About Us

Director

Dr. Chris Carlsten, MD MPH is a Professor of Medicine, and Head of Respiratory Medicine division, in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He is a Canada Research Chair in Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease and holds the Astra-Zeneca Chair in Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease at the University of British Columbia. He is the Director of the Air Pollution Exposure Laboratory and also holds adjunct positions at the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, the UBC School of Population and Public Health and the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (formerly James Hogg Research Centre).

He attended undergraduate and medical school at Stanford University before training in internal, occupational, pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Washington.

The Carlsten laboratory focuses on the respiratory and immunological health effects of inhaled environmental and occupational exposures, using diesel exhaust, western red cedar, and phthalates as model inhalants.

As director of the Occupational Lung Disease Clinic at The Lung Centre (Vancouver General Hospital), Dr. Carlsten welcomes patients with concerns regarding occupational or environmental exposures contributing to respiratory disease including asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, cancer, and pleural disease.

Director Emerita

Dr. Moira Chan-Yeung, MB, is a Professor Emerita in the UBC Department of Medicine and is the recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Achievement award from the American Thoracic Society, among other honours. She has been a driving force behind the collaboration of UBC, national and international scientists who are involved in epidemiological and basic science research of occupational and environmental lung diseases.

One of her many noteworthy contributions is her discovery of plicatic acid as the agent responsible for Western Red Cedar asthma. Since Dr. Chan-Yeung began her research in the Department of Medicine in 1968, she has published over 350 manuscripts and 5 books.

Collaborating Faculty Member

Dr. Jeremy Hirota, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, at McMaster University and is also an Affiliate Professor at the University of British Columbia. His interest is in how the immune system in the lungs helps protect us while we breath over 10,000 litres of air a day. Specifically, how air pollution, allergens, viruses and bacteria are detected by our immune system, and how this could lead to the development of lung diseases or “attacks”. The ultimate goal of his research will be the development of new drugs and/or new policy, aimed at improving the quality of life for all populations in society, specifically those that may suffer from lung diseases.

Dr. Hirota brings a range of experimental techniques to the centre and will leverage that skill set within our translational science setting. As a professor, he will continue the pursuit of research interests while teaching undergraduate medical students.

Collaborating Faculty Member

Dr. Michael Brauer, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Environmental Health at UBC. He is recognized internationally for his air quality research in environmental and occupational exposure assessment with regards to health effects.

In addition, his research focuses on air pollution from transportation, vegetation fires and indoor, the air quality in Asia and the development of sampling and analysis methods for air pollutants.

Collaborating Faculty Member

Dr. Michael Koehle, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in both the School of Kinesiology and the Division of Sports Medicine in the Department of Family Practice at UBC. His current areas of research include the interaction between exercise and environmental pollution and the effect of altered environments (hypoxia, hyperbaria, hyperthermia).

He is also working on research with regards to the cardiorespiratory system and prevention and treatment of other illnesses and/or injuries associated with exercise.

Collaborating Scholar

Dr. Anette Kocbach Bølling is a researcher at the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) in Oslo, Norway. She has more than 15 years’ experience in different research fields including biological physics, particle toxicology, as well as toxicity of environmental chemicals (phthalates and bisphenol A) and dental materials.

She is currently managing a 3 year research project concerning effects of inhalation and prenatal exposure to phthalates on airway immunology, involving collaborations with APEL and the Swedish mother-child study SELMA at Karlstad University, Sweden. She was a visiting researcher in APEL for a year (2014/2015) and is still strongly involved in the phthalate inhalation study (PAIR) Staff.

Collaborating Faculty Member

Dr. Granville’s research program over the past 20 years has been focused on mechanisms by which tissues are injured and identifying therapeutic targets that can be exploited to reduce injury and/or promote healing. His research is presently focused on how aging, immobility and diabetes affect tissue injury, inflammation and repair in different types of tissues. Dr. Granville has identified a family of serine proteases, known as Granzymes (Granule-secreted enzymes) that are elevated and contribute to the pathogenesis of conditions associated with impaired healing and inflammation, including autoimmune diseases (eg. multiple sclerosis, discoid lupus erythematosus), pressure/diabetic ulcers, spinal cord injury, cardiovascular, pulmonary and skin injury.

