Meet Our Team!

Dr. Christina Guzzo

Principal Investigator

Dr. Guzzo completed her BScH (Life Sciences) at Queen’s University where she first cultivated a passion for HIV/AIDS outreach and education, sparked by her repeated travels to Kenya with a student-led charitable organization. She continued her studies at Queen’s University under the mentorship of Dr. Katrina Gee to receive her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology, with research focused on identifying novel functions of interleukin-27 (IL-27) in monocyte biology and HIV infection. She trained as a post-doctoral fellow at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD, under the mentorship of Drs. Anthony Fauci and Paolo Lusso where her research had two main branches (1) the characterization of a unique anti-HIV chemokine (lymphotactin/XCL1) and (2) the discovery of human integrin alpha 4 beta 7 being incorporated into the external envelope of the HIV-1 virus. When she is not in the lab you’ll likely find her running along Lake Ontario, playing in a park with her family, or baking something delicious!

Meet the Team

Arvin Persaud

PhD Candidate

With an interest in virology/immunology, Arvin joined the Lab in 2018 as an undergraduate student, where he completed a research study course, two senior theses, and has been awarded two NSERC USRAs. After a year working as a research assistant, Arvin continues as a PhD student in the lab. Outside of the lab, Arvin enjoys running, hiking, and catching up on crime TV!

Deepa Chaphekar

PhD Candidate

Deepa completed her M.Sc. in Virology from the National Institute of Virology India and has always had a passion for research in virology and molecular biology. Before joining the Guzzo lab as a PhD student, she has worked as a research assistant in multiple research institutes on projects involving virology, microbiology, and molecular biology and also as a quality control executive for a viral vaccine company. As a part of her thesis, she plans to develop cell culture models mimicking vivo infection to study the impact of host proteins present on HIV on its pathogenicity.

Claire Fernandes

PhD Candidate

Claire is completed her HBSc at UTSC, with a specialist in Human Biology. After learning about Flow Cytometry, she was excited by the prospects of Flow Virometry being pioneered in the Guzzo Lab. After being awarded an NSERC USRA in the Summer of 2022, she is in the process of completing a PhD thesis and continuous working hard. When she is not at school, Claire loves to walk her dog (Clifford) in the Rouge Valley and play the cello at her local church.

Aiman Farheen

Laboratory Technician

Aiman earned her Honours Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the University of Toronto. Subsequently, she completed her Master's degree in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the same institution, where she conducted a functional genomic assessment of the genes involved in the morphogenesis of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans in response to host relevant conditions. When she's not in the lab, you’ll likely find her volunteering as a teacher, walking through the trails of Rouge Valley, or pretending to follow a recipe while improvising halfway through!

Emily Wellwood

Undergraduate Student (BIOD99)

Emily is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying molecular biology, immunology and disease. She was awarded an NSERC USRA to do research during Summer 2024, and loved the experience learning about the functional capabilities of human proteins on the HIV-1 virus. She is currently continuing to work on a research project in the lab through the undergraduate thesis program. In her free time, Emily likes to go for hikes, bake, and take care of her house plants + garden.

Rubesan Christian Joy Rajakumar

Undergraduate Student (BIOB98)

Rubesan is a third-year undergraduate student studying human biology and molecular biology, immunology & disease. He is also the president of UTSC’s Rare Diseases Foundation, where he advocates for education, awareness, and fundraising for rare disease research. Inspired by a principles of virology course, Rubesan grew curious about HIV pathogenesis and is currently studying human proteins on the surface of HIV virus particles through a supervised research study course in the Guzzo lab. Outside the lab, he volunteers at local hospitals, enjoys fitness training, and collects watches!