Mark Wainberg Fund HighlightsAngela Omrani
Angela Omrani is a second-year MSc student in the Biology and Biochemistry at Simon Fraser University. Her research focuses on improving germline-targeting strategies for eliciting VRC01-class broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs), which recognize the conserved CD4-binding site on the HIV-1 envelope. Thanks to support from the CAHR Mark Wainberg Fund, Angela was able to attend the 35th Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research (CAHR 2026) in Winnipeg and deliver an oral presentation on how glycan-bearing eOD-GT8 immunogens influence antibody recognition of native-like HIV-1 Env in human-antibody transgenic mice. Funding allowed her to travel to Winnipeg and fully participate in the conference, including the New Researcher Workshop, scientific sessions, and networking events.
The Mark Wainberg Fund was established in 2017 to assist Canadian basic science researchers – working in the realm of HIV virology – to present their work at accredited meetings in Canada and internationally. The program aims to continue Dr. Wainberg’s vision of fostering innovative HIV research and knowledge sharing and is made possible thanks to the support of ViiV Healthcare ULC.
Without support from CAHR, Angela would not have been able to attend the conference. The funding allowed her to present her research to the Canadian HIV research community, learn about current work across the field, receive valuable feedback, and connect with researchers and trainees. These opportunities expanded her understanding of HIV research and contributed to her growth and confidence as an early-career scientist.
“Attending CAHR provided an invaluable opportunity to learn from leaders across diverse areas of HIV research while connecting with trainees and researchers who share a common goal of advancing patient care and scientific discovery. The experience further motivated me to continue pursuing impactful research in the field.”
Through this experience, Angela developed a clearer and more grounded understanding of how HIV research is carried out today, including current laboratory methods, vaccine strategies, and the ways translational science connects discoveries to real health outcomes. She also improved her communication skills by attending oral and poster sessions and having conversations with researchers from across Canada. In addition to learning from others, delivering her own oral presentation strengthened her confidence in sharing scientific work. The New Researcher Workshop gave her practical insights into career development, collaboration, and what it’s really like to find her path in the research world as an early-career scientist.
“One of the most valuable parts of the conference was being able to discuss my research with scientists who approach HIV prevention from different perspectives. Their questions and feedback helped me think more critically about my work and showed me how collaboration can strengthen both the research process and its potential impact.”
The experience influenced her future career goals by reinforcing her interest in becoming a physician-scientist. Speaking with clinicians and researcher helped her see how she can combine her passion for medicine with the commitment to HIV vaccine research. Presenting her work and receiving feedback from leaders in antibody maturation and immunogen design gave her confidence in the direction of her research and the path she hopes to follow.