Research Group

Group Members

Dr. Todd Hoare

Associate Professor and University Scholar, Department of Chemical Engineering
Canada Research Chair in Engineered Smart Materials (Tier 2)

Todd Hoare received a B.Sc. (Eng.) in Engineering Chemistry from Queen’s University in 2001 and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from McMaster in 2006. He returned to McMaster in 2008 to join the faculty after a two-year NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)-sponsored post-doctoral fellowship in Robert Langer’s laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Dr. Hoare’s work has been profiled by Popular Science, Maclean’s, and BBC for its potential in solving clinical challenges through innovative smart materials design. He has won an NSERC Innovation Challenge award recognizing the novelty of his research. He also received the 2016 Early Career Investigator Award from the Canadian Biomaterials Society, an Early Researcher Award and the 2009 John Charles Polanyi Prize in Chemistry from the Government of Ontario recognizing his accomplishments in his early career as a researcher and was a finalist for the 2012 President's Award for Graduate Supervision.  Dr. Hoare is currently the Associate Editor of Chemical Engineering Journal and is a member of the Editoral Advisory Boards of Biomacromolecules and Colloid and Polymer Science. He also teaches one undergraduate course and two graduate courses in the Department of Chemical Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering at McMaster.
office: JHE-A409  |  e-mail: hoaretr@mcmaster.ca   |  phone: (905) 525-9140 ext.24701

Somiraa Said

I received my B.Sc. (2005) and M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Sciences (2010) from Alexandria University, Egypt. I was awarded my Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering (Biomaterials) in 2016, from Western University. My Ph.D. work involved studying the controlled delivery of growth factors from electrospun fibers for therapeutic angiogenesis. I joined the Hoare Lab as an NSERC postdoctoral fellow in April 2017 and my project involves studying externally activated hydrogel electrospun fibrous scaffolds for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. 

Lisha Zhao

I received my BEng at Jiangnan University in 2008 in China and my MSc degree at Dalhousie University in 2011, both in Food Science and Technology. My undergraduate and master research were mainly focused on fabrication of lipid based nanoparticles to delivery enzymes and nutraceuticals. After that, I completed my PhD studies at University of Alberta, working on fabrication and characterization of liposomes to deliver hydrophobic and hydrophilic bioactives and in vitro analysis. I joined the Hoare Lab in September 2017 with a collaborative research project with Suncor/Petro-Canada.

Zhicheng Pan

I graduated from Sichuan University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Polymer Science and Engineering and received my MSc degree in Materials Science (2015), and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering (2018) at Sichuan University. My research was mainly focused on developing polymeric micelle drug delivery systems for tumor treatment and studying the interaction between functional groups in micelles to offer a guidance on the rational design of effective drug delivery systems. I joined the Hoare Lab in July 2018, focused on developing a new class of bio/organic coatings.

 

Xiaoyun Li

I received my bachelors degree from South China University of Technology in 2013 and my PhD degree in the same university in 2018. My previous work is focused on biomass-based nanocomposites for biomedical applications. I joined the Hoare Lab as a postdoctoral fellow in August 2018, focusing on developing nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery systems. 

Ali Akbari

I completed my BSc, MSc and PhD in Food Science and Technology at Ferdowsi University, Isfahan University of Technology (Iran) and University of Alberta, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at University of Alberta (2016-2018). Fabrication of protein and protein/polysaccharide nanoparticles, studying their interaction with intestinal epithelial cells, as well as the fate of encapsulated bioactives and probiotic bacteria in food processing and the gastrointestinal tract were the main focus of my PhD and postdoc research. I joined Dr. Hoare’s lab in July 2018 with an industrial postdoctoral project in collaboration with Suncor. 

Madeline Simpson

I graduated from the University of Ottawa’s Biotechnology Co-op program in 2014 and received a B.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering and an Honours B.Sc. with a Specialisation in Biochemistry. I completed three work terms as well as my Honours thesis with Dr. Tito Scaiano and Dr. Emilio Alarcon, focused on the development of biomaterials using antimicrobial collagen-stabilized silver nanoparticles. I joined Dr. Hoare’s lab as a Master’s student in the fall of 2014, working on developing nanogel formulations facilitating the delivery of drugs across the blood-brain barrier, and transferred to the Ph.D. program in January 2016. 

