Our Trainees

Lyme disease is an emerging tick-borne disease in Canada and is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. This spirochete resides in the skin of the vertebrate host. I will explore the impact of B. burgdorferi on the bacterial microbiome in the skin of mice and the ticks that feed on these mice.

I have recently graduated from the University of Tehran with a Bachelor's degree in microbiology, and my research interests revolve around investigating the interactions between hosts and parasites, particularly viruses like Nipah. Currently, my project is focused on exploring the antiviral mechanisms of IFITMs against NiV.

Gillian’s PhD thesis focuses on how copper affects the pathogen Legionella pneumophila. Her research aims to characterize the environmental conditions and mutations that lead to the emergence of copper resistance in L. pneumophila and examine the efficacy of using copper in Legionella control.

My research will investigate the presence of Wolbachia in Canadian Culicoides biting midges which are vectors of major livestock diseases: Bluetongue and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease. Wolbachia is a known vector control method for mosquitoes. Confirming the presence of naturally occurring Wolbachia infections will provide insight into its effectiveness as a control method in Culicoides.

My PhD thesis interests revolve around extracellular vesicles (EVs), with a focus on the protozoan parasite Leishmania. My project aims to characterize this parasite and their EVs in the context of drug resistance and RNAi pathway modifications to gain a better understanding of their influence on parasite-parasite and parasite-vector interactions.

Sarah is a MSc candidate whose research project focuses on natural products, with an interest in antimicrobials that are encoded by biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Sarah’s project involves BGCs located on large plasmids found in actinomycetes, specifically BGCs on plasmids which contain prophage regions.

My doctoral work investigates the vector competence of mosquito species, both native and invasive to Canada; specifically, their capability for infection with arthropod-borne viruses (e.g., West Nile and Zika viruses). I am also exploring the use of insect-specific viruses as a means of vector control and arbovirus transmission reduction.

I investigated, in my masters, and I’m currently working on phenotypic differences in Leishmania resistance to drugs. I aspire working as a researcher within institutes, organizations, universities, or the pharmaceutical industry, with the aim of advancing the development of improved strategies for the treatment and control of infections.

I focus on maternally transmitted strain-specific immunity in mice, against the Lyme disease bacterium. Immunology in Lyme has become a passion of mine as it pertains to prevention, diagnostics, treatment, and monitoring. For my future, I want to include more veterinary expertise, experience, and data in discussions, as well as prioritize patient-driven research.

Paul evaluates the effect of disinfectants on the transfer of antibiotic resistance from bacteria present on food to Salmonella enterica. He aims to test disinfectants and surface sanitizers that are commonly used in the food industry to guide the regulation of these compounds and reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance.

My research work focuses on developing smart “lab-on-chip” microfluidic platform for rapid and accurate detection of foodborne pathogens, ensuring the production of safe and high-quality food for consumers.

As part of my project with the CFP lab and the Langlais lab team, I am exploring how DR and DS parasites, along with their extracellular vesicles, modulate host immune cells

After recently graduating from McGill University with BSc in Food Science & BSc in Nutritional Science, I am starting my graduate studies at University of Guelph. My graduate work will be centered on food safety and microbiology, with a focus on bacteriophages.

My research interest centers around the dynamic interactions among host microbiomes, their metabolomic profiles, and environmental exposures (including food, pathogens, drugs and other chemicals). We focus on utilizing computational approaches to analyze big data and to gain insights into their complex relationships.

My interests include insect and arthropod vectors (ticks and mosquitoes), and the pathogens they harbor. My prior work characterized the molecular mechanisms of tick repellents. Presently, I devote my research to unraveling the complexities of superinfections of Borrelia burgdorferi in mice and subsequent transmission to feeding ticks.

As an MSc candidate, Marie Zoé studies the phenomenon of loss of resistance in Leishmania infantum by generating revertant strains. Her research will allow us to evaluate the ability of the revertant parasites to survive in different hostile conditions and the presence of medication.

My research interests focus on bacterial dormancy states in the food supply chain, particularly in Campylobacter jejuni. I want to investigate how bacteria enter and exit dormancy states such as the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) and antibiotic persistent state to survive in the agri-food chain and how they contribute to biofilm formation and persistence

Natalia’s project focuses on antimicrobial resistance in Canadian aquaculture. She's working on identifying antibiotic resistant bacteria in aquatic food production and investigating the transfer pathways of antibiotic resistant genes in the food supply chain. Natalia’s research aims to develop intervention strategies to preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials used in Canada.

My research interests center on the development of a microfluidic “lab-on-a-chip” device that couples isothermal amplification method for specific and rapid detection of foodborne pathogens during fresh produce processing. We currently focus on developing a microfluidic device coupled recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) with lateral flow assay (LFA) to screen norovirus in real food samples.

Cody’s PhD work is on the zoonotic food-borne parasite, Trichinella, in the North American North. Cody aims to characterize the newly discovered species, T. chanchalensis, and to provide meaningful information that those in the North can use to make informed decisions about the infection risk of consuming wild carnivores and omnivores.

Giuliana recently graduated with a Bachelors in Life Sciences. She hopes to expand her knowledge on viruses and learn how they invade host cells. Her graduate studies focus on the Nipah Virus host cell attachment and budding, specifically the actin cytoskeleton's function in the M protein. Ultimately, Giuliana believes there is much more to discover in this complicated field.

My research interests center around the management of zoonotic infections in wildlife species. My current work focuses on developing rapid and lab-independent molecular diagnostic methods for Brucella abortus (Brucellosis) infection in wild bison, which will support wood bison conservation efforts in Canada.

Recently graduated with a MSc in Molecular Microbiology, I am starting a PhD program at the University of Guelph. The aim of my PhD project is to develop a solution to inhibit the survival and propagation of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella strains with an approach based on phage- encoded sequences in combination with natural antimicrobial compounds.

Vibrio cholerae is a waterborne pathogen that causes the severe diarrheal disease, cholera. This project aims to track phage:V. cholerae ratios over time in cholera patients to establish causal relationships, and develop and validate a predictive model of cholera disease severity based on the phage:V. cholerae ratio.

My project is an examination of the pathogenicity of polar microbes collected from Mars and icy moon analogue sites in the high arctic. This research is part of a larger planetary protection study designed to prepare for the Mars Sample Return mission proposed for the early 2030’s.

I am a veterinarian and MSc candidate studying antimicrobial resistance in Trueperella pyogenes, a pathogen prevalent in livestock infections. My research focuses on characterizing the antimicrobial susceptibility of T. pyogenes isolates, utilizing genome sequencing to identify genetic determinants of resistance, and enhancing antimicrobial stewardship practices.

My research interests focus on microbial ecology and pathogen virulence, particularly in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Dublin. To minimize the development of resistant strains of this cattle-adapted pathogen, I aim to develop safe, affordable, and efficient probiotic alternatives to current antibiotics.

Research involving the unexplored intricate interactions between hosts and parasites has always been my passion. My planned work centers around elucidating the infection ecology of Echinococcus multilocularis within its various hosts in Western Canada, and using laboratory techniques to determine the pathogenicity of the various strains located here.

To date, my research has investigated the interactions of arthropod-borne viruses in host cells as well as the susceptibility of mosquitoes to viral infection. My doctoral research seeks to characterize Caribbean mosquito species, and the viruses that infect them, with applications in public health and vector control.