The Cosa Group
Cosa Group Annual BBQ, Summer 2023. On the back, left to right: Denys Holovan, Andy Shin, Oleksii Hurzhii, Sandra Simard, Julia McCain, Gonzalo Cosa, Alexander Al-Feghali, Jorge Ramos Sanchez, Anthony Van Kessel, and Aya Sakaya.
Front, left to right: Laiyi Xu, Andres Durantini, Sol Martinez, Terri Lovell, Paty Islas, Kevin Zhang, Florencia Fungo, Cynthia Li, and Heidi Dewling
Principal Investigator
Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Fellows
Alexander Al-Feghali
Ph.D. Student
Pulp & Paper Building, Room 302
Tel: 514-398-6230
Alejandro Blasco, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Pulp & Paper Building, Room 302
Tel: 514-398-6230
Heidi Dewling
Ph.D. Student
Pulp & Paper Building, Room 302
Tel: 514-398-6230
Florencia Fungo
Ph.D. Student
Pulp & Paper Building, Room 302
Tel: 514-398-6230
Denys Holovan
Ph.D. Student
Pulp & Paper Building, Room 302
Tel: 514-398-6230
Paty Islas Garcia
Ph.D. Student
Pulp & Paper Building, Room 302
Tel: 514-398-6230
Terri Lovell, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Pulp & Paper Building, Room 302
Tel: 514-398-6230
Jorge Ramos Sanchez
Ph.D. Student
Pulp & Paper Building, Room 302
Tel: 514-398-6230
Aya Sakaya, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Pulp & Paper Building, Room 302
Tel: 514-398-6230
Group Alumni
Graduate Students
Wenzhou (Kevin) Zhang, Ph.D.
09/2016 - 12/2023
Thesis Title: Instigating and Investigating Cellular Chemistry via Fluorescence Microscopy
Anthony Van Kessel, Ph.D.
09/2017 - 11/2023
Thesis Title: Evaluating lipid-derived electrophile detoxification in ferroptosis using fluorescence microscopy
Julia McCain, Ph.D.
09/2016 - 10/2023
Thesis Title: Visualizing and exacerbating reactive oxygen species in live cells with activatable fluorophores and photosensitizers: Synthesis, mechanistic studies and theragnostic applications
Aya Sakaya, Ph.D.
09/2016 - 08/2023
Thesis Title: Fluorescence imaging methodologies towards the study of charge transfer processes and ensuing dynamics in model lipid membranes
Currently: Postdoctoral Researcher at McGill University
Casey Platnich, Ph.D.
09/2015 - 07/2021
Thesis Title: Single-molecule fluorescence methods for DNA nanostructure assembly and actuation
Currently: Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Cambridge, UK.
Yasser Gidi, Ph.D.
09/2013 - 02/2020
Thesis Title: Mechanisms in single molecule fluorescence imaging: from photophysics to biological applications
Currently: Research enigineer at Stanford University, USA.
Richard Lincoln, Ph.D.
09/2011 - 04/2019
Thesis Title: Lighting and enlightening the Chemistry of the cell with Chemoselective BODIPY Dyes
Currently: Postdoctoral Fellow at Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Germany.
Viktorija Glembockytė, Ph.D.
09/2011 - 08/2017
Thesis Title: Photoprotection of Fluorophores Used for Single-Molecule Imaging: A Battle for More Photons
Currently: Postdoctoral Fellow at LMU Munich, Germany.
Lana Greene, Ph.D.
09/2010 - 08/2017
Thesis Title: Development of fluorogenic probes for reaction screening: from design and synthesis, to reactivity and live cell imaging
Currently: Scientist at Alentic Microscience Inc.
Christina Calver, Ph.D.
01/2011 - 06/2017
Thesis Title: Conjugated polyelectrolytes and lipid membranes: from exciton transport to membrane dynamics
Currently: Formulation Chemist at Eco Care Technologies Inc.
Amani Hariri, Ph.D.
01/2010 - 06/2016
Thesis Title: Advancing DNA nanotechnology using single molecule fluorescence methodologies
Currently: Assistant Professor at The University of British Columbia. Canada.
Mei-Ni Belzile, M.Sc.