In order to study granzymes in such a diverse set of indications, Dr. Granville has established an extensive network of clinical and scientific collaborators. He is currently taking this research to the next level with respect to translating his discoveries into the development and commercialization of novel, first-in-class therapeutics with the goal of entering the clinic by the end of 2017. Since arriving at UBC, his research has resulted in the filing of 30 patents, of which, all are owned by UBC and licensed to industry, and all include his UBC trainees as co-inventors. He is also the Scientific Founder and serves as the Chief Scientific Officer of the UBC spin-off company, viDA Therapeutics, Inc.

Clinical Data Scientist

Chris joined the lab in January 2015 after completing a PhD at the University of Calgary supervised by Drs. Robert Newton and Mark Giembycz. His PhD work focused on glucocorticoid resistance and how this could be combated with long acting beta2-adrenoceptor agonists, in the context of asthma and COPD. Chris is applying his expertise with in vitro epithelial cell models to examine how air pollution alters immune responses in COPD and asthma, examining effects on DNA methylation, miRNA and gene expression.

Through collaborations with researchers in the Tebbutt, Sin and Kobor labs at UBC, he is leveraging his bioinformatics skills to analyse data collected from current and earlier clinical trials. When not in the lab or at a computer, Chris enjoys running, sailing, kayaking, camping and snowboarding.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Ryan is currently pursing a PhD in the Experimental Medicine program at UBC where his research focuses on the interaction between environmental exposures and frontline asthma medications. Specifically, he is investigating how air pollution interrupts the function of inhaled corticosteroids in asthmatic airways in a controlled human exposure study (DIGR). The aim of this research is to guide treatment and prevention policies with the hope of reducing asthma exacerbations, as well as identify air pollution-associated molecular pathways that could potentially be therapeutically targeted.

Previously Ryan received his Bachelor of Medical Sciences in Biochemistry from the University of Western Ontario, and completed his MSc in Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia in 2015 under the supervision of Dr. Marco Marra at the Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre. His MSc thesis focused on using genome-engineering tools to investigate the gene KMT2D, which encodes an epigenetic modifier frequently mutated in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Outside of the lab Ryan is an avid long distance runner, hiker, and skier.

MSc Student

Eashan is a Master's student in the Experimental Medicine program at UBC. He completed his undergraduate degree in biology at UBC, studying local glucocorticoid regulation in lymphocytes. His research interests are around the roles of cytokines and other biological mediators in allergic respiratory conditions, including allergic rhinitis and asthma. Specifically, he is working with the Project ACE study to elucidate the multi-level effects of diesel exhaust and allergen exposure in allergic rhinitis under co-administration of the corticosteroid medication budesonide.

He has a particular interest in the immune system and its connections with the environment in the context of human health. He also likes to play badminton, dance, and write fiction.

Staff

Yu joined APEL in 2022 after completing her Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of British Columbia supervised by Dr. Allan Bertram. Her doctoral research focused on ice-nucleating particles in the atmosphere, which play a pivotal role in cloud formation, precipitation, and broader climate.

Bringing her expertise in atmospheric chemistry to APEL, Yu is now responsible for conducting controlled human exposure studies on diesel exhaust and managing the lab's gas and particle monitoring systems. Additionally, she contributes to the design and optimization of exposure systems for emerging pollutants of raising concerns, including biomass combustion emissions and microplastics.

PhD Candidate

Tina is a PhD student in UBC's School of Population and Public Health. She is passionate about health care and hopes to pursue a career in medicine and public health.

Tina is currently leading the VAPE study under the supervision of Dr. Chris Carlsten and Dr. Chris McLeod.

PhD Candidate

Michael is a PhD student in the Department of Bioinformatics at UBC. He completed his undergraduate degree in Microbiology & Immunology in 2022 and is currently interested in research involving the effects of diesel exhaust on the immune system. His current project aims to determine changes in the transcriptome, metabolome, and proteome in response to controlled dosages of air pollution.

In his spare time, he enjoys playing badminton and listening to music.

MSc Student

Lenneth Li received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Baylor University (2018). He joined the APEL family in July 2019. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Experimental Medicine at UBC under the supervision of Dr. Christopher Carlsten. Lenneth primarily focuses on the effects of PM depletion from diesel exhaust on the human genome and transcriptome of primary exposure tissues. Specifically, he is currently working on a comparative transcriptome study between DE and PDDE with co-exposure to allergens.

