Studying Microbiology in Canada

Highlighting Canadian Universities that offer programs in Microbiology and related disciplines.

Connecting Students to Microbiology Programs in Canada

Students interested in studying Microbiology in Canada have many choices of schools they may attend. Below is the full list of Canadian Universities offering this program, each with detailed information about their program, including research facilities, list of faculty, financial support available, and admission information.

British Columbia

Department: Molecular Biology & Biochemistry

Overview

The Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry offers a flexible graduate program leading to the degrees of Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Research areas in this dynamic, young department are diverse, and include bacterial pathogenicity, antibody-mediated immunology, peptide libraries and phage display, microbial protein structure and function, biomembranes/lipids, bioinformatics, yeast cholesterol genetics, cellular and molecular embryogenesis, developmental genetics, DNA nanotechnology, nucleic acid biochemistry, ribozymes, enzymology and enzyme engineering, genomics and proteomics, signal transduction, and x-ray crystallography. This diversity facilitates interdisciplinary interactions and collaborations. This department formed in the year 2000 from a previous SFU Institute, the IMBB. This Institute is noted for producing a significant number of prominent researchers who have gone on to become, for example, a coordinator of NCBI’s Genbank or play leadership roles in international pharmaceutical companies and other institutions. Note that many members of this department are playing a lead role in the development of a new SFU Infectious Diseases program.

Research Facilities

The Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry occupies more than half of the 70,000 sq. ft. South Science Building (SSB) opened in 1993. There are many shared equipment rooms and common facilities including a large number of constant temperature rooms; darkrooms, gel documentation and X-ray developing facilities; Level 2 biohazard containment and tissue culture facilities; radiation containment rooms; centrifuges; autoclaving and dishwashing facilities; marine holding tanks; journal reading and computer room. The SSB is closely connected to buildings occupied by other departments having sophisticated equipment and facilities. The spatial arrangement of SFU enhances interdepartmental interactions.

The Department has phosphorimagers and a microscopy suite including a confocal laser scanning microscope, epifluorescence/DIC microscope, and image analysis software. A 600 mHz NMR spectrometer and recently installed crystallization and macromolecular X-ray diffraction facilities are housed in the building. A Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter Facility is being created in an adjacent new building planned to open in September 2006. SFU operates an Animal Care Center that will soon be moved to expanded new facilities in the new building.

Departmental computer facilities include several Windows and Mac OSX workstations for running desktop applications as well a 22 processor AMD Opteron cluster for computing in a Linux environment. The Department also has a 28-seat fully-equipped computer instructional laboratory. The University offers facilities on a 192 processor Beouwulf cluster, an 8-way SMP SGI Origin as well as a 32 processor DEC Alpha cluster. Simon Fraser University is also a WestGrid Partner. Westgrid is a collaborative project that provides high performance computing, networking, and collaboration tools to seven institutions in western Canada. Simon Fraser University hosts WestGrid’s 100 Terabyte storage array, while other partner sites host a 1008 processor IBM eServer cluster (University of British Columbia), a 256-way SGI Origin 3900 (University of Alberta) and a 144 processor Alpha cluster (University of Calgary).

List of Faculty

  • Baillie, D.L. – Genomic analysis of C. elegans and humans; recombination; chromosome behaviour.
  • Beh, C.T. – Cholesterol molecular genetics and genomics.
  • Brandhorst, B.P. – Cell and molecular biology of embryogenesis.
  • Brinkman, F.S.L. – Bacterial genomics and bioinformatics.
  • Chen, J.N. – Bioinformatics; genomics; transcriptional regulation; neuroscience
  • Cornell, R.B. – Enzyme regulation; Amphitropic proteins: regulation by membrane physical properties and lipid second messengers.
  • Craig, L. – The structure and assembly of the Type IV pili and related virulence factor
  • Davidson, W.S. – Genome evolution; gene mapping in salmonids; human genetics.
  • Harden, N. – Regulation of Drosophila morphogenesis by GTPase signalling cascades.
  • Hawkins, N. – Developmental genetics.
  • Honda, B.M. – Genes in Drosophila heterochromatin.
  • Kovalyova, I
  • Leroux, M.R. – Cytoskeleton-associated processes in health and disease
  • Northwood, I.C.
  • Paetzel, M. – Crystallographic analysis of protein targeting and translocation.
  • Pio, F. – Physical biochemistry, x-ray crystallography.
  • Quarmby, L.M. – Cell Biology
  • Scott, J.K. – Antigen/antibody interactions; antibody structure; peptide libraries; phage display.
  • Sen, D. – Catalytic DNA, ribozymes, and nucleic acid nanostructures.
  • Sinclair, D. – Molecular Biology
  • Thewalt, J. – NMR studies of membrane structure and dynamics.
  • Unrau, P.J. – RNA-catalyzed chemical reactions; early metabolism; self-replicating systems.
  • Verheyen, E.M. – Drosophila developmental genetics; cross regulation of signal transduction pathways.
  • Young, E.C. – Ligand-induced conformational changes in ion channels

Financial Support Available

Students accepted into the graduate program must receive adequate financial assistance. The current minimum level of financial support for Masters students in the MBB graduate program is $5500* per semester (equivalent to $16,500* per year). The current minimum level of financial support for PhD students in the MBB graduate program is $6333* per semester (equivalent to $19,000* per year).

Financial support can be achieved through scholarships, fellowships, teaching assistantships, or research assistantships. Normally full financial support is provided through a combination of mechanisms, generally requiring that the Senior Supervisor agree to provide a research assistantship for at least one semester, if required.

MBB students are also eligible for a large number of awards which are listed on the faculty website.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Simon Fraser University
Room SSB 8166, 8888 University Dr.
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6

Phone: 604-291-5630
Fax: 604-291-5583
Email: mbb@sfu.ca
Web: http://www.sfu.ca/mbb/

Department: Microbiology & Immunology

Overview

The Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of British Columbia provides a stimulating environment in which to pursue a graduate or undergraduate research program. Our faculty is internationally recognized for contributions in microbiology, molecular biology and immunology. Students will have the opportunity to experience the most up-to-date molecular approaches to the study of problems in microbiology and immunology.

Research Facilities

The Department is about to move into the Life Science Centre (LSC) and at the same time create a cooperative interdepartmental system as the foundation for generating interdisciplinary research opportunities. The LSC will be home to over 80 research groups coming from UBC Departments in the Faculties of Science and Medicine.

