Current Trainees in the Mookherjee Lab:
Courtney Marshall
PhD Student
Courtney Marshall is currently a PhD student in the Mookherjee lab, and her research is focused on examining how biological sex affects responses in lung inflammation and asthma, and the use of Innate Defence Regulator peptides to potentially modulate asthma severity. Courtney was a Co-Op student in our lab, and joined as a Graduate student in MSc program in 2021, and subsequently transferred to PhD. Courtney has received many prestigious awards and recognitions, including Asthma Canada awards, a Gairdner Award, and a nomination to the prestigious Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany, for her impactful work. Additionally, Courtney is a trainee lead of the International Antimicrobial Peptide Network (iAMPNet).
Padmanie Ramotar
PhD Student
Padmanie Ramotar completed her undergraduate studies from University of Winnipeg and joined the Mookherjee lab as a MSc student in 2022. Padmanie completed her MSc in 2024, her research included examining the effect of citrullination on immunomodulatory functions of host defence peptides. Padmanie was awarded the highly competitive CIHR - Canadian Graduate Studentship - Masters. Padmanie is current a PhD student in the Mookherjee lab, extending her research in understanding regulation of lung inflammation by innate defence regulator peptides. She received a Research Manitoba Doctoral Studentship (2025).
Oscar Gonzalez-Morales
MSc Student
After completing Biotech Engineering from Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico, Oscar Gonzalex-Morales joined the Mookherjee lab in 2025 to pursue MSc in Immunology. Oscar's research project is focused on understanding pathways related to glucocorticoid-resistance in airway inflammation and asthma, and strategies to alleviate steroid-resistant asthma. Oscar received awards such as a Research Manitoba Master's Studentship and Asthma Canada Award for his MSc studies. We are thrilled to introduce Oscar to Winnipeg and helping him to cope with Canadian winters!
Highlighting Some Recent Graduates / Alumni of the Mookherjee Lab
Dr. Hemshekhar Mahadevappa
Postdoctoral Fellow & Research Associate
Dr. Hemshekhar Mahadevappa joined our lab as a postdoctoral fellow after completing his PhD in Biochemistry from University of Mysore, India. Subsequently, Shekhar was promoted to Research Associate. He contributed to many projects in the lab, including examining the effects of host defence peptides & synthetic innate defence regulator peptides in the processes underlying cartilage degradation and oxidative stress in inflammatory arthritis, and airway inflammation in asthma. He was also involved in projects to determine how air pollution impacts global protein response in asthma and airway inflammation. Shekhar was a fantastic early career mentor to the students in the Mookherjee lab. After working for 11 years in our lab, we are thrilled that Shekhar joined the Red River College as a Faculty in 2025. We wish him all the very best.
Tiffany Shen
MSc Graduate
Tiffany Shen completed her BSc from University of Calgary and joined the Mookherjee lab as a MSc student in 2022. Tiffany's research project was to examine sex related differences in neutrophilic airway inflammation using model systems relevant to severe asthma. Tiffany was awarded the highly competitive CIHR - Canadian Graduate Studentship - Masters in 2023, and completed her MSc in 2024.
Dina Mostafa
MSc Graduate
Dina Completed MSc in Immunology from the Mookherjee lab. Her research project established the foundational work on defining sex related differences in an allergen challenged mouse model related to eosinophilic airway inflammation and asthma. Dina is currently working as a Research Technician within the Biology of Breathing Research Group at The Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. We still collaborate on many projects with Dina and her current lab!
Dr. Anthony Altieri
PhD Graduate
Anthony completed his PhD from the Mookherjee Lab in 2022. He won several prominent academic awards. His research established the mechanisms related to how human host defence peptide regulates cytokine IL-17-mediated inflammation in the lungs, and his research was at the forefront of showing how citrullination of the peptide changes immunodulatory functions. Anthony has recently started a Postdoctoral position in University of Toronto, and we wish him all the very best.
Dr. Hadeesha Piyadasa
PhD Graduate
Hadeesha completed his PhD from the Mookherjee Lab in 2020. He won several prominent academic awards. His research established ability of an innate defence regulator (IDR) peptide in the control of airway inflammation and airway hyperresposiveness in allergic asthma. He is also a car fanatic, and dreams of driving a Ferrari along the Amalfi coast someday!! Hadeesha has recently started a Postdoctoral position in Stanford University, and we wish him all the very best.
Dr. Ka-Yee Grace Choi
PhD Graduate
Grace completed her PhD from the Mookherjee lab in 2017, and in currently a postdoctoral fellow in University of British Columbia. Her PhD project was in the immunomodulatory role of human host defence peptide LL-37 in macrophages, and processes to regulate inflammatory arthritis. After completing Postdoctoral training, Grace is currently Research Associate at The Univerisity of British Columbia.
Dylan Llyod
Research Assistant - Tech 2
Dylan completed two Co-op research terms in the Mookherjee lab, and graduated with his BSc degree in 2020. He subsequently joined the Mookherjee lab as a full time Research Technician, and was involved in many projects in the lab. Dylan was critical in maintaining the sanity of the lab by his exceptional organizational skills, and meticulous ability to maintain cells & perform numerous western blots when required! After working for more than five years in the Mookherjee lab, Dylan joined the Grain Commission Research labs in Winnipeg as a Research Staff.
Stephanie Borlase
BSc Research Student
Stephanie completed two co-op research term in the Mookherjee lab, following which she continued to pursue her BSc Honors research project working with Dr. Mookherjee. Her research project examined the immunomodulatory activity of novel small molecules and how that changes the biological effects of common antibiotics. This project was in collaboration with Dr. Frank Schweizer (Dept of Chemistry). She completed MSc in Biochemistry & Med Genetics, and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Toronto.
Breann Rekseidler
BSc Research Student
Breann completed two Co-op research terms in the Mookherjee lab, and won several undergraduate research awards, including the highly competitive NSERC USRA. Her training in the Mookherjee lab contributed to her securing an international placement in Germany for her subsequent undergraduate Co-OP research term. Breann further trained as a Medical Technologist at BCIT, Canada, and is currently working in Ottawa, Canada.
Natasha Osawa
BSc Research Student
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Natasha trained as an undergraduate Co-op research student in the Mookherjee lab, following which she worked as a research assistant in our lab for a year. She worked on examining the sequence-to-function relationship of IDR peptides in bronchial epithelial cells. Natasha started her graduate school in 2019, and is currently a MSc student in Genetic Counselling. We are so proud of her accomplishment in securing a position in a highly competitive training program! Natasha is currently working as a Genetic Counsellor at the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at University of Manitoba, Canada.