The Cobra Lab
The Cobra Lab
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About The COBRA Lab

Our Mission

Help diagnose and cure human diseases by developing novel diagnostics and RNA therapeutics through research using techniques from bioinformatics, machine learning, data science and computational genomics.

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Our Focus

RNA, transcriptomics, RNA-RNA interaction, RNA-protein interaction, RNA therapy

Understanding Aging process and disease progression are new focus of our group, alongside explainable machine learning with applications in medicine.

Explore Our Research Projects

Our Network

We have a large network of members and collaborators around the world.

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The TEAM

Hosna Jabbari (PI)

Raul Ivan Perez Martell

Hosna Jabbari (PI)

Hosna Jabbari is an Associate Professor of computational biology at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta. 

She is interested in finding the underlying mechanisms of human diseases with a transcriptomic lens. She has an extensive background in predicting complex structure of RNA and utilizing it for therapeutics. Her past projects include breast cancer luminal type identification using RNA-seq, identification of optimal oligonucleotide for exon skipping treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and differential gene expression analysis for stem cell to endothelial vs. neuronal cells. She is currently interested in RNA-binding-protein-RNA interaction mechanism and its implication on human diseases, as well as understanding the process of aging.​

Lacey Haddon

Raul Ivan Perez Martell

Hosna Jabbari (PI)

Lacey Haddon (PhD) is a research associate in the COBRA Lab. Her main research interests are in analysis of genomics and transcriptomics data to help cure human diseases such as cancer. Lacey joined the COBRA Lab in January 2024. 

Raul Ivan Perez Martell

Raul Ivan Perez Martell

Raul Ivan Perez Martell

Ivan Martell (MSc) is interested in applying machine learning techniques, as well as mathematical modelling, to genetic and epigenetic data. He is completing his PhD in Computer Science at the University of Victoria. The focus of his thesis is predicting change of structure in proteins due to single amino acid mutation; something that is not easily predicted using existing methods.

Alison Ziesel

Alison Ziesel

Raul Ivan Perez Martell

Alison Ziesel (MSc) is a PhD student at the University of Alberta. She completed her undergraduate degree in molecular genetics at the University of Alberta and then worked in academic research focussing on gene expression and retinal disease. She completed her M.Sc. thesis in the COBRA lab and is continuing with a Ph.D. starting in September 2022. Alison’s interests include epigenetics and metabolomics, with a current focus on changes in those systems observed in healthy and pathological aging.

Mateo Gray

Alison Ziesel

Michael Amiss

Mateo Gray (MSc) received his M.Sc. in computer science with a focus on computational biology at the University of Victoria in Summer 2021. Mateo joined the lab in September 2023 as a PhD student. His main interest is in making improved computational tools to make bioinformatics accessible to everyone.

Michael Amiss

Alison Ziesel

Michael Amiss

Michael Amiss (MSc)  completed his BSc in biochemistry and math, and MSc in computer science at the University of Victoria. Michael joined the lab as a PhD student in Fall 2023. Michael's focus is on RNA 3D structure prediction.

Finn Archinuk

Finn Archinuk

Finn Archinuk

Finn Archinuk (BSc) holds an undergraduate degree in Microbiology, from the University of Victoria. Courses in his undergrad lead him to machine learning through the astrophysics department. He is now interested in learning to apply machine learning techniques to bioinformatics problems.

Publications

Research

Biological Age Assessment

     Utilizing RNA methylation to accurately determine biological age, enhancing preventative screenings and optimizing drug dosages. 

Alzheimer’s Early Detection

     Leveraging omics data and insights from related diseases for early Alzheimer’s identification. 

Vaccine Efficiency Enhancement

     Identifying and designing functional structures
to
boost
vaccine
efficacy. 

Gene Switch Development

     Creating
high
specificity
gene
switches
 through
the
design
of
efficient
and
 effective RNA molecules. 

Past Members

Luke Trinity

Morgan Cunningham

Morgan Cunningham

Luke Trinity (PhD) is a Washington, D.C. native. He completed his B.A. in Computer Science, M.S. in Complex Systems & Data Science at the University of Vermont and his PhD at the COBRA Lab in 2024. Luke is an avid rock-climber and enjoys spending time in nature.