In his spare time, he enjoys personal training, basketball, and golf.

Co-op Student

Andy is a co-op student at APEL who studies cellular, anatomical, and physiological sciences at UBC. He enjoys helping with different projects and learning more about clinical research, and he hopes to apply these valuable skills in a future career in research and medicine.

In his spare time, he enjoys running, cycling, and playing ultimate frisbee.

Undergraduate Trainee (Co-op Student)

Mackenzie is a current co-op student in Dr. Carlsten’s lab and is working toward a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and forensic science at UBC and BCIT. She is responsible for processing large volumes of biological samples for the lab’s various studies and performing routine clinical diagnostic tests—skills she hopes to one day apply to a career in law enforcement.

Outside of the lab, Mackenzie enjoys listening to true crime podcasts, going to the gym, and relaxing at the beach.

PhD Student

Steven is a PhD student in UBC’s Experimental Medicine program studying how environmental exposures shape human immune responses. He completed his undergraduate training in Cell and Molecular Biology and earned an MSc in Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, where he investigated innate immune signaling pathways triggered by the bacterial metabolite ADP-heptose.

Working with Dr. Chris Carlsten and Dr. Min Ryu, Steven contributes to the TREES study and applies computational approaches to data from ongoing and prior clinical trials. His research focuses on how wood smoke and diesel exhaust influence immune activity in lung and blood tissues, with the goal of identifying exposure-linked inflammatory mechanisms and biomarkers. He uses bioinformatics and multi-omics integration approaches, building data analysis pipelines in R and Python to connect information across different types of biological measurements. He is interested in interdisciplinary collaborations that bring together experimental, clinical, and computational perspectives.

Outside research, he enjoys traveling, biking, and playing music.

Research Technician

Kevin received his BSc in Cell Biology and Genetics with a Minor in Commerce from UBC, and completed his MSc in Reproductive and Developmental Sciences at UBC under the supervision of Dr. Peter Leung. His MSc thesis focused on elucidating the role of bone morphogenetic protein 2 in ovarian cancer cell migration using a cell line model.

At APEL, he does sample processing for the various research studies, clinical serological testing for the province, and maintains and optimizes workflow in the lab. Outside of the lab, Kevin plays volleyball and does wedding photography.

Research Manager

Agnes received her BSc in Food and Nutritional Sciences from UBC. She joined the APEL group in December 2014 and brings to the team an extensive array of experience in molecular techniques and histology from her previous tenure in a plant genetics lab.

Within APEL, Agnes coordinates the tasks involved in various projects, oversees the recruitment needs of ongoing studies, and manages the day-to-day activities of the lab. Her Diploma in Accounting from UBC also allows her to positively contribute to administrative work involving budgeting and finances within the lab. In lieu of working and studying, Agnes has a passion for theatre arts and live musical performances. She also loves to travel and to try different restaurants or cuisine and would always welcome food recommendations.

Staff

PJ joined APEL in October 2018 to manage a new project in partnership with Genome BC.

Previously, PJ worked at the department of medicine as a Project Coordinator, improving projects and services for end-users by leveraging his prior technical experience and defining all aspects of project delivery; including but not limited to: scope and deliverable definition, budget and timeline estimation, team member identification and interviewing.

Trainee

Danay joined the APEL team in 2015 and since then she assumed the leading role in the Phthalate-Allergen Immune Response (PAIR) clinical study. Her goal is to understand how inhaled environmental pollutants, like phthalates, may alter the immune response to an allergen in the human airway and at a systemic level. Surrounded by a multidisciplinary team with vast expertise in the field of airway immunology, she aims to improve the lives of Canadians, specifically vulnerable groups who suffer from chronic inflammatory airway diseases like asthma.

Danay received her B.Sc. (Hons) in Biochemistry at the University of Havana, Cuba and has a strong background working in the Canadian biotechnology industry. As a current part-time employee at Stemcell Technologies (RND) and DeNovo Software (consultant), while conducting successfully her PhD project, she is continuously expanding her skill-set in both academic and industry settings. In her spare time, she likes to hike, run, dance salsa and unwind watching classic movies and documentaries about politics, religion, science and technology. Her passion is to travel and learn about different cultures around the world.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Illiassou earned his Ph.D. degree in Microbiology and Parasitology from Montpellier University in France. He joined the Carlsten lab in September 2019 after having completed postdoctoral training under the supervision of Dr. Eric Harvill at the University of Georgia in the USA. During his time in Georgia, he worked to unravel the role of the nasal resident microbiota in preventing Bordetella pertussis colonization and transmission, using a mouse model of infection. He is currently investigating how exposure to environmental pollutants, such as allergens and diesel exhaust, affects the microbiome of the respiratory tract and the broader implications this has on the lung immune response in healthy and compromised airways.

