April 2, 2024 (Ottawa) – The Stem Cell Network (SCN) is pleased to announce new appointments to its Trainee Communications Committee (TCC).

Joining SCN’s TCC are two new members who each bring expertise in their respective research areas and a passion for scientific communication and outreach.

• Nerea Cuesta-Gomez is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Drs. Andrew Pepper and Greg Korbutt’s lab at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on the use of mesenchymal stromal cells for tissue vascularization and islet transplantation for the treatment of Type 1 Diabetes.
• Dylan Siriwardena is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Aaron Wheeler’s lab at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on understanding early placenta formation and developing prenatal diagnostics for congenital and placental disorders.

In addition to these new members, two existing TCC members have been appointed as Chair and Vice-Chair. Tyler Wenzel will be accepting the role as committee Chair, and Holly Jiogo has been appointed as Vice-Chair.

• Tyler Wenzel is a Postdoctoral Fellow setting up a stem cell and regenerative medicine facility for the University of Saskatchewan. Their research is overseen by Drs. Darrell Mousseau and Jane Alcorn and covers topics such as brain homeostasis, central nervous system tissue regeneration, brain and intestinal disease etiology, pharmacokinetics, and the gut-brain axis with the goal of creating better treatments for neurodegenerative and inflammatory bowel diseases.
• Holly Jiogo is a MSc student in human genetics, studying under the supervision of Dr. Colin Crist at McGill University. In her research, she aims to discover how RNA granule dynamics can contribute to the regenerative potential of muscle stem cells.

SCN would like to thank exiting TCC members, Morten Ritso and Laura Stankiewicz, who have graciously given their time and knowledge to enhancing SCN’s training initiatives and ensuring the next generation is well equipped to advance stem cell and regenerative medicine for years to come.

SCN’s TCC is comprised of volunteer trainees and highly qualified personnel (HQP) from across Canada and contributes to the development and delivery of SCN’s training program for trainees in the stem cell and regenerative medicine community. Since its inception SCN has trained over 6,400 HQP across the country.