Ph.D

Caroline E. Cameron

Dr. Caroline Cameron is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Victoria, an Affiliate  Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington, President of the Canadian branch of the International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI), Regional Director of IUSTI-North America, and President of the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research (ISSTDR) Foundation.  Caroline is also a Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) Fellow (inducted 2025) and a NIH NIIAD MERIT awardee (2019-2029). Caroline has an active research program with a focus on developing biomedical innovations to diagnose and prevent syphilis. She is passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists in the syphilis field and engaging in interdisciplinary collaborations to enhance understanding of disease.

Ph.D., Research Associate

Simon Houston

Simon Houston is a Research Associate in the Cameron laboratory with three decades of life sciences experience in academia and industry, including nearly two decades of Treponema pallidum research conducted in the STI/STBBI lab. His current work combines global-scale proteomics, bioinformatics, and structural modeling to advance understanding of T. pallidum pathogenesis and inform the development of improved syphilis diagnostics and targeted preventive strategies that support public health.     

Lab Manager

Alloysius Martin Gomez

Alloysius moved from Malaysia to Victoria to pursue his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology (Minor in Biology) at the University of Victoria. Alloysius is the Laboratory Manager of the STI/STBBI lab. In this role he oversees regulatory requirements, provides project oversight, maintains and regularly updates research databases and standard operating procedures, oversees training, and leads biomedical intervention research projects focused on syphilis, including development of an improved diagnostic test for syphilis. 

Postdoctoral Researcher

Mara Goodyear

Mara joined the lab as a Postdoctoral Researcher after completing her PhD at the University of Guelph. Her projects use multiomics approaches (proteomics and RNAseq) to better understand the host response during syphilis infections. This knowledge can be used to inform development of diagnostics and biomedical interventions for syphilis. Mara’s work is currently supported by a CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship (2025-2028), and was previously supported by a U19 Developmental Research Project (2024-2025). 

Research Coordinator

Amanda Assen

Amanda is the Project Coordinator for the STI/STBBI research lab. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology at the University of Victoria and her Master’s degree in Biomedical Technology at the University of Calgary. Amanda brings experience from research, industry, and clinical settings. In her current role, she coordinates collaborations with local and international partners, provides financial oversight, and oversees administrative operations that support and advance the STI/STBBI Lab’s research. 

Data Management Specialist

Steven Marshall

Steven grew up on Vancouver Island and moved to Ontario to complete his undergraduate studies at the University of Ottawa, where he got his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science. Following graduation, he moved to Victoria and joined the STI/STBBI Laboratory initially as a Research Technician, and is now the Data Management Specialist for the lab. In this role, Steven has worked on a variety of proteomic and bioinformatic analyses of the subspecies and strains of Treponema pallidum, including proteome-wide mass spectrometry, protein structure modelling, large-scale inter-strain sequence comparisons, and has played a critical role in the development of the Treponema pallidum Protein Database (http://tppd.ca/). Steven has always been passionate about biomedical research and is hopeful that his contributions will aid in the fight against syphilis. 

Graduate student

Seraphina Lu

Seraphina completed a Bachelor of Science in the Biochemistry (Honours) program at UVic, investigating how human endothelial cells respond to Treponema pallidum compared to other stimuli. She is building on her interest in investigating the human host response to T. pallidum in her Master’s degree. 

Co-op

Avani Bhangav

Avani is a fifth-year biochemistry student at UVic. She joined the STI & STBBI lab as a co-op student and is currently completing her honours project on amino acid variation in protein cavities across T. pallidum subspecies.

Research Technician

Folakemi Olorode

Originally from Nigeria, Folakemi (Fola) grew up primarily in Saudi Arabia and the USA before moving to Victoria where she completed her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology at the University of Victoria. Having previously worked in both academia and industry, Fola brings her experience in proteins into the STI/STBBI lab as a Research Technician working on the development of biomedical interventions for Syphilis prevention. Outside of the laboratory, Fola enjoys baking, random side quests, and all things art and music.

Research Technician

Maya Saini

Born and raised on Vancouver Island,  Maya completed her BSc in microbiology (Honours) from the University of Victoria in the spring of 2026. Currently, she is a Research Technician in the Cameron lab contributing to the development of biomedical interventions for syphilis prevention and the investigation of the mechanisms of pathogenesis of Treponema pallidum. She is passionate about fighting the stigma surrounding STIs and advocating for sexual and reproductive rights. Outside of the laboratory, Maya enjoys hiking, reading, and dancing. 

Administrative Assistant

Kassandra Stefanyk

Kassandra is the Administrative Assistant for the STI/STBBI Research Lab. She earned her BSc degree in Cellular, Molecular, and Microbial Biology and her master’s degree in Biomedical Technology at the University of Calgary. With an industry background in biotechnology startups, Kassandra brings a unique blend of scientific expertise, innovation, and adaptability to the team. In her current role, she provides administrative support that helps facilitate and advance both ongoing and future research initiatives within the STI/STBBI Research Lab. 

Undergraduate: Directed Studies

Sylvie Anderson

Undergraduate: Honours

Priscila Kumar

Undergraduate: work-study

Tija Dalep