Kevin De France (co-supervised with Dr. Emily Cranston)

I completed my bachelor's degree in 2014, studying Chemical and Bioengineering at McMaster University. I have previously worked for Xerox studying synthesis pathways for solid ink technologies, and for EcoSynthetix in a quality control capacity. I am now a Ph.D. student interested in utilizing both hydrogels and cellulose nanocrystals for tailored tissue engineering applications.

Eva Mueller

I graduated from the unique 5-year Chemical and Bioengineering undergraduate program (B.Eng.Biosci) at McMaster University in 2017. Since the winter semester of my second year, I started working in Dr. Hoare’s lab, either as a summer USRA student or an in-term volunteer. I was fortunate to work with Daryl Sivakumaran on the development of the temperature-driven covalent self-assembly of well-defined precursor polymers to form nanoscale hydrogel materials that are degradable (addressing a key challenge in this area). My current research goals include understanding and controlling the internal structure and functionality of such particles, and ultimately using these as drug delivery vehicles in a wide array of biomedical applications. Outside the lab, I enjoy mountain biking, hiking, playing tennis, going golfing, performing on the piano or playing clarinet in the McMaster Chamber Orchestra. 

Michael Majcher

I graduated from the University of Akron in 2015 with a BSc in Biomedical Engineering, specializing in biomaterials and tissue engineering.  I started as PhD student in Chemical Engineering in the fall of 2015, working with Dr. Niels Smeets at EcoSynthetix and Dr. Todd Hoare at McMaster University.  My current research focuses on the design and fabrication of “smart” hydrogels using biopolymer nanoparticle building blocks in order to address a variety of biomedical and industrial challenges.

Milana Pikula

B.Sc. in Biotech & Biochemical Eng. and M.Sc. in Chemical Process Eng., both, received from Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy in Belgrade (Serbia). In April, 2017 completed specialization studies in Industrial Pharmacy at Faculty of Pharmacy (Belgrade, Serbia). Research experience in extraction and purification of HMW LM pectin from tropical fruit for medical purposes and industrial experience in food production. Current research is related to the development of a reusable polymeric paper-based device able to conduct rolling circle amplification and produce visible massive DNA amplicons, with a potential use in biosensing technology. 

Samaneh Toufanian

I graduated from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran in 2018 with a BASc in Materials Science and Engineering. During my undergraduate research I mainly focused on producing and characterizing chitosan based bioactive wound dressings and light activated drug release. However, I have always enjoyed the challenges involved with working in an industrial setting and putting science into practice. I started as a PhD student in Chemical Engineering in September 2018. My current research involves studying different methods of producing tissue scaffolds including Pressurised Gas eXpanded (PGX) liquids method. Through our collaboration with Ceapro Inc. and several labs in Michael G. DeGroote Center for Infectious Disease we are hoping to tackle wound healing and antibiotic resistant infections.

 

 

Jonathan Dorogin

I received my BASc from the University of Waterloo in Nanotechnology Engineering in 2016, where I focused my studies on material science and biotechnology. My co-ops ranged from academic and industrial research to industry optimization and management. I am currently working towards my M.A.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering under Dr. Hoare. My research revolves around the design and synthesis of nanocapsules for ultrasound triggered drug delivery. Ultimately the works aims to improve upon the efficiency of chemotherapy and other location-specific treatments.

Ali Babar

I completed my HBSc at McMaster University in the department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour. During my undergraduate career, my research involved studying cognitive abilities such as learning & retention under emotional states, as well as completion of my senior thesis project which examined the underlying mechanisms of kinetic skills with regards to neural circuitry. My current research is focused on the synthesis of starch-based nanoparticles & nanoparticle clusters for improving drug delivery —specifically anti-psychotic medication— to the brain.

Matthew Campea

After spending 5 years at McMaster to receive my B.Sc. in Chemical Biology Co-op, I’m honoured to be working towards my M.A.Sc. with Dr. Hoare. My current research is focused on synthesizing hydrogel-starch nanoparticle clusters for improving anti-cancer drug delivery to solid tumours. My previous research experience includes discovering biochemical mechanisms for the treatment of leukemia under Dr. Rob Laister at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center and utilizing various bioconjugate chemistry techniques to develop a novel, rubber biomaterial for the potential treatment of sepsis under Dr. Ryan Wylie at McMaster University. Outside of the lab you can find me learning how to speak Italian and passionately supporting my favourite soccer team, A.S. Roma.

