current position: GECA Environment, Quebec City, QC, Canada. Alexandria Trahan - 4th Year Hon. student 2018-2019 Current position: MSc Cooke lab (Carleton University); Government Adina Gotzmann - 4th Year Honours student 2017-2018 Current position: Vet tech Manuela Fonseca - 2nd Year UROP student 2017-2018 Current position: Electrical engineering student, uOttawa, ON, Canada. Dan Kostyniuk - 4th Year Honour's student 2017-2018 Awards: John Armstrong Award for best BSc thesis in Biology Current Position: Technical Support Specialist / Technologist at DNA Genotek, Ottawa, ON, Canada Health Canada - Pesticide Regulations Interns, Volunteers and Visitors
Taanishi Wadhi
Zachary Hennigar Sophia McKillop Jith Thomas Hana Mirmajidi Zachary Hennigar Makayla Roy Adéle Deshaies Tyler Nguyen Nha-Thi Luu Hanna Hutchinson Tess Julian Georges Coté Jon Tea Tomi Haastrup Pamphile Agbohessou |
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