Amanda Zacharias
Education
Queen's University 2022 - present: Doctoral Student of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences
- Topic: Multi-omics of circadian rhythms and neuroimmunology
- Supervisors: Nader Ghasemlou, Qingling Duan
Queen's University 2021 - 2022: Masters of Biomedical Informatics
- Topic: Analyzing transcriptomic data to discover circadian genes and pathways that
regulate chronic pain
- Supervisors: Nader Ghasemlou, Qingling Duan
Queen's University 2017 - 2021: Bachelor of Science Honours, Biology
Funding & Awards
| 2025 | Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Conference Travel Award | $500 CAD |
| 2024 | Chen Fund for Graduate Student Travel Award | $1488.20 CAD |
| 2024 - 2025 | Duncan and Urlla Carmichael Fellowship | $10,000 CAD |
| 2024 - 2025 | Queen's Graduate Award | $4,000 CAD |
| 2024 | Research Trainee Presentation, Anesthesiology Research Day | - |
| 2023 - 2024 | Queen's Graduate Award | $3,000 CAD |
| 2023 | Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Conference Travel Award | $200 CAD |
| 2023 - 2024 | Ontario Graduate Scholarship | $15,000 CAD |
| 2023 | Top Poster, Queen's Health Sciences Research Day | $100 CAD |
| 2023 | Research Trainee Presentation, Anesthesiology Research Day | - |
| 2022 | Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Conference Travel Award | $200 CAD |
| 2022 - 2023 | Queen's Graduate Award | $3,000 CAD |
| 2022 | Biomedical Informatics Award of Excellence | $2,000 CAD |
| 2019-20, 2020-21 | Dean's Honour List | - |
Publications
- D. Taccardi†, A. M. Zacharias†,
H. G. Gowdy†, M. Knezic, M. Parisien, E. J. Bisson,
Z. Y. Fang, S. A. Stickley, E. Brown, D. Camiré, R. Wilson, L. Singer,
J. Daly-Cyr, M. Choinière, Z. Lu, M. G. Pagé, L. Diatchenko,
Q. Duan* & N. Ghasemlou*.
Circadian Rhythmicity and Neutrophil Activation as Biomarkers of Pain Intensity and Opioid Use.
Journal of Clinical Investigation.
doi:10.2139/ssrn.4908790
(2025). Accepted.
- A. M. Zacharias, C. D. O'Connor,
D. G. Topouza, Z. Y. Fang, H. Ghazinejad, H. Chen,
Q. Duan* & N. Ghasemlou*.
Site- and cell-type-specific miRNA and mRNA genes and networks
across the cortex, striatum, and hypothalamus.
Communications Biology.
doi:10.1038/s42003-025-05223-0
(July 1, 2025). PMID: 40594985.
- A. Brecier, C. A. Bannerman, Y.-F. Xie, C. Dedek,
A. M. Zacharias, C. D. O'Connor,
S. D. Miller, L. L. Ballantyne, J. Du Bois, Q. Duan,
A. Prescott & N. Ghasemlou.
Nociceptor clock genes control excitability and pain perception in a sex- and
time-dependent manner.
bioRxiv.
doi:10.1101/2025.04.07.646998
(Apr. 7, 2025).
- S. A. Stickley, Z. Y. Fang, A. Ambalavanan, Y. Zhang,
A. M. Zacharias, C. Petersen,
D. Dai, M. B. Azad, J. R. Brook, P. J. Mandhane, E. Simmons,
T. J. Moraes, M. G. Surette, S. E. Turvey, P. Subbarao & Q. Duan.
Gene-by-environment interactions modulate the infant gut microbiota in asthma
and atopy.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunololgy.
doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2025.03.018
(Apr. 3, 2025). PMID: 40187613.
- D. C. Dumut, M. Hajduch, A. M. Zacharias,
Q. Duan, I. Frydrych, Z. Rozankova, M. Popper, D. Garic,
R. A. Paun, A. Centorame, J. Shah, M. Mistrik, P. Dzubak,
J. Bautista De Sanctis & D. Radzioch.
Diethyldithiocarbamate-copper complex ignites the tumor microenvironment
through NKG2D-NKG2DL axis.
Frontiers Immunology.
doi:10.3389/fimmu.2025.14914508
(Feb. 11, 2025). PMID: 40013140.
- Z. Y. Fang, S. A. Stickley, A. Ambalavanan, Y. Zhang,
A. M. Zacharias, K. Fehr,
S. Moossavi, C. Petersen, K. Miliku, P. J. Mandhane,
E. Simons, T. J. Moraes, M. R. Sears, M. G. Surette,
P. Subbarao, S. E. Turvey, M. B. Azad & Q. Duan.
Networks of human milk microbiota are associated with host genomics,
childhood asthma, and allergic sensitization.
Cell Host & Microbe.
doi:10.1016/j.chom.2024.08.014
(Oct. 9, 2024). PMID: 9293435.
- D. Taccardi, H. G. Gowdy, L. Singer Norris, J. Daly-Cry,
A. M. Zacharias,
Z. Lu, M. Choinière, M. G. Pagé & N. Ghasemlou.
Longitudinal multisite study of the chronobiological control of chronic pain:
the CircaHealth CircaPain study protocol.
BMJ Open.
doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2024-086801
(June 1, 2024). PMID: 38830738.
