OUR TEAM
LISA OSBORNE
Principal Investigator
Lisa has had a long-standing interest in host-pathogen interactions and how the regulation of inflammation and immunity intersect. After completing her PhD (Ninan Abraham, UBC 2010), she pursued post-doctoral research with David Artis at the University of Pennsylvania where she received fellowship support from the Cancer Research Institute as an Edmond J Safra scholar. In 2015, she joined the Microbiology & Immunology department at UBC as the Canada Research Chair in Host-Microbiome Interactions.
JUNG HEE SEO
Lab Manager
Jung Hee has been at UBC for over 15 years, and in the Osborne Lab since 2015. Her extensive molecular biology, tissue culture and managerial skills keep the whole place running smoothly.
Leah HOHMAN
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2021 - )
After completing her PhD (Nathan Peters, University of Calgary) Leah joined the Osborne lab to study age-related alterations to the immune system and the microbiota. Leah aims to elucidate mechanisms between age-related alterations to the microbiome, intestinal immune populations, and the brain. Leah is also passionate about SciComm and teaching.
Outside of the lab, Leah loves singing/playing instruments (with varying levels of competence), spoiling her dogs, and photography.
ANDREW Sharon
PhD Candidate (2017 - )
Andrew is studying how the immune signaling molecule STAT1 coordinates our immune response to these viruses by exploring the consequences of STAT1-deficiency. In tandem, Andrew is investigating how common pharmaceuticals can shape our immune responses to intestinal viruses.
SARAH POPPLE
PhD Candidate (2020 - )
Susceptibility to chronic inflammatory diseases is strongly influenced by environmental factors, including commensal bacteria and parasitic worms. Sarah's projects investigate the consequences of helminth or chemically induced restructuring of the microbiota, with the objective of understanding sex-specific immunomodulatory mechanisms contributing to systemic inflammation relief in multiple sclerosis.
Lucas ZHu
PhD Student (2024 - )
One of the important therapeutic interventions for multiple sclerosis (MS) is dietary modifications. A dietary fiber called guar gum has been shown to delay MS onset and severity through inhibition of Th1 differentiation and activation. Lucas will be working on describing the detailed mechanisms of this phenotype.
Josepha klas
PhD Student (2025 - )
Co-supervised with the Domier Lab
Natalia Carranza
Gnotobiotic Core Supervisor (2022 - )
Natalia’s expertise with the closely regulated systems necessary to maintain our gnotobiotic facility provides a unique resource for our lab and collaborators to investigate host-microbiome interactions in the context of infection and autoimmunity. Natalia is passionate about continuing education to guarantee the proper care and monitoring of these animals.
Madi portas
Undergraduate Student (2023 - )
Lindsay Der
Undergraduate Student (2025 - )
ALUMNI
Graduate student Alumni
NAOMI FETTIG
PhD (2018 - 2025)
The intestinal ecosystem as a modifier of autoimmune neuroinflammation.
BLAIR Hardman
PhD (2017 - 2024)
Influences of tissue location and pathogen behaviour on CD8 T cell responses to intestinal viral infections.
Nicola Pett
MSc (2021 - 2023)
Establishing the kinetics of Escherichia bacteriophage T4 and its target bacterium within the intestinal mucosa of a gnotobiotic mouse model.
Nicolette fonseca
Post Doctoral Fellow (2019)
Hannah robinson
MSc (2016 - 2019)
The gut brain axis : impact of dietary fiber on a murine model of multiple sclerosis.
Heather filyk
MSc (2015 - 2017)
An asymptomatic and persistent enteric virus is restricted from causing disease by the host immune system in a STAT1-dependent manner.
alumni
Susan Zhang, BSc
Adrienne Zhang
Adi Chauhin, BSc
Nidin Biju, BSc
Haohua Li, BSc
Elsie Wang, BSc
Vanny Pornsinsiriruk, BSc
Kashish Doshi, BSc
Navid Saleh, MD
Wallace Yuen, MD
Negin Rahanjam