09/2014 - 08/2016
Thesis Title: Development and Synthesis of Novel BODIPY Probes to Study Electron Transfer and Redox Processes
Currently: Internal Medicine Resident at University of Toronto. Canada
Robert Godin, Ph.D.
09/2009 - 08/2015
Thesis Title: Visualizing and controlling redox processes at the single molecule/particle level
Currently: Assistant Professor at The University of British Columbia, Canada.
John Hardwick, M.Sc.
06/2014 - 12/2014
Thesis Title: Ni2+ as a photostabilising agent for single-molecule photobleaching studies of stepwise-assembled DNA nanotubes
Currently: Ph.D. student at University of Oxford, UK.
Ryan Marko, M.Sc.
01/2011 - 06/2013
Thesis Title: Single molecule fluorescence studies on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase/nucleic acid interactions
Katerina Krumova, Ph.D.
09/2006 - 10/2012
Thesis Title: Development of novel fluorogenic antioxidants for imaging reactive oxygen species in live cells
Currently: Director, Drug Delivery at Laronde Inc. Boston, USA.
Pierre Karam, Ph.D.
09/2006 - 06/2011
Thesis Title: Structure and Dynamics of Supramolecular Systems one Molecule/Particle at a Time
Currently: Associate Professor at American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
An Thien Ngo, Ph.D.
01/2005 - 08/2010
Thesis Title: Tuning the electronic properties of light-harvesting conjugated polyelectrolytes via complexation with lipid vesicles and/or silica beads
Currently: Policy Analyst at Environment Canada
Paul Oleynik, M.Sc.
09/2005 - 08/2007
Thesis Title: Design, synthesis, and characterization of new fluorescent probes for in vivo redox visualization
Currently: Research Assistant at the Ottawa Eye Institute, and Professor at Algonquin College.
Postdoctoral
Sol Martinez, Ph.D.
09/2019 - 03/2020
12/2022 - 08/2023
Katarzyna Jodko-Piórecka, Ph.D.
06/2018 - 06/2020
Currently: Head of the Sustainable Economy and Energy Research Group. Łukasiewicz - ORGMASZ. Warsaw, Poland
Mayra Martínez, Ph.D.
07/2015 - 09/2017
Andres Durantini, Ph.D.
01/2013 - 07/2017
Currently: Assistant Professor, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Illinois, USA.
Katerina Krumova, Ph.D.
10/2012 - 08/2013
Currently: Director, Drug Delivery at Laronde Inc. Boston, USA.
Mathieu Frenette, Ph.D.
02/2012 - 06/2013
Currently: Professor, UQAM
Hsiao-Wei Liu, Ph.D.
07/2009 - 08/2012
Undergraduate Honours Thesis
Celine Prell
05/2018 - 08/2018
Mihai Mesko
05/2017 - 08/2017
Pierre Devlaminck
05/2016 - 08/2016
Zhu Tian Ding
05/2013 - 08/2013
McGill University SURA and CSACS fellowships
Ougjae Cheong
09/2012 - 04/2013
Laura Smith
05/2012 - 08/2012
NSERC-USRA Summer research
Richard Lincoln
05/2011 - 08/2011
NSERC-USRA Summer research, RISE program
Kai Lin Lau
05/2009 - 08/2009
Faculty of Science Award, CSACS program Summer research
Sayuri Friedland
05/2009 - 08/2009
NSERC-USRA Summer research
Catrina Pheeney
05/2007 - 08/2007
NSERC-USRA Summer research
Elisa Fuller
09/2006 - 04/2007
Jeffrey Quesnel
05/2005 - 04/2006
Undergraduate Students
Will Wang
05/2021 - 08/2021
PROMOTE Summer research
NSERC CREATE program
Sandra Simard
05/2021 - 08/2021
PROMOTE Summer research
NSERC CREATE program
Sam Hamroff
05/2021 - 08/2021
Will Wang
06/2020 - 09/2020
Gabriella Morin