In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer, running, cooking, and "catching up" with family and friends.

Co-op Student

Kristen is a current Co-op student in the lab, and is working towards a Bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and forensic science at UBC and BCIT. She enjoys helping out on the different research projects, and hopes to apply her newly learned lab skills in a career in toxicology one day.

Outside of work and school, she enjoys hiking, baking, and exploring new activities and places to eat around Vancouver.

Trainee

Juma Orach is currently pursuing a Master’s degree where he studies how the human body responds to different doses of diesel exhaust in a controlled human exposure. By studying this dose-response relationship (DICE), Juma hopes to improve bio-monitoring in occupational diesel exhaust exposure by developing a biologically and clinically relevant bio-signature. This research could improve our ability to assess occupational injury, design interventions and inform compensation.

Besides conducting clinical and basic laboratory research, Juma maintains the APEL website through which he increases awareness on pollution and opportunities at APEL. Juma received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology at UBC (2018) where he studied the effects of environmental pollutants (phthalates) on gut bacteria. He joined pollution lab in 2015 as a volunteer and has since then supported general laboratory tasks, study recruitment, serological testing and the APEL website. In his spare time, he enjoys tutoring, dancing salsa-rueda, playing football, watching movies/TV shows and socializing with friends.

Research Technician

Carley received her Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Physics from UBC. At APEL, she is responsible of operating/maintaining air quality instruments and in charge of human exposures to emissions from diesel engines. Her work also includes research and design for future projects including a system to study the effect on lung cells due to the particles emitted from biomass burning.

During her free time, she also enjoys swimming, reading, and exploring all over the PNW.

Directed Studies Student

Chantane is a 4th year Integrated Sciences student currently on a co-op term with APEL. From joining APEL, she hopes to learn more about respiratory physiology and the effects air pollution has on lung function, as well as experimental procedures used in the research. Ultimately, she hopes to work in the healthcare sector and apply the skills she’s learned to make a difference in the medical community.

In the lab, she works closely with the lab technicians and is responsible for sample processing, as well as the assistance of other lab members with their projects. In her free time she likes to draw, write, hit the gym or binge five seasons of a show in one night!

Visiting Scholar

MSc Student

Denise is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Experimental Medicine where her research focuses on how air pollution modulates the immune response in the lungs. Specifically, she is investigating whether inhaled air pollution changes the behavior of neutrophils, our immune system’s first-responders. She hopes that elucidating these mechanisms will help us find new therapeutic targets for people who are at-risk, and strengthen the body of evidence needed to encourage policy-driven air quality improvement worldwide.

Denise obtained a Bachelor of Kinesiology in 2016 from the University of Toronto where she fell in love with biology and the human body. She then joined APEL to pursue her true passion of helping people with disease. She competed for U of T’s varsity volleyball team and represented Canada at the U23 beach volleyball world championships. If the sun is shining, you can be sure to find her at the courts on Kits beach!

Volunteer

Wayne Tse is a 3rd year undergraduate student at UBC studying Science. One day, Wayne hopes to be able to make a tangible and meaningful contribution to the medical community. From joining APEL, he wants to understand how a ubiquitous pollutant such as diesel exhaust can trigger NETosis.

Currently, Wayne is volunteering under the guidance of Denise, assisting in sample processing and microscopy work. Beyond APEL and classes, Wayne enjoys taking photos, walking his miniature Goldendoodle, and working at the Chapman Learning Commons.

Volunteer

Brandon is a 3rd year Integrated Science student and joined APEL as a volunteer in January 2017. He found out about APEL when he was looking for an overlapping area between his interests in Human Physiology and Geographical Sciences. After discovering the unique in vivo studies that the lab conducts, he built his Integrated Sciences degree around how air pollution in the atmosphere can affect human health.

Brandon’s volunteer duties include: serological testing, differential cell counts, maintaining cell cultures and general inventory and sorting of samples. In his spare time, he enjoys travelling, playing badminton and discovering new places to eat.

Co-op Student

Isabella is a 4th year Chemical Biology student on a co-op term with APEL. She is fascinated by multidisciplinary research in biology, especially analysis and detection techniques. From APEL, Isabella hopes to learn more about research procedures in molecular biology and the extent they to which produce useful information about physiology and pollution. In her spare time, she enjoys roaming the Vancouver food scene, biking with a nice view and dancing salsa or any other upbeat rhythm.

Volunteer

Celina is a Microbiology and Immunology student at UBC who is currently a volunteer with APEL. She is fascinated by how the components of our innate and adaptive immunity work in concert to protect and evade our body of pathogens.

She hopes to apply to medical school and pursue a career in the health care industry. At APEL, Celina is responsible for creating an inventory of samples from past studies, assisting with serological testing and will be contributing to data analysis on APEL’s blinding techniques. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at Vancouver General Hospital, hiking around BC and socializing with friends.

Trainee

Hannah is a visiting MD/Ph.D. student at APEL, majoring in Otorhinolaryngology at the Sun Yat-sen University. Her research focuses on how air pollution does epigenetic regulation in allergic airway inflammation, including asthma and allergic rhinitis, especially the effect on local inflammation and systemic inflammation.

If you ask Hannah why she came here, she will tell you it is because of APEL – “The best facility to investigate what air pollution does to our bodies!” Hannah grew up by the ocean, and she loves the sea so much. She likes swimming, hiking, reading and playing puzzles.

Volunteer

Ayman is a 4th year Biology student, currently volunteering in various administrative aspects for several clinical studies. In the future, Ayman hopes to blend her biology background with computer science, to take an innovative approach towards research.

Outside of the lab she is an active member of numerous initiatives such as Empower the Future, LET’S International Charitable Association, and is also a Research Assistant for the UBC Faculty of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology. In her spare time, Ayman enjoys painting, and trying out extreme sports like skydiving and white-water rafting.

Co-op Student

Mimi is a 4th year Biochemistry student at UBC currently on her co-op term. She is fascinated by the intricacies of the human body and hopes to pursue a career in healthcare. By working with APEL, she hopes to gain insight into the frontiers of clinical research and witness firsthand how molecular techniques are utilized to examine various effects on human physiology.

Outside of the lab, Mimi loves reading, painting, and exploring the dessert scene around the lower mainland. She has a major sweet tooth (loves crème brûlée!) and would always welcome new dessert recommendations.

Staff

Allyson Miscampbell is a molecular biologist with an MSc in Zoology from the University of British Columbia. Her previous research at UBC specialized in nucleic acid extraction from diverse plant and animal tissues, PCR and qPCR-based genotyping and gene-expression assays, and genetic analyses using tools such as microsatellites and sequencing.

At the Air Pollution Exposure Lab, Allyson works with cell culture exposure experiments and performs downstream genomic analyses such as PCR and real-time, long-read sequencing to support Dr. Min Hyung Ryu’s goal to integrate population omics research with translational studies to improve patient outcomes and advance precision medicine in respiratory health.

Beyond research, Allyson is a lifelong outdoors enthusiast who loves to be out on forest trails. She is also happy at home with a cat, or two, on her lab and her nose in a book.

MD Student

Jennifer is a medical student with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Public Health. She supports research on the AirGen project as a FLEX student with Dr. Min Hyung Ryu, contributing to work examining how climate-driven aeroallergens affect respiratory health. She was also awarded the 2025 VCHRI SPARKS Research Award with Dr. Min Hyung Ryu for related work. She is particularly interested in environmental health as an important determinant of human health and clinical outcomes. In her free time, she enjoys playing the cello, golfing, and exploring nature photography.

Staff

Shuyu received her BSc in Statistics and Computer science from University of British Columbia (UBC). She later completed her MSc in Statistics at UBC under the supervision of Dr. John Petkau. She joined APEL in May 2018 and is the “go-to” person for statistical questions. She enjoys working with numbers, exploring different models and different visualization techniques.

Before joining APEL, she worked as a statistician at the Vaccine Evaluation Centre and ICON Plc. Outside of the lab, Shuyu enjoys hiking, skiing, and yoga; she also loves to try different cuisine, and enjoys sharing good food with friends.

Volunteer

Douglas is currently a Microbiology and Immunology student at UBC volunteering with COERD. He currently assists the lab with administrative and organizational duties, occasionally helps with sample processing. Science is something that truly fascinates him and he would like to always learn more. He hopes to pursue a career in medical research and healthcare.

Outside of volunteering and school work, he enjoys reading books, watching movies, playing music, and just hanging out with friends.

Volunteer

Cindy is a recent graduate from University of Waterloo with a Bachelor’s of Biomedical Science. She has profound interest in human physiology and hopes to pursue a career in healthcare. Cindy currently works as a respiratory technician at UBC Lung Centre, where she teaches patients how to perform spirometry tests, and as a volunteer at APEL in sample sorting and administrative duties.

At APEL, Cindy hopes to gain more research experience as well as see first hand the impact of various studies on improving patient health. In her spare time, Cindy enjoys hot yoga, watching movies, and going on road trips with friends.

Volunteer

Angela is an anthropology student minoring in public health at UBC who is currently involved as a volunteer with APEL. She is passionate about health care and excited to apply her background in medical anthropology to this field in the future.

Angela currently assists the lab with administrative duties. In her spare time, Angela enjoys outdoor activities, curling, and watching movies.

MSc Student

Christine is a 3rd year biology student with a minor in commerce at UBC currently on her first co-op term. She is passionate about research and has been involved in pharmaceutical, molecular biology, and immunology research. At APEL, she hopes to gain more experience with clinical research and learn more about respiratory physiology.

In the lab, Christine helps with clinical serological testing, post-covid clinic biobanking and various ongoing projects. Outside the lab, she enjoys exploring new music and binge watching TV shows.

Volunteer

Bora is a recent graduate from Emily Carr University with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. She is currently an undergraduate student in UBC, hoping to shift her career to the field of science. She started volunteering at APEL in March 2019. She currently assists the lab with administrative and organizational duties. Through volunteering at APEL, she enjoys and appreciates learning the new field of science.

Volunteer

Jamie is a 2nd year undergraduate student studying Biochemistry at UBC. From volunteering at APEL, Jamie wishes to gain more hands-on lab and research experience as well as learn in-depth about physiology in the field of medical research.

In the lab, Jamie works with lab students and staff and is responsible for sample sorting, preparing for serological testing, and improving sample inventory. In her spare time, Jamie loves to spend time with her dog and find new places to eat.

Principal Investigator

Dr. Ryu holds the Moira and David Yeung Professorship in Respiratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He is also an Assistant Professor in the Division of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, and a Principal Investigator at the Centre for Lung Health and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.

Dr. Ryu’s research program focuses on systems biology-driven approaches to define the etiology of complex diseases of the lungs. His lab leverages omics datasets and cutting-edge data science methodologies, such as machine learning, to identify preventative and therapeutic strategies for chronic respiratory illnesses. His research program combines population omics research (molecular epidemiology) and translational research to impact the lives of those living with chronic lung diseases.

Dr. Ryu completed his postdoctoral training at the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA in 2024. He received a PhD in Experimental Medicine from the University of British Columbia in 2021. Prior to his doctoral studies, Dr. Ryu received his MSc in Physiology and Pathophysiology and BSc in Life Sciences at the University of Manitoba and Queen’s University, respectively.

Dr. Ryu’s ultimate goal is to leverage “big molecular data” to help patients and their healthcare teams mitigate environmental and genetic risk factors for chronic respiratory diseases and improve their quality of life.

Principal Investigator

Dr. Brigham received her professional degrees at the Johns Hopkins Schools of Medicine and Public Health, completing her residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital where she was subsequently hired as faculty. She has been awarded highly competitive research awards through the National Institutes of Health, including a National Service Research Award, a Mentored Clinical Research Scholar Award, and most recently a Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award. Her research is focused on: (1) the impact of diet and other metabolic factors on respiratory health in airways disease, (2) how these factors may augment or mitigate the symptomatic and inflammatory response to air pollution and other pro-inflammatory exposures, and (3) ways to translate these findings into action to improve respiratory health, particularly within vulnerable populations. Aligned with her research, she has clinical expertise in the care of patients with airways disease, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Postdoctoral Researcher

Huan is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Division of Respiratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia. With a diverse academic background, he holds a Ph.D. in Global Health and Health Security from Taipei Medical University, an M.Sc. in Occupational and Environmental Health from Thammasat University, and an M.D. from Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy. His research investigates the intersection of air pollution, climate change, and respiratory diseases, with a specific focus on COPD and asthma.

