Belinda (she/her) graduated with a Ph.D. in Science from the University of Liege (Belgium) in 2004. She then moved to Canada as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa, where she worked under the supervision of Dr. Tito Scaiano. In 2007, she started her independent career at the University of Calgary in the Department of Chemistry and moved to the rank of Department Head in 2024. Her research work lies in photochemistry and photobiology, with a particular interest in the production of singlet oxygen to solve society's grand challenges.

John (he/him) is a third year PhD candidate in the Heyne group, with a research focused on accessing forbidden transitions in organic chromophores using plasmonic nanoparticles. His research interest also extends to functional wearable materials using dyes and antimicrobial properties of plasmonic nanoparticles. He completed his BSc in the University of Calgary with a major in Cellular, Molecular, and Microbial Biology and a minor in Nanoscience. Through the Nanoscience program, he was able to do undergraduate research and subsequently developed a passion in Chemistry. When he is not in lab, you can find him at the climbing wall or somewhere deep in the mountains. 

Nory Marino is originally from Cali, Colombia. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Universidad del Valle and completed her PhD in Chemistry at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in 2022. During her PhD, she developed bioconjugate systems, spanning from organic synthesis to in vitro applications in photodynamic therapy, employing macrocycles such as cucurbiturils and proteins. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Calgary, working under the supervision of Dr. Belinda Heyne. Her research is multidisciplinary, focusing on gold nanoparticles, photochemistry, and nanotechnology, with a particular interest in the generation and applications of singlet oxygen. Outside the lab, Nory enjoys ice skating, playing video games, drawing, and baking.

Yousif (he/him) is an MSc student in the Heyne Lab. He completed his BSc in Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on investigating whether localized surface plasmon resonance in silver nanoparticles influences intersystem crossing in photosensitizers. He primarily works with silver nanoparticles to compare the photophysical behaviour of xanthene family dyes. Using both direct and indirect methods, he studies singlet oxygen generation to better understand how nanoparticle–dye interactions affect excited state dynamics. Outside the lab, he enjoys cooking and spending time with friends.