The People

Team

The People

Team

A diverse group of researchers united by curiosity and a drive to design materials that help the body repair itself.

Team Achievements Alumni Recruit
Dr. Karina Carneiro
Principal Investigator

Dr. Karina M.M. Carneiro

Associate Professor, Faculty of Dentistry & Institute of Biomedical Engineering · University of Toronto · Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in DNA-based Materials

Dr. Karina M.M. Carneiro's research bridges chemistry, materials science, and regenerative medicine. She designs synthetic DNA hydrogels that support mineralized tissue repair. She holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (2023–2027); her work is funded by CIHR, NSERC, and provincial grants.

Canada Research Chair 38 Publications
Learn more on the About page

Current Lab Members

Dr. Nadeen Meshry

Dr. Nadeen Meshry

Postdoctoral Fellow

Fun fact Defended her PhD thesis in November 2025 and immediately transitioned to postdoctoral research in the same lab — a true homegrown scientist of The Carneiro Lab.

Isabel Li

Isabel Li

PhD Graduate Student

Fun fact My favourite sport to play is field hockey!

Abhishek Kumar

Abhishek Kumar

PhD Graduate Student

Fun fact I believe you don't believe which is easy to believe.

Daniela Alvim Chrisostomo

Daniela Alvim Chrisostomo

postdoctoral Fellow

Fun fact To be added

Saad Butt

Saad Butt

Masters Graduate Student

Fun fact To be added

Isabella jun

Isabella Jun

Masters Graduate Student

Fun fact I love trying out new restaurants, thrifting, and playing wacky sports like innertube water basketball with my friends!

Grazi R Molska

Grazi R Molska

Research Associate

Fun fact I love to dance and hate drivers who doesn't follow the rules (If you want to know the thoroughly me sit as passenger when I am driving)

Join Our Team

Come build something out of DNA — curiosity matters more than prior DNA experience.

See openings

How We Recruit

We look for curiosity and genuine interest first — barriers often limit early research experience, so we review applications holistically beyond GPA and publication counts. Dr. Carneiro reads every email inquiry personally and supervises graduate students (Masters and PhD) and undergraduates from both biomedical and dentistry backgrounds. For MSc and PhD positions, you must also apply through the official U of T Dentistry graduate admissions process — the admissions committee only considers candidates who complete that application. The lab also welcomes international students. Seek mentors, network early, and don’t try to fit a single mold.

U of T graduate admissions → · C&EN profile →

Student Achievements

Honors earned by our trainees

Scholarships, travel awards, and competition prizes earned by The Carneiro Lab trainees — a growing record of excellence from undergraduate researchers to postdoctoral fellows.

28
Honors & awards
2019–2026
Years represented
15+
Trainees recognized

2026

4 honors

  • Abhishek Kumar

    • Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative (PhD level)

  • Saad Butt

    • Undergraduate Student Research Award (NSERC USRA)

  • Daniela Alvim Chrisostomo

    • CADR/NCOHR Hatton Travel Award

  • Caroline Forrest

    • Mitacs Globalink Research Internship

2025

2 honors

  • Isabel Li

    • Bone and Mineral Group Scholarship
    • Ontario Graduate Scholarship
    • Jaro Sodek Award

  • Nadeen Meshry

    • 1st place, CADR NSRG Second Student Research Competition

2024

2 honors

  • Nadeen Meshry

    • Ontario Graduate Scholarship
    • Best Scientific Paper for IADR New MTG Members
    • Finalist, Oral Presentation Award, Research Day (U of T)

  • Mercedes Ing

    • 1st place, 3MT Award, Research Day (U of T)

2023

5 honors

  • Lynda Wo

    • CADR/NCOHR Hatton Travel Award

  • Nadeen Meshry

    • Bone and Mineral Group Scholarship
    • Ontario Graduate Scholarship
    • 2nd place, Three Minute Thesis Award, 27th Canadian Connective Tissue Conference

  • Ryan Lee Chan

    • Ontario Graduate Scholarship
    • 1st place, Poster Presentation Award, ToBE (U of T)
    • 1st place, Poster Presentation Award, Research Day (U of T)

  • Joshua Persadie

    • Undergraduate Student Research Award (NSERC USRA)

  • Sumedha Mohanty

    • Mitacs Globalink Research Internship

2022

4 honors

  • Nadeen Meshry

    • Jaro Sodek Award
    • Ontario Graduate Scholarship
    • CADR/NCOHR Hatton Travel Award

  • Ryan Lee Chan

    • Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology

  • Andrew Seto

    • 1st place in Canada, CADR/NCOHR Student Research Award
    • 1st place, Poster Presentation Award, Research Day (U of T)