Ridhdhi Dave

I completed my B.Eng.Biosci. in Chemical and Bioengineering at McMaster University. I have previously worked in the Hoare Lab as an undergraduate thesis student on the development of single-charged dual-responsive microgels as drug delivery vehicles for a wide variety of biomedical applications. My current research is focused on the synthesis and characterization of mucoadhesive nanoparticles that may be used as drug delivery vehicles to treat anterior segment diseases of the eye.

Nathan Dowdall

I received my B.A.Sc. from Queen's University in Chemical Engineering, with a focus on Bioengineering. My undergraduate thesis project under Dr. Juliana Ramsay focused on elucidating the physical and chemical mechanisms responsible for the antibacterial properties of graphene materials. Now pursuing an M.A.Sc. in Chemical Engineering under Dr. Hoare, my research is focused on developing drug-loaded biopolymers for the improved treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.

Francesco Vito

I am going to be entering my fifth year of the Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering program at McMaster. I am excited to be working in the Hoare Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Hoare, Dr. Smeets, and Michael Majcher. I will be working on using EcoSynthetix’ starch nanoparticles for fabricating protein-repellent UV polymerizable coatings. For fun, you can find me playing pickup soccer or hiking in Cootes Paradise.

Shalimar Ramos

I am entering my second year of Engineering at McMaster. I am thrilled to be part of the Hoare Lab. I will be helping Jonathan Dorogin, Madeline Simpson, and Andrew Singh on controlled release experiments in their research of ultrasound release vehicles, microgels, and self-assembled nanoparticles. Outside of the lab, I enjoy watching Marvel movies, baking, and listening to music.

Norma Garza

I am studying Biotechnology Engineering at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico. I have been collaborating as a research assistant in the Alvarez and Trujillo Lab, where I work in 3D chaotic bioprinting using a Kenics mixer in order to create complex structures at high resolution, and more recently in the development of nanofibers with well-defined internal structure for biomedical applications. As a participant in the MitacsGlobalink program this year, I am very excited to be working in the Hoare Lab in the project 3D Bioprinting of Externally Responsive Cell Scaffolds.

Anna Basatskaya

I am entering my third year of Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences with a specialization in Chemical Engineering. I look forward to working under the guidance of Ali Babar and Matthew Campea on the formation and optimization of starch-based nanoclusters for drug loading and release to achieve targeted drug delivery to neuronal and cancer cells. Outside of the lab I enjoy being outdoors, cooking, listening to/playing music, and playing with my pet hedgehog!

Menatalla Ellag

I am Menatalla, entering my fourth year of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Guelph. I am fortunate to be part of the Hoare Lab under the supervision of Zohreh Farsangi and Samaneh Toufanian. My work in the lab primarily focuses on the designing of drug-releasing nanoparticles that can be magnetically activated. I am excited to be working and positively contributing to the lab team. Outside the lab, you will probably catch me travelling, reading, or practicing some impressive Taekwondo kicks.

Chloe Dawson

I am entering my fourth year of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering here at McMaster. I am very excited to be working in the Hoare Lab, under the guidance of Lisha Zhao and Ali Akbari. I will be working to develop delivery systems for plant immune aids on a research project in collaboration with Suncor. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking to the waterfalls in Hamilton, traveling, biking and cooking. 

Maya Ziolkowska

I am entering my third year of the Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences Program, with a specialization in Chemical Engineering. This summer I am working under the supervision of Dr. Ali Akbari, focusing on the development of protein complex delivery systems for the encapsulation of plant immune aids. In my free time, I enjoy drawing, photography, kickboxing, as well as spending time outdoors with my dogs.

Kathryn Whitesell-O'Melia

I have just completed my first year of biomedical engineering at McMaster University and am excited to be working under Lisha Zhao on developing nanoscale delivery vehicles for agricultural applications. Outside of school and work, I enjoy hiking and reading. This summer I am looking forward to learning as much as I can while working at the Hoare Lab.  

Mosana Abraha

"I am entering my third year in the Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences Program, where I have chosen to specialize in the Chemical Engineering stream. I am excited to be working in the Hoare lab this summer under the supervision of Dr. Zhicheng Pan. Some hobbies I enjoy include: playing soccer, running, and spending time with my family and friends.

