Our Team

Alexander Hynes, PhD

Co-Founder, President (2024-)


Dr. Hynes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at McMaster University, and the Farncombe Chair of Phage Biology. He has been studying phages since 2008, and intends to keep doing so until he understands them. In 2020, he started Phage Canada informally, to address a growing need to connect phage-interested parties in Canada. His lab website can be found here.


 

Danielle Peters, PhD


Vice-President (2024-)


Dr. Peters is a Research Officer at the National Research Council (NRC) in Human Health Therapeutics, where she leads a team of researchers. She has been a critical link between government, industry and academic labs working on Phages, and sees her role in Phage Canada as an extension of that, in service of expanding phage-focused research across the nation and advancing phage therapeutics within a One Health framework


 

Hany Anany, PhD


Director (2024 - )


Dr. Anany is Research Scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, as well as an Adjunt Professor at the University of Guelph. His research focuses on a ‘farm-to-fork’ approach to food safety, but he also champions global outreach, with prominent roles in the International Society for Viruses of Microbes. He sees the organization becoming a voice for phage researchers, advocating for the growth of the field and fostering collaboration across academia, industry, and government.


 

Greg German, MD, PhD


Co-founder, Clinical Director, Secretary


Dr. Greg German is a medical microbiologist at Unity Health Toronto, and heads a chronic infection clinic at St. Joseph’s Health Centre. He is starting Phage Therapy clinical trials.  Nationally and internationally, he is heavily involved in advancing phage therapy through his role in AMMI Canada, and heading Global Clinical Phage Rounds. His vision is to realize the immense potential Phage Canada has to unite and energize the Canadian community, from bench to bedside.


 

Karen Maxwell, PhD


Inaugural Board Member (2024-)


Dr. Maxwell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Toronto. She holds a Canada Research Chair in Bacteriophage Biology and Therapeutics, and has been recognized which such high-profile awards as the 2020 (NSERC) John C. Polanyi Prize. She hopes to see Phage Canada play a role in positioning Canada at the forefront of a lasting, transformative impact on Global Health. Her lab website can be found here.


 

Jon Dennis, PhD


Treasurer (2024-)


Dr. Dennis is a Professor at the University of Alberta, in the Department of Biological Sciences. He has been invovled in efforts to organize the community of phage researchers in Canada for over twenty years, and been a powerful voice for phage therapy research. He envisions a Phage Canada that can help advance an understanding of phage biology, as well as champion the contributions made by our members and their work in addressing global challenges.


 

Sylvain Moineau, PhD


Director of Phage Collections (2024-)


Dr. Moineau is Professeur Titulaire in the Département de Biochimie, Microbiologie et de Bio-informatique at Université Laval. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Phage Biology, and has been recognized with prestigious awards - most recently the 2024 Killam Prize. In addition to his research, he is also the director of the Félix D’Hérelle reference centre for Bacterial Viruses. In this capacity, he is uniquely positioned to tie Phage Canada to the global phage research community.