AGC Leadership
Paul Adams, PhD
Director
Dr. Paul Adams is the Director of the KPU Applied Genomics Centre and a faculty member in the Biology Department at KPU.
He received his PhD from the University of British Columbia in 2010, completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, and has worked in the field of genetics for over 15 years.
Paul has expertise in genomics, genotyping, metagenomics, quantitative PCR, Sanger sequencing, next generation sequencing, DNA profiling, molecular biology, cell biology, and human neurological disease.
Dylan Moxley, PhD
Research & Partners Manager
Dylan joined the KPU Applied Genomics Centre as a Molecular Geneticist in October of 2025. Dylan completed a BSc in Applied Biology (Plant and Soil Sciences) and a PhD in Botany at the University of British Columbia.
His dissertation was centered on developing molecular tools for assisting in crop improvement for cultivated sunflower. His work included using molecular biology, bioinformatics, tissue/cell culture, and controlled environment growth for investigating the genetic basis of traits and improving a reference genome assembly. At the AGC, he applies his diverse skillset to support a variety of research initiatives, with a primary focus on leading plant-related projects.
Lyndsey Baillie, MSc
Operations and Services Manager
Lyndsey Baillie joined KPU as the Laboratory and Research Coordinator of the Applied Genomics Centre in November of 2018, and now acts as the Operations and Service Manager of the AGC.
She received her MSc from Dalhousie University in 2012, focusing on the study of population genetics in fish, and subsequently spent 5 years working as a DNA sequencing technologist at the University of British Columbia.
Lyndsey is responsible for the logistical aspects of the lab, including budget planning, financial management, and resource allocation. She also manages the provision of lab services, such as Sanger and next-generation sequencing.
Taylor Chin, BSc
Laboratory and Research Coordinator
Taylor is the Laboratory and Research Coordinator at the Applied Genomics Centre, where she has worked since graduating from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in June 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science and a minor in Biology.
Taylor supports a diverse range of research projects, including molecular identification of insects using Sanger sequencing, development of qPCR assays to detect microorganisms in soil, and the investigation of CRISPR editing efficacy in mammalian cell lines. Her hands-on expertise spans a broad range of molecular techniques, including mammalian cell culture, qPCR, library preparation and next-generation sequencing (NGS).
In addition to her laboratory work, Taylor contributes to student and employee training and workshop development, supporting technical skill development and knowledge sharing within the community.
Abhinaya Venkatesan, PhD
Abhinaya joined the Applied Genomics Centre in August of 2023. She has over six years of experience in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), molecular biology, and bioinformatics. Abhinaya began her academic career in India where she received a Bachelor’s in Bioinformatics in 2016. After working in the Biotech industry for a couple of years, she moved to Canada to pursue her PhD at the University of Calgary. Following her PhD, she joined the AGC team as a Molecular Geneticist. During this time, she was involved in several projects and worked collaboratively with cross-functional teams and partners.
Faculty
Mathias Schuetz, PhD
Dr. Mathias Schuetz leads Hops R&D in the KPU Applied Genomics Centre. Mathias holds a PhD from Simon Fraser University and completed post-doctoral fellowships in the Department of Botany and in the Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia.
He has more than 15 years of experience in metabolomics, germplasm development, plant pathogen management, cultivar development, cultivation of hops and cannabis, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
Nicole Tunbridge, MSc
Nicole is a project leader in the KPU Applied Genomics Centre and Co-Chair of the Biology Department. She received her M.Sc. from Simon Fraser University and has been a faculty member in the Biology Department at KPU since 2016.
Nicole’s teaching and research expertise are in the field of plant ecology and evolution. Her current research activity in the AGC is focused on new cultivar development and micropropagation of ornamental plants. She is also a member of KPU Wild Spaces, interdisciplinary research collective focused on place-based teaching and learning.
Layne Myhre, PhD
Dr. Layne Myhre completed his undergraduate and Master's degrees in Cell Biology at the University of Saskatchewan, his Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics at the University of Alberta, and a post-doctoral fellowship in developmental biology at the University of British Columbia.
His research interests are genetics of development and aquatic toxicology/water protection. He is passionate about student mentorship and Indigenous partnerships at KPU. His primary experience is in transgenics, developmental cell biology and aquatic toxicology testing.
Mika Mokkonen, PhD
Mika, a faculty member in the Biology department at KPU, is a project leader working in the Applied Genomics Center. He received his MSc and PhD (with honours) from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Simon Fraser University.
Mika’s 20 years of research experience are in the areas of evolution, genetics and ecology, with a particular focus on the genetics of health and disease. His current attention is on the development of a genetic test to detect and monitor a reportable salmon pathogen in BC, as well as trying to understand the molecular-genetic mechanisms underpinning the aging process in humans.
Kelsie Doering, PhD
Kelsie, a faculty member in the Biology department at KPU, works in the Applied Genomics Center as a project leader through the AGC Faculty Research Mentorship Program. Kelsie received her PhD in Medical Genetics from the University of British Columbia.
Kelsie’s area of expertise is in the genetics of cellular stress response pathways in C. elegans. The focus of Kelsie’s research project in the AGC is identifying plant-parasitic nematodes for use in agriculture.
Research Staff
Erick Samera, MSc Candidate
Lead Bioinformatician
Erick is a graduate of the Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Health Science program with a minor in Biology. Erick started in the lead bioinformatician role on September, 2025 after working at the Applied Genomics Centre as a junior bioinformatician for two years, and student research assistant for two years prior.
The main focus of Erick’s work at the AGC is on next-generation sequencing analysis and investigations using large datasets. Utilizing the knowledge and skills he gained over the course of his degree program, Erick contributes to the success of multiple research projects.
RJ Wester, MSc
Molecular Geneticist
RJ initially joined the Applied Genomics Centre in June 2020 as a research assistant shortly after completing his BSc in Health Sciences at KPU. Since then, he graduated with an MSc in Environmental Sciences from Thompson Rivers University in 2024, focusing on cattle genomics.
After completing his MSc, RJ returned to the AGC as a Scientific Writer, where he prepared manuscripts for a range of projects. He now works as a Molecular Geneticist, and contributes his technical expertise in leading and supporting several at the Centre. His work includes a range of molecular genetic techniques such as DNA and RNA extractions, qPCR, and 16S rRNA sequencing, along with the bioinformatics and statistical analysis using programs such as R.
Emma Bulowski, BSc
Research Technician
Emma works in the Applied Genomics Centre as a research technician since graduating from KPU with a BSc of Horticulture Science, major in Urban Ecosystems, in June 2024.
In the AGC, Emma utilizes plant development techniques that support the objectives of industry partners projects. Emma’s research experience includes selective breeding, mutagenesis, shoot regeneration, and embryos rescue. During her undergraduate experience, she worked with senior leaders on developing plant tissue culture methods and producing novel cultivars through forms of induced mutagenesis using gene editing tools, such as CRISPR.