Our Executive

Our leadership provides direction for the CSM-SCM and its members

2024-2025 Executive

The CSM Executive consists of the President, Past President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Meetings Secretary, Post Doc Representative and Graduate Student Representative.

JonathanVanHamme

Dr. Jonathan D. Van Hamme

President

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Jonathan Van Hamme is Professor of Microbiology and founding Director of the TRUGen Applied Genomics Laboratory at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, British Columbia. He received an Honours B.Sc. in Co-Op Biology with a Chemistry Minor from the University of Waterloo in 1996, and a Ph.D. in petroleum microbiology from the University of Waterloo in 2000. Thanks to the encouragement of his Ph.D. supervisor, Dr. Owen Ward (CSM President, 1996-1997), he attended his first CSM Annual Meeting in Guelph in 1998 and was hooked. After three years with the National Resources Canada at their National Centre for Upgrading Technology, where he was leading work on microbial biotechnologies for heavy oil upgrading, he joined Thompson Rivers University in 2003 and established his own research program with a major focus on biodegradation of organic pollutants. His group is currently focused on uncovering the biochemical basis of bacterial per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) metabolism. He served for ten years as an editor for Biodegradation, is currently an editor for the Canadian Journal of Microbiology, and previously served the CSM as Meetings Secretary (2009 – 2011). He currently serves as Chair and the CSM representative of the Biological and Chemical Defence Review Committee.

Thompson Rivers University
Biological Sciences,
Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8

Contact
E: jvanhamme@tru.ca

Kari Dunfield

Dr. Kari Dunfield

Past President

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Dr. Kari E. Dunfield, is a Professor and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Environmental Microbiology of Agro-ecosystems, in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph. She received her BSc in the Biological Sciences Department at the University of Calgary in 1995, and her MSc in the Department of Plant Agriculture (1999) and PhD in the Department of Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan (2002). She worked as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Maine, Darling Marine Center, and joined the University of Guelph in 2004. Working at the intersection of microbiology, ecology, and soil science, her work investigates the microbial communities and microbial processes driving the global processes that help support life on Earth, and focuses on climate change, soil conservation, human pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes in the environment, and food security. She is passionate about educating the public about the importance of soils, and is the Executive of a knowledge mobilization and outreach program, called Soils@Guelph, and the North American Representative for UN-FAO Global Soil Partnership (Pillar 1). Dr. Dunfield has contributed previously to the CSM as the Co-Chair of the Education and Careers Committee and is currently the Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Journal of Microbiology.

University of Guelph
School of Environmental Sciences
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1

Contact
E: dunfield@uoguelph.ca

DavidHeinrichsJan2024

Dr. David Heinrichs

1st Vice-President

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Dr. David Heinrichs is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Western Ontario. David completed a BSc (Microbiology, Hon.) at the University of Manitoba before then completing a PhD at Queen’s University under the supervision of Dr. Keith Poole. He then completed a post-doctorate at the University of Guelph under the supervision of Dr. Chris Whitfield. David has been at Western since 1998. His multidisciplinary research program involves studies on the physiology and pathogenesis of staphylococci and, in particular, Staphylococcus aureus (and MRSA). In the past few years, his laboratory has discovered a new regulatory mechanism for key virulence factors in S. aureus, that coagulase-negative staphylococci can synthesize a purine analog that inhibits MRSA, how MRSA survives and grows within macrophages, and collaborated on studies to identify antivirulence compounds effective against MRSA.

University of Western Ontario
Microbiology & Immunology
London, ON N6A 5C1

Contact
E: deh@uwo.ca

TracyRaivio2ndVPJune2024

Dr. Tracy Raivio

2nd Vice-President

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Dr. Tracy Raivio is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Vice-Provost and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) at the University of Alberta. She is a University of Alberta alumnus and received her BSc specializing in Genetics from the Department of Biological Sciences. Dr. Raivio completed a PhD in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary where she studied the regulation of virulence factor production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates associated with Cystic Fibrosis lung infections. Dr. Raivio went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in Molecular Biology at Princeton University where she studied the mechanisms employed by E. coli to respond to damage to the bacterial envelope. As a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, her research program aims to elucidate how beneficial and disease-causing bacteria survive and grow in our bodies, one of the end goals of which is to identify targets for the development of novel therapeutics against antimicrobial resistant infections. In her role as Vice-Provost and Dean, she has a deep commitment to the cultivation of support for, and the success of, the University’s 8300+ graduate students and 500+ postdoctoral fellows. She provides leadership through advocacy, seeking to foster a collaborative approach to graduate education and research supervision across campus, and the elevation of graduate students and postdocs in the wider community.

