Dr. Katrine Whiteson's lab studies the human microbiome in health and disease. This has them hunting for bacteria, fungi and viruses in feces, sewage, sputum and other well-loved samples - her students are brave! Their favorite study designs are longitudinal, and use metabolomics and sequencing along with in vitro culturing and experimental evolution to study the microbes, their metabolites, and the phages they co-exist with. You can find more information about her research here: https://faculty.sites.uci.edu/whitesonlab/

Dr. Michael Kobor is internationally recognized as a world-leader in the field of epigenetics and leads a program of research focused on illuminating the mechanisms by which environmental exposures and life experiences can “get under the skin” to persistently affect health and behavior across the lifespan. He has received many distinctions, including a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Social Epigenetics, the Sunny Hill BC Leadership Chair in Child Development, and an appointment as Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Child and Brain Development Program. A champion for translational research, he previously served as the Director for the “Healthy Starts” Theme at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. He also leads the UBC Social Exposome Research Cluster, an interdisciplinary effort spanning 8 Faculties that investigates the health effects of social and environmental factors and influences policies and interventions to reduce health disparities.