Shaiya Robinson

Dr. Shaiya Robinson is an Assistant Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Science at McMaster University, where she teaches in the Life Science and Integrated Science programs. She completed her Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology at McMaster University in 2017, focusing on the protein Kaiso and its role in intestinal differentiation processes. Following her doctorate, she conducted postdoctoral research at the Hospital for Sick Children, investigating probiotics' influence on intestinal epithelial differentiation.

Her educational background includes an Hons. B.Sc. in Developmental Biology with a minor in French as a Second Language from the University of Toronto, followed by a Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology from McMaster University.

Dr. Robinson's research spans two primary domains: molecular gut biology and science education. Her biomedical research focuses on intestinal homeostasis, cell differentiation, and the role of proteins like Kaiso in gut inflammation and disease. Concurrently, she conducts significant pedagogical research examining frequent low-stake evaluations, student workload, peer mentoring in life sciences, and STEM experiences among Black high school students through the McMaster Imhotep STEM Program (Mac-iSTEP).

Analysis of her publication record reveals a strong focus on intestinal biology, particularly examining how transcription factors like Kaiso influence intestinal inflammation and cell differentiation. More recently, her work has expanded to include nutrition science, particularly human milk oligosaccharides and their protective effects against necrotizing enterocolitis in premature infants. Her publications consistently bridge molecular biology with clinical implications for gut health.

Dr. Robinson actively mentors undergraduate students through thesis supervision and research assistant positions, with current projects examining class size impacts on peer mentoring, frequent low-stake evaluations, and STEM experiences among Black high school students. Her community engagement is extensive, including co-leading the McMaster Imhotep STEM Program (Mac-iSTEP), participation in Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), and involvement with Lotus STEMM.

Her laboratory and research team includes undergraduate thesis students and research assistants working on multiple projects, with current members including Akshaya Vigneswaran, Ahmed Abdalla, Mohammad Shaikh, Abdullah Al Azzawi, and Amr Abdelazim. Past students include Lauren Beck and Pierce Razzaque.