University of Alberta
Department of Biological Sciences

Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1

Contact
E: traivio@ualberta.ca

Hany Anany

Dr. Hany Anany

Secretary-Treasurer

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Dr. Hany Anany currently holds the position of Research Scientist at the Guelph Research and Development Center (GRDC) under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. In addition, he serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Guelph. Before joining AAFC, he worked as a Research Associate at the Food Science Department of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety at the University of Guelph, where he also completed his Ph.D. in Food Science in 2010.

Dr. Anany  is involved in several research projects that use bacteriophages to enhance food safety since 2006. Dr. Anany’s research interests involve understanding phage biology and its interaction with bacterial hosts for taxonomical and application purposes. Within his research group, he leads investigations into the utilization of both non-immobilized and immobilized bacteriophages for controlling and detecting various foodborne pathogens in food products. Furthermore, he examines the consequences of bacterial resistance development against lytic phages on the virulence and fitness of different pathogens. Dr. Anany’s curiosity extends to exploring the composition and dynamics of the phageome / virome throughout the food supply chain, aiming to deepen our understanding of these complex viral communities and their role in food safety. His significant contributions to the field are evidenced by his publication record, which includes 28 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles and 5 book chapters. Moreover, he has shared his expertise through 33 scientific presentations at various meetings and conferences, further enriching the scientific discourse in his area of expertise.

Guelph Research and Development Centre
Science and Technology Branch
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada / Government of Canada
Guelph, ON N1G 5C9

Contact
E: hany.anany@agr.gc.ca

Denice Bay

Dr. Denice Bay

Meetings Secretary

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Dr. Denice Bay is an assistant professor (as of June 2015) in the Department of Medical
Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Bay began her studies at the University of Manitoba where she completed both her BSc (in 2000) and PhD (in 2007). Her PhD thesis examined mitochondrial voltage dependent anion channel (VDAC) folding and function from the fungus Neurospora crassa with Dr. Deborah Court. During her post-doctoral fellowship with Dr. Raymond Turner’s lab at the University of Calgary (in 2007-2015), Dr. Bay examined TolC-independent efflux pumps, the role of biofilm formation in efflux mediated antimicrobial resistance, and protein secretion system structure-function in Enterobacteria. Her current research program explores how antiseptics and disinfectants contribute to antibiotic resistance in critical priority bacterial pathogens.

University of Manitoba
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease
Rm 514 BSMS, 745 Bannatyne Ave
Winnipeg, MB R2K 1N4

Contact
E: Denice.Bay@umanitoba.ca

Sarah_Piche-Choquette_2023

Dr. Sarah Piché-Choquette

Post Doc Representative

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Sarah Piché-Choquette is a postdoctoral fellow working with Profs. Steven Kembel at UQAM and Marie-Claire Arrieta at UCalgary. She completed her B.Sc. in Microbiology and Immunology at Université de Montréal, her Ph.D. at INRS Armand-Frappier Health and Biotechnology Centre and her first postdoc at the Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Her current postdoctoral research focuses on how the gut microbiome mediates asthma risk in premature infants.

Université du Québec à Montréal
Département des Sciences Biologiques
141 Av. du Président-Kennedy, Montréal, QC H2X 1Y4

University of Calgary
Cumming School of Medicine,
3330 Hospital Dr NW,
Calgary, AB T2N 4N1

Contact
E: piche-choquette.sarah@courrier.uqam.ca

CamilleOu

Ms. Camille Ou

Graduate Student Representative

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Camille Ou is a Ph.D. student at Université de Montréal. She is working with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi in the laboratory of Dr. France Daigle and co-supervised by Dr. Charles Dozois from Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre – INRS. Her research focuses on characterizing fimbriae regulation of S. Typhi, a human specific pathogen. With the current antibiotics resistance crisis, treatments are becoming less efficient. Thus, better understanding of S. Typhi pathogenesis will contribute to the identification of new therapeutic targets.

