Principal Investigator

Originally from the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia, Cullen received his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Waterloo under the supervision of Professor John Honek. He then completed postdoctoral training with Professor Eric Brown at McMaster University, before working in antibacterial drug discovery and development of β-lactamase and cell wall synthesis inhibitors in the biotech sector (Venatorx Pharmaceuticals, Malvern, PA, USA). Cullen joined the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph as an assistant professor in the summer of 2024. His research continues to delve into the complexities of the bacterial cell wall, integrating biochemical, structural, molecular and genetic approaches to examine poorly understood aspects of cell wall synthesis and maintenance.

MSc Student

Julien has called the University of Guelph home since 2018. During his undergraduate studies, he developed an interest in antimicrobial resistance and bacterial virulence, which led him to pursue an undergraduate research project in Professor Matthew Kimber’s laboratory focused on characterizing inhibitors of bacterial virulence-promoting enzymes at the structural level. After completing his BSc in biochemistry, Julien began his graduate studies in the Myers lab in the Fall of 2024, investigating biochemical mechanisms of wall teichoic acid remodelling in Bacillus subtilis.

MSc Student

Travis has had a passion for science from a young age and completed his undergraduate degree in biochemistry at the University of Guelph in 2024. During his studies, he worked in Dr. Ryan Prosser’s laboratory, studying the ecotoxicological effects of various chemicals on aquatic systems. Travis joined the Myers Lab in January 2025 and his research aims to better understand the physiological roles of wall teichoic acid remodelling in Gram-positive bacteria.

MSc Student

Noor completed her BSc in Biology at Wilfrid Laurier University. During her time at Laurier, she completed a research project in Dr. Joel Weadge’s lab characterizing critical enzymes in Clostridioides difficile biofilm formation and assessing potential targets for phage therapy. Noor joined the Myers lab in May 2025 and her research focuses on wall teichoic acid degradation in Staphylococcus aureus.

MSc student

Matt received his B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Guelph in 2024. During his final year, he completed a research project in Professor Cezar Khursigara’s lab, investigating a bacteriophage endolysin. After graduating, Matt worked as a data analyst for Waterloo Biofilter, reporting on the performance of chemical/bacterial treatments of commercial wastewater systems. Matt has returned to Guelph to pursue a master's degree in molecular and cellular biology in the Myers lab, where he is characterizing cell wall glycopolymers in Sporosarcina pasteurii and studying their role the biomineralization process.

MSc Student

Hello, I am Musammat Fathema Sultana Tonny. I earned both my undergraduate and master’s degrees from Sylhet Agricultural University, Bangladesh. During my master’s research I investigated the immunomodulatory role of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in alleviating ulcerative colitis in mice models, focusing on regulation of NF-kB, Akt and cytoskeletal integrity. As a graduate student in the MCB, my work explores the use of de novo peptides as inhibitors and probes of cell wall synthesis enzymes in Gram-negative bacteria.

Research Technician

Undergraduate student volunteer

Hayley is a third-year undergraduate student in the Biomedical Sciences program with a minor in microbiology. She is interested in career in research and plans to further her education in microbiology. 

Nathan is a fourth-year Microbiology student, with aspirations of pursuing a career in research or clinical medicine. He is completing his fourth-year research project with the Myers lab, focusing on the biochemical characterization of Penicillin-Binding Protein 3 (PBP3) variants from Escherichia coli, to better understand this mechanism of target-mediated β-lactam resistance in Gram-negative bacteria.

Jasmine is a fourth-year Molecular Biology and Genetics student completing her research project in the Myers lab. She hopes to pursue a career in human genetics, disease research, or clinical science. Her project focuses on characterizing poorly understood enzymes involved in the maintenance of the cell wall in Gram-positive bacteria.