The facilities available at UBC include newly renovated laboratories, a large common media preparation room and glassware washing facility, excellent mechanical and electrical workshops, a pilot fermentation plant 25 and 150 liter fermenters, a well equipped computer room, level C containment facilities, a large animal facility and a reading room containing an excellent selection of recent journals. Individual research labs are well equipped to carry out the most modern techniques in microbiology, molecular biology and immunology. The Department maintains a large amount of common equipment such as ultracentrifuges and scintillation gamma counters. A transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope are available in a dedicated microscope facility. Department members have a protein sequenator, a DNA synthesizer and a fluorescence-activated cell sorter at their disposal. The new fermentation and process engineering group of the Biotechnology Laboratory will provide new opportunities for those interested in large scale bacterial and mammalian cell culture.

List of Faculty

  • Ninan Abraham Ph.D. – Cytokine (IL-7) function; immunodeficiency and lymphoma
  • J. Thomas Beatty Ph.D. – Regulation of gene expression, protein structure/function
  • Julian Davies Ph.D.- Novel antibiotics; reistance mechanisms; xenobiotic degradation
  • Lindsay Eltis Ph.D. – Biocatalyst function and development
  • Rachel Fernandez Ph.D. – Mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis – Bordatella pertussis
  • Brett Finlay Ph.D. – Bacterial pathogenesis in Salmonella and E. coli
  • Timothy Galitski Ph.D. – Modelling global structure/function of biomolecular systems
  • Erin Gaynor Ph.D. – Molecular mechanisms of Campylobacter jejuni pathogenesis
  • Michael Gold Ph.D. – B cell development, survival, activation, and migration
  • Steven Hallam – wild microbial metabolism
  • Robert Hancock Ph.D. – Cationic host defense peptides, innate immunity, novel antimicrobial therapies, P. aeruginosa genomics
  • John Hobbs Ph.D. – Director Nucleic Acid Protein Service Unit (NAPS)
  • Leroy Hood Ph.D. – Molecular biotechnology and genomics; ISB president
  • Marc Horwitz Ph.D. – Viral immunopathology, coxsackievirus
  • Jim Kronstad Ph.D. – Fungal biology/pathogenesis (Cryptococcus and Ustilago)
  • François Jean Ph.D.- Antimicrobial therapy, Hepatitis C, SARS, West Nile virus
  • Wilf Jefferies Ph.D. – Iron transport; virus-MHC interactions
  • Pauline Johnson Ph.D. – T cell activation; leukocyte adhesion and migration
  • William Mohn Ph.D. – Degradation of pollutants by microorganisms
  • Michael Murphy Ph.D. – Bacterial metal uptake and denitrification
  • John Smit Ph.D. – Caulobacters S-layer function and secretion biotechnology
  • George Spiegelman Ph.D. – Transduction of environmental signals
  • Curtis Suttle Ph.D. – Marine microbiology and virology
  • Hung-Sia Teh Ph.D. – T cell developmental biology and immune regulation
  • Dr. Charles Thompson Ph.D. – Antibiotic resistance, developmental states of Mycobacterium and Streptomyces
  • Gerald Weeks Ph.D. – Ras proteins in growth and differentiation of Dictyostelium

Financial Support Available

UBC offers and administers many programs that provide financial help to graduate students.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies administers academic merit-based funds to graduate students, including University Graduate Fellowships, Killam Fellowships and affiliated awards, NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR and other external awards, and department-recommended awards. Also, Student Financial Assistance and Awards administers financial need-based funding to graduate students.

Admissions and Enquiries

UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies
180-6371 Crescent Road
Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z2
Phone: 604.822.2848
Fax: 604.822.5802

Graduate Applications Committee, or the Graduate Co-ordinator
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
University of British Columbia
1365 – 2350 Health Sciences Mall
Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3
Phone: 604.822.3308
Fax: 604.822.6041
Email: grad@microbiology.ubc.ca

Web: http://www.microbiology.ubc.ca

Department: Biology

Overview

The Department of Biology offers courses leading to degrees of MSc and PhD in Biology. Biology at the University of Victoria dates from 1926 with the arrival of Geoffrey Cunningham at Victoria College. When the University of Victoria was established in 1963 at Gordon Head, the Department of Biology shared the Elliott Building with Chemistry and Physics. The Department moved to the Cunningham Building in 1971 and expanded into the Petch Building in 1985. The mandate of the Department of Biology is to provide the essential requirements for an undergraduate education in biology, preparing graduates to enter professional programs, graduate programs, or employment in the public or private sectors as professional biologists. The mandate also includes development of excellent research programs and provision of graduate training and education.

Research in Biology ranges from virology to microbial ecology of bacteria, fungus and algae in terrestrial and marine system. The Department has two major Research Centers: Center for Forest Biology and Centre for Biomedical Research as well as a number of large research initiatives: VENUS (Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea), NEPTUNE (Underwater observatories), Environmental Management of Drinking Water.

Research Facilities

The Department of Biology is located in the Cunningham and Petch Buildings. There are several facilities specialized for various aspects of biological research including: the Electron Microscope Laboratory, the Advanced Imaging Laboratory, the Bev Glover Greenhouse Facility, and Herbarium. Other University facilities include: animal care laboratories, aquarium facilities, biohazard laboratory and a 16.4 m research vessel for oceanographic work. Individual research laboratories have preparative and ultracentrifuges, scintillation counting equipment, spectro-photometers, high pressure liquid chromatography equipment, ultramicrotomes, DNA sequencers, thermal cyclers, microscopes. The Department is well suited to most types of biological research.

List of Faculty

  • Robert Burke, Ph. D.
  • William Hintz, Ph.D.
  • Perry L. Howard, Ph.D.
  • David Levin, Ph.D.
  • Azit Mazumder, Ph.D.
  • Steve Perlman, Ph.D.
  • Réal Roy, Ph.D., (CSM Rep.)
  • Verena Tunnicliffe, Ph.D.
  • Diana Varela, Ph.D.

Financial Support Available

Applicants accepted into a regular full-time graduate program are guaranteed a minimum level of support of approximately $17,000 (M.Sc.) and $18,000 (Ph.D.) per annum.
These are some of the awards and sources of financial assistance available to new students: University of Victoria Fellowships, President’s Scholarships, Research Assistantships, Petch Research Scholarships, Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Tuition Fellowships, External Awards.

Admissions and Enquiries

Graduate Secretary
Biology
University of Victoria
PO Box 3020 STN CSC
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3N5

Phone: 250 721-7093

Graduate Admissions and Records
University of Victoria
PO Box 3025 STN CSC
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3P2

Phone: 250-472-4657
Fax: 250-472-5420
Email: garo@uvic.ca

Web: http://www.uvic.ca/biology/index.htm

Department: Biochemistry & Microbiology

Overview

Our MSc and PhD programs in Biochemistry and Microbiology offer research training in a broad range of life science research areas at the cellular, sub-cellular and molecular levels. Our focus on research and supporting facilities (proteomics, microsequencing and aquatics) provide many exciting opportunities. Biochemistry and Microbiology faculty are involved in world class research and the department is recognized internationally for high quality research programs. Research programs are focussed on fundamental questions or practical problems related to health and the environment.

