I am writing Laurie’s bio because she is too modest to do justice to her many talents and the huge contribution she makes to the smooth running of our lab. Laurie completed her PhD with Dr. Virginia Walker in the Department of Biology at Queen’s and joined us for post-doc research in the 1990’s when we were beginning to isolate and characterize insect antifreeze proteins. Since then, we have published close to 40 papers together including a couple in Science and Nature. Laurie is an expert in molecular biology from the ‘pre-kit’ days. Her amazing skills in bioinformatics are helping us mine the wealth of genomic and transcriptomic data that is being deposited every year. In addition to being a rigorous scientist, Laurie is a spouse, mom, hockey player, and a life-long learner with a passion for science, astronomy, minerology, oceanography, and nature.     /Peter Davies

Photo credit: Thomas Hansen

Hi, my name is Rob. I have worked in the department with many of the current and former members of the Davies Lab members since 1999. In 2016, with Sherry Gauthier's 'semi-retirement', I joined the Davies lab as full-time Research Assistant. I help to keep the lab running smoothly by ordering supplies, maintaining and repairing equipment, and ensuring Health and Safety compliance through persononnel training and updating standard operating procedures. My roles include being familiar with all techniques and protocols used by the Davies lab to ensure that knowledge remains with the lab when researchers move on. I help train newcomers to the lab in techniques and protocols. My current research projects include studying the structure-function relationships of ice-binding proteins, and the use of antifreeze proteins for cell, tissue and organ preservation.

Hello, my name is Mathias, and I am a PhD candidate in the Davies lab. I grew up on Vancouver Island on the west coast. After completing an undergraduate biochemistry degree in the French Immersion stream at the University of Ottawa, I came to Queen’s to pursue graduate studies. My research focuses on calpain-3, a member of the calpain family of proteases with a series of unique sequence features. We are studying the interaction between calpain-3 and titin and how calpain-3’s unique sequence features are involved in this interaction. When not working in the lab, I enjoy reading, playing piano, and hiking in Frontenac Park.

My name is Thomas Hansen and I'm a PhD candidate in the Davies Lab. After obtaining my BSc in biochemistry from the University of Ottawa, I taught high school biology in Colombia for six years, the last four of which were with Colegio Colombo Británico, an IB academy in Cali. ¡Cali es Cali! It had always been my intention to continue my education, so in being here, I'm living the dream! I'm working with ice nucleation proteins (INPs), which as their name suggests, nucleate ice crystal formation at temperatures as warm as -2 °C. INPs have been studied for decades but to date, no one has solved their structure nor their mechanism. I'm doing my best to change that, so I've been at the bench doing functional work and behind the keyboard running simulations. Collaborating with the other talented people on this page has been invaluable in progressing toward our goals.

Hi! I'm Jocelyn, a MSc student in the Davies lab. I am from Markham, Ontario, although I spent my early childhood between Taiwan and Canada. Before joining the Davies lab as a thesis project student, I interned for 16 months at a vaccine company. I also studied abroad in Japan as part of a program centred around intercultural business and collaboration. My MSc thesis project is a study of ice nucleation proteins, which are produced by certain species of Gram-negative bacteria. When I'm not working, you'll find me making music, playing video games, or cheering on the Toronto Raptors!

Hi! My name is Andy. I graduated from the Honours Biochemistry program at Queen’s and stayed on to do master’s thesis research in the Davies Lab. My project focuses on the oil-degrading marine bacterium, Marinobacter nauticus. It has an RTX adhesin with two carbohydrate-binding modules that have affinity for certain hexoses. I am testing the hypothesis that M. nauticus forms biofilm at the oil-water interface when it encounters oil droplets, and that the adhesin helps the bacteria bind to the exopolysaccharides of the biofilm for optimal access to the hydrocarbon substrate. By studying these mechanisms, we hope to understand how M. nauticus colonizes oil spills, degrades hydrocarbons, and how controlling its binding might enhance its potential as a bioremediation tool.

When I’m not in the lab, I’m usually playing video games, playing sports, or hanging out with friends.

I'm Alex. My undergrad was in Computing here at Queen’s, but I've taken some courses in Biology and Chemistry and I'm constantly learning, so I hope to catch up to all my fellow Biochemists someday! Since I do have a background in programming, I've spent some time familiarizing myself with the codebase of the lab’s LoRe pipeline for rapid adhesin identification, while helping make some minor modifications to it. As a newcomer to the lab I am currently exploring thesis topics in bacterial adhesins (especially those that lack obvious ligand binding domains) and how these might bind to epithelial cells. Outside of the lab I'm mainly playing video games, doing calisthenics, or sinking my efforts into actively organizing for a better future. I'm also hoping to get involved in some clubs again this year, most notably the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu club, as time permits!

