Nika Shakiba, University of British Columbia

Research

Pluripotent Stem Cell Cell Competition Proteomics Ribosome Synthetic Biology Clonal Dynamics Computational Biology Design Of Experiments

Latest papers

Microscale strategies in engineering the pancreas: Toward clinical translation.
Advanced drug delivery reviews · 2026
Protocol to purify human and mouse cytokines using an endotoxin-free Escherichia coli-based platform.
STAR protocols · 2026
Virtual twins and the future of human developmental biology.
NPJ systems biology and applications · 2026 · senior author

All 17 publications

Latest funding

Canada Reseach Chair - Tier 2
CIHR · 2023 · Nominated PI
$600,000
Understanding and Controlling Embryonic Stem Cell Competition
CIHR · 2023 · Supervisor
$105,000
A synthetic biology approach to unlocking the role of the ribosome in cell competition
CIHR · 2023 · Nominated PI
$940,950

All 13 grants and awards

17 publications.

01

Microscale strategies in engineering the pancreas: Toward clinical translation.

Billaud M, Campbell BE, Zhu X, Ling SD, Movasat H, Li C, Prezelj D, Vdovenko D, Shakiba N, Hoesli CA, Moraes C

Advanced drug delivery reviews2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2026.115919 PMID: 42303158

02

Protocol to purify human and mouse cytokines using an endotoxin-free Escherichia coli-based platform.

Kim JY, Xin J, Kuo IC, Chen SX, Kabil A, Chang KW, Shakiba N, McNagny KM, He Y

STAR protocols2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104698 PMID: 42430242

03

Virtual twins and the future of human developmental biology.

Abou Chakra M, Shakiba N

NPJ systems biology and applications2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41540-026-00771-7 PMID: 42336851

04

The embryo game uncovers hidden cell behaviours.

Abou Chakra M, Hislop J, Egilmez I, Alkalai R, Bashth O, Maheden K, Gundagathi A, Ebrahimkhani MR, Shakiba N

Nature communications2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-74074-0 PMID: 42288505

05

A multi-kingdom genetic barcoding system for precise clone isolation.

Ishiguro S, Ishida K, Sakata RC, Ichiraku M, Takimoto R, Yogo R, Kijima Y, Mori H, Tanaka M, King S, Tarumoto S, Tsujimura T, Bashth O, Masuyama N, Adel A, Toyoshima H, Seki M, Oh JH, Archambault AS, Nishida K, Kondo A, Kuhara S, Aburatani H, Klein Geltink RI, Yamamoto T, Shakiba N, Takashima Y, Yachie N

Nature biotechnology2026

DOI: 10.1038/s41587-025-02649-1 PMID: 40399693

06

Perspectives from the 2025 ISCBI/ISCI joint workshop on genetic stability, clonal monitoring, ethical data governance, and global inclusion in stem cell banking.

Kim JH, Kurtz A, Barbaric I, Inamdar MS, Pera MF, Benvenisty N, Shakiba N, Isasi R, Hanatani T, Stacey G

Stem cell research & therapy2026

DOI: 10.1186/s13287-025-04797-2 PMID: 41484925

07

Harnessing heterogeneity for the rational design of cell manufacturing.

Dorri Nokoorani Y, Movasat H, Giacopino E, Shahdoost A, Lipsitz Y, Shakiba N

Cell systems2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2025.101458 PMID: 41412112

08

A systems view of cellular heterogeneity: Unlocking the "wheel of fate".

Movasat H, Giacopino E, Shahdoost A, Dorri Nokoorani Y, Abrbekouh AH, Tahamtani Y, Shakiba N

Cell systems2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2025.101300 PMID: 40472847

09

A call to action for deciphering genetic variants in human pluripotent stem cells for cell therapy.

Benvenisty N, Draper JS, Gokhale PJ, Healy L, Hewitt Z, Hursh D, Hodgson A, Ludwig TE, Mah N, McClelland SE, Mennecozzi M, Merkle FT, Mountford JC, Pera M, Prigione A, Rodriguez TA, Rossi A, Rouhani FJ, Saeb-Parsy K, Selfa Aspiroz L, Shakiba N, Spits C, Tonge PD, Barbaric I

Cell stem cell2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2025.03.003 PMID: 40185071

10

Synthetic genetic circuits to uncover the OCT4 trajectories of successful reprogramming of human fibroblasts.

