About

About the MIUS Trainee Committee

The MIUS Trainee Committee supports graduate students and postdoctoral fellows by coordinating useful resources, community events, and peer-to-peer connections across the research centre.

People

Committee Members

Shabnam Massah

Co-Chair

Shabnam Massah

I joined the VPC in 2018 as a PostDoctoral Fellow and have focused my work on understanding prostate cancer progression, particularly through the study of AR-V7 condensates and their role in disease mechanisms.I am excited to serve as co-chair of this committee and look forward to helping create a positive and rewarding experience for all trainees.

Unnati Yagnik

Co-Chair

Unnati Yagnik

I joined VPC in 2024 as a Master’s student in Dr. Syam Somasekharan’s lab, where I study the osteomimetic properties of prostate cancer cells and their role in driving bone metastasis. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Co-Chair of this committee and look forward to expanding the accessibility and range of support available to trainees at the center.

Ka Mun Nip

Co-chair of Professional Development Committee

Ka Mun Nip

Ka Mun Nip is the Co-head of Dialogue and a Research Assistant in the Nappi Lab within the Department of Experimental Medicine.

Sally Lee-Sayer

Co-Chair of Professional Development Comittee

Sally Lee-Sayer

I joined the Roberts Lab in 2024 as a research associate. My research background is in immunology, spectializing in flow cytomometric immunophenotyping and assays, and mouse models. I also have several years of industry R&D experience in gene delivery, vaccine development, and antibody drug discovery. I am passionate about bringing people together to sharing useful skills and experiences to foster a supportive environment for professional growth. Outside of the lab, I have many hobbies and interests, including sewing (and teaching people how to sew), miniatures (1/24 scale furniture), rock climbing, and travelling.

Sudha S Kotapalli

Co-chair of Professional Development and Resource Committees

Sudha S Kotapalli

I joined VPC in 2018 as a PhD student in the Daugaard Lab. I studied epigenetic and chromatin-driven transcriptional regulation of molecular markers in luminal muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Sarina Saffarian

Co-chair of Resource Committee

Sarina Saffarian

I joined VPC in 2022 as a co-op student in Dr. Somasekharan's lab, where I investigated molecular mechanisms underlying castration-resistant prostate cancer and tumour progression.

Nicholas Pinette

Co-chair of Social Committee

Nicholas Pinette

I am a laboratory technician in Dr. Nada Lallous's lab at the Vancouver Prostate Centre, where I study androgen receptor biomolecular condensates in prostate cancer. My research combines molecular biology, microscopy, and computational analysis.

Ishana Lodhia

Co-chair of Social Committee

Ishana Lodhia

I joined the VPC in 2018 as a visiting high school student in Dr. Amina Zoubeidi's lab and have continued as a graduate student studying lineage plasticity in neuroendocrine prostate cancer.

Ali Balapour

Website Designer

Ali Balapour

I joined the Hach Lab in VPC in 2023 as a Master’s student in Bioinformatics and began my PhD in Computer Science in 2025. My research focuses on developing artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms for medical image analysis. Since January 2025, I have also been a member of the MIUS Trainee Committee, where I contribute to the design and development of the committee’s website.

Naomi Jung

Past Co-Chair

Naomi Jung

I joined the VPC in 2022 as a co-op student and have since focused my research on applying high-resolution imaging techniques to study prostate cancer and bone metastasis. I am excited to serve as co-chair of this committee and look forward to helping enhance the trainee experience for all.

Kerim Yavuz

Past co-chair of Resources Committee

Kerim Yavuz

I joined VPC in 2022 as a PhD student in Dr. Nathan Lack's laboratory and am working on the role of androgen receptor's coregulators in the progression of prostate cancer. I am serving as the co-head of resources subgroup of VPC Trainee Committee.

Andrew Murtha

Social Committee

Andrew Murtha

I joined the Wyatt Lab in 2019 as a co-op student and have since transitioned to a PhD. I study prostate and bladder cancer genomics, biomarkers, and intrapatient heterogeneity.

Rafailia Beta

Professional Development Committee

Rafailia Beta

I joined VPC in 2025 as a postdoctoral fellow in Nada Lallous' lab to study lncRNA of AR condensates in prostate cancer. I contribute to knowledge sharing, mentorship, and career development initiatives.

Kareena Kak

Professional Development Committee

Kareena Kak

I am a co-op student in Dr. Gillian Vandekerkhove's lab. My research focuses on utDNA profiling in urothelial cancer, including diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment response tracking.

Jan Vanwelkenhuyzen

Social Committee

Jan Vanwelkenhuyzen

In 2025 I joined the Wyatt lab in the VPC as a post-doc. My research focuses on the development of (epi)genomic and transcriptomic biomarker development in liquid biopsy samples in metastatic prostate cancer. Outside of work I try and discover all the hidden gems of BC either by running, hiking, biking or (backcountry) snowboarding. I share my passion for running with the VPC by organizing the weekly VPC run club!

Sarah Hanstock

Social Committee

Sarah Hanstock

I joined Dr. Dirk Lange's lab in 2021 as a PhD student in Experimental Medicine. My research investigates the role of the gut micorbiome in calcium oxalate kidney stone disease. I am member of the Social Committee in the MUIS Trainee Committee, and help with planning and facilitating various social events. Outside of the lab I love to take advantage of every non-rainy Vancouver day by playing beach volleyball, hiking, or ocean swimming, but also love to bake and cook on gloomier days!