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Welcome to the Applied Virus and Complex Biologics Bioprocessing Lab

The Applied Virus and Complex Biologics Bioprocessing Lab (Aucoin Lab) is part of the BioWorks Team in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, situated on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples.

Our research combines biology, engineering, and process science to better understand and control biological systems. We develop technologies for the production of viruses, virus-like particles, vaccines, gene therapy vectors, and other complex biologics, with the goal of addressing important challenges in human health and biomanufacturing.

A Collaborative and Supportive Team

Students and trainees are the foundation of our lab. We strive to create an environment where people support one another, develop professionally, and pursue their own goals. Lab members regularly collaborate with academic, industrial, and international partners, and our alumni have gone on to careers in academia, biotechnology start-ups, and global pharmaceutical companies.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Opportunity

We welcome applications from talented individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative research environment where everyone can thrive.

We particularly encourage applications from Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) and Black scholars and support opportunities such as the IBET Momentum Fellowship through the Indigenous Black Engineering and Technology PhD Project. We also recognize that career interruptions, including parental and medical leaves, are a normal part of life and should not be barriers to pursuing graduate studies or research careers.

Join Our Team

We are always interested in hearing from prospective students and trainees. Funding may be available through research grants, scholarships, fellowships, and external funding programs. If you are excited by interdisciplinary research at the interface of biology and engineering, we encourage you to contact us and apply.

The Aucoin Lab works closely with many outstanding research groups at Waterloo, including the Ward, Slavcev, Ingalls, Budman, Abukhdeir, Euler, and Liu laboratories. We are a proud member of the BioWorks Team.