Université de Montréal
Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology
2900 Bd Édouard-Montpetit,
Montréal, QC H3T 1J4

Contact
E: camille.ou@umontreal.ca

WafaaAntonious

Mrs. Wafaa Antonious

Secretariat

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Wafaa Antonious has been providing secretariat services for CSM since 2008 first through the Canadian Federation of Biological Socieites (CFBS). When CFBS folded at the end of 2008, Wafaa resumed providing secretariat services through her own company “Rofail Conference and Management Services (RCMS) as of January 2009. Wafaa’s services for CSM includes providing support to CSM Executive (services and consultation), organizing the annual conference when requested, maintaining the website, book keeping, dealing with inquiries from members and others related to CSM activities. Through RCMS, Wafaa provides secretariat services to other organizations and organizes scientific workshops, meetings and conferences from 20 – 800 attendees. Wafaa graduated in 1983 with a BA in English from Faculty of Linguistic, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt and moved to Canada within a month of her graduation.

Canadian Society of Microbiologists
17 Dossetter Way
Ottawa, ON K1G 4S3

Contact
T: (613) 421-7229
E: info@csm-scm.org

AEM: Applied & Environmental Microbiology
II: Infections & Immunity
MGCM: Molecular Genetics & Cellular microbiology

ResponsibilitySurnameFirstEmail
AEM Chair (2025-2026) RonholmJenniferjennifer.ronholm@mcgill.ca
AEM Vice Chair (2025-2026) Laforest-LapointeIsabelleisabelle.laforest-lapointe@usherbrooke.ca
II Chair (2025-2026) CôtéJean-Philippejp.cote@usherbrooke.ca
II Vice Chair (2025-2026) DuperthuyMarylise marylise.duperthuy@umontreal.ca
MGCM Chair (2025-2026) WhitneyJohnjwhitney@mcmaster.ca
MGCM Vice Chair (2025-2026) MoynihanPatrick p.j.moynihan@bham.ac.uk

ResponsibilitySurnameFirst NameEmail
Meetings, Conferences & WorkshopsBrassingaAnn KarenAnn.Brassinga@umanitoba.ca
Meetings, Conferences & WorkshopsLangAndrewaslang@mun.ca
Education & Careers (Chair)Pérez LópezEdeledel.perez-lopez@fsaa.ulaval.ca
Education & CareersJean-PierreFabriceFabrice.Jean.Pierre@usherbrooke.ca
Education & CareersTerrenceBellterrence.bell@utoronto.ca
Education & CareersPiché-ChoquetteSarahpiche-choquette.sarah@courrier.uqam.ca
Education & CareersTremblayYannickyannick.tremblay@usask.ca
Education & CareersIgbalajobiOlumuyiwaolumuyiwa.igbalajobi@msl.ubc.ca
Education & CareersSadeghiJavadjavad.sadeghi@utoronto.ca
Education & CareersSykesEllensykese3@myumanitoba.ca
Education & CareersDufresneKarinedufresne.karine.3@uqam.ca
Education & CareersSheldonJessicajessica.sheldon@usask.ca
CMUE Committee – Chair 2021 – 2022DavisMariamcorreia@udel.edu
CMUE Committee – Chair 2022 – 2024SukdeoNicoleNicole.Sukdeo@unbc.ca
CMUE Committee – Co-Chair 2023 – 2025SulemanRyansuleman@camosun.ca
CMUE Committee – Co-Chair 2025 – 2026RubinJosephjoe.rubin@usask.ca
CMUE CommitteeLinksMatthewmatthew.links@usask.ca
CMUE CommitteeGetzLandonlandon.getz@utoronto.ca
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Subcommittee – ChairHeinrichsDaviddeh@uwo.ca
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Subcommittee – Vice ChairRaivioTracytraivio@ualberta.ca
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Subcommittee
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Subcommittee
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Subcommittee
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion SubcommitteeAltshulerIaninaianina.altshuler@mail.mcgill.ca
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Subcommittee
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion SubcommitteeAhmadiAtiyeha94ahmad@uwaterloo.ca
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion SubcommitteeGeorgeMayageorgm16@mcmaster.ca
CSM Murray Award for Career Achievement – (Chair 2024)CharlesTrevortrevor.charles@gmail.com
CSM Murray Award for Career Achievement – (Chair 2025)BurrowsLorilori.burrows@mcmaster.ca
CSM Murray Award for Career Achievement – (Chair 2026)YergeauEtienneEtienne.Yergeau@inrs.ca
CSM Murray Award for Career Achievement – (Chair 2027)SzymanskiChristinecszymans@uga.edu
Armand Frappier Outstanding Student Award – (Chair 2024)GoodridgeLawrencegoodridl@uoguelph.ca
Armand Frappier Outstanding Student Award – (Chair 2025)LewenzaShawnslewenza@athabascau.ca
Armand Frappier Outstanding Student Award – (Chair 2026)HugLauralaura.hug@uwaterloo.ca
Armand Frappier Outstanding Student Award – (Chair 2027)ThomasNikhiln.thomas@dal.ca