  • Saul Alejandro Jimenez

    • Mitacs Summer Internship

2021

4 honors

  • Nadeen Meshry

    • Jaro Sodek Award

  • Andrew Seto

    • 1st place, Oral Presentation Award, Summer research group

  • Ryan Lee Chan

    • 3rd place, Oral Presentation Award, Summer research group

  • Dimitra Athanasiadou

    • CADR/NCOHR Hatton Travel Award

2020

3 honors

  • Alexander Danesi

    • Jaro Sodek Award
    • Harron Award
    • RSBO-NCOHR Graduate Student Award

  • Trevor Burgess

    • RSBO-NCOHR Dental Student Award
    • 1st place, Oral Presentation Award, Canadian Dental Student Conference

  • Shahmina Rahat

    • 3rd place, Poster Presentation Award, Research Day (U of T)

2019

4 honors

  • Trevor Burgess

    • 1st place in Canada, CADR/NCOHR Hatton Travel Award
    • 1st place, Oral Presentation Award, Summer research group

  • Alexander Danesi

    • Jaro Sodek Award

  • Prakash Rasie

    • 3rd place, Oral Presentation Award, Summer research group
    • Undergraduate Student Research Award (NSERC USRA)

  • Francesca Kim

    • ICCBMT Young Investigator Travel Award

Alumni

Where our trainees go next

Former members of The Carneiro Lab — graduate students, postdocs, undergraduates, and visiting researchers who shaped our science. Current positions are listed when known; please share updates so we can keep this tribute current.

15
Former trainees
2019–2026
Years represented
1
PhD graduate

  • Mercedes Ing

    2024–

    PhD student — 1st place, 3MT Award, Research Day, University of Toronto (2024)

    Graduate student · Pediatric Dentistry program, University of Toronto

  • Caroline Forrest

    2026

    Visiting intern — Mitacs Globalink Research Intern (2026)

    Possibly finishing Mitacs internship or returned home

    LinkedIn

  • Dr. Nadeen Meshry

    2025

    Graduate student → PhD (2025) — DNA-based hydrogels for developmental and acquired bone defects

    Postdoctoral Fellow · The Carneiro Lab, University of Toronto

  • Ryan Lee Chan

    ~2021–2023

    Graduate trainee — OGS; QEII Graduate Scholarship in Science & Technology; multiple 1st-place poster awards (ToBE, Research Day)

    WierdAdvisory · Canada

    LinkedIn

  • Dimitra Athanasiadou

    ~2021

    Research trainee — CADR/NCOHR Hatton Travel Award (2021); frequent co-author on DNA hydrogel and biomineralization papers

    Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global Postdoctoral Fellow · University of Bern / University of Oviedo

    LinkedIn

  • Andrew Seto

    ~2021–2022

    Student researcher — 1st place in Canada, CADR/NCOHR Student Research Award (2022); Research Day poster 1st place

    DDS Candidate · University of Toronto

    LinkedIn

  • Alexander Danesi

    ~2019–2020

    Graduate trainee — Jaro Sodek Award (2019, 2020); Harron Award; RSBO-NCOHR Graduate Student Award

    University of British Columbia · Dept. of Oral Health Sciences

    LinkedIn

  • Trevor Burgess

    ~2019–2020

    Dental student researcher — 1st place in Canada, CADR/NCOHR Hatton Travel Award (2019); RSBO-NCOHR Dental Student Award; CDSC oral presentation 1st place

    Former lab member

  • Lynda Wo

    2023

    Trainee — CADR/NCOHR Hatton Travel Award (2023)

    Dentistry student · University of Toronto (as of March 2026)

    LinkedIn

  • Joshua Persadie

    2023

    Undergraduate researcher — NSERC USRA (2023)

    Dental student · Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University (started 2025)

    LinkedIn

  • Sumedha Mohanty

    2023

    Visiting intern — Mitacs Globalink Research Intern (2023)

    Former visiting intern

  • Saul Alejandro Jimenez

    2022

    Visiting intern — Mitacs Summer Intern (2022)

    Former visiting intern

    LinkedIn

  • Shahmina Rahat

    2020

    Student researcher — 3rd place, Poster Presentation Award, Research Day (2020)

    Practicing dentist · Hollidge Family Dentistry, Aurora, ON

  • Prakash Rasie

    2019

    Undergraduate researcher — NSERC USRA; 3rd place, Oral Presentation Award, Summer research group (2019)

    Former undergraduate member

    LinkedIn

  • Francesca Kim

    2019

    Trainee — ICCBMT Young Investigator Travel Award (2019)

    Former lab member

    LinkedIn