OUR RESEARCH TEAM
We believe that diversity in backgrounds and perspectives fuels innovation and excellence in research. Our team is dedicated to fostering a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable research and training environment where each member is respected and valued for their contributions.
We recognize the systemic barriers that have historically existed and persist for many groups including women, Indigenous peoples, racialized groups, people with disabilities, and sexual and gender minorities. We dedicate ourselves to challenge and remove these obstacles.
Above all, we strive to ensure a safe, positive, nurturing, and supportive workspace for all.
If you are interested in joining our team, please email your resume & transcripts to Dr. Kirk McManus.
Dr. Kirk J. McManus, PhD
Team Lead
I am a professor in Biochemistry & Medical Genetics at the University of Manitoba and a Senior Scientist within the Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute at CancerCare Manitoba. I received my BSc (Honours Genetics) and MSc (Human Genetics) from the University of Manitoba and completed my PhD (Experimental Oncology) from the University of Alberta. Following a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia, I was recruited back to Winnipeg in 2009, to begin my independent research program.
Email: Kirk McManus@umanitoba.ca
Zelda Lichtensztejn, MSc
Lab Manager/Senior Research Technician
Zelda is an essential member of our team and serves as the lab "mom" to all. She is a cytogenetics expert who received her MSc in Israel and has been with us since our inception in 2009. Zelda plays many key roles in the lab (and beyond) including overseeing the entire team, performing experiments, and training junior team members. Furthermore, as an experienced researcher, she is instrumental in providing trouble-shooting advice to all team members and helping them successfully complete their research projects and programs.
Email: Zelda.Lichtensztejn@umanitoba.ca
Dr. Lucile Jeusset, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Lucile completed her undergraduate program in France with a number of research placements throughout Europe and Canada. She joined our team initially as an MSc Student but given her research acumen and productivity, transitioned into the PhD program, which she completed in 2021. Lucile is now back in Winnipeg and rejoined our team as a Post-Doctoral Fellow, who is now focusing her attention on SKP2 and its potential implications in the development and therapeutic targeting of tubo-ovarian, high-grade serous carcinoma.
Email: Lucilemariepaule.jeusset@umanitoba.ca
Ezri Trump, BSc
MSc Student
Ezri received her BSc (Biology) from the Canadian Mennonite University in 2024. She originally joined our team as a research technician and transitioned into a MSc program in May 2025. Her project is focused on optimizing and applying an innovative therapeutic approach (PROTACs; PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera) to selectively target and kill cancer cells with increased abundance of proteins known to induce chromosome instability and promote early cancer development, with a particular focus on colorectal and ovarian cancers.
Email: Trumpe@myumanitoba.ca
Nicole Gerber, BSc
MSc Student
Nicole received her BSc (Honors) in Anatomy and Cell Biology in 2023 from the University of Saskatchewan and joined our team in May 2024. Her research project is focused on FBXO30, a gene that is suspected to be essential for the maintenance of genome and chromosome stability in humans. The loss of FBXO30 is also proposed to contribute to the development of many cancers, including colorectal cancer.
Email: Gerbern@myumanitoba.ca
Emerson Brazil, MSc
MSc Student
Emerson comes to us from Brazil, where he completed a BSc in Biomedical Sciences and a MSc in Sciences and Health, both from the Federal University of Piaui. He joined our team in September 2024 and is focused on studying RBX1, a gene proposed to contribute to genome instability and early colorectal cancer development. He is currently applying his newly acquired skills to generate some exciting results.
Email: Donascie@myumanitoba.ca
Demi Andromidas, BSc
BSc Medicine Student
Demi originally joined our team as a Research Technician and has contributed to numerous projects within the team. She was subsequently accepted into Medicine at the University of Manitoba and we are lucky to have her rejoin us for two summers to complete her BSc Medicine research project. Her project is focused on FBXO44 that when altered, is suspected to induce chromosome instability and contribute to colorectal cancer development.