01/2020 - 05/2020
Elias Andraos
07/2019 - 08/2019
Danielle Davies
05/2019 - 08/2019
Ryan Karimi
05/2019 - 08/2019
NSERC-USRA Summer research
RISE program
Liam Payne
05/2018 - 08/2018
NSERC-USRA Summer research
RISE program
Vanessa King
05/2018 - 08/2018
McGill University CQMF SURA
Shirley Dong
05/2018 - 08/2018
Chris McChesney
05/2016 - 08/2016
NSERC-USRA Summer research
NSERC-CREATE bionanomachines Summer research
RISE program
Mimi Simmons
05/2016 - 08/2016
McGill University SURA
Briony Lago
05/2015 - 08/2015
CSACS Fellowships
Anais Robert
05/2015 - 08/2015
McGill University SURA
Junan (Xavier) Lin
09/2015 - 12/2015
NSERC-USRA Summer research
RISE program
Sheena Louisia
05/2015 - 08/2015
McGill University SURA
Jesse Gordon
05/2015 - 08/2015
NSERC-USRA Summer research, RISE program
Kathia Bachir
09/2014 - 12/2014
Junan (Xavier) Lin
09/2014 - 12/2014
Ruth Knox
09/2014 - 12/2014
CHEM396
Sheena Louisia
05/2014 - 08/2014
CHEM396
Joon Seung Hwang
01/2014 - 05/2014
CHEM396
James Reeves
05/2013 - 08/2013
NSERC-CREATE bionanomachines Summer research
RISE program
Timothy Teoh
05/2012 - 08/2012
NSERC-USRA Summer research
RISE program
Genevieve Redstone
06/2011 - 08/2011
CHEM396
Mark MacLean
05/2010 - 08/2010
NSERC-USRA Summer research
RISE program
Mien Chien Yu
05/2010 - 08/2010
Christopher Saunders
01/2010 - 04/2010
CHEM 396 program
Robert Aboukhalil
05/2009 - 03/2010
NSERC-USRA Summer research
Hollis Roth
05/2009 - 08/2009
NSERC-USRA Summer research
RISE program
Lukas Bebjak
05/2008 - 08/2008
NSERC-USRA Summer research
RISE program
Kai Lin Lau
05/2008 - 08/2008
Faculty of Science Award
CSACS program Summer research
Amine Benmassaoud
05/2006 - 12/2006
NSERC-USRA Summer research
Melanie Burger
05/2006 - 08/2006
Life Sciences Program, U. Calgary
Yoshihiro Ishihara
05/2005 - 08/2005
NSERC-USRA Summer research
Jeffrey Quesnel
05/2005 - 08/2005
Research Associates
Wayne Mah
11/2007 - 04/2010
Visitors
Mr. Jose Luis Fonseca
01/2021 - 10/2021
Ph.D. Student, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Argentina
Ms. Lorianne Ginot
05/2019 - 07/2019
M.Sc. University Claude Bernard Lyon
Mr. Roger Bresolí-Obach
11/2017 - 01/2018
Ph.D. candidate, Universitat Ramon Llull
Ms. Maria Luiza de Oliveira Pereira
02/2017 - 05/2017
Ph.D. candidate, University of São Paulo
Mr. Rodrigo Ponzio
01/2017 - 04/2017
Ph.D. candidate, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto
Ms. Sol Martinez
09/2016 - 02/2017
Ph.D. candidate, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba
Ms. Isabel Bacellar
05/2015 - 10/2016
Ph.D. candidate, Universidade do Sao Paulo, Brazil
Ms. Sol Martinez
09/2015 - 01/2016
Ph.D. candidate, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba
Mr. Felipe Venegas
10/2013 - 2/2014
M.Sc. U. Andres Bello, Chile
Prof. Pierre Karam
06/2013 - 09/2013
American University of Beiruth, Lebanon
Prof. Cornelia Bohne
03/2013 - 04/2013
Univ. Victoria, Canada
Mr. Juan O. Flores-Rizo
07/2011 - 08/2011
Ph.D. candidate, Univ. Guanajuato, Mexico
Ms. Laura Hernandez
06/2011 - 07/2011
Ph.D. candidate, Univ. Nacional de Rio Cuarto, Argentina
Prof. Rodrigo Palacios
06/2011 - 07/2011, 05/2010 - 06/2010
Univ. Nacional de Rio Cuarto, Argentina
Dr. Hsiao-Wei Liu
09/2007 - 11/2007
National Taiwan University, Taiwan