GEUKING LAB - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Associate Professor, Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases
- Associate Professor, Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary
Dr. Markus Geuking is an Associate Professor in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. He is a member of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases as well as of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. Dr. Geuking obtained his PhD in Immunology from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (Switzerland) where he worked in the lab of Nobel Prize Laureate Prof. Rolf Zinkernagel. He studied host-microbial immune interactions using germ-free and gnotobiotic models during his postdoctoral studies at McMaster University (Hamilton, Canada). He then continued this work as a research associate at the University of Bern (Switzerland) before joining the University of Calgary in 2016.
Dr. Geuking has over 30 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Science and Immunity. He has received the AbbVie IBD Grant (2015), Lutz Zwillenberg Award (2012), and Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione Grant
Gabriela was a PhD student from Mexico who visi ted the Geuking and McCoy labs for 6 months from October 20 19 to March 202 0 to learn microbiome sequencing and IgA-SEQ. While working as a certified dietitian in Mexico City, Gabriela completed a Master's Degree in Education at Universidad Tecnológica de Mexico. She then started a PhD in Clinical Nutrition at the Universidad Anahuac in Mexico City studying the effect of fasting and enteral stimulation on the IgA concentration in saliva of patients pursuing a stomal reversal. Gabriela is a great singer and guitar player. She also likes long distan ce running and has completed several half marathons.
Kirsten investigates how bacteria-specific T helper cell subsets impact humoral antibody responses with translational implications in immune-mediated disorders such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and vaccine development. She completed her BScH at Queen's University with a specialization in molecular biology, and has presented her work at international conferences in Canada and the United States. Her laboratory specializations include DNA cloning, DNA isolation, PCR, production of proteins, protein assays, gene crosses, and biochemical and immunological analysis of proteins. In her free time, she enjoys anything involving the mountains including rock climbing, ice climbing, and skiing.
Mia completed her MSc in Immunology as part of the Leaders in Medicine joint MD/MSc program in the Geuking Lab. Her research focused on the antigen-specific adaptive immune response to commensal gut bacteria that disseminate systemically. Mia received the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Research Scholarship and the Dr. Joseph Davison Research Day Award. Mia obtained her BSc (Honours) in Anthropology (with a concentration in Primatology) in 2015 from the University of Calgary. In her spare time, Mia likes to paint, play piano, sing, and go camping.
Michael manages the McCoy and Geuking labs. He investigates the role of the microbiome in many different disease states. He performs experiments and helps graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and staff with their projects while making sure the labs run smoothly. Michael has over 25 years of research experience with the University of Calgary; he started in Neuroscience, investigating stem cell neuroplasticity for several years working with Dr. Sam Weiss, and then worked in the field of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract with Dr. John Wallace and Dr. Wally MacNaughton before joining the McCoy and Geuking labs.
Job Titles:
- Undergraduate Honours Student
After completing an Alberta Innovates summer studentship in 2018, Noah undertook his Bachelor of Health Sciences Honors Thesis in the Geuking Lab. Noah investigated whether outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) produced by commensal microbes could induce differentiation of CD4+ T cells. These nanoscale vesicles can function as vaccine platforms. Understanding how OMVs modulate T cell fate may allow for reprogramming of the CD4+ T cell compartment in autoimmune conditions. Outside of the lab, Noah enjoys cross-country skiing, running, hiking, cooking, and reading up on international relations.
Sharon investigates the impact of intestinal microbial colonization during pregnancy on Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) development in offspring. To do so, she is engineering auxotrophic bacterial species capable of transiently colonizing germ free mouse mothers. This way, she can study the effect of microbial metabolite transfer on the development of T1D in the offspring mice. When she is not in the lab, Sharon enjoys activities with her friends and likes to stay active, go on hikes, dance, and meet new people.