Oral Presentations
- A. M. Zacharias, M. Parisien,
M. Knezic, H. G. Gowdy, D. Taccardi, E. J. Bisson, D. Camiré,
E. Brown, T. Stevenson, A. Constantin, J. Joynt, R. Wilson, L. Singer,
M. Choinière, M. G. Pagé, L. Diatchenko,
Q. Duan* & N. Ghasemlou*.
Health Sciences Research Day (Kingston, Ontario).
June 10, 2024.
- A. M. Zacharias, M. Parisien,
M. Knezic, H. G. Gowdy, D. Taccardi, E. J. Bisson, D. Camiré,
E. Brown, T. Stevenson, A. Constantin, J. Joynt, R. Wilson, L. Singer,
M. Choinière, M. G. Pagé, L. Diatchenko,
Q. Duan* & N. Ghasemlou*.
Anesthesiology Research Day (Kingston, Ontario).
Apr. 16, 2023.
- A. M. Zacharias, D. G. Topouza, H. Chen,
H. Ghazinejad, Q. Duan* & N. Ghasemlou*.
Sixth Conference of the Canadian Society for Chronobiology (Guelph, Ontario).
June 15, 2023.
- A. M. Zacharias, D. G. Topouza, H Chen,
H. Ghazinejad, Q. Duan* & N. Ghasemlou*.
Anesthesiology Research Day (Kingston, Ontario).
April 21, 2023.
Poster Presentations
- Amanda Zacharias,
Hailey Gowdy, Mitra Knezic, Doriana Taccardi,
Etienne Bisson, Lesley Norris Singer, Nader Ghasemlou*,
Qingling Duan*.
American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting;
2023 November 2; Washington D.C., USA. *co-senior authors
- Amanda Zacharias,
Amirthagowri Ambalavanan, Courtney Bannerman,
Olivia Smith, Zhi Yi Fang, Qingling Duan*,
Nader Ghasemlou*.
Queen's 25th Annual Meeting for Health Sciences Research Trainees;
2023 June 27; Kingston, Ontario. *co-senior authors
- Amanda Zacharias,
Amirthagowri Ambalavanan, Courtney Bannerman,
Olivia Smith, Zhi Yi Fang, Qingling Duan*,
Nader Ghasemlou*.
Queen's University 43rd Annual
Anesthesiology Research Day;
2023 April 8; Kingston, Ontario. *co-senior authors
- Amanda Zacharias,
Jihoon Choi, Courtney Bannerman, Margot Gunning,
Scott Duggan, Qingling Duan*, Nader Ghasemlou*.
International Association on the Study of Pain's World Congress on Pain;
2022 September 19-23; Toronto, Ontario. *co-senior authors
- Amanda Zacharias,
Amirthagowri Ambalavanan, Courtney Bannerman,
Olivia Smith, Zhi Yi Fang, Qingling Duan*,
Nader Ghasemlou*.
Queen's 24th Annual Meeting for Health Sciences Research Trainees;
2022 June 28; Kingston, Ontario. *co-senior authors
- Amanda Zacharias,
Jihoon Choi, Courtney Bannerman, Margot Gunning,
Qingling Duan*, Nader Ghasemlou*.
Canadian Pain Society's 42nd Annual Scientific Meeting;
2022 May 10-13; Montreal, Quebec. *co-senior authors
Teaching
- BMED 866/CISC 875/BMIF 804: Methods in Bioinformatics; Guest Instructor; 2023 - Present
- BCHM 370: Genetics and Genomics; Teaching Assistant; 2023 - Present
- CISC 251: Data analytics; Teaching Assistant; 2022
Supervision
Research volunteer supervision 2023 - present
- Mentoring 2 undergraduate student volunteers in total.
- Teaching students minimal computing experience how to code in R and Linux with the use of good coding practices.
- Training students in downloading, evaluating, and processing public bulk RNA-sequencing data.
- Ensuring students understand the underlying theory of bioinformatics tools and can critically compare different approaches.
Volunteering
Poster Judge 2024
19th Annual Canadian Undergraduate Conference on Healthcare
- Judging research poster presentations by undergraduate students from across Canada.
- Providing constructive feedback to ensure students learn and grow as scientists.
Mentor, Women in Stem and Engineering Student 2023 - Present
- Meeting with woman identifying undergraduate students in STEM to provide support and advice.
Mentor, IgNITE Medical Case Competition 2022
- Guiding two undergraduate student groups through the process of developing a research proposal.
- Explaining scientific concepts and provided supplemental resources for learning.
Data Entry Assistant 2019 - 2020
Fowler Herbarium
- Transcribing hundreds of handwritten specimen information into the herbarium's database (Excel).
- Practiced attention to detail to prevent information loss and assist future data analysis.
- Utilizing online resources to resolve uncertainty and fill gaps in knowledge.
Professional Experience
Team Member 2015 - 2017, Shift Leader 2017 - 2021
Caribou Coffee
- Training new team members in both practical skills and soft skills, ex. interacting with upset customers.
- Managing tasks to ensure that high-quality work is completed beyond expectations.
- Concisely communicating concerns with team members.
Summer Camp Counselor 2016
YMCA of the USA
- Providing a positive, fun, and accepting atmosphere for children and adolescents.
- Helping the development of youth.
Lifeguard
Minnetonka Public Schools
- Monitoring designated areas to ensure safety of patrons.
- Participating in regular training to respond to emergencies rapidly and effectively.