Jonathan Que

I am entering my second year of Engineering at McMaster. I'm helping Andrew Singh and Samaneh Toufanian in their research of electrospraying for making activatable nanocapsules, and electrospinning for making tissue scaffolds from nanofibers. Outside of the lab, I enjoy cooking/baking, watching movies and eating popcorn, playing frisbee, as well as dragon boat racing.

Yasamin Allahverdi

I am going into my fourth year of undergraduate studies in the biomedical discovery and commercialization program at McMaster. I’ll be working under the supervision of Xiaoyun Li and Dr. Hoare on a nanoscale drug delivery project. Our project focuses on testing nanoparticle therapeutics that consist of smaller nanoparticles carrying cancer drugs to better aim tumor tissues. In my free time, I like to paint with multiple media and sell my paintings.

Alex McKay

I am currently on a 16 month long co-op at Hoare Lab, between my fourth and fifth year of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering.  My work mostly involves performing fungal and bacterial assays, but there are many other tasks involved in the job. I participate in extra curricular activities at Mac including being a member of the Chem Eng Club as VP Events, and I also play Alto Sax as part of the Mac Eng Musical. I am super excited to be a part Hoare Lab, and I hope that I can make a positive impact.

Claudia Isaac

I am a third year Biochemistry student at the University of Waterloo working under the guidance of Ali Akbari and Lisha Zhao.  The majority of my work is focused on performing fungal and bacterial assays for a project in collaboration with Suncor.  Outside the lab, I enjoy hiking, watching movies and spending time with my family and friends.

Gero Padberg

Summer Student (2018)

I graduated from RWTH Aachen University in Germany with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2017 and I am now in the first year of my Master studies. In my past researches I focused on the assembly and covalent attachment of PVCL-based temperature-sensitive microgels on surfaces. On the assembled microgels the movement of cells can be directed. I am joining the Hoare lab for this summer and I am going to work on the fabrication and characterization of charged self-assembled microgels for drug delivery applications. Outside the lab I enjoy playing piano, listening to classical music and playing badminton.

Troy Stoner

Summer Student (2017)

Research Topic: Antibacterial Testing of Light-Reative Biomolecules for Plants

Ashlyn Leung

Summer Student (2017)

I am entering my third year at McMaster University. I am currently majoring in Chemical Biology after two years in the Integrated Science program. I am excited to be working with Michael Majcher and Ali Babar on designing "smart" hydrogels using starch nanoparticles (SNP) for biomedical applications. We are in the process of developing nanoparticle-of-nanoparticle clusters of SNPs for intranasal drug delivery. Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing the piano, hiking and travelling.

Kaylie Lau

Summer Student (2017)

Research Topic: Starch Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Anti-Fungal Delivery to Plants

Kaleela Kadir

Undergraduate Student (2016-2017)

Research Topic: Polyelectrolyte Complex and Hydrogel Delivery of Plant Immune Aids

Caleb Seo

Undergraduate Student (2016)

I'm entering my final year of Honours Biochemistry. Over the summer of 2016, I have worked with Dr. Murray Junop and Dr. David Haniford to study the interaction of a unique sRNA that interacts with all three surfaces of Hfq, a hexameric protein acclaimed as a global post translational regulator. Outside academia, I enjoy playing basketball, swimming, fighting games and hiking Cootes Paradise on a Saturday morning.  

Nicola Muzzin

Master's Student (2016-2018)

I completed my BASc in Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo. I have previously worked on a polymeric nanoparticle drug delivery system at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, and developed sensor chip modifications for a benchtop SPR device with Nicoya Lifesciences. My research is currently focused on stabilizing a porous polymeric networks to be used for cell scaffolding and controlled drug release. 

Kelli Johnson

Master's Student (2016-2018)

I graduated from Queen's University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Chemistry.  While at Queen's, I completed an undergraduate thesis focused on the functionalization of allylic polymers to prevent scorch during injection molding.  I am currently working towards an M.A.Sc. with Dr. Todd Hoare and Ceapro, a biotech company based out of Edmonton.  My research involves the use of Ceapro's novel PGX technology to produce highly porous polymer morphologies.  It is my goal to stabilize these porous PGX templates through UV photocrosslinking or surface modifications for use in biomedical and environmental applications.