Email: Andromid@myumanitoba.ca
David Ben
Summer Student
David is a first-year undergraduate student in the Interdisciplinary Health Program at the University of Manitoba, who first engage our team as a high school student. We are excited to have him back with us, and he is partnered with Dr. Helen Chen.
Email: Bend1@myumanitoba.ca
Francesco Caligiuri
Summer Student
Fran is a second-year undergraduate student in the BSc Program at the University of Manitoba. We are excited to have him join our team where he is assisting Emerson Brazil with his MSc project.
Email: Caligiuf@myumanitoba.ca
Quinn Derksen
Summer Student
Quinn is a first-year undergraduate BSc student at the University of Manitoba. We are excited to have her join our team where she is assisting Nicole Neudorf with a summer research project.
Email: Derkse66@myumanitoba.ca
Sumeet Dhaliwal
Summer Student
Sumeet is a second-year undergraduate student within the Interdisciplinary Health Program at the University of Manitoba. We are excited to have her join our team where she is assisting Nicole Gerber with her MSc project.
Email: Dhaliw79@myumanitoba.ca
Mirka Sliwowski
Laboratory Technician
Mirka joined our team in collaboration with Dr. Mark Nachtigal and the Manitoba Ovarian Biobanking Program in 2018. She is a tissue culture specialist who collects and processes samples from ovarian cancer patient donors to isolate the cancer cells for downstream research studies. She is a member of the Manitoba Ovarian Cancer Research Team and is essential to allow us to perform our collaborative, leading-edge translational research program.
Email: Msliwowski@cancercare.mb.ca
FORMER TEAM MEMBERS
QuIPS PLATFORM TEAM
Please visit the Quantitative Imaging, Phenotyping, and Sorting (QuIPS) Platform homepage for information about instrumentation, services provded, and user fees.
Nicole Neudorf, MSc
Platform Manager
Nicole completed her BSc at the University of Manitoba and subsequently joined our team as a technician and then as a MSc student. Her research project was focused on identifying the molecular origins of colorectal cancer and utilized quantitative imaging microscopy and genetic techniques including siRNA and CRISPR/Cas9. Nicole joined the Platform at its inception in 2023, and was promoted to Platform Manager, where she is happy to consult and assist clients, with a particular focus on their molecular imaging needs.
Email: Nicole.Neudorf@umanitoba.ca
Dr. Helen Chen, PhD
Research Associate
Helen joined the Platform in 2025 and brings a wealth of highly relevant experience stemming from her time as a Research Associate at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Her focus within the Platform is to develop, optimize, and expedite novel workflows to forge research pipelines that span the QuIPS Platform instrumentation, including developing CRISPR libraries, optimizing single cell library preparation, and performing quantitative imaging microscopy. Helen is available to consult and assist with assay development and grant applications.
Email: Helen.Chen1@umanitoba.ca
Arshani Alukumbura, MSc
Platform Technician
Arshani joined the Platform at its inception in 2023 after completing a BSc (Honors) at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and an MSc (Plant Science) from the University of Manitoba. Given her previous experience and recent training, Arshani specializes in assisting clients with their single cell library preparations (10X Genomics) and their cell sorting (FACSMelody) needs. Arshani is always willing to help clients out, whether it be pre-consulting on a new project and assisting with trouble shooting activities.
Email: Arshani.Alukumbura@umanitoba.ca
Obinna Ohaegbula
CRISPR Technician
Obinna joined the Platform in 2024 after receiving a BS (Medical Technology) from the American University of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates and a Certificate in Functional Genomics and Clinical Consultation from Canadore College. Obinna received extensive training from Dr. Joel Pearson in CRISPR/Cas9 technologies and is responsible for all aspects of the CRISPR platform including traditional Cas9 gene knockout, CRISPRa, CRISPRi, and CRISPR library generation.
Email: Obinna.Ohaegbula@umanitoba.ca