Nadiya Khyzha, Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology

Nadiya KhyzhaPhD Candidate
Student Name: Nadiya Khyzha
Country of Origin:  Missisauga, Canada (born in Odessa, Ukraine)
Pre-MSc/PhD Education:  2009-2013: Bachelor of Health Sciences, Biomedical Specialization (McMaster University)

Recent Research Experience:
My research experience began upon the completion of my second year of undergraduate study. I commenced my third year thesis project in the lab of Dr. Michelle Ghert where I studied the bone resorption properties of chondrosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Subsequently, I did my fourth year thesis project in the lab of Dr. Nathan Magarvey which involved investigating the biosynthetic origin of SB-253514, a rare lipocyclocarbamate natural product that inspired drug design of a potential anti-atherosclerosis drug darapladib. During the project I identified the gene cluster responsible for production of SB-253514 in Pseudomonas fluorescens and deduced its biosynthetic pathway.

Current Research:
I started my MSc in 2013 in the lab of Dr. Jason Fish and reclassified into the PhD program in 2015. My thesis project looks at the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the context of vascular inflammation. Although originally thought of as “junk”, lncRNAs are being recognised for their role in epigenetics or gene regulation, making it an exciting area of research. Understanding the role of lncRNAs in vascular inflammation can better our understanding of how vascular inflammation can be controlled especially in the context of disease such as atherosclerosis.

Why Faculty of Medicine?
While applying for graduate programs, I was impressed by the quality and diversity of research performed at the Faculty of Medicine. For the mentioned reasons, I chose to join the Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (LMP) program. At LMP, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about a broad range of topics in basic and translational research. The experience has allowed me to have a better understanding of pathobiology and how various diseases are interconnected.

Future Education Plans and/or Career Goals:
Ideally, I would like to run my own academic lab. However, given the high competition in academia, I am keeping an open mind and have considered working in the biotechnology industry or joining the start-up world.

Contact Ambassador Nadiya Khyzha