Dr. Daniel Saliba | | Postdoctoral Researcher

Hello, I’m from Lebanon, where I completed my bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the Lebanese University and my master’s degree in chemistry at the American University of Beirut. From 2016 to 2022, I pursued my PhD in the Sleiman group, focusing on employing minimalist strategies for large DNA nanostructure assemblies. By the end of 2022, I had joined Galenvs Sciences as a MITACS postdoctoral researcher in partnership with the Sleiman group. My current research focuses on developing chemically modified probes for robust molecular diagnostics.

Dr. Violeta Toader | | CSACS Research Associate

Muhammad Ghufran Rafique | | PhD Candidate

I hail from Karachi, Pakistan, and am the Sleiman Lab’s resident chai connoisseur. After completing a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering at Texas A&M in 2017, I joined the Sleiman Lab (co-supervised by Dr. Perepichka) in 2019. My research focuses on sequence-controlled synthesis of conjugated polymers and the self-assembly of DNA-polymer conjugates. In my spare time, I like to work in the lab. because I am a conscientious graduate student!

Tyler Brown | | PhD Candidate

Hello! I hail from a small town named Lantzville in British Columbia, near which I finished my BSc at the University of Victoria. I joined the Sleiman group in 2019, and my research focuses on the extracellular application of DNA nanotechnology. When not in the lab I enjoy board games, scrapbooking, and cooking new dishes for my friends.

Paty Islas García | | PhD Candidate

Although I was born in Los Angeles, I grew up in Chihuahua (yes, like the dog breed), México. I moved to Mexico City to get my B.Sc. in Chemistry; after graduating, I joined the Sleiman and Cosa groups in 2020 for my Ph.D. studies focusing on DNA-based nanotubes, single-molecule characterization and their applications in biosensing. I love cooking, baking, oil painting, playing videogames and travelling.

Sinan Faiad | | PhD Candidate

Hey! My name is Sinan and I moved to Montreal in the Fall of 2021 to pursue a Ph.D. in the Sleiman group which focuses its work on DNA Nanotechnology. I am originally from Lebanon where I completed my Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at the American University of Beirut. The scope of my research involves using DNA-based nano systems for selective therapeutic delivery in an amplified manner.

Trishalina Das | | PhD Candidate

Hi, I am Trisha. I was born and brought up in Guwahati, India. I did my integrated Bachelor’s and Master’s in Chemical Sciences from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, India. After completing my master’s, I joined the Sleiman Lab in January’22 for my PhD. My research will focus on designing DNA nanostructures and testing them in biological systems. In my free time, you will mostly find me binging a TV series, reading or sleeping!

Hi there! My name is Jessica and I am from Montreal, I love this city and adore spending my free time exploring as much of it as I can! I joined the Sleiman lab in September 2022 and really like the way we look at DNA as a supramolecular polymer; I think this perspective is so cool because it helps bridge biology and chemistry together. My research focuses on merging the small molecule world with DNA to create interesting assemblies.

Yihao Wu | | PhD Candidate

Hello! My name is Yihao. I am from China. I finished my undergraduate study at the University of Toronto. I joined Sleiman’s group for my Ph.D. study on September 2022. My research focus is to improve gene silencing and drug delivery by combining DNA nanostructures and sequence-controlled polymers. I’d like to play badminton and table tennis with my friends during my free time.

Blanche (Ziyi) Sun | | PhD Candidate

Hi! I’m Ziyi, from a beautiful city in Shandong, China. I have a diverse educational background in both chemistry and biomolecular engineering, experiencing different academic systems spanning mainland China, Hong Kong (SAR), and Canada. I am excited to join Sleiman’s research group in 2023, and look forward to exploring the potential of DNA nanotubes in biological applications. Beyond the world of academia, I love music, movies, and outdoor pursuits.

Sally (Chihyu) Yao | | PhD Candidate

Hi! I am Sally. I joined the Sleiman lab in May 2022 as an undergraduate and decided to continue my graduate research after I graduated! I’m from Taiwan but grew up in Shanghai. My research involves using supramolecular assembly between small molecules and nucleic acid strands to induce nuclease resistance. In my spare time, I like to try new things, new foods, especially spicy food. Also, I enjoy playing board games. But when I am in the lab, I run gels. A big user of acrylamide.

Christopher Saab | | PhD Candidate

Hi! I’m Christopher Saab, hailing from the historic city of Byblos, Lebanon, and currently pursuing my PhD at McGill University. My research is dedicated to developing ALENOMERs—Aptamer-Like ENcoded OligoMERs—through DNA-encoded libraries to achieve precise protein target-recognition. Outside the lab, I’m passionate about cooking, watching various sports, and exploring new horizons.

Wolfgang Mueller | | PhD Candidate

I grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia, USA. I did my B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering at RPI. I enjoy cooking, D&D, mining, and making jewelry. My research topics include the De Novo design of enzymes using short sequence peptides on rigid DNA scaffolds.

Fiona Chung | | MSc Candidate

I'm from Ontario where I did my undergrad in Chemical Biology at McMaster University. In my free time, I enjoy playing with my two cats, cooking, building legos, and binge watching TV. My research areas include barcoded DNA nanostructures for in vivo elucidation of structure-activity relationships.

Vivian (Qianyi) Zhang | | PhD Candidate

I grew up in Beijing and moved to Vancouver in high school, then I did my B.Sc. in biochemistry at McGill. I enjoy baking, singing, gaming (play station and switch in particular), and watching Youtube. My research focuses on the De Novo design of enzymes using short sequence peptides on rigid DNA scaffolds.

Adrian Hernandez Najera | | PhD Candidate

I’m from Mexico City, where I completed my undergraduate degree in Nanotechnology Engineering at Tecnológico de Monterrey. In 2024, I moved to Montreal to begin my PhD at McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Moitessier and Dr. Sleiman. My research focuses on leveraging computational methods to accelerate drug discovery.

Zahraa Abdul-Jalil | | PhD Candidate

B.Sc. in Pharmacology, McGill University; First-year Ph.D. in Chemistry, McGill University

Massandjé Bayo | | PhD Candidate

Hi! I’m Massandje. I grew up in Toronto, ON, and completed my undergraduate studies in Chemical Biology at McMaster University. In my free time, I enjoy going to the gym, cooking with friends and watching reality TV.

Sarah-Maude Harvey | | PhD Candidate

Hi! My name is Sarah-Maude and I’m from Rouyn-Noranda, Qc. I moved to Montreal in 2022 for my undergraduate studies and joined the Sleiman lab in the fall of 2025 to pursue my PhD. My research focuses on developing chemically modified aptamers. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, arts and crafts, playing music, and traveling.

Victoire Delattre | | PhD Candidate

Hi, my name is Victoire. I am originally from France and completed my undergraduate and master’s degrees in chemistry at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi in the United States. I am now pursuing my PhD at McGill University in the labs of Dr. Cosa and Dr. Sleiman, my research focuses on DNA supramolecules and single-molecule fluorescence characterization.