Alex completed his undergraduate degree in pharmacology at the University of Toronto and is currently a first-year PhD student at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on inflammatory signaling and gene expression mechanisms underlying diseases such as severe asthma.

Chiara Gerbino graduated in Pharmacy in 2023 with a thesis in Pharmacology and is now a third-year PhD student in Pharmaceutical and Biomolecular Sciences at the University of Turin. Her doctoral project, entitled “From Basic Research to Real World Evidence: Focus on Metabolic and Inflammatory Diseases,” explores the connection between fundamental pharmacology and translational applications, emphasizing how real world evidence can both validate and inspire new basic research. In the first year of her doctorate, she gained experience as a Medical Advisor at Boehringer Ingelheim in Milan, focusing on pipeline development and evidence generation. During the second year, she conducted research in Turin on DPP4 inhibitors, investigating their anti-inflammatory role in macrophages in light of recent clinical observations that increasingly highlight the pleiotropic effects of this drug class beyond glycemic control. From January to July 2026, she will join INSERM in Paris to work with innovative methodologies and further strengthen her scientific and professional skills. She is also a member of the Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF).

Priyanka Chandramohan is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences program at the University of Calgary, mentored by Dr. Robert Newton. She holds dual master’s degrees in Biohealth Engineering from France and Medical Biotechnology from India. Her research focuses on unraveling the molecular interactions between glucocorticoids (GCs) and β₂-adrenoceptor agonists (β₂As) in asthma therapy, with particular emphasis on the role of CREB-regulated transcription coactivators—CRTC1, CRTC2, and CRTC3—in mediating GC- and β₂A-induced gene expression in airway epithelial cells. Outside the laboratory, Priyanka enjoys playing basketball, baking, hiking, reading, and spending quality time with her niece and nephew.

Helen Irving is a Professor in Biomedical Sciences and leads a theme in the Holsworth Biomedical Research Centre and is member of the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences (LIMS). Helen's current research focusses on understanding moonlighting ligand-gated ion channels, cryptic enzymes and inflammatory signals at the molecular level to develop new and improved approaches to managing inflammatory conditions.

Dr. Ayaho Yamamoto is the Group Leader of Laboratory Science within the Children’s Health and Environment Program at the Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland and is an early career researcher in the field of Biomedical Science. Her research focuses on understanding the mechanistic links between environmental exposures and adverse respiratory outcomes. In particular, she examines cellular responses of the human respiratory epithelium following air pollution exposure and/or viral infection, as well as age-related differences in immune defence mechanisms. Additionally, she investigates early intervention strategies using dietary antioxidants to improve respiratory health and reduce the risk of long-term chronic diseases.