Aysha Cerf
Aysha is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, investigating the role of morphology in diversifying immune cell migration behaviour using a hybrid approach of in-vitro wet-lab experiments and artificial intelligence-based methods.
Outside the lab, she enjoys travelling, spending time in nature, and drinking matcha lattes at little cafes around Montréal. In true Mandl lab fashion, Aysha is also very much a cat person.
BSc., Quantitative Biology (Physical Biology Stream), McGill University, 2024
Awards
2025-2027 FRQS Master’s Training Scholarship
2025-2027 FRQNT Master’s Training Scholarship
2025Graduate Excellence Award in Microbiology and Immunology
2024 Graduate Excellence Award in Microbiology and Immunology
2023 Pan-McGill Science Undergraduate Research Award (SURA)
Publications
Shen C, Cerf A, Postat J, Bhagrath A, Merino M, Mingarelli A, Barnes B, Patel D, Rogers D, Luo VM, Abu-Thuraia A, Schneider C, Quail DF, Sharma A, Suh W.-K., Ehrlicher A, Côté J.-F., Mandl JN (2025). "A Dock8-dependent mechanosensitive central actin pool maintains T cell shape and protects the nucleus during migration". Science Immunology 10, eadt9239. doi:10.1126/sciimmunol.adt9239