Ilia K, Shakiba N, Bingham T, Jones RD, Kaminski MM, Aravera E, Bruno S, Palacios S, Weiss R, Collins JJ, Del Vecchio D, Schlaeger TM

Science advances2023

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg8495 PMID: 38019912

Canada Reseach Chair - Tier 2

Nominated PICIHR2023Canada Research Chairs - CIHR Funded - Tier 2

Principal investigators: Shakiba, Nika

Keywords: Crc

$600,000

Understanding and Controlling Embryonic Stem Cell Competition

SupervisorCIHR2023Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Principal investigators: Maheden, Kieran N

Keywords: Cell Competition; Cell Therapy; Cell-Cell Communication; Developmental Biology; Embryonic Stem Cells; Mrna Translation; Pluripotency; Synthetic Biology; Systems Biology

$105,000

A synthetic biology approach to unlocking the role of the ribosome in cell competition

Nominated PICIHR2023Project Grant

Principal investigators: Shakiba, Nika

Keywords: Cell Competition; Pluripotent Stem Cell; Proteomics; Ribosome; Synthetic Biology; Transcription; Translation

$940,950

A bioengineering platform to promote safe cell therapies

Nominated PICIHR2022Project Grant

Principal investigators: Shakiba, Nika; Goyal, Sidhartha

Keywords: Clonal Dynamics; Computational Biology; Design Of Experiments; Expansion Culture; Genetic Engineering; Genetic Variants; Pluripotent Stem Cell; Regenerative Medicine

$963,900

A synthetic biology approach to unlocking the role of the ribosome in cell competition

Nominated PICIHR2022Operating Grant - PA: Genetics (Bridge Funding: Research Priorities)

Principal investigators: Shakiba, Nika

Keywords: Cell Competition; Pluripotent Stem Cell; Proteomics; Ribosome; Synthetic Biology; Transcriptomics

$100,000

Empowering a grass-roots podcast initiative: student-centric science communication training

Principal investigatorNSERC2021Science Communication Skills Grant

Principal investigators: Shakiba, Nika

$19,700

Ultracentrifugation system for purification of synthetic biology constructs

Co-investigatorNSERC2021Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: de Boer, Carl

$100,846

Designing Stem Cell Derived Islets for Diabetes Therapy

Principal investigatorCIHR2021Team Grant: DM/TS - CIHR-JDRF - ß-cell and Pancreatic Islet Physiology

Principal investigators: Kieffer, Timothy J; Hoesli, Corinne; Rideout, Elizabeth J; Shakiba, Nika

Keywords: Biomedical Engineering; Bioprocess Engineering; Cell Transplantation; Diabetes; Islets; Pseudoislets; Stem Cells

$1,000,000

A bioengineering platform to promote safe cell therapies

Nominated PICIHR2021Operating Grant - PA: Genetics (Bridge Funding: Research Priorities)

Principal investigators: Shakiba, Nika; Goyal, Sidhartha

Keywords: Clonal Dynamics; Computational Biology; Design Of Experiments; Expansion Culture; Genetic Engineering; Genetic Mutants; Pluripotent Stem Cell; Regenerative Medicine

$100,000

Towards robust beta cell therapy manufacturing for treating type 1 diabetes

Nominated PICIHR2021Operating Grant: SickKids-CIHR-IHDCYH New Investigator Grants

Principal investigators: Shakiba, Nika

Keywords: .

$300,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Biomedical Engineering
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute
Chemical Engineering
Biostatistics Division
Surgery

Co-authors at University of British Columbia, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Nozomu Yachie

Biomedical Engineering

2 shared papers, latest 2026

Laurent Briollais

Biostatistics Division

1 shared papers, latest 2022

Andras Nagy

Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

1 shared papers, latest 2022

Christopher Moraes

Chemical Engineering

1 shared papers, latest 2026

Maryam Faiz

Surgery

1 shared papers, latest 2022

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Pluripotent Stem Cell Dear Professor Shakiba, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Microscale strategies in engineering the pancreas: Toward clinical translation." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Canada Reseach Chair - Tier 2" (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]