Our People - Current Students

Research Interests:

• Study of antimicrobial peptide daptomycin and its interaction with pulmonary surfactant and model bacterial membranes
• Study of amyloid-beta interactions with model membranes in relation to Alzheimer's Disease
• Use of atomic force microscopy, Kelvin probe force microscopy, Langmuir-Blodgett trough, fluorescence spectroscopy and black lipid membrane techniques

Leonenko Lab History:

• May 2011 - Aug 2011: NSERC USRA Summer Student (Physics)
  * Working with atomic force microscopy imaging of amyloid-beta interactions with SG1 inhibitors
• Sep 2011 - Dec 2012: Undergraduate Research Volunteer (Biology)
  * Atomic force microscopy imaging of DHA (omega-3) and its effect on amyloid-beta fibril formation
• Jan 2013 - Apr 2017: PhD Candidate in Biology (Nanotechnology)
• May 2017 - Aug 2019: Research Associate
• Sep 2019 - Current: Volunteer Research Associate

Current Position:

• Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Waterloo's Centre for Contact Lens Research

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2010 - Jun 2015: PhD Student (Biology)
• Jan 2008 - Apr 2010: Undergraduate Research Assistant (Biology)

Research Interests:

• Investigation of steroid's effect on phospholipid membranes
• Effect of cholesterol on amyloid fibril formation
• Study of lipid-protein films found in lens deposits
• Atomic force microscopy and Langmuir-Blodgett studies

Current Position:

• MD/MBA Student at University of Saskatchewan

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2011 - Dec 2015: PhD Student (Physics)
  * Frequency modulated Kelvin probe force microscopy to study electrostatics in lipid-protein assemblies

Research Interests:

• Effect of inhibitors and melatonin on amyloid toxicity
• Atomic force spectroscopy, cell viability studies, surface plasmon resonance

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2017 - Current: PhD (Pharmacy) Student
• May 2015 - Aug 2017: MSc (Biology) Student
• May 2014 - Apr 2015: BSc (Physics) Volunteer
  * Atomic force spectroscopy of amyloid beta, SERS lipid biosensing

Research Interests:

• Antimicrobial peptides in relation to Alzheimer's Disease
• Effect of melatonin on amyloid and model monolayers in relation to Alzheimer's disease

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2018 - Current: PhD Student (Biology)
• May 2017 - Apr 2018: Undergraduate Honours Student (Biology)

Research Interests:

• Studying the effect of melatonin on Alzheimer's disease using localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)

Leonenko Lab History:

• May 2016 - Apr 2017: Undergraduate Honours Student (Physics)
  * Studying the effect of melatonin on Alzheimer's disease using localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)

Research Interests:

• Studying the effect of trehalose and lithium isotopes on lipid model membrane in the background of Alzheimer’s Disease by Black lipid membrane (BLM)
• Studying the effect of trehalose and lithium isotopes on lipid model membrane in the background of Alzheimer’s Disease by Black lipid membrane (BLM)

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2019 - Current: PhD Student (Physics - Nanotechnology)
• Sep 2018 - Aug 2019: Undergraduate Honours Student (Physics)

Research Interests:

• Quantum neuroscience
• Experimental and theoretical study of Posner molecules as Bio-Qubit candidates

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2020 - Current: PhD Student (Physics - Nanotechnology)

Research Interests:

• The effect of melatonin on Alzheimer's disease using localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and surface enhanced raman scattering (SERS)

Research Interests:

• Effect of amyloid and melatonin on neuronal plasticity

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2018 - Current: MSc Student (Biology)
• Sep 2016 - May 2017: Undergraduate Honours Student (Biomedical Sciences)

Research Interests:

• Molecular neuroscience and mechanisms of neuroprotection in Alzheimer's Disease

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2020 - Current: MSc Student (Biology)
• May 2020 - Aug 2020: NSERC Undergraduate Student (Biology)
• May 2019 - Dec 2019: Undergraduate Honours Student (Biology)

Research Interests:

• Quantum Neuroscience: Effect of Li isotopes on electrical activity in neuronal brain tissues

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2020 - Current: NSERC USRA Undergraduate Student (Life Physics)

Research Interests:

• AFM and force spectroscopy studies of the effect of melatonin in model lipid membranes

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2020 - Current: Undergraduate Co-op Student (Physics)

Research Interests:

• Quantum neuroscience studies on connected cellular networks in relation to neuronal communication mechanisms

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2020 - Current: Undergraduate Co-op Student (Biology)

Research Interests:

• Biophysics: BLM study of the effect of Li in model lipid membranes in amyloid toxicity in realtion to Alzheimer's Disease

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2020 - Current: Undergraduate Honours Student (Materials & Nanosciences)

Research Interests:

• Biophysics: Localized surface plasmon resonance study in relation to the effect of melatonin in neuronal model membranes

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2020 - Current: Undergraduate Honours Student (Materials & Nanosciences)

Research Interests:

• Biophysics: BLM study of the effect of melatonin in DPPC/POPC/Cholesterol model membranes in amyloid toxicity in relation to Alzheimer's Disease

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2020 - Current: Undergraduate Honours Student (Materials & Nanosciences)

Research Interests:

• Quantum Biology: Literature review on kinetic effect of Li isotopes 

Leonenko Lab History:

• Sep 2020 - Current: Undergraduate Honours Student (Physics)