Welcome to the Drögemöller Lab

Our lab focuses on using genomics and computational analyses to develop safer and more effective treatments

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Drögemöller Lab

University of Manitoba

About

The Drögemöller Lab uses large-scale genomic and computational analyses to guide the development of novel treatment strategies that offer maximum benefit and minimal harm.

This research is focused specifically on vulnerable and understudied populations (e.g. pediatric and maternal populations) as therapeutic agents are often not designed and tested with these patients in mind.

Interests

  • Genomics
  • Bioinformatics
  • Pharmacogenomics
  • Precision Medicine

Meet the Team

Principal Investigator

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Britt Drögemöller
Assistant Professor
Canada Research Chair
in Pharmacogenomics and Precision Medicine

Lab members

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Avital Kuznecov
Genetics Honors Student

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Deanne Nixie Miao
Lab Technician >
MSc Student

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Mary McAuley
Co-op Student

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Niel Olivier
Mitacs-Globalink South Africa-Canada visiting Postdoctoral Research Fellow

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Samah Ahmed
MSc Student

Alumni

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Bilal Cheema
Genetics Honours Student

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Danielle Johnson
Mitacs-Globalink UK-Canada PhD Exchange Student

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Feryal Ladha
Summer Student >
Undergraduate Student

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Mackenzie Wilke
Summer student >
MSc Student

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Sarah Lyle
Genetics Honors Student >
Co-op Student >
Lab Technician

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Urim Iyasere
Summer Student

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Vaibhav
Summer Student

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Britt Drögemöller
Assistant Professor
Canada Research Chair
in Pharmacogenomics and Precision Medicine

Principal Investigator

Dr. Britt Drögemöller is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Drögemöller holds a Canada Research Chair in Pharmacogenomics and Precision Medicine and is appointed as a Research Scientist at The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba (CHRIM) and an Adjunct Scientist at the CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute.

Awards:

  • Tier 2 CIHR Canada Research Chair
  • Carnegie African Diaspora Fellow
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Samah Ahmed
MSc Student

MSc student

Samah Ahmed is a MSc student in the Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics at the University of Manitoba. Samah graduated with her B.Pharm from the University of Khartoum in 2010. Her MSc project focuses on using automated phenotyping strategies and large-scale genomic analyses to uncover genes and pathways invovled in age-related hearing loss.

Awards:

  • Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Studentship
  • Visual and Automated Disease Analytics Graduate Training Program Studentship
  • Research Manitoba Masters Studentship (declined)
  • International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship

Interests

  • Bioinformatics
  • Pharmacogenomics and Precision Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Voice-Over

Education

  • MSc in Computational Biology, 2021 - 2023

    University of Manitoba, Canada

  • MSc in Molecular Medicine, 2012 - 2014

    University of Khartoum, Sudan

  • B.Pharm, 2005-2010

    University of Khartoum, Sudan

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Deanne Nixie Miao
Lab Technician >
MSc Student

MSc student

Deanne Nixie Miao is a MSc student in the Department of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics at the University of Manitoba. Deanne graduated with a BSc Honors in Genetics at the University of Manitoba in 2021. Her MSc focuses on identifying genetic variants and genes involved in pathways underlying cisplatin-induced ototoxicity through GWAS and scRNAseq analyses.

Awards:

  • Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Studentship

Interests

  • Bioinformatics
  • Genomics
  • Histology
  • Health and Wellness
  • Cooking and Baking
  • Culture and Languages

Education

  • BSc Hons Co-op in Genetics, 2016-2021

    University of Manitoba, Canada

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Mary McAuley
Co-op Student

C0-op Student

Mary McAuley is an undergraduate student at the University of Manitoba pursuing a BSc in Genetics. Her project focuses on creating polygenic risk scores for various hearing loss phenotypes.

Interests

  • Human Genetics
  • Bioinformatics
  • Prenatal genetic testing
  • Musical Theatre
  • Trivia

Education

  • BSc Hons. Co-op in Genetics, 2018-2024

    University of Manitoba, Canada

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Avital Kuznecov
Genetics Honors Student

Honours Student

Avital Kuznecov is an undergraduate student at the University of Manitoba pursuing a BSc in Genetics. Her project focuses identifying genetic variants influencing hidden hearing loss through the use of GWAS.

Interests

  • Epigenetics
  • Evolutionary Genetics
  • Gene Regulation
  • Languages
  • Baking

Education

  • BSc in Genetics, 2018-2023

    University of Manitoba, Canada

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Niel Olivier
Mitacs-Globalink South Africa-Canada visiting Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Mitacs-Globalink South Africa-Canada postdoctoral exchange student

Niel Olivier is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Stellenbosch University, RSA, who has been awarded a Mitacs Globalink internship in the Drögemöller lab. He previously completed his MSc in Biochemistry and PhD in Physiological Sciences at Stellenbosch University, RSA. His main research areas include cancer, immunity, pharmacogenetics, and personalized medicine.

Interests

  • Cancer
  • Immunity
  • Pharmacogenetics
  • Personalised medicine
  • Adventure motorcycling
  • Hunting/Fishing/Snowboarding

Education

  • PhD in Physiological Sciences, 2017-2021

    Stellenbosch University, RSA

  • MSc in Biochemistry, 2015-2016

    Stellenbosch University, RSA

  • BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry, 2014

    Stellenbosch University, RSA

  • BSc Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, 2011-2013

    Stellenbosch University, RSA

News

We are sad to say goodbye to Niel after spending a three-month postdoctoral exchange in our lab!

but were happy to see that not even Winnipeg winters can keep a South African away from their braai!

Dr. Drögemöller presents at the inaugural Canada Research Chairs symposium

This event featured presentations by twelve CRCs from across Faculties at Fort Gary and Bannatyne campuses

A great start to 2023, with the publication of our transcriptome-wide association study of polycystic ovary syndrome

Congratulations to Sarah for leading this project!

It is always fun to celebrate with this amazing group of people!

While we are sad that this will be MacKenzie’s last celebration as a member of the Drögemöller lab, we wish her all the best in her new position at the National Microbiology Lab!

Congrats to Deanne for being awarded a Rady Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Studentship!

Deanne will be using scRNAseq to examine cisplatin-induced changes in gene expression that occur in the inner ear

Congratulations to MacKenzie for successfully defending her MSc Thesis!

You did an outstanding job and we are so proud of all the hard work you put into your MSc

Deanne and Feryal represent the Drögemöller Lab at the CancerCare Research Day!

They did an awesome job presenting on how polygenic risk scores can be used to predict chemotherapy-related adverse drug reactions!

Contact

Dr. Drögemöller is currently recruiting graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with expertise in genomics, bioinformatics, pharmacogenomics and precision medicine. Interested individuals should send a recent CV, along with a short cover letter explaining why they are interested in joining the lab.