Research Facilities

Out students and researchers work with amazing instruments and facilities. We:

  • analyze atomic structure
  • screen yeast with a robot
  • analyze molecular interactions with an ultracentrifuge
  • work with animal models
  • measure gene expression with array technology
  • express pathogenic proteins in insect cells
  • measure proteins binding DNA or proteins binding carbohydrates
  • calculate antibody affinity with surface plasmon resonance
  • analyze cellular signaling with confocal microscopy
  • culture cancer cells
  • analyze protein expression with flow cytometry
  • analyze viral genomes
  • identify femtograms of protein with mass spectrometry

The Department is located in modern containment laboratory premises and has state-of-the-art research facilities.

List of Faculty

  • Dr. Juan Ausio, BSc, PhD (Barcelona), Professor
    Ph: 250-721-8863
    Email: jausio@uvic.ca
    Biophysical and biochemical studies of DNA-protein interactions involved in chromatin assembly and gene expression.
  • Dr. Alisdair Boraston, BSc, PhD (Brit.Col.), Professor
    Ph: 250-472-4168
    Email: boraston@uvic.ca
    Protein-carbohydrate recognition using molecular biological, biochemical, biophysical, and structural methods.
  • Dr. Christoph Borchers, BSc, MSc, PhD (Konstanz), Professor
    Ph: 250-483-3221
    Email: borchers@uvic.ca
    Application of mass spectrometry, proteomics, photoaffinity labelling, and molecular modelling to determine protein structure.
  • Dr. Martin Boulanger, BSc, PhD (Brit.Col.), Associate Professor
    Ph: 250-721-7072
    Email: mboulang@uvic.ca
    Structural basis of host-pathogen and vector-pathogen interactions; structure-guided design of small molecule therapeutics and vaccines.
  • Dr. Douglas Briant, BSc, MSc (Waterloo), PhD (Brit.Col.), Assistant Teaching Professor
    Ph: 250-472-4458
    Email: dbriant@uvic.ca
  • Dr. John E. Burke, BSc (UC Berkeley), PhD (UC San Diego), Assistant Professor
    Ph: 250-721-8732
    Email: jeburke@uvic.ca
    Structural and dynamic studies investigating the regulation of lipid signalling enzymes and their role in human disease.
  • Dr. Robert Burke, BSc, PhD (Alta), Professor
    Ph: 250-721-8928
    Email: rburke@uvic.ca
    Biochemistry and cell biology of signaling in early animal development.
  • Dr. Caroline Cameron, BSc, PhD (UVic), Professor
    Ph: 250-853-3189
    Email: caroc@uvic.ca
    Bioinformatic, genomic and proteomic approaches to studying the pathogenic mechanisms of spirochetes.
  • Dr. Stephen Evans, BSc, PhD (Brit.Col.), Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies
    Ph: 250-472-4548
    Email: svevans@uvic.ca
    Structural biology of protein-carbohydrate recognition; x-ray crystallography and scientific visualisation.
  • Dr. Caren Helbing, BSc (Hons)(Windsor), PhD (Western), Professor
    Ph: 250-721-6146
    Email: chelbing@uvic.ca
    The effect of environmental pollutants on hormonal signalling in development and disease.
  • Dr. Perry Howard, BSc (Waterloo), PhD (Toronto), Associate Professor and Chair of the Department
    Ph: 250-721-7077
    Email: bcmb@uvic.ca
    RNA processing in stem cells, Regulation of Pax6 by miRNA, and rewiring of tyrosine pathway in cancer.
  • Dr. Julian Lum, BSc, MSc, PhD (Ottawa), Assistant Professor (Limited Term)
    Ph: 250-519-5718
    Email: jjlum@bccancer.bc.ca
    Immunometabolism; understand the metabolic roles of autophagy in cancer and T cell survival, development of immune-based treatment combinations with radiation (ovary, breast, prostate, rectal).
  • Dr. Francis Nano, AB (Oberlin), MSc, PhD (Ill), Professor
    Ph: 250-721-7074
    Email: fnano@uvic.ca
    The goal of our research is to develop genome engineering tools for generating temperature-sensitive (TS) microbial strains. One application is developing attenuated pathogens that can be used as live vaccine strains. We use directed evolution of native essential genes of mesophiles to change them to produce a TS product with a defined and non-reverting property. We also engineer genetic circuits that use a TS repressor protein to control a lethal gene in a mesophile.
  • Dr. Brad Nelson, BSc (Hons) (UBC), PhD (California), Professor (Limited Term)
    Ph: 250-519-5705
    Email: bnelson@bccrc.ca
    Immune response to cancer, immunotherapy, T cell biology, cytokines, signal transduction and cell cycle regulation. Director of the Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer Agency.
  • Dr. Christopher Nelson, BSc, PhD (Brit.Col.), Associate Professor
    Ph: 250-853-3889
    Email: cjn@uvic.ca
    Application of molecular and systems-biology approaches to the study of chromatin regulatory pathway in yeast and mammalian cells. Current areas of investigation include transcription, RNA metabolism and DNA repair pathways involved in normal and cancer biology.
  • Dr. Paul Romaniuk, BSc, PhD (McMaster), Professor
    Ph: 250-721-7088
    Email: pjr@uvic.ca
    Design and optimization of DNA and RNA-based isothermal amplification assays. Development of novel nucleic acid based point-of-care diagnostic tests to major pathogens in low resource countries.
  • Dr. Christopher Upton, BSc, PhD (Lond), Professor
    Ph: 250-721-6507
    Email: cupton@uvic.ca
    Viral bioinformatics and computer technologies to analyze viral genomes.

Financial Support Available

Applicants accepted into a regular full-time graduate program are guaranteed a minimum level of support of approximately $18,000 per annum. Salary support is the responsibility of the supervisor until completion of the degree program, or if the student is asked to withdraw, until the time of withdrawal set by the student’s supervisory committee. These are some of the awards and sources of financial assistance available to new students: University of Victoria Fellowships, President’s Scholarships, Research Assistantships, Petch Research Scholarships, Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Tuition Fellowships, External Awards.

Admissions and Enquiries

Graduate Admissions and Records
University of Victoria
PO Box 3025 STN CSC
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3P2
Phone: 250-472-4657
Fax: 250-472-5420
Email: garo@uvic.ca

Graduate Secretary
Biochemistry & Microbiology
University of Victoria
PO Box 3055 STN CSC
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3P6
Phone: 250-721-8861

Web: http://web.uvic.ca/biochem/grad/index.html

Alberta

Department: Microbiology & Biotechnology (Biological Sciences)

Overview

The academic staff of 15 in the Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology offers a challenging graduate program to students in genetics, physiology and biotechnological exploitation of microbial cells and more complex organisms such as parasites and fungi. Graduate students can contribute to cutting-edge basic and applied research at the molecular and cellular level in areas including genetic engineering of microbial cells; production of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents; plasmid structure and function; resistance to antimicrobial agents; biodegradation of environmental pollutants; cell differentiation; microbial stress responses; pathogen-host interactions and immunobiology; and fermentation biotechnology. The Microbiology and Biotechnology group is supported by close links with other programs in the department: Molecular Biology and Genetics; Physiology and Cell Biology; Ecology and Environmental Biology; and Systematics and Evolution. Joint graduate programs exist with other Departments in the Faculty of Science (e.g. Earth and Atmospheric Sciences) and other Faculties (e.g. Engineering).

Research Facilities

  • Drosophila Service Unit
  • Fermentation Service Unit
  • Biosciences GIS Facilities
  • Biogeochemical Analytical Laboratory
  • Low-Level Mercury Analytical Laboratory
  • The University of Alberta Biotron
  • Green houses

Alberta Research Facility for Molecular and Structural Biology (ARFMSB)

  • Microarray and Proteomics Facility
  • Advanced Microscopy Facility
  • Molecular Biology Facility

Field Stations

  • Meanook Biological Research Station
  • Bamfield Marine Biology Research Station
  • Devonian Botanic Garden
  • Ellerslie Field Station

List of Faculty

  • Dr. Neil Adames Ph.D. – Molecular genetics, cell biology and protein biochemistry of cell cycle control of mitosis using budding yeast as a model organism.
  • Dr. Declan W. Ali – Development of regions of contact (synapses) between cells in the central nervous system.
  • Dr. Daniel Barreda – Evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of immunity and how they contribute to the prevention of disease in lower vertebrates and mammals.
  • Dr. Suzanne E. Bayley – Ecosystem ecology
  • Dr. Erin Bayne – Landscape and spatial ecology with a focus on how human activity influences relationships between boreal forest species at different spatial and temporal scales.
  • Dr. Mike Belosevic – Immunobiology of host-parasite interactions, molecular mechanisms of host defense against protozoan parasites Leishmania and Giardia
  • Dr. Stanley A. Boutin – Population ecology of boreal mammals
  • Dr. Mark S. Boyce – Mathematical and simulation models of ecological systems primarily at the population level for conservation and management.
  • Dr. James F. Cahill – Ecological consequences of root competition between plants.
  • Dr. Michael Caldwell – Vertebrate palaeontology, i.e., morphology, phylogeny, evolution, and ecology, etc.
  • Dr. Shelagh D. Campbell – Regulation of the cell cycle during development, using the model organism Drosophila.
  • Dr. Chang, John – Comparative molecular endocrinology, with emphasis on post-receptor signal transaction pathways mediating the actions of peptide hormones and neurotransmitters in fishes.
  • Dr. David Coltman – Population and quantitative genetics and genomics applied to evolutionary biology, conservation and wildlife management.
  • Dr. Janice Cooke – Molecular physiology and genomics of forest trees.
  • Dr. Randolph S. Currah – Systematics, ecology and evolution of mutualistic and pathogenic relationships involving fungi and other organisms.
  • Dr. Philip J. Currie – My work on dinosaurs focuses on problems with growth and variation, the anatomy and relationships of carnivorous dinosaurs, and the origin of birds.
  • Dr. Mark R.T. Dale – Methods for detecting and analyzing the spatial relationships of plants in populations and communities
  • Dr. Jonathan J. Dennis – Phage therapy; Bacterial genetics / genomics; Mobile genetic elements; Burkholderia cepacia complex; Antibiotic resistance and organic solvent tolerance; Bacterial multidrug efflux pumps; Bacterial biodegredation and bioremediation.
  • Dr. Andrew E. Derocher – Ecology, conservation, and management of large Arctic and northern mammals.
  • Dr. Kevin J. Devito – Biogeochemistry, ecology and hydrology wetlands, stream and lakes with an emphasis on landscape controls.
  • Dr. Michael Deyholos – Plant Biotechnology and Genomics
  • Dr. Maya L. Evenden – Chemical ecology of insects and how message-bearing chemicals (semiochemicals) can be exploited in pest management systems.
  • Dr. Phillip M Fedorak – Environmental microbiology.
  • Dr. Mario F. Feldman – Protein glycosylation in pathogenic bacteria and the potential application of the relaxed specificity of the enzymes involved in these pathways in applications that promise a new era in glycoengineering.
  • Dr. Julia M. Foght – Microbial biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons, particularly under adverse environmental conditions in fuel-contaminated Antarctic soils, cold groundwater and subsurface soils
  • Dr. Laura S. Frost – Signaling mechanisms that initiate plasmid transfer
  • Dr. Warren J Gallin – Comparative molecular studies of physiologically functional molecules.
  • Dr. Allen G. Good – Plant molecular biology and stress physiology, regulation of gene expression in plants, genetics of pathogen and insect resistance in plants.
  • Dr. Greg G. Goss – Comparative physiology and biochemistry of ion transport in aquatic vertebrates.
  • Dr. Jocelyn C Hall – Phylogenetic analysis and systematics of Capparaceae, Cleomaceae, Brassicaceae, and Brassicales
  • Dr. Susan J. Hannon – Population and behavioral ecology of northern birds and conservation biology.
  • Dr. David Hik – Plant-herbivore-climate interactions in northern alpine ecosystems.
  • Dr. John Hoddinott – Investigating the role of elevated carbon dioxide and ultra-violet B levels on the growth and development of boreal forest conifer species.
  • Dr. Susan E. Jensen – Genetic and biochemical investigation of the production of antibiotics by the organism Streptomyces clavuligerus.
  • Dr. Reuben W. Kaufman – Physiology, pharmacology and endocrinology of ixodid ticks.
  • Dr. Andrew B. Keddie – Pathogen-host interactions from the cellular to organism levels, primarily baculoviruses in lepidopteran hosts, and the role of pathogens in the population biology of phytophagous insects.
  • Dr. Kirst King-Jones – How transcriptional regulators control fat, sugar and energy metabolism in Drosophila melanogaster.
  • Dr. Catherine La Farge – Evolution, systematics and diversity of bryophytes.
  • Dr. Brenda K. Leskiw – Regulation of the onset of antibiotic biosynthesis and morphological differentiation in Streptomyces.
  • Dr. Mark Lewis – Mathematical biology, with a focus in spatial ecology
  • Dr. Sally Leys – Evolution of animal body plans.
  • Dr. John Locke – Gene regulation, structure and function of chromatin and structure function of heterochromatin.
  • Dr. Bradley G. Magor – As part of a normal immune response, the genes encoding antibodies are targeted by a mutator protein called AID. These mutations normally lead to an improved antibody response to a given pathogen. This mutator protein must be tightly controlled to ensure that only antibody genes are targeted. My lab investigates how this system evolved, and how it is controlled to provide an improved immune response without leading to autoimmune disease or cancer.
  • Dr. Katherine E. Magor – Genetics of disease resistance in non-mammalian vertebrates.
  • Dr. Heather E. McDermid – Molecular aspects of human birth defects using model organisms, primarily mice and zebrafish.
  • Dr. Evelyn Merrill – Large mammals with emphasis on foraging and nutritional ecology of ungulates, plant-herbivore interactions and landscape modifications on wildlife populations.
  • Dr. Alison M. Murray – Systematics of fossil and Recent teleost fishes, including phylogenetic studies using osteological characters.
  • Dr. Frank E. Nargang – Two projects investigating mitochondrial biogenesis are currently under way.
  • Dr. George W. Owttrim – Mechanisms by which photosynthetic organisms sense and respond to environmental change, using cyanobacterial RNA helicases as our model system.
  • Dr. William J. Page – Physiology of Azotobacter including iron-regulated gene expression and nutritional control of cell activities.
  • Dr. A. Richard Palmer – Functional morphology, phenotypic plasticity, evolution of development, ecology, systematics and evolution of marine invertebrates.
  • Dr. Cynthia A. Paszkowski – Ecology and behaviour of birds, freshwater fishes and amphibians, especially foraging behaviour, habitat use, inter- and intra-specific competition, and direct and indirect effects of predation.
  • Dr. Richard E Peter – Brain regulation of reproduction, growth and food intake in fish.
  • Dr. David B. Pilgrim – Developmental genetics, using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
  • Dr. Heather C. Proctor – Ecology, evolution, systematics and behaviour of mites (Arachnida: Acari).
  • Dr. Tracy L. Raivio – Stress responses of Escherichia coli and their role in pathogenesis.
  • Dr. Linda J. Reha-Krantz – DNA polymerase function and DNA replication are studied using yeast as a model system for in vivo studies and the bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase as a model for in vitro studies.
  • Dr. Jens Roland – Population dynamics of insects and ecology of foraging by insect parasitoids.
  • Dr. Enrico Scarpella – Vascular pattern formation and vascular differentiation in plants using a strategy that combines molecular genetics and genomics with cell biology.
  • Dr. David W. Schindler – Ecosystem ecology, biogeochemistry and experimental ecology
  • Dr. Andy N. Spencer – Evolution of the nervous system in early metazoans with particular emphasis on hydrozoan jellyfish.
  • Dr. Felix A.H. Sperling – Insect systematics with interests in molecular evolution, population genetics, biodiversity and conservation.
  • Dr. Colleen Cassady St. Clair – Behavioural ecology, evolutionary ecology and conservation biology
  • Dr. Vincent St. Louis – Whole-ecosystem Experimentation, Biogeochemical Cycling, Reservoir Impact Studies, Greenhouse Gases, Methylmercury Bioaccumulation, Limnology, Wetland Ecology, Ecotoxicology, Avian Ecology.
  • Dr. Norm E. Stacey – Interactions among hormones, pheromones, and reproductive behaviors in fish.
  • Dr. James L. Stafford – My primary research goal is to further develop channel catfish as an immunological model system for studying the evolution and function of innate immune receptors.
  • Dr. Ruth A. Stockey – Paleobotany, anatomy and morphology of vascular plants and fungi
  • Dr. Gregory J. Taylor – Research addresses the physiology and biochemistry of metal tolerance in higher plants and the ecology of plant growth on metal-contaminated soils.
  • Dr. William M. Tonn – Ecology of fishes and the organisms with which they interact, in boreal and arctic lakes and streams
  • Dr. Rolf Vinebrooke – Alpine, Arctic, and Boreal Ecology; Freshwater Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function; Cumulative Impacts of Global Change on Aquatic Ecosystems; Stress and Ecosystem Recovery; Land-Water Linkages
  • Dr. Andrew J. Waskiewicz – How neural cells acquire identity along the anterior-posterior axis of a developing zebrafish embryo.
  • Dr. Mark V.H. Wilson – Vertebrate paleontology with emphasis on morphology, phylogeny, and paleoecology of fishes.
  • Dr. David Wishart – Development of bioinformatics software; modelling of biological systems; structural proteomics; application of NMR spectroscopy to drug discovery.

