Dr. Amy McNaughton
Research Assistant (2019 - 2023); Research Associate (2024 - present)
Departmental Safety Officer (2025 - present)
Phone: (613) 533-6000, ext. 77601; Email: ajmm@queensu.ca
Amy completed an Honours BSc in Biology with a General BSc in Psychology, and minoring in chemistry from Wilfrid Laurier University. She obtained her PhD in Plant Agriculture specializing in genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry from the University of Guelph. Amy joined Queen's University in 2014 in the Department of Psychiatry where she was part of a team researching the genetics basis of neurodevelopment disorders. During her time there she became an expert in Next Generation Sequencing, sequencing whole exome, whole methylome, targeted gene panels, and 16S microbiome community. Amy continues to perform Next Generation Sequencing after joining the Rauh Lab, along with managing the day to day lab operations, and training students. Amy also took on the role of Departmental Safety Officer for the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine in 2025.
LinkedIn: Google Scholar:
Marco Buttigieg
MD/PhD Candidate (Sept 2024 - present)
*Frederick Banting & Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships Awardee (CGS-M)*
Marco obtained his Honours BHSc from Queen's University. His MSc focused on clonal hematopoiesis and it's influence on solid cancers, which he completed in June 2024. He is continuing his work in the MD/PhD program at Queen's.
Casey Wong
MD/PhD Candidate (September 2023 - Present)
Casey completed an Honours BSc in Translational and Molecular Medicine and an MSc in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa. Throughout these degrees, she has had the privilege of working in diverse areas of research including computational protein structure and function, metabolism, immunometabolism, immunology, and regenerative medicine. Her MD/PhD focuses on CHIP and the host immune response in cancer and infectious disease.
Laura Semenuk
PhD Candidate (September 2023 - Present)
*co-supervised by Dr. Graeme Quest*
Laura holds a BSc and is an MLT at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. Her research focuses on the molecular profiling of hematological malignancies, with an aim to uncover novel drivers, and discover prognostic biomarkers by exploring the technical benefits and limitations of assessing DNA vs RNA, especially as it relates to the circulation of tumour content within the patient. Additionally, this work aims to propel the development of technical standards for the interpretation of somatic variants, laying the foundation for clinical frameworks.
Zil Patel
MD/PhD Candidate (September 2025 - Present)
Zil completed an Honours BSc in Biochemistry with a Biomedical Research Specialization at McMaster University and an MSc in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa. Throughout her training, she has worked across diverse areas of translational research, including respiratory immunology and infectious disease. She is currently pursuing an MD-PhD at 黑料吃瓜资源, where her research focuses on clonal hematopoiesis and its role in respiratory disease, infection, and immune dysfunction.
Milena Gojsevic
MD/PhD Candidate (September 2026 - Present)
Milena completed her Honours BSc in Biochemistry at the University of Waterloo. During this degree, she gained experience in cancer research, from assessing patient quality of life in clinical trials to exploring the heterogeneity in cellular responses to various anti-cancer therapies. Currently, she is pursuing an MD/PhD where her PhD project will focus on characterizing the interactions of CHIP and mutant cancer cells.
Isabella Adair Trotter
PhD Candidate (September 2026 - Present)
*co-supervised by Dr. Charles Graham*
Isabella Adair completed her BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology at Lycoming College (Pennsylvania, USA). After graduating, she worked in the biotech industry as an R&D scientist. Her research and work experiences included microbial taxonomy, phage isolation, analysis of EMT expression in metastatic prostate cancer, antibody purification and analysis, and protein induction and purification using bacterial hosts. Her PhD will focus on the potential connections between immunosenescence, CHIP, development of bladder and blood cancers, and resistance to treatment in bladder cancers.
Undergraduate Students (Queen's University):
Luke Heinbuch, 3rd year, Health Sciences
Andrew Tian, 3rd year, Health Sciences