Dr. Carolyn Cummins

B.Sc. Chemistry (McGill University 1997)
Ph.D. Pharmaceutical Chemistry (UCSF 2002)
PDF Pharmacology (HHMI, UT Southwestern 2007)

Dr. Cummins obtained her undergraduate degree from McGill University in Chemistry with a focus on biological and analytical chemistry. 

​In 2002, she completed her Ph.D. under the guidance of Dr. Leslie Z. Benet at the University of California San Francisco in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Her studies focused on the interplay between P450s and drug transporters in intestinal drug metabolism. 

She then took a Howard Hughes Medical Institute postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. David Mangelsdorf at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. There, Dr. Cummins used her expertise in P450s and analytical chemistry to help identify the first ligand for a nuclear receptor in C.elegans. At the same time, she identified a role for the liver X receptor alpha in modulating stress hormone production.

Currently, she continues to explore the roles of the liver X receptors and the glucocorticoid receptor in the context of cholesterol homeostasis and diabetes.

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Sarah works to study the role of a novel nuclear receptor coregulator, ARGLU1, on metabolically important pathways. She uses an in vivo hepatocyte knockout model to explore the role of hepatic ARGLU1 in response to fasting/refeeding, NR ligand treatment, and diet-induced obesity.

Sarah Cash
​B.Sc., Biology and Pharmacology (McMaster University, 2020)
Ph.D. Student

Mass spectrometry techniques & software for the nuclear receptor community. Michael has been developing quantitative LC-MS/MS assays for the quantification of nuclear receptors at the protein level. Michael has also created web applications for the rapid analysis of label free proteomics experiments with a focus on metabolism and nuclear receptors.

Michael Saikali
B.Sc., Pharmaceutical Chemistry (University of Toronto, 2016)
Ph.D. Student

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Sarah Shawky
​B.Sc., Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization (McMaster University, 2018)
Ph.D. Student

Jin is working on a project aimed at screening LXRβ-selective small molecules to prevent glucocorticoid-induced metabolic side effects. Additionally, she is involved in cloning several human nuclear receptor ligand-binding domains (LBDs) into the GAL4 system to facilitate the study of their interactions and functions

Jin Shi
B.Sc., Honours Chemistry (York University, 2021)
​M.Sc., Science ​(University of Toronto, 2023)
​Lab Technician

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​Hetvi investigates the tissue-specific role of LXRbeta in mediating glucocorticoid-induced adipose tissue dysfunction. Additionally, her project explores the mechanism of interaction between glucocorticoid receptor and LXRb receptor.

Hetvi Shah
​B.Sc., Biochemistry (York University,  2022)
M.Sc. Student

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Abigail will be completing DNA extraction and PCR to genotype the experimental subjects used for animal projects at the Cummins Lab.

Abigail Chu
​B.Sc., Health Sciences (University of Waterloo, 2026)
Co-op Student

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Alexia Chiodo
​B.Sc., Health Science (Wilfrid Laurier University, 2024)
M.Sc. Pharmaceutical Student

​Candice will be investigating the physiological changes in hepatic ARGLU1 knockout mice fed with a high-fat diet, that could account for their observed resistance to diet-induced obesity.

Candice Kwok
​B.Sc., Pharmaceutical Chemistry Specialist (University of Toronto, 2025)
PHC489 Student

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Dide will be investigating the potential anti-atherogenic effects of sTREM2 on the proteomic profile of activated endothelial cells, and identifying key molecular and biological pathways modulated by sTREM2 treatment against endothelial inflammation.

Dide Yurtal
​B.Sc., Molecular Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology (University of Toronto, 2025)
USRP Research Trainee Student

​Emily will be quantifying the protein level of nuclear receptors in the liver during fasting, non-fasting, and refeeding conditions. 

Emily Yuan
​B.Sc., Pharmacology, Nutritional Sciences (University of Toronto, 2025)
AMGEN Scholar Summer Student
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