Financial Support Available

All students admitted to our graduate program have secured financial support for at least the first 3 years of a Masters program and the first 5 years of a Ph.D. program, at the minimum rate of approximately $19,500 per year and subject to annual review of academic and teaching performance. Financial support for graduate students comes from a variety of sources, including:

  • Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantships
  • University of Alberta Awards
  • Other external agencies
  • Supervisor’s research funds
  • Scholarships from: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR), Province of Alberta, University of Alberta, Alberta Ingenuity Fund (AIF)

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Biological Sciences
CW 405, Biological Sciences Centre
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9
Phone: 780-492-3484
Email: bio.grad.coordinator@ualberta.ca

Web: http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/

Department: Medical Microbiology & Immunology

Overview

The Microbiology and Biotechnology research group offers a challenging graduate program to students who want to study the genetics, physiology and biotechnological exploitation of microbial cells and more complex organisms such as parasites and fungi. Graduate students can contribute to cutting-edge basic and applied research at the molecular and cellular level in areas including genetic engineering of microbial cells; production of antibiotics and other microbial agents; resistance to biodegradation of environmental pollutants; cell differentiation; microbial stress responses; pathogen-host interactions. Graduate students of the MMI department have ready access to a wide range of facilities and state-of-the-art equipment.

Research Facilities

  • FACS facility for cell surface staining and cell sorting that includes two FACSCAN units and a Coulter cell sorter.
  • Scanning and transmission electron microscope facility.
  • Confocal microscopy facility for cell biology studies.
  • Phosphoimager for metabolic and cell signalling studies.
  • DNA sequencing and oligonucleotide synthesis facilities.
  • Peptide synthesis and sequencing as well as mass spectrometry facilities.
  • Two x-ray diffraction data collection systems for structural biology.
  • BIAcore technology for real time measurement of on-rates and off-rates of biomolecular interactions.
  • Animal facilities (including transgenic mouse breeding facilities).
  • Level III biocontainment unit.