Courtney van Ballegooie

Undergraduate Student, 2014 and 2016

Research Topic:  Microfluidic-Based Approaches for Few or Single-Cell Encapsulation

Lukas Sadowski

I completed my undergraduate studies at York University, earning a double major in chemistry and biology. My undergrad thesis was in the field of supramolecular chemistry and focused on the “Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Expanded Calix(n)arenes and Oxacalix(n)arenes”. I pursued my graduate studies at McMaster University in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, working on the synthesis and radiolabeling of “Bis-MPA Dendrimers as a Platform for Molecular Imaging Applications”. After completing my PhD, I seized the opportunity to join the Hoare Lab and have been fortunate to work on a number of exciting projects with a very talented group of people! My main project encompasses nanoparticle drug delivery systems based on synthetic block polymers. 

Vitaliy Kapishon

Post-Doctoral Fellow (2015-2017)

I graduated with a B.Sc. Hnrs. in Chemistry (Biological/Pharmaceutical Stream) in 2009 and Masters in Chemistry, specializing in mass spectrometry and ion mobility of biomarkers in 2011, both from York University. In 2015 I received a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Queen’s University where I have worked in biomaterial and polymer engineering, specializing in living radical polymerizations, modification of natural materials and polymeric drug delivery systems. I have been working as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Hoare since December 2015 in a joint project with Suncor / Petro-Canada. 

Meghan Rothenbroker

Undergraduate Student (2016)

I am entering my final year of the Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization program. I am very excited to be working alongside Lukas Sadowski on designing physically-targeted nanoparticles for cancer therapy. Outside of research I enjoy running, watching documentaries (especially on space), and indulging in chocolate.

Carter McInnis

Undergraduate Student (2016-2017)

I am entering my final year of Chemical Biology at McMaster University and am excited to be working with Michael Majcher on the development of "smart" hydrogels using biopolymer nanoparticles for biomedical and industrial applications. Currently, I am working on the development of starch nanoparticle network hydrogels for enhanced drug delivery. Outside the lab I enjoy playing basketball and supporting first year students as a Welcome Week Residence Representative.

Maria Budi Hartono

Undergraduate Student

I will be entering my second year of Biochemistry at McMaster University in the fall. I am excited to work in The Hoare Lab this summer under the mentorship of Dr. Hoare and Fei Xu on high-throughput hydrogel analysis. Outside the lab, I enjoy drawing, playing piano, and hiking when the weather is nice. Currently I am trying to be able to run 10k.

Ana Arezina

Undergraduate Student (2016-2017)

Research Topic: Self-Assembled Degradable Microgels with Smart Functionality

Haniah Shaikh

Undergraduate Student (2017-2018)

I am entering my second year of Health Sciences at McMaster University. I am currently working with Jonathan Dorogin over the summer to develop nano-capsules designed for ultrasound-mediated localized drug delivery. Other than working on this research project, you can find me volunteering with education advocacy groups like The Citizen’s Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sister’s Canada, drawing digital illustrations and watercolour painting, or going for hikes with my friends and family.

John Vairo

Undergraduate Student (2017)

I am entering my second year of Mechanical Engineering at McMaster. I am very excited to be working in The Hoare Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Hoare and Lukas Sadowski. I will be producing block co-polymers and assessing different polymer drug formulations through drug loading and release kinetics. Through bio-distribution studies on these formulations we will be able to assess our ability in treating various diseases. Outside of the lab I enjoy playing baseball, golf and snowboarding.

Lauren Weir

Summer Student (2018)

I will be entering my third year of Chemical and Bioengineering at McMaster University. I am excited to be working in the Hoare Lab under the guidance of Somiraa Said on the magnetically triggered glass transition switchable nanocomposites for on-demand drug delivery. Outside the lab, I enjoy drawing, movies, and YouTube.

Juliana Onesi

Summer Student (2018)

I am entering my second year of the Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences program at McMaster. I am excited to be working with Somiraa Said on the electrospinning of hydrogel-based tissue scaffolds for engineering applications. Outside the lab, you can find me baking, watching Netflix, and enjoying the occasional hike.  

Laura Carter

Summer Student (2018)

I am entering my second year of Integrated Biomedical Engineering & Health Sciences and I will be specializing in Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering. I am excited to be working in The Hoare Lab with Jonathan Dorogin on ultrasound triggered drug delivery. Some activities that I enjoy outside the lab include camping, curling, and volunteering.

Cynthia Pham

Summer Student (2018)

I will be going into my 3rd year of Chemical and Bioengineering here at McMaster and I am excited to be working under the guidance of Michael Majcher and Dr. Hoare to use modified nanoparticles to deliver anti-fungal chemicals for agricultural development. Outside of the lab this summer, I can be found at the gym, exploring Hamilton or working to plan the McMaster Engineering Competition, partaking in Chemical Engineering Club and organizing events for incoming off-Campus students. 

