Max Rady College of Medicine

Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics

Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry within all living organisms. Through innovative research and scholarship, we are working to understand, prevent and treat disease, including genetic disorders. Our department is home to biochemistry, molecular biological, medical genetics, computational biology and cancer biology expertise, practiced in an intellectually enriching research and teaching environment.

Researcher working with a test tube.

What we offer

We are proud to offer several educational programs in biochemistry and medical genetics, at multiple levels of expertise.

Undergraduate courses in genetics

Start building your foundation in genetics with our undergraduate courses. You can dive into topics like genetics and cell biology, and through the genetics project course, you’ll get real-world experience in research—whether it’s at the wet or dry bench.

Our story

Watch a brief video to learn more about our department and what we offer.

Department research themes

We are committed to advancing our understanding of biochemistry and medical genetics and improving patient outcomes through our advanced research.

Research projects within the Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics are wide-ranging and cover a number of topics. Our department is currently studying environmental impacts during development, new therapies for cancer or rare genetic disorders, as well as computer-based approaches to develop new diagnostic tools and understand our risk for drug-related adverse effects. 

The Department has state-of-the-art equipment to enable experiments in the following five research themes. Our collaborative and interdisciplinary research projects often span multiple themes.

Cancer biology

Our researchers study the molecular origins of cancer, novel treatment strategies, and approaches to optimizing cancer therapy and counselling through personalized medicine.

Genetics and epigenetics in health and rare disease

Our researchers are determining the molecular basis of rare and complex disorders using cell culture and model organisms including mice and fruit flies and exploring how these findings can be applied in a clinical setting.

Genome sciences and computational biology

Members of our department use advanced computing approaches to optimize the choice of cancer therapies, to identify the molecular basis of disease, and to identify novel base modifications in long range sequence reads.

Neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease

Our researchers use model organisms, cell culture models, and computational approaches to determine the molecular basis of disease, characterize gene function, and develop therapies.

Stem cells and development

Our researchers use the latest stem cell approaches to dissect the molecular underpinnings of the development of various tissues including the brain, heart and blood cells.

Cancer survivor with open shirt.
Graphic of DNA.
Student working on a laptop.
MRI examination film of patient's head as a medical diagnostic background.
Researcher working in lab.

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Find an advisor for your graduate studies

You must have an advisor willing to accept you as a student to pursue graduate studies in our department.

If you are interested in pursuing a graduate degree under the mentorship of a faculty researcher not listed, you are welcome to contact that faculty member directly to inquire about potential graduate positions.

Advisors accepting graduate students

Faculty advisor Keywords
Versha Banerji  
Robert Beattie cortical development, developmental biology, genetics, gliogenesis, lineage tracing, molecular biology, mosaic analysis with double markers, neural stem cells
Julie Chen bioinformatics, omics data sciences, machine learning, microbial omics, computational molecular biology
Brad Doble cancer, developmental disorders,epigenetics, epigenomics, genetic diseases,  micropatterning, proteomics, stem cells, transcriptomics, transcription, WNT signaling
Britt Drögemöller genomics, bioinformatics, pharmacogenomics, precision medicine, pediatric and maternal populations
Meaghan Jones bioinformatics, birth cohorts, data analysis, DNA methylation, DOHAD, epigenetics, mouse models
Paul Marcogliese disease models, drosophila, functional genomics, genetics, molecular biology, movement disorders, neurobiology, neurodegeneration, neurodevelopment, Parkinson’s disease, rare disease
Kirk McManus chromosome instability, colorectal cancer, drug target discovery, high-grade serous ovarian cancer, organoid/spheroid models, patient samples, quantitative imaging microscopy, siRNA, shRNA, CRISPR/Cas9, synthetic lethality
Yale Michaels genome engineering, synthetic biology, pluripotent stem cells, immunotherapy, CAR-T
Mojgan Rastegar DNA methylation, epigenetics, gene regulation,  transcriptional control,  stem cells, Rett Syndrome, MeCP2 isoforms,  neurodevelopmental disorders, stem cell differentiation
Jeffrey Wigle homeodomain transcription factors, angiogenesis, myofibroblasts, lymphangiogenesis

 

 


 

Advisors accepting postdoctoral fellows

Faculty advisor Keywords
Versha Banerji  
Robert Beattie cortical development, developmental biology, genetics, gliogenesis, lineage tracing, molecular biology, mosaic analysis with double markers, neural stem cells
Britt Drögemöller genomics, bioinformatics, pharmacogenomics, precision medicine, pediatric and maternal populations
Meaghan Jones bioinformatics, birth cohorts, data analysis, DNA methylation, DOHAD, epigenetics, mouse models
Paul Marcogliese disease models, drosophila, functional genomics, genetics, molecular biology, movement disorders, neurobiology, neurodegeneration, neurodevelopment, Parkinson’s disease, rare disease
Kirk McManus chromosome instability, colorectal cancer, drug target discovery, high-grade serous ovarian cancer, organoid/spheroid models, patient samples, quantitative imaging microscopy, siRNA, shRNA, CRISPR/Cas9, synthetic lethality
Yale Michaels genome engineering, synthetic biology, pluripotent stem cells, immunotherapy, CAR-T
Mojgan Rastegar DNA methylation, epigenetics, gene regulation,  transcriptional control,  stem cells, Rett Syndrome, MeCP2 isoforms,  neurodevelopmental disorders, stem cell differentiation
Laurel Thorlacius Clinical Biochemistry Post-Doctoral Residency Program
Jeffrey Wigle homeodomain transcription factors, angiogenesis, myofibroblasts, lymphangiogenesis

 

Student working with a test-tube.

Undergraduate Research Awards

Each year, the University of Manitoba provides a multitude of unique learning opportunities through the undergraduate research awards. This program allows undergraduate students to interact with the best minds and research leaders in their fields. This experience opens them up to new possibilities for a research career in either government, academic or industry sectors.

Community and partners

Building partnerships with Sierra Leone

In 2019, Dr. Francis Amara and Dr. Etienne Leygue from our department traveled to Sierra Leone to help train future STEM leaders. While there, they forged teaching and research partnerships with the University of Sierra Leone’s Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, and Allied Health Sciences. Both have since been appointed as adjunct professors at the university, strengthening the bond between our institutions.

Supporting Rett syndrome research

Thanks to the dedication of Dr. Mojgan Rastegar, we now have a human Rett syndrome brain bio-repository laboratory at the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM). This lab, made possible by generous donations from Rett syndrome families and the Ontario Rett Syndrome Association (ORSA), opened in September 2019. Families from British Columbia, Ontario, and Manitoba, along with ORSA president Kevin Morton, were there to celebrate this new resource for advancing research in Rett syndrome.

Inspiring the next generation

On May 14, 2019, we hosted the "Let’s Talk Science-GeneTalks High School Symposium," organized by Kristine Macalinao. Over 50 high school students got hands-on experience with bioinformatics and microscopy, learning how these tools are used in cancer research. It was an exciting day for young minds eager to explore the world of science!

Sharing knowledge globally

Through the Scholarship of Education Group, you can join international bioscience educators as they exchange research to improve curricula and teaching methods. This group creates opportunities to share valuable insights that can shape the future of bioscience education.

 

A man painting boxes in front of the STEM Centre in Sierra Leone.

Faculty and staff

Our team

Our faculty and staff are committed to supporting learners, colleagues and the community. Contact us to learn more about our department and what we have to offer:

News & stories

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Contact us

Biochemistry and Medical Genetics
Room 336 Basic Medical Sciences Building
745 Bannatyne Avenue
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9 Canada

bmgadmin@umanitoba.ca
204-789-3458