OUR TEAM
STAFF
Damien Faury, MSc
Lab Manager
Damien obtained a Protein Engineer degree in a former life and then decided to cross the Atlantic Ocean to see what life looked like in the New World. Once here, he completed an MSc in Applied Microbiology and then joined the Jabado lab as its very 1st member… in 2003. Since then, his role has evolved but his passion remains the same. He makes sure conditions are there for everyone to work in a good and safe research environment. The thematic of his research project is liquid biopsy. He plays soccer and is a big fan of that sport. With 3 boys at home, he almost has his own team.
Caterina Russo, MSc
Research Assistant
Caterina is a native Montrealer. She obtained her BSc in Biochemistry at McGill University and an MSc at Concordia University-CO-OP. Her focus was on characterizing the structure and function of the mouse oxytocin receptor gene. She has been working for Mcgill University as a Research Assistant for nearly thirty years. She has worked in several labs at the RVH, Goodman Cancer Centre, MNI and is now at the Glen under the supervision of Dr. Nada Jabado. The list of techniques she acquired over the years is quite extensive. She is now mainly involved in elucidating the role of histone H3 mutations and their involvement in the oncogenesis of pediatric tumors. In her spare time, Cathy enjoys gardening, working out at the gym, watching movies, ancient history, reading and long walks with her dog.
Nikoleta Juretic, MSc,PhD
Project Manager
Nikoleta joined the Jabado lab in 2015 after an eventful youth spanning Croatia, Canada, Japan and the Philippines and research subjects ranging from plants to insects and monkeys. Following a PhD at McGill University on the role of transposable elements in plant genome evolution, she started working as a project manager on large-scale genomics research projects and has been involved in a number of projects funded by Genome Canada, Genome Quebec and the NIH. In her free time, Nikoleta enjoys traveling, reading novels, jogging, dancing and yoga.
Amel Chaouch, MSc,PhD
Research Associate
Amel graduated in pharmacy from the Faculty of Pharmacy of Algiers (Algeria) and later earned a Master’s degree from the Faculté de Pharmacie de l’Université Paris 5 in France. She then moved to Montreal for a Ph.D. in Biology at McGill University, focusing on histone mutations and epigenome remodeling using the Drosophila melanogaster (fruitfly) model. Having completed her Ph.D. in 2021, Amel joined the Jabado lab as a Research Associate, continuing her work with histone mutations using the same fruitful model. Her hobbies outside of academia include reading or listening to detective novels, spending time with friends, and exploring museums and art exhibits.
Alexander Nassar, MSc
Research Assistant
Alexander majored in biology at the University of Toronto and obtained his master's degree in quantitative genetics from the University of Edinburgh. He joined the Jabado lab in 2023 and is co-supervised by the Kleinman lab. Alexander became interested in cancer genetics and epigenetics during his master's and is enthusiastic about developing his bioinformatic skills, especially for analysing single-cell level data sets. In his free time, he enjoys reading novels, playing tennis, and pencil drawing.
POSTDOCS
Yassine Bouchoucha, MD, PhD
Yassine first completed a PhD in 2012 in Developmental Biology in Paris, France, before resuming studies almost from scratch at medical school, still in Paris. He completed his MD in Pediatrics in 2020 and worked for 3 years as a Clinical Fellow/Instructor at the Institut Curie in Paris. He practised general pediatric oncology and focused his efforts in clinical research in the fields of pediatric brain tumours and retinoblastomas. He joined the Jabado lab in November 2023 as a postdoctoral fellow working on the 3D chromatin states first in high-grade gliomas, then extending the analyses to some rare embryonal tumours. Outside the lab, Yassine employs his time in Montreal learning to skate and ski.
Cyril Anyetei-Anum, MSc, PhD
Cyril earned his MSc from the College of William & Mary and his PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His doctoral research was the first to uncover a dual role for histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) in both antagonizing Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) and directly activating Polycomb target genes in Drosophila, offering new insights into epigenetic regulation. He joined the Jabado Lab in February 2025 as a postdoctoral fellow to investigate how the H3K27M oncohistone mutation cooperates with H3K4 modifications in diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs), with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities for therapeutic targeting. Outside the lab, Cyril stays active through CrossFit and exploring the outdoors.
PHD STUDENTS
Alva Annett, MSc
Alva has a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and master’s degree in bioinformatics from Uppsala University. During her master’s she became interested in pediatric cancer and single cell genomics which made Dr. Jabado’s lab a perfect fit for her PhD. The focus of her project is to analyze histone mutations and their effect on the epigenetic landscape. Her work is mainly computational, and she is co-supervised by Dr. Jabado and Dr. Claudia Kleinman. In her free time Alva enjoys hiking, gardening and having a beer with friends.