Alan Mo

Thesis Student (2018-2019)

I am entering my fourth year in the Chemical Biology Program at McMaster. Under the guidance of Kelli Johnson, Nicola Muzzin and Dr. Hoare, I am excited be working on the development of macroporous hydrogels derived from pressurized gas expanded liquids-processed biopolymers for applications such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, wound healing, and bio-separation applications. When outside of the lab, I enjoy binding my own notebooks and taking care of succulent plants.

Amy Ling

Summer Student (2018)

I will be entering my second year in the Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences program where I will be specializing in chemical and biomedical engineering. I am excited to be working with Lisha Zhao in the fabrication of surfactant nanocapsules and liposomes for agricultural and biomedical applications. Outside the lab, I love baking, swimming, biking and travelling.

Ugonwa Echendu

Undergraduate Thesis Student (2017-2018)

I am in my final year of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering at McMaster University. I am delighted to be working in the Hoare Lab with Madeline Simpson on the development of polymers which would eventually be used for drug delivery to the brain. I will be working on optimizing the cross linker used in these polymers to maximize drug affinity and increase the efficiency of drug delivery. Outside the lab I enjoy weightlifting, playing squash and listening to music. 

Jennifer Boughton

Undergraduate Thesis Student (2017-2018)

I am currently moving into my fourth year of the Chemical Biology Co-op Program at McMaster. For my thesis project, I will be working under the guidance of Michael Majcher and Dr. Hoare on the design of ultra-low protein adsorbing starch nanoparticle thin films. The completion of this project will likely offer a greater insight into the optimization of implantable biomaterials, as well as into the forces guiding protein-hydrogel interactions. When not in the lab, you'll typically find me cycling to some far off place, catching up on a Netflix series everyone has already watched, or helping in weekly cleanups around the Cootes Paradise Watershed. 

Nahieli Preciado

Summer Student (2017)

Research Topic: Magnetically-Activated Drug Release via Glass Transition Switching

Nazrin Azeez

Undergraduate Student (2017)

I am entering my second year of the Health Sciences program at McMaster, and am thrilled to be working in the Hoare Lab under the mentorship of Lukas Sadowski. I will be designing various functionalized nanoparticle formulations for ophthalmic drug delivery applications. Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing basketball, piano, travelling and performing for McMaster's Music in Medicine.  

Michel Syriani

Summer Student  (2017)

Research Topic: Injectable Starch-Based Hydrogels

Seamus Ingram

Summer Student (2017)

Research Topic: Bioactive Self-Assembled Nanomaterials for Targeting Lung Fibrosis

Annika Yardy

Undergraduate Student (2017)

I am entering my second year of Chemical and Bioengineering. With guidance from Vitaliy Kapishon and Dr. Hoare, I am working on the development of surfactant-based, bilayer nanocapsules for the controlled and targeted delivery of agrochemicals. For fun, I enjoy running through Cootes Paradise, baking, and playing volleyball. I also love giving back to the McMaster community by providing tours to prospective engineering students.

Ali Affar

Master's Student (2017-2019)

I completed an Honours Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at McMaster, graduating in 2016. As an undergraduate researcher, I worked on a tattoo-implantable colourimetric assay, for glucose sensing. I then completed a senior thesis project working on the biosynthesis, isolation & assay of an enzyme inhibitor. My current research intends to use chemically modified starch nanoparticles & polymer formulations to develop different hydrogel morphologies. These may be used for a wide range of applications, from drug delivery, to tissue engineering.

Henry Yu

Undergraduate Student (2016)

Research Topic:  Encapsulation of Plant Immune Aids for Agricultural Delivery

Daniel Luo

Undergraduate Student (2016-2017)

I am entering my final year of Chemical Biology with Co-op at McMaster University and am currently doing a collaborative project between the Hoare lab and McGill university in developing light-responsive hydrogels. In my spare time, I like to go waterfall hunting, climb the escarpment, and walk around Locke street. I love serving as a mentor for incoming students, so I have been involved as an IRC Welcome Week leader for the past two years. 