Morgan Cunningham

Morgan Cunningham

Morgan Cunningham

Morgan Cunningham (MSc) completed his undergraduate studies in statistics and biology at the University of Victoria and his MSc at the COBRA Lab (2024). He is interested in utilizing bioinformatics and mathematical modelling to study ecology and ecotoxicology in agriculture. 

Mina Emadi

Morgan Cunningham

Tara Newman

Mina Emadi (MSc) completed her MSc in computer science at the COBRA Lab (2023). She completed her undergraduate studies in chemical engineering at Sharif University of Technology, focusing on systems biology and metabolic network modelling. Her research interests are bioinformatics and systems biology.

Tara Newman

Haley Greenyer

Tara Newman

Tara received her M.Sc. in Computer Science with a Bioinformatics concentration at the COBRA Lab (2023). She completed her undergraduate studies in microbiology at the University of Victoria. Her interests are predicting RNA/DNA interaction structures and using simulation and bioinformatics tools to study epidemiology and the immune system. 

Haley Greenyer

Haley Greenyer

Haley Greenyer

Haley received her M.Sc. in Computer Science with a Bioinformatics concentration at the COBRA Lab (Spring 2022). She completed her B.S. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Vermont. Her M.Sc. thesis involved investigating applications of control theory to metabolic networks.

Zak White

Haley Greenyer

Haley Greenyer

Zak completed his B.Sc. with honours in computer science with an emphasis on Bioinformatics and machine learning at the COBRA Lab (Spring 2022).

Hunter Bursey

Hunter Bursey

Hunter Bursey

Hunter completed his B.Sc. with honours in computer science with an emphasis on Bioinformatics at the COBRA Lab (Summer 2022).

Connie He

Hunter Bursey

Hunter Bursey

Connie joined the lab in Summer 2022 as an NSERC Undergraduate Research Awards winner. She helped us with making our software tools more user friendly.

Lance Lansing

Hunter Bursey

Lance Lansing

Lance completed his undergraduate studies in computer science at the University of Victoria. His interests are bioinformatics and the study of health and genetics. Lance completed an NSERC USRA in the lab.

Visitors

Stephani Santos Henrique da Costa

Maria Eduarda Gonzalez Lopes Teixeira

Maria Eduarda Gonzalez Lopes Teixeira

Stephani visited the lab from São Paulo, Brazil as a University of Alberta Research Experience (UARE) student over the winter 2024. 

Maria Eduarda Gonzalez Lopes Teixeira

Maria Eduarda Gonzalez Lopes Teixeira

Maria Eduarda Gonzalez Lopes Teixeira

Maria visited the lab from São Paulo, Brazil as a University of Alberta Research Experience (UARE) student over the winter 2024. 

Marwa Ghraizi

Maria Eduarda Gonzalez Lopes Teixeira

Lea Friedemann

Marwa joined the lab in Summer 2023 as a Mitacs Globalink student from Paris, France. She helped us with our RNA structure-function prediction project.

Lea Friedemann

Lea Friedemann

Lea Friedemann

Lea joined the lab in Summer 2023 as a Mitacs Globalink student from Germany. She helped us with our RNA structure-function prediction and aging projects.

Myfanwy Warren

Lea Friedemann

Myfanwy Warren

Myfanwy's interests include reading, listening to all genres of music, and rowing on the ocean.

Robert Wood

Lea Friedemann

Myfanwy Warren

Rob completed his BSc in Computer Science at the University of Victoria. His academic interests lie in the intersection of computer science with other sciences such as linguistics and biology.

Hans Lee

Andrew Hollar

Andrew Hollar

Hans received his B.Sc. from the University of Victoria in Computer Science and Psychology. He worked on an interdisciplinary project on High-throughput methods and Neurodegenerative diseases under the guidance of Prof. Jabbari. On top of his studies, Hans also participated in WECs as an executive member helping first-years through their exams. Fun fact about Hans: he used to be a trained vocalist.

Andrew Hollar

Andrew Hollar

Andrew Hollar

Andrew received his undergraduate degree in computer science in his home state at the University of Vermont. His research areas of interest include a wide array of topics within bioinformatics.

COBRA Lab Through the Years

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