
Marco Gallo
PhD in Medical Genetics
Marco’s main interest is to understand how the epigenome defines self-renewal hierarchies in brain tumours. His ultimate goal is to identify new and effective ways to target cancer stem cells in brain malignancies.
Associate Professor
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.
Postdoctoral fellow
Ph.D. in Medical Genetics
BSc (1st Class Honors)
Postdoctoral Fellows
Michael Johnston, Ph.D.
"The human genome is vast, complex, and somehow coordinates precise regulation."
"The cancer genome is inconsistent, seemingly broken, and somehow stays alive."
- Ph.D. in Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- BSc in Chemistry (Biochemistry Track), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
I spend my time investigating Hi-C, ATAC, WGS, RNA-seq, and other sequencing data to understand how these two genomes influence human health.
Funded by a Cumming School of Medicine postdoctoral fellowship, and a CIHR postdoctoral fellowship.
Huey-Miin (Tina) Chen, Ph.D.
- Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
- BSc (1st Class Honors) in Biochemistry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Tina is interested in deep learning approaches to omics data and image analyses. She has expertise in high-dimensional data analysis, microscopy image analysis, as well as CRISPR gene editing and cell-based assays. Her current goal is to understand the epigenomic and genomic landscapes of pediatric brain cancer through computational analyses of WGS, (sc/sn)RNA-seq, (sn)ATAC-seq, and Hi-C data.
Ph.D. Students
Ana Nikolic, M.D.
Ana is a neuropathologist and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Calgary. Her research interests include the role of histone variants and 3D chromatin architecture in the pathobiology of glioblastoma and the development of novel tools for scATAC-seq.
When she’s not in the lab she can be found bouldering, spinning, or board gaming.
- Neuropathology Residency, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. (2012-2017)
- MD, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON. (2008-2012)
- B. Arts. Sci Hons, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.
Funded by a fellowship from the Clinician Investigator Program, and a graduate scholarship from Alberta Innovates
Elham Hasheminasabgorji
Elham is interested in understanding the role of the 3D genome in PFA ependymoma. Outside the lab she enjoys music and playing basic violin. Also, she loves nature and is keen to walk on trails to explore nature's beauty.
- MSc in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Mazandaran, Iran (2015-2018)
- BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Mazandaran, Iran (2011-2015)
Divya Singhal, M.Sc.
Divya is interested in applying single-cell genomics and epigenomics technologies to glioblastoma.
- M.Sc. in Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Indiana, USA.
- Tech in Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, India.
- Tech in Biotechnology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Haryana, India.
Funded by an Eyes High International Recruitment Scholarship
Research Staff

Katrina Ellestad, Research Technician
Katrina’s main focus is in vivo experiments and single-cell genomics.
- B.Sc., University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (2001-2005)

Lili Deng, Lab Manager
Undergraduate Students

The Gallo Lab Alumni
CLAIRE MALLARD
Funded by NSERC undergraduate student research awards.
ANNA BOBYN
Funded by NSERC undergraduate student research awards.
MARY HOFFMAN
Funded by a CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarship.