Current Team Members
Dr. Francis Lin, Ph.D.
Francis Lin is currently the Health Logic Professor in Chip Innovation and Professor in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manitoba. After twenty years of research career, Francis still enjoys daily imagination of impossible ideas, then convinces his research team to explore such impossibility, and once in a while celebrates with great joy when some of these ideas actually worked. At work, Francis has a strong passion toward interdisciplinary research, education and collaborations. When not at work, Francis enjoys long road trips, workouts, and Chinese Calligraphy.
Dr. Yang Liu, Ph.D.
Yang Liu is a Research Associate in Dr. Francis Lin’s lab at the University of Manitoba. Having over ten years of professional biomedical experience, Yang is dedicating to bringing productivity, focus, ideas, and creativity to the Lab-on-Chip area research under a genuine team-based environment. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family & friends, and loves Yoga.
Dr. Amanda Stefanson, Ph.D.
Amanda is a Research Associate with a deeply inquisitive mindset and a diverse academic and entrepreneurial background that supports a cross-disciplinary approach to health research and discovery. She previously completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the lab, followed by a role as CFI Liaison and Projects Coordinator in the Office of Research Services at the University of Manitoba, and is now a Research Associate. Outside the lab, she enjoys experimental gardening, cooking with family and friends, exploring the complexities of metabolism, travelling, and seeking out new experiences.
Nicholas Palmerley, Ph.D. candidate
Nick received his B.Sc. degree from the University of Victoria in Physics in 2022. Using his advanced knowledge in Physics and computer science, Nick is exploring the effects of wireless bioelectricity on cell migration.
Gongyu Fu, Ph.D. student
Gongyu Fu received his B.Sc. degree in Biological Engineering at the Kunming University of Science and Technology, and received his Cell Biology M.Sc. degree at the University of Science and Technology of China. In the Lin lab and in collaboration with Prof. Yunhua Luo (Department of Mechanical Engineering), he is studying biological cell functions and their interactions with engineered biomaterials under physiological and disease conditions, and also is using microfluidics devices for studying the mechanisms of cellular interactions in maintaining human body stable internal environment and disease processes. In his leisure time, he likes traveling around the world, watching movies and fishing.
Maria Hangad, M.Sc. student
Maria received her B.Sc. Combined Honours in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Victoria in 2024. Her previous research experience consists of 3D bioprinting neural tissues, and microfluidics for synthesis of drug-releasing microparticles. In the Lin lab and in collaboration with Prof. Sam Kung (Department of Immunology), she is focusing on developing organ-on-chip models to investigate tumour-immune cell interactions as well as creating high-throughput platforms for the screening of genetically engineered immunotherapies. When not in the lab, Maria can be found touching grass (she hikes outside), baking X-treme sweets, and bouldering at her local climbing gym.
Haozhe Huang, M.Sc. student
Haozhe received his Honours B.Sc. degree in Health and Disease from the University of Toronto in 2025 with additional two minors in Biology and Immunology. In the Lin lab and in collaboration with Prof. Sam Kung (Department of Immunology), he is focusing on CAR-T and CAR-NK sorting.
Dumitru Tomsa, Lab Technician
Dmitry received his B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering and M.Sc. degree in BioMedical Engineering at the University of Manitoba. He is bringing his engineering perspective into biomedical research and likes to search for original solutions to emerging problems. Dmitry is excited about observing how ideas are transforming into physical objects.
Bhavya Shukla, Lab Technician
Bhavya is a Junior Laboratory Technician who will be starting his M.Sc. in the fall in the lab. He is interested in the intersection of biology and engineering. In his free time, he enjoys photography and watching anime or reading manga.
Thanh Ly, Undergraduate Honours Thesis Student
Thanh holds an Advanced Diploma in Biotechnology from Seneca College and recently completed his B.Sc. in Physics at the University of Manitoba. He completed his undergraduate Honours thesis in the lab, where he focused on integrating physics with biology to better understand biological processes and support the development of innovative medical treatments. He will be continuing in the lab as a M.Sc. student in the fall. His interests lie in applying physical principles to biological systems to deepen our understanding of complex biological processes and advance medical innovation.
Ethan Levene, Summer student
Ethan Levene is a summer Student Research Assistant in Dr. Francis Lin’s lab at the University of Manitoba. He is looking forward to contributing to several research areas, utilizing three years of undergraduate education in BioEngineering at McGill University.
Fatima tu Zahra, Summer student
Fatima Zahra is an undergraduate volunteer in Dr. Francis Lin’s lab at the University of Manitoba and is in her first year of Engineering. She is currently supporting ongoing work in microfluidic fabrication and is gaining hands-on research experience in the lab. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, puzzles, and building LEGO.