Currently, he works under the mentorship of Dr. Emily Brigham and Dr. Michael Brauer.

Undergraduate Trainee (Co-op Student)

Charlotte is a co-op student in the Ryu Laboratory and is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of British Columbia. She contributes to both wet-lab and clinical research, assisting with primary cell culturing, pulmonary function testing, and research ethics documentation. She is particularly interested in gaining hands-on experience across wet-lab, clinical, and translational research, and hopes to apply the skills she develops toward a future career in healthcare.

Outside of the lab, Charlotte enjoys playing the trumpet, running outdoors, and baking sweet treats.

MSc Student

Chae Young is a MSc student in the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and a member of The Ryu Lab under Dr. Min Hyung Ryu. She completed her undergraduate degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University in 2025. Her research focuses on characterizing the transcriptional response of the airway epithelium to climate change–related environmental exposures. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine.

Outside the lab, she enjoys singing and playing the guitar.

Volunteer

Elia is a student at the University of Pennsylvania studying chemistry who recently completed her second year and is currently taking time off to gain hands-on experience. She is interested in healthcare and medical imaging and hopes to pursue a career in healthcare in the future.

As a lab volunteer, Elia works on projects examining the impact of allergens and woodsmoke on differentiated airway epithelial cells and the effects of allergen exposure on THP-1 cells, under the supervision of Dr. Min Hyung Ryu. She also helps out with serological testing and sample organization. When Elia’s not in the lab or studying, she enjoys drawing, watching YouTube, and spending time with her cat.

Co-op Student

Alisa is a 4th year UBC student studying Integrated Science in Physiology and Food, Nutrition, and Health. She is currently on her first term of co-op and she is excited to learn more about respiratory research. At APEL she hopes to gain more experience in wet lab environment and to gain insight into clinical research.

In the lab, Alisa helps with clinical serological testing, post-covid clinic biobanking, and various ongoing projects. Outside the lab, she enjoys ballet and cheerleading as well as outdoor sports like hiking, skiing, and snowboarding.

SSRP Student

Nataly is an undergraduate student at UBC, completing her degree in Biology. She joined the laboratory in the fall of 2021 as a volunteer to gain more wet lab experience. After learning more about tissue culture and assisting various team members of the lab, Nataly joined the lab once again in the summer of 2022 under the Summer Student Research Program of the Faculty of Medicine to study the effects of woodsmoke on lung epithelial cells. She hopes this experience provides her with relevant skills for her future career aspirations.

With the goal of continuing her education toward becoming a physician, contributing to the lab will assist the development of her understanding of disease mechanisms and the inaugural stages of proposing research for medical treatments. Outside the lab, she enjoys learning about neuroscielnce and psychology. She loves reading a novel or listening to a podcast while exploring Vancouver’s coffee shops. She also enjoys cherishing her Lebanese culture and is trying to learn how to cook her favourite dishes from back home.

Volunteer

Vanessa is currently a 3rd year Biology student at UBC. She is currently aiding in organizing sample types from current studies and updating the inventory. She was first introduced to the biological effects of pollution through Model UN, where her committee debated and created an action plan to reduce air pollution in Asia.

Her goal at APEL is to slowly learn more about the various aspects involved in research, and to gain experience in both clinical and lab settings. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the gym, cooking, and hanging out with friends.

Volunteer

Izzy is a second year Biochemistry and Masters of Business Management Dual Degree student at UBC, and is pursuing a career in human healthcare. She is volunteering with APEL to gain valuable research skills in the area of human health and learn more about the research process.

Outside of school and research, she loves to cook, bake, and read many different kinds of books.

Volunteer

Goldman is an undergraduate science student at UBC. He started volunteering with APEL in July 2019 and aids with various administrative and laboratory duties in the lab. He is currently assisting in the data management of RNA sequences for various research studies. Goldman wishes to be more familiar with the process of clinical research. Ultimately, he is interested in developing a deeper understanding on the effects of air pollution and the human body’s reactions to it.