Kimia Asghari, MSc
Kimia completed her BSc in Genetics and her Master’s degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from 2015 to 2022 in Iran at the University of Isfahan. She started to pursue her Ph.D. in Human Genetics at McGill University and her research in the Dr. Jabado lab in June 2022.
She is interested in the role of genes and epigenetics in cancer, as well as the effects of histone mutations on tumorigenesis and their microenvironment. She enjoys swimming, hiking, and ice skating as hobbies.
Wajih Jawhar, MSc
Wajih obtained his BSc. in Biology in Beirut, Lebanon. He first joined the Jabado lab in 2018 as a MSc. student in Human Genetics, co-supervised by Dr. Livia Garzia. During his MSc., he worked on deciphering genetic drivers of initiation and progression of pediatric sarcomas. Fascinated by epigenetics, he is now pursuing his PhD focusing on dissecting the role of epigenomic dysregulation in mesenchymal development and neoplasia. Other than eureka moments, Wajih enjoys tennis, hiking, and biking.
Abolfazl Maghrouni, MSc
In 2022, Abolfazl earned his Master's degree in Human Genetics from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. With a prior background and expertise in cancer research, he developed a keen interest in studying chromatin architecture and dynamics during both development and brain tumor formation. Upon joining the Jabado Lab that same year, Abolfazl shifted his focus towards investigating the impact of NSD1 haploinsufficiency on brain development, particularly on homeotic genes. During his free time, Abolfazl enjoys exploring new cafes, swimming, and spending time with friends.
Ahmed El Mouatani, MD, MSc
After his medical training and master's degree in Europe, Ahmed joined the Jabado lab in January 2023 as a PhD candidate. His PhD project focuses on the study of G34R/V mutations in gliomas and the involvement of PDGFR signaling. Outside of the lab, he enjoys cinema, photography, music, and spending time with friends and family.
Claudia Negrón-Lomas, MSc
Claudia completed her BSc in Biotechnology Engineering and a MSc in genetics and molecular biology in Mexico City. Captivated by cancer epigenetics, she joined the Jabado lab on January 2023, and she is co-supervised by Dr. Livia Garzia. Claudia is working on projects focused on studying the role of histone mutations on pediatric and young adult tumors. Outside the lab, her favorite hobby is scuba diving. She loves traveling, working out, and hanging out with friends.
Anthony Lteif, MSc
Anthony holds a BSc in Biology and a Master’s in Cancer Therapeutics from Byblos, Lebanon. Fascinated by cancer genetics, epigenetics and the mechanisms driving tumors, Anthony was inspired by the Jabado Lab’s groundbreaking research. This shared passion led him to join the lab in September 2024 to pursue a PhD in Human Genetics at McGill University. His research focuses on BMP signaling and ACVR1 mutations in H3.3K27M and H3.1K27M gliomas. Outside the lab, he enjoys swimming, biking, hiking, and exploring the beautiful city of Montreal with friends and colleagues.
MASTER'S STUDENTS
Nmesoma Theo-Emegano, BSc
Nmesoma completed her BSc. in Biotechnology and Psychology at the University of Toronto, Mississauga. Her undergraduate degree and her volunteer work with children sparked her interest in high-grade pediatric gliomas, and she decided to join the lab in 2024 to pursue her Master’s degree, where she is working on identifying epigenetic vulnerabilities in H3K27M-patient derived cell lines. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer, sewing, crocheting, watching reality TV shows, travelling, dancing, and having fun.
Arash Abolhassani, BSc
Arash attained his bachelor's degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology in 2022 back in Mashhad, Iran. Driven by a passion for cancer research, he sought to enhance his expertise in the field by engaging in research within a globally renowned laboratory. He joined Jabado’s lab in November 2023 and presently his research focuses on exploring Histone H3.3 mutations involved in impairing neurodevelopment and also developing brain organoids to gain deeper insights into their impacts. Outside of his research pursuits, he finds joy in reading books, working out at the gym, watching documentaries about the cosmos, and of course, having some chit-chat with family and friends.
Bonnie Wang, BSc
Bonnie completed her BSc. in Honours Immunology at McGill University in 2024. Driven by her interest in epigenetics and cancer research, she joined Dr. Jabado's lab as an MSc. student in Experimental Medicine. In her free time, she enjoys learning to skate, listening to K-POP, and spending time with friends.
Robert Taylor, BSc
Robert completed his BSc. in Honours Medical Cell Biology at the University of Western Ontario in 2024. His previous experience studying melanoma inspired an interest in cancer biology leading to him joining the Jabado lab in June of 2024. Robert is currently studying how non-CG DNA methylation influences neurodevelopment. In his free time, Robert's personal interests include basketball, science fiction, and mountain biking.