In addition to the facilities listed, MMI graduate students have access to ultracentrifuges, film processors, radioisotope facilities etc. to carry out their research studies.

List of Faculty

  • Michele Barry, PhD – Research in my laboratory is currently focused on understanding how members of the poxviruses family evade apoptosis.
  • Debby Burshtyn, PhD – The focus of my research is to understand how killer cell inhibitory receptors function by studying the intracellular events that occur when inhibitory receptors are engaged.
  • Peter Dickie, PhD – I study numerous transgenic mouse lines expressing HIV-1 gene products for the purpose of defining the inherent pathogenicity of viral genes.
  • John F Elliott, MD, PhD – HLA transgenic NOD mouse models to probe the cause of human autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes and psoriasis.
  • David H. Evans, PhD – Research concerning the biology of poxviruses
  • Edan Foley, PhD – High throughput RNA interference (RNAi) as a tool to identify the networks that regulate innate immune signaling in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster.
  • Judy Gnarpe, Dr Med. Sci. – Role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in chronic diseases.
  • Larry Guilbert, PhD – In utero transmission of infectious diseases and the immunology of pregnancy.
  • Bart Hazes, PhD – Structural studies of disease-associated proteins using protein crystallography and bioinformatics.
  • Randall T Irvin, PhD – Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesins, their respective epithelial cell receptors, their role in Pseudomonas pathogenesis and development of of an effective anti-adhesin vaccine. Characterization of Candida albicans adhesins and other asialo-GM1 adhesins.
  • Kevin Kane, PhD – Regulation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cell recognition and destruction of pathologically altered cells, including virally infected cells and cancer cells. Role of class I MHC proteins in these processes. Influence of bacteria on antigen processing and presentation to T cells.
  • Kinga T Kowalewska-Grochowska, MD – Antimicrobial drug resistance.
  • Hanne Ostergaard, PhD – Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are required for the elimination of virally infected cells, cells infected with other intracellular pathogens and cancer cells. We are trying to understand how these cells become activated in response to antigen stimulation to facilitate knowledge-based manipulation of CTL to enhance protective immunity.
  • Mark S Peppler, DPhil – Molecular pathobiology of Bordetella species
  • Lynne Sigler, MSc – Systematics of fungi in the human environment.
  • James R Smiley, PhD – Molecular genetics of mammalian nuclear DNA viruses; control of viral and cellular gene expression; cellular antiviral defense mechanisms
  • Markus Stein, PhD – Understanding the complex interactions between the human pathogen Helicobacter pylori and the eukaryotic cells.
  • Diane E Taylor, PhD – Genetics and resistance mechanisms of Campylobacter jejuni and Helicobacter pylori; Genetics of plasmids from Enterobacteriaceae
  • D Lorne J Tyrrell, MD, PhD – Molecular biology of hepadnaviruses. Animal models for hepatitis B & C. Chemo- and Immunotherapy for chronic hepatitis B & C

Financial Support Available

Each supervisor is responsible for finding financial support for the graduate student until completion of the degree unless the student is not making normal progress towards completing his/her degree. Examples of inadequate progress would include not maintaining the minimum grade average, unsatisfactory performance at two consecutive supervisory meetings, and failure to pass the candidacy exam. The supervisor is required to support the student for up to three years for a M.Sc. and up to five years for a Ph.D. The level of support should be consistent with that outlined in the CIHR guidelines (currently $17,850) and should be paid through University-administered funds. Supervisors are also reminded that foreign students pay a 100% differential fee which will be more than $5,000 per year, depending on the number of courses taken and should be supplemented accordingly. The supervisor will provide funds separate from the stipend amount listed above to cover the entire cost of tuition fees.

All students, if they are qualified to do so, are required to apply to outside granting agencies, such as the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, for funding as soon as it is appropriate to do so. Students with excellent academic records are encouraged to apply for NSERC awards prior to or at the initiation of the graduate program. They should also apply for any University-sponsored fellowships for which they qualify. The Department can make no commitment to the financial support of the graduate students beyond the first term (for rotating students) and has no source of long term funding for students.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology
1-41 Medical Sciences Building
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H7
Phone: 780-492-2309
Fax: 780-492-7521
Email: mmi.mail@ualberta.ca

Web: http://www.ualberta.ca/~mmi/

Department: Microbiology & Infectious Diseases

Overview

The Faculty of Medicine employs a multidisciplinary approach to medical research, education and medical care. This is made possible by Research groups which blend basic and clinical research and provide the Faculty with an excellent opportunity for transferring knowledge from the laboratory to the bedside and the community providing a unique training and mentoring environment for students, postdoctoral associates and faculty.

Researchers in the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (MID) perform research on microbial pathogenesis, epidemiology, host response, diagnosis, therapy and prophylaxis of microbial infections.

Research Facilities

Excellent research facilities in the Health Sciences Centre and the Heritage Medical Research Building allow for the exploration of all aspects of medical microbiology including access to patient material in collaboration with practicing infectious disease clinicians. The Health Sciences Centre contains more than 27,870 net square meters of teaching and research space including multidisciplinary laboratories. The Heritage Medical Research Building, funded by the Alberta Heritage Foundation, provides an additional 20,744 square meters of space. The design of this building is also based on multidisciplinary laboratories.

List of Faculty

  • Emma Allen-Vercoe PhD – Contributions of the normal flora to the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease
  • Glen D. Armstrong PhD – Studies on how pathogenic microbes or their toxins identify and exploit host cell receptors and how to use this information in developing superior anti-infective drugs
  • Kris Chadee PhD – Biochemical and immunological methods to study Entamoeba histolytica, a protozoan parasite that affects one percent of the world’s population.
  • Rebekah DeVinney PhD – Cellular Microbiology: E. coli O157:H7 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus interactions with intestinal epithelial cells
  • Julie D. Fox PhD – Persistence and activation of betaherpesviruses, molecular epidemiology of respiratory and enterovirus infections, development and application of molecular-based assays for microbial diagnosis
  • May Ho MD – Cytoadherence, the process by which Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IRBC) adhere to vascular endothelium, malaria, adhesion molecules, immunoregulation, pathogenesis
  • Taj Jadavji, MD – Physician-patient communication, trends in antibiotic resistance, emerging pathogens, Kawasaki Disease – typical and atypical, post-graduate education, international health
  • Shawn Lewenza, PhD – Microbial pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Understanding the process of biofilm formation and inhibition. Virulence gene regulation and environmental sensing.
  • Norman F. Neumann Ph.D – Bacterial waterborne diseases, disinfection and treatment of drinking water, environmental monitoring of pathogens, public health surveillance of waterborne diseases.
  • Pere Santamaria, MD PhD – Immunogenetics, autoimmunity, type 1 diabetes, T-cells, T-cell receptor, T-cell tolerance, T-cell receptor transgenic mice, human – leukocyte antigen polymorphism
  • Anthony B. Schryvers MD, PhD – Biochemistry, medical microbiology, bacteriology, infectious diseases, meningitis, iron acquisition receptors, receptor-ligand interactions
  • Yan Shi, MD, PhD – Endogenous adjuvants and their uses
  • Pamela A. Sokol PhD – Siderophore-mediate iron transport systems, regulation of bacterial virulence factors, vaccine development, quorum sensing
  • Michael G. Surette PhD – Bacterial signal transduction, chemotaxis and motility, quorum sensing, intercellular communication, biochemistry, and molecular biology
  • Peter A.G. Tilley MD – The use of molecular methods, including sequencing, in the characterization of infections, particularly atypical respiratory infectious and zoonotic infections
  • Guido van Marle PhD – Viral diversity and pathogenesis
  • Donald E. Woods PhD – Bacterial pathogenesis, molecular analysis of virulence determinants, genetic regulation of bacterial virulence, pathogenomics

