Early Origins of Health and Disease at McMaster University
The Sloboda Lab is comprised of postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students with various educational backgrounds, such as biochemistry, physiology, nutrition and the life sciences. Their breadth of knowledge in their respective projects offer a different perspective on the critical relationship between a mothers diet during pregnancy and its profound effect on offspring development and later life health.
Dr. Tatiane Ribeiro
Tatiane is a postdoctoral fellow that completed her PhD at the University of Marigna in Brazil investigating the impacts of maternal exposure to an environmental chemical on glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in both mothers and offspring, and how exercise during pregnancy, had a positive impact on moderating the negative metabolic effects of maternal obesity. She is currently investigating the early origins of unhealthy aging and susceptibility to infection, and whether host-microbial interactions during key developmental windows (including pregnancy) contribute to accelerated aging and metabolic disease.
Dr. Kate Kennedy
kennek6@mcmaster.ca; Twitter: @katekennedy
Kate is a postdoctoral fellow studying host-microbe interactions including the role of the microbiome in maternal adaptations to pregnancy, neonatal microbial colonization, and susceptibility to infection. Kate previously completed her PhD in the Sloboda Lab at McMaster University and her MSc at the University of Waterloo. Kate’s postdoctoral research investigating perinatal host-microbiome factors that influence Group B Strep colonization and infection is supported by the Molly Towell Perinatal Research Foundation.
Dr. Christian Bellissimo
bellisc@mcmaster.ca; Twitter: @CJBellissimo
Christian is a postdoctoral fellow studying the affects of maternal obesity on the development of the maternal-fetal interface. Christian previously completed his PhD in the Sloboda Lab at McMaster University and his BSc in Life Sciences Co-op Program also at McMaster. He is interested in understanding how immune cells participate in the establishment of the maternal-fetal interface and what happens to these processes in the context of maternal excessive adiposity and obesity.
Patrycja Jazwiec
jazwiepa@mcmaster.ca; Twitter: @PatrycjaJazwiec
Patrycja is a PhD student studying the impact of paternal obesity on placental development. Patrycja graduated from McMaster University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology & Genetics (Hons, co-op stream) and a minor in Biochemistry. As a senior thesis project student in the Sloboda lab, Patrycja examined the impacts of maternal undernutrition on offspring ovarian development. For her doctoral work, Patrycja is investigating the pathways that regulate placental development in the context of paternal obesity.
Erica Yeo
yeoe@mcmaster.ca; Twitter: @EricaYeo3
Erica is a PhD student that graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. Having completed her undergraduate thesis in the Sloboda Lab studying the role of serotonin signalling in fetal pancreatic development in the context of maternal obesity, her PhD thesis will investigate the the role of the gut microbiome in maternal metabolic adaptations to pregnancy.
Colin Bruce
brucec6@mcmaster.ca
Colin is completing his PhD thesis on bacterial fibre fermentation in the human infant gut microbiome. He graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelors of Science in Microbiology in 2019 before starting his graduate studies at McMaster. He is co-supervised by Dr Andrew McArthur and Dr Sloboda.
Jordan Chin
chinj12@mcmaster.ca
Jordan is currently completing her Masters of Public Health. Her thesis investigates how art-based methods can facilitate the uptake of Early Origins concepts and create community dialogue surrounding this topic. Jordan graduated from McMaster University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Hons). In her undergraduate thesis with the Sloboda Lab, she explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent mental health and developed suggestions to improve adolescent mental health literacy during this time.
Gursimran Deol
deolg10@mcmaster.ca
Gursimram graduated from McMaster University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Life Sciences. She completed her undergraduate thesis in the Sloboda lab investigating the impact of paternal obesity on placental growth and development and what happens when you intervene with taurine. She is currently completing her Masters in Health Science Education.
Julia Heusel
heuselj@mcmaster.ca
Julia is a Masters student studying how hormones and the gut microbiome regulate intestinal barrier function during pregnancy and lactation. She graduated from the University of Guelph in 2024, with a B.Sc. Hons. Microbiology (co-op stream) and a minor in political science.
Ariana Lewis
lewisa47@mcmaster.ca
Ariana is a Master’s student studying how maternal endothelial function mediates uteroplacental hypoxia in response to a high-fat, high-sugar diet. She graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) with a focus on Global and Population Health. Before getting her undergradaute degree, she was a professional musician for over a decade (check her out on Spotify!!).
Lab Alumni
Christian Bellissimo (PhD; 2018-2024)
Chloe Rexdiemer (AoC; 2021-2023)
Anastasia Chouvalova (MSc; 2019-2021)
Katherine Kennedy (PhD; 2016-2021)
Dr. Luseadra McKerracher (PDF; 2017-2021)
Jessica Breznik (PhD; 2016-2020)
Violet Patterson (MSc; 2016-2018)
Dr. Johanna Selvaratman (PDF; 2016-2017)
Jessica Wallace (2014-2016)
Wajiha Gohir (MSc; 2014-2016 )
Kaitlyn Chan (MSc; 2013-2015)
Michael Tsoulis (MSc; 2012-2014)
Undergraduate Members
Grace Kehoe, Co-op, Biochemistry
Buvneet Madan, BDC
Karryln Krenos, Co-op, Biochemistry