Team

Prof. Lucas Caire da Silva

Email: lucas.cairedasilva@mcgill.ca / Office: OM419

Lucas Caire da Silva earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Campinas (Brazil) in 2010. In 2011, he joined the laboratory of Prof. Kenneth Wagener at the University of Florida to perform his PhD research on the synthesis of precision polyolefins and the study of polymer dynamics by solid-state NMR. In 2016, Lucas began his postdoctoral research in the group of Prof. Dr. Katharina Landfester at the MPI for Polymer Research. His research interests included the development of nested nanoparticle-in-vesicle systems for hierarchical catalysis. Between 2020-2023, Lucas conducted research as a group leader at MPIP on bioinspired cell-like systems with a focus on the development of multicompartment microreactors, adaptive colloidal systems, and artificial organelles. Since 2023, Lucas is an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at McGill University (Montreal, Canada), where his research centers on the design of bioinspired catalytic systems and functional soft materials.

Wynne Chu

Hey, I’m Wynne! I’m originally from Hong Kong and grew up across Asia and Europe. I’m currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at McGill with a minor in Social Entrepreneurship. In the Caire da Silva group, I assist Morgan with research on coacervate-based amphiphilic hydrogels. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and watching sports. 

 

Chloe Fortier

Hi, my name is Chloe. I will receive my Honours Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry here at McGill University at the end of summer 2026. My undergraduate research with the da Silva lab focuses on developing peptide coacervates to create an organic microenvironment that enables transition metal catalysis in water. In my free time, I like to read, cook, swim laps, and listen to music!

 

Benjamin Strücker

I obtained my B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Chemistry from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany). My work focused on organic electrosynthesis. During a visit to Lund University (Sweden), I conducted research into iron photoredox catalysis. In 2024, I joined the group of Michael Maskos at JGU Mainz as a PhD student. Here, I am investigating the mechanism and dynamics of membrane formation by amphiphilic block copolymers in the presence of colloidal nanoparticles that act as defect-inducing agents. To achieve this, I use micromixing technology to enable the continuous and reproducible formulation of these complex nanostructures. I am visiting the group led by Caire da Silva to work on a research project on defect-engineered membranes for coacervates. In my spare time, I play soccer, go cycling and enjoy spending time with friends. 

 

Morgan Robinson

Hi, I’m Morgan! I received my Honours Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry at Brock University (Canada) in 2025. My undergraduate research focused on elucidating the role of human NCS-1 and mammalian PITPs for PI(4)P production by PI4K-IIIβ using a time-resolved in vitro fluorescence assay. I joined McGill in Fall 2025 as a M.Sc. student in the da Silva group, where I am currently researching how metal ions and dehydration drive controlled fiber formation in ultrashort-peptide-based coacervates. Understanding the liquid-to-solid transition would allow for the creation of programmable-fiber-reinforced condensates with precise and tunable architecture. When I’m not in the lab, I’m usually at the gym!

 

Alicia Huang

I obtained my Honours B.Sc. in Chemical Biology Co-op from McMaster University in 2024. I completed two research projects in the group of Dr. Peter Kruse, working on developing chemi-resistive sensors for the use of water quality monitoring. As a joint PhD student in the Caire da Silva and Harrington group, my research focuses on controlled production of DOPA-based biomaterials using coacervates with phospholipid-assembled membranes. In my spare time, I enjoy staying with my cat, hiking, playing the keyboard and exploring new restaurants.

 

Sam Hamroff

Hi, my name is Sam Hamroff. I grew up just south of the border in the suburbs of New York City. I recently graduated from McGill University with an Honours Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, where I studied the use of GUVs and liposomes to mimic biological compartmentalization. In the fall of 2023, I joined the da Silva lab as a Ph.D. student. My research focuses on the chemical properties and applications of coacervates towards greener, biocompatible water chemistry. More specifically, I am building multi-colloidal systems made of multiple coacervates with different hydrophilicities. This will allow for two-step chemoenzymatic reactions in water. In my free time, I enjoy biking, skiing, playing guitar, and having dinner with friends.

Alumni

  • Zhen Dai (MSc, 2023-2025)
  • Mohammed Amin Belahouane (MSc, 2023-2025)
  • George Zorn (MSc, 2023 – 2025)
  • Olivia Young (Undergraduate research, 2025)
  • Malcolm Meyn (Undergraduate research, 2025)
  • Liam Grant (Undergraduate research, 2024-2025)
  • Dr. Tsvetomir Ivanov (PhD, 2020 – 2025) – MPIP
  • Paige Clarke (Undergraduate research, 2024-2025)
  • Tabitha Lehnert (Undergraduate research, 2024-2025)
  • Renata Sanches (PhD guest, 2024) – McGill University
  • Dr. Thao Phuong Doan-Nguyen (Postdoc, 2023-2024) – MPIP
  • Lamija Mrndic (Undergraduate research, 2024)
  • Dr. Shoupeng Cao (Postdoc, 2020 – 2024) – MPIP
  • Heloisa Bremm Madalosso (PhD guest, 2023) – MPIP
  • Kenda Oribhabor (Undergraduate research, 2023-2024)
  • Leonhard Paul Seufert (Undergraduate thesis, 2023) – MPIP
  • Nitin Bohra (MSc, 2021-2022) – MPIP
  • Dr. Arjaree Jobdeedamrong (PhD, 2021-2022) – MPIP
  • Dr. Marina de Souza Melchiors (PhD guest, 2020-2021) – (Postdoc, 2021-2022) – MPIP
  • Mazarine Houbrechts (MSc, 2020) – MPIP