ResponsibilitySurnameFirstEmail
CJM EditorDunfieldKaridunfield@uoguelph.ca
CJM EditorYostChristopherchris.yost@uregina.ca
CSM 2025 University of Montreal Conference ChairSellamAdnaneadnane.sellam@umontreal.ca
CSM 2024 University of Western Ontario ChairMcGavinMartinmmcgavin@uwo.ca
CSM 2023 Dalhousie University Conference ChairThomasNikhiln.thomas@dal.ca
CSM 2020 / 2022 University of Guelph Conference Co-ChairDunfieldKaridunfield@uoguelph.ca
CSM 2020 / 2022 University of Guelph Conference Co-ChairKhursigaraCezarckhursig@uoguelph.ca
CSM 2019 University of Sherbrooke Conference Co-ChairBurrusVincentvincent.burrus@usherbrooke.ca
CSM 2019 University of Sherbrooke Conference Co-ChairBeauregardPascalepascale.b.beauregard@usherbrooke.ca
CSM 2019 University of Sherbrooke Conference Co-ChairFortierLouis-CharlesLouis-Charles.Fortier@USherbrooke.ca
Representative: ASMSteinLisastein1@ualberta.ca
Representative: ASM – StudentGetzLandonlandon.getz@utoronto.ca
Representative: ICTV, TaxonomyLangAndrewaslang@mun.ca
Representative: Biological & Chemical Defence Committee of DNDVan HammeJonjvanhamme@tru.ca
Representative: PAGSEMahThien-Fahtmah@uottawa.ca

Call for Nominations and Volunteers - Take an Active Role in Our Society!

Deadline: March 28, 2025

The Canadian Society of Microbiologists encourages members to take an active role in running the society. We are currently looking for members to serve on the following committees for the upcoming year. If you are interested in helping your society in this, or in any other way, please contact the CSM secretariat at info@csm-scm.org for more information. These position will start July 1, 2025.

  1. Acceptance of this position implies a commitment of 4 years to the CSM, 2nd Vice-President, 1st Vice-President, President and Past President. In the absence or disability of the 1st Vice President, the 2nd Vice-President will perform the duties of the 1st Vice-President.
  2. To attend all meetings of the Executive and Council and all business meetings of the Society.
  3. To serve, if agreed by the Executive, as one of the two signing officers of the Society.
  4. To plan and prepare for his/her term of office as 1st Vice-President.
  5. To perform such additional duties as may be imposed from time to time by the Executive or Council.
  6. To succeed the 1st Vice-President at the conclusion of his/her term.
  1. Promote the discipline of microbiology and raise public awareness of the Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CSM).
  2. Encourage graduate and undergraduate students, as well as post-doctoral fellows, to pursue careers in microbiology and actively participate in the CSM.
  3. Support and promote high-quality undergraduate and graduate education in microbiology-related fields across Canadian colleges and universities.
  4. Advocate for the needs of CSM members in matters related to microbiology education and career development.
  5. Gather feedback from members on education and career matters and communicate these concerns to the CSM Executive.
  6. Propose updates or new initiatives for activities under the Committee’s jurisdiction and recommend revisions to its mission when necessary.
  7. Attend the CSM Annual Conference and participate in the Committee’s activities during the event.
  8. Actively contribute to one of the following subcommittees:
  • Reviewing award nominations
  • Managing the Student Symposium
  • Coordinating the Poster Competition
  • Organizing the Professional Development Workshop

Note: members of the MGM section are needed.

  1. To publicize CSM post doc activities.
  2. To encourage Post Doc membership in CSM.
  3. To encourage participation of Post Docs at the Annual Conference.
  4. To encourage input from Post Docs concerning all CSM activities.
  5. To liaise with the CSM Executive members.
  6. To serve on various committees when requested.

This committee aims to promote Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all of its activities including but not limited to membership, leadership, recommendations for the annual conference local organizing committee, and mentoring. We strive to promote and maintain a sense of welcoming and belonging for Indigenous Peoples, women, persons with disabilities, racialized people, 2SLGBTQ+ members, and other equity-deserving groups. We are particularly seeking graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and members of the indigenous community.

Please complete the following information and send to the CSM-SCM at the address below, along with a photograph and CV.

Nominations for Executive & Council Positions
Nominee for: