Lab Members
Khanh Huy Bui (Full CV)
Associate Professor
Canada Research Chair in Cryo-Electron Tomography
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Huy Bui did his Ph.D. in the lab of Dr. Ishikawa at ETH Zurich on cilia structure. Afterward, he joined the lab of Dr. Martin Beck at EMBL Heidelberg and revealed the organizing principle of the human nuclear pore complex scaffold. He is fascinated by developing new EM methods to understand the structure and function of complex macromolecules, in particular, the structure of eukaryotic cilia.
Thibault Legal
Postdoctoral Fellow
Thibault did his PhD in Julie Welburn's lab at the University of Edinburgh where he worked on kinetochore-microtubule attachments in mitosis.
Thibault became really interested in structural biology during his PhD and joined the Bui lab to work on the structure of cilia using cryo-ET and cryo-EM.
Outside of the lab, Thibault enjoys meeting up with friends, going hiking and dancing in nightclubs.
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Melissa Valente
Reserach Assistant
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Melissa completed her M.Sc. degree at Concordia University with Dr. Zerges. She studied the in-situ spatial-temporal localization of photosynthetic complexes and their associated chlorophyll pigment during the chloroplast biogenesis of Chlamydomonas.
She was born in Canada but her heritage is Italian. She is an introvert who loves to read, grow plants/garden, paint, and is very family oriented.
She obviously loves science, enjoys research and learning new techniques particularly related to microscopy. Her attraction towards microscopy and imagining stems from her appreciation of photography and her artistic nature.
Melissa was intrigued and drawn to Bui Lab due to the level of resolution Dr.Bui's work is achieving with cryo-EM.
Lastly, Melissa also has a passion for teaching, and enjoys helping students learn about biology but also about themselves and what drives their passion.
Elaine Wang
PhD student
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Elaine completed her B.Sc and M.Sc in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Simon Fraser University. During her master’s degree, Elaine investigated the structure and functions of the Type IV pili proteins using X-ray crystallography and biochemical assays. Elaine is currently using cryo-EM to study the structures and functions of virulence factors in bacterial pathogens.
Outside of the lab, Elaine loves sports and playing classical guitar.
Avrin Ghanaeian
PhD student
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Avrin is currently a PhD student in our lab. She's born and raised in Iran and received a B.Eng. and M.Eng. in Biomedical Engineering with areas of molecular dynamics (MD) of proteins. During her M.Eng. program she studied molecular dynamics of collagens in different connective tissue conditions by MD simulation. Avrin’s research in Bui Lab is to identify and solve structures of various compounds of cilia and the molecular function of cilia machinery by Cryo-EM. At the lab, she loves structural biology of proteins especially their interactions with other proteins/chemicals and to identify the molecular mechanisms of complex protein functions.
Outside of the lab, Avrin likes reading books and spending time with her pets (she has a cat named Think and a dog named Puppet, both are very sweet!).
Arin Asuva
PhD student
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Arin is a PhD student in our lab. She was born and raised in Bangladesh, where she earned her B.Pharm degree. Afterward, she moved to South Korea to pursue her M.Sc in medical science. During her master's studies, she developed a strong interest in structural biology, which led her to join Dr. Bui's lab. Arin’s research here focuses on basal body purification and structure analysis.
Outside the lab, Arin enjoys spending time with animals. She is a proud mother of five cats named Maiza, Leo, Jully, Pumpkin, and Sandy.
Mohamed Elwarfalli
Master Student
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I obtained my MBChB degree in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Benghazi in Libya. Following my graduation, I worked as a General surgeon for a few years, to learn more about the clinical and surgical care setting, and as a teaching assistant in Anatomy & Physiology labs. I came to Canada to join Dr. Bui's lab at McGill University to further expand my knowledge in structural biology and pursue masters degree in scientific research which will give me a better understanding of science and hopefully improve some aspects of the practice of medicine.
Outside of the lab, I like painting, and sand Sculpture, and landscape photography.
Lee Rowsell
Master Student
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Lee obtained her BSc. in Biochemistry from McGill University after moving to Montreal from her hometown of Harrington Harbour, Qc. During her degree, she fell in love with structural biology, and her current work in the Bui lab focuses on the investigation and visualization of ciliary basal bodies with Cryo-EM.
Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, running, (live) music and exploring the city.
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Jerry Gao
Undergraduate Student
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Jerry is an undergraduate student in Honours Anatomy & Cell Biology. He first joined the Bui Lab in 2023 to work on protein identification using cyro-EM maps. He is interested in developmental biology and embryology, and will be working on elucidating the roles of ciliary tip proteins for his honours project with Dr. Bui. Outside the lab, he enjoys volunteering and movies.
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Helena Goodey Parfitt
Undergraduate Student
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Helena is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology, with a minor in Pharmacology. She grew up in Corner Brook, on the west coast of Newfoundland. Her academic interests include molecular biology and disease mechanisms. She is a recipient of the Isobel McLaggan Oswald and Marjorie McLaggan Prestige Scholarship at McGill University, awarded for academic excellence and leadership.
As a volunteer with the Bui Lab, Helena aspires to contribute to research on cilia’s role in cellular signaling and disease progression. She is currently investigating the interactions between cilia and associated tip proteins through the use of experimental techniques and data analysis.
Helena enjoys hiking Newfoundland’s rugged terrain with her German Shorthaired Pointer, Kurt. She also serves as a CIC Officer in the Canadian Forces Reserve, teaching aviation through the National Ground School Program. Her future goals include advancing medical research and contributing to innovations that improve healthcare outcomes.
Tina Alagha
Undergraduate Student
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Tina is an undergraduate student in Honours Anatomy and Cell Biology. I was raised in the Netherlands, and but I am originally Iranian. My academic interests include protein biochemistry, structural biology, and their applications in understanding human health and disease. My current work in the Bui lab involves the purification of SPEF1 protein. Through this project, I hope to deepen by knowledge of protein purification techniques. Outside of the lab I enjoy cooking, reading books, and volunteering.​​
Molly Yu
Undergraduate Student
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I am an undergraduate student in Computer Science and Biology with a minor in Philosophy. I have lived in Shanghai, Beijing, PEI, Nova Scotia, and Montreal, each of which I call home. My academic interests are in the application of computational approaches to molecular and structural biology. As a recipient of the Science Undergraduate Research Award, my current work in the Bui Lab involves developing automated computational pipelines for subtomogram averaging of cryo-electron tomograms. In the future, I hope to contribute to advancing computational tools to support medical discoveries and improve healthcare outcomes. Outside of research, I love being with my family, and I also enjoy creative works such as composing music, developing video games, and writing stories.​​
Won Song
Undergraduate Student
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I am an undergraduate student in Honours Biology Physiology Research at McMaster University. I was born in South Korea and raised in Oakville, Ontario. I’ve developed a strong interest in molecular biology and am eager to deepen my knowledge in this field. In the lab, I’m currently working on the purification of the SPEF1 protein. Outside of the lab, I love to read, play the piano, and go cafe-hopping with friends!
Johnny Sweid
Undergraduate Student
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I’m an Honours student in Anatomy and Cell Biology, and my main goal is to pursue a career in medicine and health sciences. I was born and raised in Kuwait, but I’m originally Syrian, and my background has shaped the way I view healthcare and the importance of scientific knowledge in improving lives.
I’ve always been fascinated by the human body and how it works, especially at the cellular level. That’s what drew me into studying anatomy and cell biology in depth. I'm passionate about learning, researching, and eventually applying that knowledge to make a real difference in people’s lives through medicine.
Laura Xu
Cegep Student
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I’m a CEGEP student in health sciences and in piano performance at the Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf. I was born in China and raised in Montreal, Quebec. My main goal is to pursue a career in medicine and in research. I’m working on the investigation of TLP1 mutants. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading, skiing and watching movies.
Alumni
Muneyoshi Ichikawa (Post Doc). Current: Assistant Professor, Fudan University in Shanghai China
Dinan Liu (Research Assistant)
Shintaroh Kubo (Post Doc)
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Graduate Students
Daniel Dai
Ahmad Khalifa
Katya Peri
Shun Kai Yang (SKY)
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Undergraduate Students
Ivy Hsu Current: University Health Network, Toronto
Vincent Hsu Current: Japan
Reid Rebinsky Current: Medical School, McMaster
Joshua Roccamo
Padraig Harvey
Emily Wheeler
Penelope Neocleous
Nureen Jenna Ladhani
Nicolai Tremblay
Jiaxuan Li
Zhe Fan
Hyeyoon Nam
Shayla Tran
Ryan Beauchamp
Max Tong
Phuong Huynh
Amanda Tam
Chau Nguyen
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Cegep/High School Students
Nicolai Tremblay
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