In his spare time, Goldman enjoys playing chess, curling up with a good book, and playing a friendly game of basketball.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Kauna joined the lab in 2024. Her research focuses on how the source and atmospheric aging of environmental pollutants alter immune responses and tissue remodeling in COPD. She investigates pollutant‑specific molecular signatures that drive inflammation, epithelial injury and dysregulated repair, using primary human airway models, transcriptomic profiling and mechanistic cell signaling approaches.

Kauna completed her PhD in Pharmacology and Biotechnology at the University of British Columbia, where she studied the interaction of inflammatory and remodeling master regulators in healthy lung repair and COPD. Her doctoral work integrated genomics, molecular biology, and functional assays to characterize transcriptional networks involved in chronic airway injury. She also holds a Master’s degree in Pharmacology and Biotechnology from Sheffield Hallam University, United Kingdom and a B.Pharm from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

In her spare time, she enjoys trying new recipes and reading fiction.

Volunteer

Martin Yu graduated from UBC in 2017 with a Bachelor's of Science in Pharmacy. He is currently volunteering at APEL under the supervision of Kevin Lau. Combined with his knowledge in pharmaceuticals, he hopes to learn more about the field of research to further contribute within the medical field.

His interests in research has inspired him to learn more about APEL's activities by assisting lab members in various activities and experiments. Martin actively assists in DICE and COPA studies, and conducts a clinical serological testing to determine whether patients are allergic to certain allergens. Aside from working as a licensed pharmacist, Martin enjoys hitting the gym and boxing.

PhD Student

Yidan is a PhD student in Experimental Medicine, co-supervised by Dr. Carlsten and Dr. Ryu. She received her B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her M.P.H. in Environmental Science from the Yale School of Public Health. Her research focuses on gene–environment (GxE) interactions, leveraging multiple genotyping approaches to investigate genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures in respiratory health.

Undergradaute Trainee

Kristy is a volunteer in the lab and is an undergraduate student working towards her degree in Cellular, Anatomical, and Physiological Sciences at UBC. She enjoys learning about ongoing research projects and hands-on work in the lab. She hopes to pursue a career in healthcare or research. Outside of school, she enjoys reading and playing badminton.

Undergradaute Trainee

Sara is a UBC Bachelor of Science student combining life science, environmental science, and environmental chemistry. She is currently volunteering in the lab and is interested in environmental exposures and their impacts human health and ecosystems.

In her free time, she enjoys reading and drawing.

MSc Student

Shayna is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the Experimental Medicine program at UBC under the supervision of Dr. Emily Brigham and Dr. Chris Carlsten. Her research interests include respiratory diseases, specifically, the intersection of respiratory health & wellbeing and climate change. The importance of climate change is apparent, particularly in regard to the risks that rising wildfire and forest fire smoke poses to human health. Thus, her research explores the preventative factors that may be taken to protect one's lung health before being exposed to wildfire smoke.

Previously, Shayna completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Saskatchewan where she conducted research in the Asthma Research Lab. Outside of the lab, Shayna is a certified yoga instructor and enjoys being outside - running, hiking, and biking!

MSc Student

Benjamin is an M.Sc. student in UBC’s Genome Science and Technology program. Working as a graduate research assistant with Dr. Chris Carlsten and Dr. Emilia Lim, he is investigating how environmental exposures influence lung health and disease. His research sits at the intersection of environmental toxicology and respiratory oncology, with a focus on how inflammatory and toxic stressors contribute to disease development and progression, and on strategies to mitigate these effects pharmacologically.

He holds a B.Sc. (Honours) in Molecular & Cellular Biology from Carleton University and has research experience in both academic and government settings, where he previously investigated microbial communities associated with electronic waste, and verified metabolic capabilities of microbes found in nitrifying consortiums used in the bioremediation of polluted environments.

Outside of the lab, Ben enjoys writing music, backcountry camping, and playing games with friends — activities that inspire creativity, passion, and perspective in his research.

Volunteer

Yini is a second year prospective dietetics student UBC. She holds strong passions in wanting to reach out to the public to promote healthy living and help prevent diseases. At APEL, she helps with organizing freezer, sorting out research samples, and wants to familiarize with working in a research lab.

Her ultimate goal is to find a channel to broadcast to the public, how to prevent chronic disease in an enjoyable way to help reduce the economical cost of health care in our society.