Members of the biological facility
The Biological John L. Holmes Mass Spectrometry Facility at the University of Ottawa provides support for high quality research activities and enhances the educational experience of students.
Members
Dr. Zoran MINIC
Division Facility Manager, Biological Mass Spectrometrist
Zoran Minic received his M.Sc. in Integrative Systems Biology and Pharmacology in 1995 and his Ph.D. degree in Plant Biology and Ecology (1998) at the Universit茅 de Paris XI, France. In 2004, he obtained accreditation to direct research (HDR) at the Universit茅 de Paris VII. During his research career, he has worked on various projects related to biochemistry, analytical chemistry and systems biology (proteomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics) utilising model organisms such as humans, animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms.
After graduation, he was employed at the French institute INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique). He participated in industrial projects to develop lactose fermenting bacteria. At the same institute, he worked for four years on projects pertaining to the remodulation of plant polysaccharides in order to engineer a satisfactorily digestible product which is important for animal feeding and bioproducts. The previously described projects relied on collaborations with industrial partners.
After relocating to Canada, he initially worked as a professional research associate at the University of Saskatchewan. His project focused on developing a new generation of antifungal and antimicrobial agents for crop protection. At the University of Regina, he worked as a Facility Manager responsible for operating and maintaining the high-throughput proteomics platforms in the Proteomics and Genomics core facility. His key responsibilities included preparing and processing samples and developing methods for large-scale proteomic projects using the state-of-the-art Orbitrap Elite mass spectrometer coupled to EASY nLC 1000. Since 2017, he has been working as a Biological Mass Spectrometrist at the University of Ottawa鈥檚 John L. Holmes Mass Spectrometry Facility. His main responsibilities include the preparation and processing of biological samples and the development of large-scale proteomics and metabolomics analysis methods using state-of-the-art mass spectrometers: Orbitrap Fusion, Q-Exactive and Waters SYNAPT G2HDMS. His duties also include providing scientific consultation, designing sample preparation protocols and assisting in the development and implementation of experimental mass spectrometry-based methods. He has led and supervised technical training courses and workshops on mass spectrometry for researchers, graduate and non-graduate students. In the last four years, he has organized workshops and taught the graduate course CHM 8352.
During his research and managerial career, Zoran has acquired a strong background in proteomics, metabolomics, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and bio-molecular purification, characterization, quantification and identification techniques. His work in the research facility at the University of Saskatchewan, Regina, and Ottawa encompassed maintenance, calibration and troubleshooting of sophisticated analytical instrumentation such as different types of Liquid Chromatography (HPLC, UPLC or nLC and FPLC) and High Resolution Mass Spectrometers (HRMS).
He has contributed to grant writing and actively pursues research partnership opportunities by collaborating with industry and academia. His facility provides services for different users in Canada, USA, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, China, Serbia and Russia. He is the author/co-author of more than 70 academic journal articles, book chapters and patents.
Abdullah Khraibah
Data Analyst, Mass Spectrometrist
Abdullah Khraibah has completed both his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and his M.Sc. in Chemistry at the University of Ottawa. During his Master's program, Abdullah conducted his research under the supervision of Dr.Maxim Bereozovski. His master's project focused on comparative proteomics between exosomes derived from MCF-10A and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, with the aim of identifying potential biomarkers. Additionally, Abdullah participated in collaborative research examining comparative metabolomics between exosomes derived from MDA-MB-231 and MCF-10A cell lines. Because of these diverse projects, Abdullah acquired extensive knowledge in proteomics and metabolomics workflows.
At the John L. Holmes Mass Spectrometry Facility, Abdullah fulfills multiple responsibilities, particularly in bioinformatics analyses where he brings over five years of data analysis experience. As a mass spectrometrist, Abdullah demonstrates decent proficiency with various instruments including GC-MS (Agilent), UPLC-MS/MS (Waters), and MALDI (Bruker). In his capacity as the lead data analyst at the facility, Abdullah plays a crucial role in organizing proteomics and metabolomics workshops, contributing to knowledge transfer and skill development in these specialized fields.
Beyond supporting University of Ottawa students in their academic progression, Abdullah aims to establish a robust and comprehensive metabolomics analysis framework for plants using a combination of GC-MS and LC-MS technologies. His professional goals also include developing and optimizing sample processing methods and analytical pipelines. Furthermore, Abdullah provides consulting services on project design and analysis to clients across diverse sectors, including academia, public institutions, and private industry. For further insight into Abdullah鈥 research contributions and expertise, please refer to his .
Yingxi (Cici) Li
Technician
Yingxi Li (Cici) is part of the John L. Holmes Mass Spectrometry Facility as a Technician since 2023. She obtained her B.Sc. in Biochemistry from Northeastern University, Boston, MA, and her M.Sc. in Chemistry at the University of Ottawa. She conducted research under the supervision of Dr. Maxim Berezovski during her Master鈥檚 studies, focusing on the proteomic analysis of wood frog liver tissues under different conditions using mass spectrometry, as well as investigating breast cancer biomarkers in extracellular vesicles.
After completing her undergraduate studies, she joined Tarveda Therapeutics, where she contributed to industrial projects related to a drug in Phase 2 clinical trials. She was responsible for quality control and testing the short-term and long-term stability of new drug formulations within a GMP environment. After relocating to Canada, she has worked on multiple projects applying MS-based analytical techniques to address diverse biological questions in the field of biomarker discovery, cancer biology, food sciences, microbiology and mercury toxicology.
Cici鈥檚 duties within the JLHMSF include sample processing, bioinformatic analysis, developing and optimizing sample processing methods and pipelines, consulting project design, and providing training related to proteomics and metabolomics. She has experience handling various types of biological samples, such as tissues, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, extracellular vesicles, saliva, and cell lines. She is also part of the organizing committee of several Proteomics and Metabolomics Workshops hosted by the JLHMS facility.
Proteomic samples for the JLHMSF are usually processed by an advanced processing methods, which allowed us to process complex biological, obtain high peptide purity, and increase proteome detection. Most data analysis for the JLHMSF is conducted to enable powerful statistical analysis, biomolecular functional and pathway analysis, and data visualization.
Through her expertise in sample processing and data analysis, Cici plays a vital role in advancing the facility鈥檚 research capabilities and supporting a wide range of projects in proteomics and metabolomics.
Past Members
Nico H眉ttmann
Data Analyst
Current address: EMBL, Germany
Ph.D. Graduate student
Contact Us
Biological facility
Zoran Minic
[email protected]
Marion Hall - Room 02
Ottawa, ON K1N 1A2
Tel: 613-562-5800 ext. 1626