Xudong Deng (co-supervised with Dr. Carlos Filipe, Chemical Engineering)

Ph.D. Student (2012-2016) - Co-supervised with Dr. Carlos Filipe

Research Topic:  Engineering Functional Interfaces for Biosensing, Minimization of Protein Adsorption, and Structural Self-Healing

Justin Piazza (co-supervised with Dr. Ram Mishra, Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience)

Master's Student (2011-2013)

Research Topic:  Novel Antipsychotic Drug Carriers:  The Development of Nanoparticle and Microgel Drug Carriers for Antipsychotic Delivery in the Treatment of Schitzophrenia

Dennis Kinio

Undergraduate Student (2012, 2014-2015)

Research topic:  "Developing novel chemistries for controlling the properties of in situ-gelling 'smart' hydrogels"

Sahil Azeez

Undergraduate Student (2013-2015)

Research topic: "Production of degradable microgel particles by microfluidics"

Mayra Tzoc

Master's Student (2010-2012); Research Technician (2012-2013)

Research Topic:  Designing Dual Thermoresponsive and Photoresponsive Materials for Biomedical Applications

Helen Dorrington

Undergraduate Student (2013-2015); Master's Student (2015-2016)

Research Topic: Synthesis and Characterization of In situ Gelling Hydrogels from Hyperbranched Poly(Oligoethylene Glycol Methacrylate)

Sahar Mokhtari

Master's Student (2012-2014)

Research Topic: Shear-Associative Polymers for Ophthalmic Applications

Emilia Bakaic

Ph.D. Student (2013-2017)

I graduated with  a BSc in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Biology in 2010 from the University of Waterloo. I am currently in the Ph.D. program in Chemical Engineering at McMaster University. My current research focus is designing novel synthetic polymeric matrices for development of superior cell microencapsulative biomaterials to promote long-term cell viability for cellular therapeutics and tissue scaffold engineering applications.

Danielle Maitland

Undergraduate Student (2009-2012); M.A.Sc. Student (2012-2014)

Research Topic:  Injectable, Magnetic "Plum Pudding" Hydrogel Composites for Controlled Pulsatile Drug Release

Rabia Mateen

PhD Student

I graduated from McMaster University in 2009 with a BSc in Biochemistry, specializing in Molecular Biology. In 2011, I completed my Master's degree in Dr. Hoare's lab creating polymeric systems designed for hydrophobic drug delivery. For my PhD work, I am developing a paper-based biosensor for the detection of pathogenic bacteria.

Paniz Sheikholeslami

M.A.Sc. Student (2010-2012); Research Technician (2013)

Research Topic:  Highly Shear-Thinning Mucoadhesive Hydrogels for Ophthalmic Applications

Mathew Patenaude

Ph.D. Student (2009-2014)

Research Topic:  Designing Injectable Hydrogel Biomaterials with Highly-Tunable Properties

Scott Campbell

Ph.D. Student (2010-2016)

I graduated with a BSc in Chemical Engineering from Queen's University in 2010, receiving the B.E.C. Joyce Memorial award as the most outstanding graduate in my program. During my undergrad my research was focused on the synthesis of latexes. I'm currently in the PhD program in Chemical Engineering at McMaster with Dr. Todd Hoare. In moving to McMaster, my research shifted towards "smart" biomaterials, where I focus on synthesizing various thermosensitive polymers and combining them with inorganic materials that give the resulting materials structural advantages and/or allow for triggered changes in the properties of the biomaterial.

Trevor Gilbert

Ph.D. Student (2010-2017)

I received my BASc at the University of Toronto 2007 and my MASc at the University of Toronto in 2010.  My current research project is focused on developing injectable interpenetrating polymer networks. General research interests include manipulating biological adhesion using biomaterials.

Fei Xu (co-supervised with Dr. Heather Sheardown, Chemical Engineering)

PhD Student

I graduated with a BSc in Materials Science and Engineering from Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT) in 2009 and completed myMaster's degree at BUCT in 2012, focusing on photopolymerization and functional biomaterials. I started my Ph.D. program in Chemical Engineering at McMater University in 2013, focused on developing new methods of cell encapsulation via electrospinning and high-throughput hydrogel synthesis. 

Daryl Sivakumaran

M.A.Sc. Student (2008-2010); Ph.D. Student (2010-2015)

Research Topic:  Synthesis and Applications of Degradable Thermoresponsive Microgels

Ian Gough

Summer Student (2015)

Research Topic:  Direct Electrospinning of Degradable Hydrogel Nanofibres 

Pages