Financial Support Available

All students will receive financial support for the entire 12-month period of their annual registration, all supervisors must provide a minimum stipend of $17,850/yr.

The sources of financial support include:

  • Scholarships
  • Graduate Research Scholarships [GRS] support from the Faculty of Graduate Studies
  • Graduate Assistant Teaching [GA(T)] support for teaching assistants
  • Supervisor trust funds called Graduate Assistant Trust [GA (Trust)].

The amount of support is governed by the agency providing the funds. The number of GRS and GA(T) based support units [1 unit= 4 months of support] is expected to be limited. GRS support units will be awarded by the Graduate Education Committee based on excellence as indicated by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The GA(T) support is available for a teaching assistant for MDSC 612. The student must have already completed this course to be eligible for the GA(T) award.

Priority for allocation of GRS support will be to incoming students. This allows them time to familiarize themselves with the Department research activities and course work and to eventually apply for external funding. It is the Department’s expectation that students will obtain external funding after the first year or be supported by a supervisor’s trust funds. Therefore, students in both the M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs will normally be limited to 2 units of GRS support.

The major external funding agencies are:

  • Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Studentships
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research Studentships
  • Alberta Ingenuity Fund Studentships
  • iCore
  • NSERC (previously Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council)
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
University of Calgary
Room 272, Heritage Medical Research Building
3330 Hospital Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1
Phone: 403-220-4572
Fax: 403-270-2772

Graduate Program Coordinator
Julie Boyd
Room 272, Heritage Medical Research Building
3330 Hospital Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1
Phone: 403-220-4572
Fax: 403-270-2772
Email: midgrad@ucalgary.ca

Web: http://www.med.ucalgary.ca/webs/microinfect/index.html

Department: Cellular, Molecular & Microbial Biology

Overview

The Department of Biological Sciences is organized into 5 broad divisions which represent the 5 areas of strength within the Department. They are: (1) Biochemistry, (2) Cellular, Molecular, and Microbial Biology (CMMB), (3) Ecology, (4) Plant Biology, and (5) Zoology.

Research Facilities

  • The Bio-NMR Centre where NMR techniques are used to study the metal-ion binding properties of transferrin and related metalloproteins and the metabolism in cultured plant cells that are potentially useful in reforestation.
  • The Centre for Mouse Genomics (CMG) supports investigators by fostering the use of mouse models to understand human health and disease.
  • Zoology Museum, Herbarium and Greenhouse.
  • Tech services (located in the Science Workshop) can produce equipment to meet an individual researcher’s specifications. The technicians at the workshop include a glass blower, metal machinists, and a carpenter. Additionally they can work with plastics.
  • Off-campus:
    • The University of Calgary along with the four other Western Universities (University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, and University of Alberta) are the members of The Western Canadian Universities Marine Biological Society (WCUMBS) which own and operate the Bamfield Marine Station. This facility is located in the village of Bamfield on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
    • The KFS consist of two facilities in the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains: the Barrier Lake Station located in the Kananaskis Valley, 80 km west of campus, and the R.B. Miller Station in the Sheep River Wildlife Sanctuary, 110 km southeast of the main campus.
    • The R.B. Miller Field Station consists of a cabin, cook house, bunk house, wash house and two trailers. The facility, which can accommodate up to 16 people, provides electric power and water. This Station is extensively used for animal behaviour and ecology research because of its isolated location and large nearby animal populations.

