
Current members
Dr. Keiko Yoshioka
Principal Investigator
Ph.D. Hokkaido University/National Institute of Agrobiological Science (NIAS), Japan | Plant Molecular Biology
M.Sc. Hokkaido University/National Institute of Agrobiological Science (NIAS), Japan | Agriculture
B.A. Hokkaido University/National Institute of Agrobiological Science (NIAS), Japan | Agriculture

Dr. Keiko Yoshioka is a full Professor at the Department of Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Toronto. She has obtained her Ph.D. in plant molecular biology at Hokkaido University for a joint project with the National Institute of Agrobiological Science (NIAS) (Japan). She was a postdoctoral researcher at the RIKEN Institute (Japan) and the Waksman Institute of Microbiology at Rutgers of the State University of New Jersey (USA), and a Research Associate at the Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University (USA) prior to her appointment at the University of Toronto.
Her current research endeavors focus on signal transduction of stress responses in plants with an emphasis on immunity, and the generation of stress tolerant (pathogen resistant) crop plants. Her hobby is thinking about biology while watching NFL or opera.
Current position:
Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, St. George Campus
Prior appointments:
Department of Botany, University of Toronto, St. George Campus
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research at Cornell University (USA)
| Research associate | Supervisor Dr. D.F. Klessig
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research at Cornell University (USA)
| Post-Doctoral Fellow | Supervisor Dr. D.F. Klessig
Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (USA)
| Post-Doctoral Fellow | Supervisor: Dr. D.F. Klessig
RIKEN Institute/ Host laboratory: Micro-toxicology laboratory (Japan)
Special Post-Doctoral Researcher
Ibaraki Biotechnology Institute (Japan)
Research Associate

Dr. Wolfgang Moeder
Senior Research Associate
Ph.D. Technical University of Munich (TUM) at Helmholtz Center Munich, Germany | TOPIC *****
M.Sc. Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany | TOPIC *****
Prior appointments:
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research at Cornell University (USA)
| Post-Doctoral Fellow | Supervisor Dr. D.F. Klessig
Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (USA)
| Post-Doctoral Fellow | Supervisor: Dr. D.F. Klessig

Dr. Nadia Morales-Lizcano
Postdoctoral Fellow
Ph.D. University of Western Ontario, Canada | Biology
B.Sc. Universidad de los Andes, Columbia | Microbiology/Molecular Biology
I work on the plant bio-immunization project!

Purva Karia, M.Sc.
Ph.D. Candidate
M.Sc. McGill University, Canada | Plant Science
B. Tech. D.Y. Patil University, India | Biotechnology
I work on the tunnel triphosphate metalloenzymes project!

Sonhita Chakraborty, M.Sc.
Ph.D. Candidate
M.Sc. University of Guelph Canada | Plant Agriculture
B.Sc. McMaster University, Canada | Biology
I work on the cyclic nucleotide gated channel project!

Winfield Yim, B.Sc.
Ph.D. Candidate
B.Sc. University of Toronto, Canada | Human and Cell and Molecular Biology
I work on the plant bio-immunization project!

Carlo Perolo, M.Sc.
Ph.D. Candidate
M.Sc. University of Padua, Italy | Molecular Biology, 2019
B.Sc. University of Padua, Italy | Molecular Biology, 2017
Plants quietly play a central role in our lives. Understanding how such living being are capable to interact with their environment, defend themselves and adapt to changes is fascinating and extremely important to ourself and our planet.
I work on the cyclic nucleotide gated channel project!
Past members
2015 – Present
Angelica Miraples, M.Sc. Van Phan, M.Sc. Thomas A. DeFalco, Ph.D. Alex Fortuna, M.Sc. Huoi Ung, Ph.D. Feng Cao
2007 – 2014
Huda Abdel-Hamid, Ph.D. Kimberly Chin, Ph.D. Maria Soledad Nieves, Ph.D. William Urquhart, Ph.D. Joyce Baxter, M.Sc. Steve Mosher, M.Sc.
Undergraduate students & interim members
2015 – Present
Sook Min Emily Durant Daniel Zhang
Adnan Sharif
Jessica Chen
Hugo Pang
Steven Ngo
Kurtis Clarke
Tina (YuXuan) Luo
Esther Wong
Niki Ghalibaf
Amber Gao
Maral Mousavi
Emily Chien
Kathy Miao
Rachel Lau
Vanessa Hu
Teura Barff
2007 – 2014
Soo Young
Palak Patel
Junior West
Yi Zhang
Dr. Masatoshi Taniguchi
Dr. Yukimi Taniguchi
Yoshiki Koizumi
Eileen Zhao
Richard Lee
James Jahn
Punit Saraon
Kimberly Gao
Christopher Yau
Yuquing Wang
Rachel Zhou
Sandy Saravia
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