People | MAPcore

Staff and Students

Seti Boroomand

Project Manager & Operations Lead, PhD
seti.boroomand@ubc.ca

Originally from Tehran, Iran, Seti has been a Vancouverite since moving to Canada, residing in the Downtown/Yaletown neighborhood. She completed her PhD in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia and is passionate about translational medical science and laboratory technologies. During her PhD, she was involved in various projects, alongside her own, gaining exposure to many lab techniques. After her PhD, Seti worked briefly at VGH Clinical Microbiology Laboratory as a Molecular Scientist before moving to the Brain Centre, where she established a core facility to support research projects and clinical trials. Seti has now returned to the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine as the Project Manager and Operations Lead of MAPcore. When not at MAPcore, Seti is often watching her son play soccer or chess. She loves coffee and would enjoy a conversation over coffee anytime of the day.

Samuel Leung

IT Manager, MSc
Samuel.Leung@vch.ca

Born in Hong Kong (China), grew up in Burnaby (BC, Canada), Samuel completed his Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry & Computer Science) at the University of British Columbia and Master of Science (Computer Science) at the University of Victoria. Samuel is passionate about software and data engineering. Samuel has over 20 years of experience in software development, data management, clinical informatics, and biostatistics. Samuel is excited to join the MAPcore team, to apply his IT/analytics skills to cutting edge life science research. In this spare time, Samuel enjoys playing piano and playing action figures with his son.

Shelby Thornton (She/Her)

Research Consultant, MSc
shthornton@bccrc.ca

Shelby grew up on Vancouver Island and attended the University of Victoria to receive her bachelors in biochemistry. She found a passion for molecular pathology and research working at the Molecular and Cellular Immunology core at BC Cancer Research Centre. Shelby moved to Vancouver in 2020 when she started working with MAPcore to spearhead SOP development and implementation of multiplex OPAL immunofluorescence and Nanostring digital spatial profiling platforms. Shelby plans to pursue a career in Genetic Counselling. In her spare time, she loves backpacking, hiking, beach volleyball, biking, kayak touring, photography and cooking.

Spencer D. Martin

Clinical Postdoctoral Fellow, PhD, MD, FRCPC
spencer.martin@vch.ca

Spencer grew up Williams Lake, BC and moved to Victoria (2006) to complete his BSc in Microbiology (2010). He went on to complete a PhD in the Interdisciplinary Oncology Program at UBC, specializing in cancer immunology (2016). During his PhD, while co-supervised by Drs. Brad Nelson and Rob Holt, he identified and targeted immunogenic neoantigens in mouse models and human high grade serous ovarian carcinoma. He then switched tracks and went to medical school, completing his MD at UBC in 2020 and his residency in Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology, also at UBC, in 2025. He continued to examine the immune response to cancer throughout his MD and residency training and uses his expertise in immunology, cancer, and pathology to help develop the cutting edge assays at MAPcore as part of his gynecological pathology subspecialty fellowship.

Honor Cheung (She/Her)

Research Technician, MSc
honor.cheung@ubc.ca

Originally from Hong Kong, Honor moved to Canada to pursue higher education, earning both her BSc in Microbiology and MSc in Pathology from the University of British Columbia. Her previous research involved developing a tissue clearing and 3D lightsheet microscopy pipeline that renders entire brain tissues transparent, enabling the visualization of cerebral structures in their native morphology. With a specific interest in imaging blood vessels in brains affected by traumatic injuries, her work aims to understand vascular damage as a step toward developing therapies. In her role as a MAPcore research technician, Honor seeks to broaden her exposure to a wide range of pathologies, she has now mastered the Nanostring digital spatial profiling platform, and is one of the lead technicians for Cell Dive. Outside the lab, she enjoys exploring new cafes and food experiences and has a passion for drawing animals, especially cats.

Rodrigo Vallejos (He/Him)

Research Technician, MSc
rodrigo.vallejos@ubc.ca

Hailing from Lima, Peru, Rodrigo received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of British Columbia. He then pursued a Master’s in Genome Science and Technology at the BC Cancer Research Centre, where his research focused on the microenvironment of ovarian carcinomas. As a MAPcore research technician, Rodrigo is eager to engage in a variety of projects and further develop his analytical skills, particularly in working with spatial datasets. In his free time, he enjoys cooking elaborate meals, cycling, playing tennis, and occasionally crocheting.

Samina Janmohamed (She/Her)

Research Technician
samina.janmohamed@ubc.ca

Samina received her Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLSc) degree from the University of British Columbia. With over a decade of experience as a histotechnologist in industry, she brings a deep knowledge of histology and an eagerness for integrating traditional histological techniques with emerging technologies in molecular pathology. As a Research Technician at MAPcore, Samina is excited to contribute her histology expertise to innovative research and collaborative projects. Outside of work, she enjoys expressing her creativity through DIY arts and crafts projects.

Dina Hosseini

Research Technician, MSc
dina.hosseini@ubc.ca

Dina earned her BSc in Cellular and Molecular Biology in Iran while working as a medical laboratory technician, where she gained hands-on experience in histology. She later moved to Canada to pursue her MSc in Biomedical Physiology at Simon Fraser University. For her MSc project, Dina focused on molecular cardiac physiology using human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes at BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Bringing together her background in histology, stem cell biology, and high-resolution microscopy, Dina now contributes her skills as a Research Technician at MAPcore, supporting cutting-edge histopathology and spatial profiling studies. In her free time, Dina enjoys walking around different new areas of the city, painting, and spending time gardening.

Matilda San

Co-op Student
matilda.san@ubc.ca

Born and raised in Indonesia, Matilda moved to Canada to pursue a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science at the University of British Columbia, under the Faculty of Medicine. Driven by a strong interest in pathology, she joined MAPcore as a co-op student to deepen her understanding of molecular pathology and gain hands-on laboratory experience. Through this role, Matilda hopes to further develop her technical skills and contribute meaningfully to ongoing research. Outside the lab, she enjoys baking, watching classic films, and staying active through regular workouts.

Jihyun Lee

Co-op Student
jihyun.lee@ubc.ca

Born in South Korea and raised in Canada, Jihyun is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science at the University of British Columbia. With an academic journey that began in bioinformatics, Jihyun found a growing fascination with molecular pathology, particularly the ways molecular mechanisms influence disease development and diagnosis, which inspired a shift in focus toward laboratory science. Passionate about connecting data-driven analysis with hands-on experimentation, Jihyun aims to build a career that bridges molecular research and clinical application. Outside the lab, Jihyun enjoys baking and cooking new recipes, going for swims to unwind, and spending quiet time immersed in a good book.