Hi! My name is Michael. I joined the Davies lab in the summer of 2025 as an NSERC USRA student and then completed my BCHM 421/422 Honours thesis project here. Since then I have enrolled in the combined BSc/MSc program to do a master’s degree. My work is focused on an RTX adhesin called FrhA from Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium which causes cholera. Since pathogenic bacteria like V. cholerae must first attach to their hosts to establish an infection, we have been exploring chemical and protein-based methods to inhibit the function of FrhA. Outside of the lab, I’m also a musician! I spend my time playing the guitar and drums in Queen’s Players and in bands with my friends! The photo alongside was taken in May 2026 in Canmore, AB, at the GlycoNet AGM when we hiked Ha Ling Peak.

Hi! My name is Liam Lahiffe and I am a 4th year student in the Biochemistry specialization program at Queen’s University. I am doing my 4th year thesis project with the Davies lab, designing and testing de novo protein binders for type 3 antifreeze protein. I am from Vancouver BC, where I love to hike, ski, and camp. Outside of the lab, I play soccer and frisbee and I play the violin. 

Hi! My name is Alexis, and I am a fourth-year Biochemistry student completing my honours thesis in Dr. Peter Davies’ lab. My research focuses on bacterial adhesins and the molecular interactions that allow bacteria to attach to host cells. As part of my project, I am generating Fab fragments from IgG antibodies and investigating whether their binding to bacterial surface molecules can interfere with subsequent bacterial attachment to host cells. I am especially interested in understanding biochemical interactions at the molecular level and how they can contribute to disease-related processes. Outside of the lab, I love dancing and have been part of Queen’s Dance Club throughout undergrad. I also enjoy going to the gym, especially the StairMaster, listening to music, doing puzzles, and spending time with friends and family.

Hi I’m Madeline! I’ve just entered my fourth year of the biochemistry specialization program here at Queen's University and am completing my thesis project in the Davies lab. My project involves the study of ice nucleation proteins, which are produced by certain bacteria and fungi and initiate ice crystal formation at unusually high temperatures. I love the biochemistry department at Queen's, especially getting involved with the department student council. Outside of school I spend most of my time in the gym, but I’m also a huge history nerd. I’ve worked as a tour guide at the Kingston Penitentiary, Canada’s oldest prison for the last three years!  

Hi! My name is Olivia Baggley and I'm in my fourth year of the biochemistry specialization program at Queen's. I'm originally from Ottawa where I played soccer and ran competitively throughout my life. This year I'm in the Davies lab studying type 9 bacterial RTX adhisins, specifically their split domains and ligand binding domains. I am also on the Queen's cross country/track team which keeps me busy during the semester! In my free time I'm an avid reader, and I also work downtown at Runner's Choice.

I'm Elise, and I'm entering the final year of my Biochemistry Honours undergraduate degree. I started working in the Davies Lab over the summer with funding from the GlycoNet 2026 Summer Award for Undergraduate Students (SAUS), and hope to continue working part-time during the school year. My primary focus is finding, mapping, and characterizing fibrillar adhesins from type I and type IX bacterial export systems, including those from the Vibrio genus. Both my parents were journalists, so I've lived in various countries, living the longest (ten years) in Singapore from primary school to junior college (high school). I'm a black belt in Taekwondo and have been doing the sport for 13 years. I also enjoy baking, reading, and singing (unfortunately for my roommates).

Hi! My name is Julia and I am going into my third year of Biochemistry Specialization. Having spent the summer here working under the USSRF (Undergraduate Student Summer Research Fellowship) award, I was able to study the RTX adhesins of some pathogenic bacteria. Part of my work involved using a bioinformatic pipeline to identify these adhesins in their bacterial genome sequence. This led to the design of PCR primers to identify which adhesins are present in different strain isolates. I am also blocking adhesin binding to eukaryotic cells by producing anti-adhesin polyclonal antibodies in rabbits. I’m excited to continue volunteering in the lab this coming school year. Outside of the lab I love reading, baking and hiking, and I play the trumpet in many ensembles including Queen’s Marching Band!