MacNeil Laboratory
McMaster University
Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences
Lesley MacNeil, PhD (she/her)
I obtained my undergraduate degree in Microbiology from the University of Guelph. I continued my studies at McMaster University where I obtained a Masters degree studying tumor formation and mammary gland development with Dr. John Hassell. I completed my PhD at the University of Toronto where, co-supervised by Dr. Joseph Culotti and Dr. Jeff Wrana, I worked on regulation of axon guidance and cell migration. From Joe, I gained a love of genetics, neurons and all things C. elegans and from Jeff, I gained a love of signal transduction and molecular biology.
In 2009, I was lucky enough to be awarded a CIHR post-doctoral fellowship to work with Dr. Marian Walhout at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in the Program for Systems Biology. During my post-doc, I mapped out transcriptional networks that regulate gene expression in the C. elegans intestine. At the same time I was drawn back to my microbiology roots and began to explore the impact of bacterial diet on C. elegans development and metabolism.
In 2015, I started my own group at McMaster University where we study pretty much everything having to do with worms and bacteria (check out our research page). I am a member of the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR).
Sommer Chou, PhD Candidate (she/her)
Sommer completed her Honours Bachelor of Science in Integrated Science with a specialization in Biochemistry at McMaster University. She joined the MacNeil lab during her fourth year thesis project in collaboration with the Wright lab, and stayed for the start of her MSc studies. Sommer then transferred into the PhD program in January 2021, with her project focusing on the identification of natural products that kill, paralyze, or delay the development of C. elegans to find compounds that are potentially toxic to parasitic worms. Using C. elegans as a model of pathogenesis, she hopes to discover treatment options for helminthiases. Outside of the lab, Sommer can be found eating chocolate, but she is allergic to foods that look like brains! (walnuts and pecans)
Nial Navaratne, PhD Student (he/him)
Nial completed his Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology at the University of Toronto, where he gained an interest in host-microbiota interactions. His research in the MacNeil lab focuses on the impact human microbiota isolates have on neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s models of C. elegans. He’s particularly interested in Enterobacter isolates from the human gut, and how they impact the regulation of genes that contribute to tau-induced neurodegeneration. Prior to joining the lab, Nial spent his summers as a camp counsellor at the Tim Horton's Children's foundation.
Jacob Sutoski, MSc Candidate (he/him)
Jacob completed his Bachelor of Health Science in Biochemistry at McMaster, before continuing his studies in Biochemistry as an MSc student. In the MacNeil lab, Jacob is working to identify protein-protein interactions that facilitate signalling through a recently-discovered scaffolding protein in C. elegans, SHC-3. Outside of the lab, he can be found cheering on his favourite football and hockey teams, or working with the McMaster Intramurals as a referee.
Sofia Di Francesco, MSc Candidate (she/her)
Sofia completed her Honours Bachelor of Science in Biology at McMaster before pursuing a Master's degree in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. In the MacNeil lab, she is working with C. elegans models of Alzheimer's disease to examine the role of nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) in disease. Outside of the lab, Sofia can be found at a local concert, laughing at comedy podcasts, reading books, and spending time with her family & friends!
Past Lab Members
Sophie Ngana, PhD
Biochemistry and Biomedical Science PhD Graduate 2023
Sabih Rashid, MSc
Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences MSc. Graduate 2018
Kim Pho, PhD
Biochemistry and Biomedical Science PhD Graduate 2022
Salah Uddin Khan, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Alex Jiang, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Mercedes Di Bernardo, MSc
Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences MSc Graduate 2021
Lab Technician
Victoria Leon Guerrero, MSc
Biochemistry and
Biomedical Science
MSc Graduate 2021
