People and projects

The Lab – 2026

Donna.Z

The Lab – 2025

The Lab – 2023

The Lab – 2022

The Lab – previous pictures

Lab 2018
Lab focus on the X!
LSI Gallery
X inactivation Fans!
2017 UBC

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Calico Mask

Carolyn Brown

You can find a listing of Carolyn’s publications on Google Scholar (so much easier than searching Pubmed for C Brown!)

Ph.D., 1991, University of Toronto

Postdoctoral Fellowships:

  • Stanford University and
  • Case Western Reserve University

Current lab members

Christine onstageChristine Yang (B.Sc., M.Sc., UBC) is not only the lab go-to for FISH & ChIP & RIP, but a talented musician as well!
Bronwyn Posynick (Ph.D, UBC) has stayed on after her Ph.D. as a Postdoctoral Fellow
Rachel Jiang joined the lab in 2024 from Pepperdine, CA. She has now transferred to the Ph.D. program.
Annika Sybersma joined the lab in 2025 from UC Davis

Past Lab Members

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Samantha Peeters, B.Sc. (Guelph) did  her Ph.D. searching for the DNA elements allowing human genes to escape X-chromosome inactivation in collaboration with the Simpson and Wasserman labs at CMMT (BC Children’s Hospital). She stayed for a postdoctoral fellowship to develop mouse Embryonic Stem Cells that she can use to test pieces of human escape genes for their ability to maintain gene activity even when on an inactive chromosome!  Sam was featured in Faculty of Medicine’s ‘Back to School’ site. Sam has now moved to Toronto, to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Karanveer(wlabcoat)
Karanveer Bhangu, B.Sc. (York) joined the lab in September 2021.  He used CRISPR to generate deletions of XIST in somatic cells. 

Calico Gashapon
Gashapon calico Brad brought from Japan

Sarah (B.Sc. Simon Fraser University) was the lab manager for many, many years looking at XIST RNA:protein interactions.

Majo y Seymour

Seymour is not a calico, that’s unique to cats! Maria Jose Navarro Cobos joined the lab in 2019 from Mexico.  

Graduates and their Theses

Bronwyn Julia Posynick, PhD., 2026Investigating the spread of escape from X-chromosome inactivation in human cells
Karanveer Bhangu, M.Sc., 2025Elucidating the role of XIST domains in maintenance of X-chromosome inactivation
Maria Jose Navarros Cobos, Ph.D., 2025Combination of human and mouse XIST domains generates a minimal functional XIST

Bradley Balaton, PhD., 2021

Bradley has moved to Belgium for his PDF

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE GENETIC AND EPIGENETIC FACTORS
UNDERLYING ESCAPE FROM X–CHROMOSOME INACTIVATION
Thomas Dixon-McDougall, Ph.D., 2020

Tom has now moved to Boston for a PDF
FUNCTIONALITY OF DOMAINS OF XIST AND THEIR ROLE IN ESTABLISHING CHROMOSOME INACTIVATION
Samantha Peeters, Ph.D., 2019
Sam has now moved to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto
Modelling human escape from X-chromosome inactivation in mouse
Andrew Chapman, M.Sc., 2013
Transcriptional regulation of the XIST locus
Angela Kelsey, M.Sc., 2013,
Mechanisms for XIST RNA cis-localization
Jakub Minks, Ph.D., 2012
Role of XIST and its interacting partners in gene silencing
Allison Cotton, Ph.D., 2012
Patterns of DNA methylation on the human X chromosome and use in analyzing X-chromosome inactivation
Christine Yang, M.Sc., 2012
DNA methylation demonstrates spread of X-chromosome inactivation to human transgenes
Nancy Thorogood, Ph.D., 2010
XIST/Xist Induced Epigenetic Events in Somatic Cells
Samuel Chang, Ph.D., 2009
Identification and characterization of cis-acting regulatory elements for human XIST
Desiree Quint, M.Sc., 2006
Aberrant Hypermethylation of Xq12 in Lymphoma
Ziny Yen, M.Sc., 2005
Comparative studies of X inactivation within eutheria
Jennifer Chow, Ph.D., 2003
XIST and its role in X-chromosome inactivation
Ed Kwok, M.Sc., 2002
XIST and macroH2A1.2 in hybrid cells
Cathy Anderson, Ph.D., 2002
Variable X inactivation of the human TIMP1 gene
Sanja Karulic, M.Sc., 2001
Studies of X-chromosome inactivation and identification of the Xist gene in the insectivore Scapanus orarius

Gone but not forgotten

Diane —– MITACS student, 2016

Molly — MITACS student, 2017

Kira — Undergraduate student, 2018 & 2019

Suria — MITACs student, 2019