Team

Li-Fang (Jack) Chu, PhD

Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Cellular Reprogramming

Co-Chair, Reproduction and Regenerative Medicine Research Group; Academic Co-lead, Centre for Genome Engineering (CGE); Full member of Precision Medicine & Disease Mechanisms, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI); McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health.

Jack became interested in biology and genetics as an undergrad majoring in Zoology at National Taiwan University (Taipei, Taiwan). His first undergraduate research project involved cloning a shrimp viral gene which hijacks gene regulation, and he later spent a summer at North Carolina State University as an exchange student studying plant biology. He received his PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from Baylor College of Medicine, where he studied the relationship between the early germ cell lineage and pluripotent stem cells in vitro. He then pursued training as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. James Thomson’s lab at the Morgridge Institute for Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he became interested in studying developmental timing and developed an in vitro model to recapitulate the human segmentation clock. His research projects focus on using pluripotent stem cells to model development and disease and to identify novel therapeutic strategies for regenerative medicine. Aside from research, Jack is passionate about teaching and mentoring young scientists. He also enjoys swimming, hiking, traveling, and spending time with his wife and two kids. 

Maggie Rusteika, BSc honors

MSc student, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Specialization (BME), joined the lab in the summer of 2021

SCN-Mitacs Internship Awardee (2025), Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship (AGES) Awardee (2024), CIHR Canada Graduate Scholarships Master’s Awardee (2023), BME Graduate Program Research Excellence Awardee (2024, 2025).

I am an undergraduate student at the University of Calgary currently beginning my third year of a Bachelor of Health Sciences honours degree majoring in biomedical sciences. I have a hope to work in research following the completion of my degree and intend to focus on stem cell research. Particularly, the use of stem cells in spermatogenesis with the hopes of discovering new methods of fertilization. I am currently working on a research project in the Chu lab that focuses on the role of the WNT signaling pathway on regulating porcine iPS cell renewal. Outside of the lab, I enjoy weightlifting, baking, crafting, and exploring.

Tarek Drissi, BSc honors

MSc student, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Specialization (BME), joined the lab in the spring of 2025

One Child Every Child Graduate Future Leaders Awardee (2025-2027)

I graduated with a degree in Cellular, Molecular, and Microbial Biology (Honours) from the University of Calgary in 2024. My undergraduate thesis focussed on analyzing the expression pattern of the Inhibitor of Growth tumor suppressor genes during replicative senescence of human fibroblasts. I also performed zoology research assessing nudibranch stinging cell physiology and performance following exposure to differing diet regimens. After graduating, my interests have shifted to the field of stem cell and regenerative biology, where I am particularly fascinated by the capacity of stem cells to recapitulate developmental timing during in vitro differentiation. My current research in the Chu Lab explores cross-species regulation of developmental timing. When I’m not in the lab I enjoy playing chess, making music, and hiking.

Emily Hiles, MSc

Research Lab Assistant, joined the lab Jan 2021 – Aug 2022, Sept 2025

I completed my undergrad at the University of Calgary majoring in Neuroscience. My research project explored the metabolic properties of aging in neurons with a focus on fatty acids. Over the course of my undergrad, I also became interested in regenerative medicine and am excited to continue to pursue this passion in the Chu Lab! I am currently working on projects which explore the segmentation clock and the formation of iPSC lines across multiple species. Outside of the lab, I enjoy cooking for my family, hiking and backcountry camping, and painting.