List of Faculty

  • Dr. Isabelle Barrette-Ng
  • Dr. Andre Buret – Immunopathogenesis of infectious diseases, apoptosis, cytokines and inflammation.
  • Dr. Howard Ceri – Lectins in mucosal integrity; bacterial pathogenesis and inflammation, biofilms, prostatitis.
  • Dr. Robert Edwards – Integral membrane protein structure and light driven reactions of tryptophan.
  • Dr. Peter Facchini – Biochemistry, molecular and cell biology of plant secondary metabolism; metabolic engineering in plants.
  • Dr. Marie Fraser – Structural biology. Investigating the catalytic mechanism of enzymes using the tools of X-ray crystallography and molecular biology.
  • Dr. Lashitew Gedamu -Molecular Biology of Leishmania: Functional studies and stage specific regulation of genes involved in Leishmania survival and pathogenesis. Evaluation of Leishmania Vaccine Candidate Genes
  • Dr. Jeff Goldberg – Physiology, developmental biology and behavior of molluscan embryos; developmental roles of neurotransmitters; neural control and signal transduction of cilia beating.
  • Dr. Hamid Habibi – Molecular endocrinology; Pharmacology and environmental toxicology.
  • Dr. Dave Hansen – Genetic analysis of stem cell self renewal; Negative regulation of Notch signaling
  • Mr. William Huddleston – Undergraduate student learning and laboratory development.
  • Dr. Michael Hynes – Molecular biology of plant-microbe interactions; regulation of genes involved in Rhizobium symbiosis, Rhizobium plasmids, chemotaxis, microbial ecology.
  • Dr. Manju Kapoor – Regulation of gene expression in fungi; Molecular chaperones of filamentous fungi.
  • Dr. Stuart Kauffman
  • Dr. Manfred Lohka – Cell-cycle control; regulation of mitosis; nuclear envelope assembly in tissue culture cells and Xenopus egg extracts.
  • Dr. Elke Lohmeier-Vogel – Metabolism of pentose sugars by immobilized or freely suspended yeast strains. Undergraduate laboratory development.
  • Dr. Greg Moorhead – Protein-phosphatases. Regulation of fat metabolism in mammalian adipocytes, pre-mRNA splicing and carbon and nitrogen interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana.
  • Dr. Doug Muench – Molecular/cell biology of mRNA localization and the cytoskeleton; metabolic engineering.
  • Dr. Sergei Noskov – Theoretical biophysics of ligand transport. Molecular Dynamics simulations of membrane proteins. Development of free energy simulations techniques.
  • Dr. Ken Ng – X-ray crystallographic and biochemical studies of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases and carbohydrate-binding proteins
  • Dr. Elmar Prenner – Membrane architecture, domains and lipid rafts, biophysical techniques, DNA labelling.
  • Dr. David Reid – Plant stress physiology; hormones; root-shoot communication; root development.
  • Dr. Dae-Kyun Ro – Biochemistry and molecular genetics of plant secondary metabolisms; Plant and microbial metabolic engineering for the production of pharmaceuticals, nutrient-enhanced crops, and renewable energy.
  • Dr. Ken Sanderson – Genomic analysis and nucleotide sequencing of Salmonella and other enteric bacteria; study of intervening sequences in ribosomal RNA; maintenance of the Salmonella Stock Centre.
  • Dr. Carrie Shemanko – Mammary gland development and breast cancer; prolactin Jak-Stat signaling; mammary epithelial stem cell biology.
  • Dr. Doug Storey – Molecular biology, pathogenesis, and genetics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • Dr. Peter Tieleman – Computer simulations of biological membranes and membrane proteins.
  • Dr. Trevor Thorpe – Experimental plant morphogenesis; developmental physiology; micropropagation.
  • Dr. Raymond Turner – Metal resistance in Bacteria. Private molecular chaperones for the Tat-Translocase. Integral membrane protein structure and folding. Fluorescence spectroscopy.
  • Dr. Gerrit Voordouw – Molecular biology and genomics of the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris. Characterization of microbial communities catalysing the oil field sulfur cycle by molecular biology methods
  • Dr. Hans Vogel – NMR and spectroscopic studies of antimicrobial peptides, regulatory calcium binding proteins and bacterial iron-uptake proteins.
  • Dr. Wic Wildering – Cellular and molecular foundation of neuronal aging and age-associated learning and memory impairment. Cell adhesion mechanisms and their role in the regulation of inflammation, nervous system function and repair.
  • Dr. Sui-Lam Wong – Gene expression, protein engineering and protein secretion in Bacillus subtilis.
  • Dr. Vanina Zaremberg – Lipid mediated signaling and regulation of lipid metabolism using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as model system.
  • Dr. Steve Zimmerly – Transposition of group II introns in bacteria and evolution of group II introns.

Financial Support Available

Funding may be available through a variety of sources. Our current graduate students are funded through such sources as scholarships (NSERC, MRC, AHFMR, Alberta Ingenuity, etc), teaching assistantships, research assistantships, supervisor’s research grants, GSA bursaries etc.

Please note that the Department cannot guarantee funding, and it is strongly recommended that applicants discuss funding of their program with their potential supervisors prior to admission

Admissions and Enquiries

Graduate and Scholarship Administrator
Ms. K. Barron
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1
Phone: 403-220-6623
Email: kbarron@ucalgary.ca

Web: http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/faculties/SC/BI/

Department: Biological Sciences

Overview

The Department of Biological Sciences provides you with a great deal of hands-on learning and engaging research, moving you beyond text books and lectures. Course work provides you with the fundamental framework of knowledge, while labs provide you with the practical hands-on experience including exercises such as: microscopy, DNA fingerprinting, culturing microorganisms, enzyme activity, cardiopulmonary function, photosynthetic gas exchange, fish courtship, ecosystem nutrient budgets, and parasite suppression of host fitness.

There are three main areas of research in the Department of Biological Sciences:

  • Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology
  • Plant Biology and Systematic Biology
  • Cellular and Molecular Biology and Genetics

Research Facilities

  • Bioimaging facility – Using the Scanning Electron Microscopes in the BioImaging Facility, the students of the EM courses have generated many micrographs of a wide variety of specimens.
  • The U. of L. herbarium contains approximately 12,000 specimens of vascular plants, mostly from southern Alberta. Many of the specimens were collected in conjunction with the preparation of the Flora of Waterton Lakes National Park published by Dr. Job Kuijt in 1982. The herbarium facilities are routinely used by students of plant systematics and field botany as well as faculty and students conducting research projects involving vascular plants. Material is loaned to and received from recognized herbaria around the world.

List of Faculty

  • Hurly, T. Andrew – Foraging behaviour of mammals and birds.. Animal behaviour, especially the cognitive ecology of foraging and spatial orientation in birds and mammals. Impacts of cattle grazing on avian communities
  • Bain, John – Plant Evolutionary Biology and Systematics; Molecular Systematics and Phylogeography of Packera
  • Flanagan, Larry
  • Hontela, Alice
  • Kovalchuk, Igor – Plant biotechnology
  • Kovalchuk, Olga – Cellular Basis of Life; Molecular Genetics
  • Michener, Gail – KINSHIP, PATERNITY, AND LIFE HISTORY OF RICHARDSON’S GROUND SQUIRRELS
  • Rasmussen, Joseph – Aquatic Biology
  • Schultz, Elizabeth- Analysis of plant development using genetic and molecular techniques
  • Thomas, James – Cell & Molecular Biology / Biochemistry

Financial Support Available

Financial assistance for eligible graduate students may consist of one or more of the following: fellowships, scholarships, graduate assistantships, research assistantships, external research support, and other sources. The financial assistance package for graduate students is based on the following principles.

Financial assistance:

  • is offered to all eligible graduate students.
  • is provided by those who engage graduate students in University teaching and research programs.
  • reflects the importance of the services graduate students provide.

Admissions and Enquiries

The Department of Biological Sciences
D872, University Hall
4401 University Drive
Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4
Phone: 403-329-2245
Fax: 403-329-2082

Web: http://www.uleth.ca/fas/bio/index.html

Saskatchewan

Department: Biology

Overview

The Department offers degree programs at both the M.Sc. and Ph.D. level. Areas of active research include: moss developmental regulation, insect evolutionary genetics, microbial toxin synthesis and gene expression, algal metabolism, regulation and interactions of vertebrate endocrine systems, plant community ecology, species assemblages in community ecology, fish ecology, quantitative ecology, terrestrial vertebrate ecology, limnology, plant-microbe interactions, parasite ecology and microbial ecology.

Research Facilities

The Department is well-equipped, with modern research laboratories, plant growth and aquatic facilities, an herbarium, and a field station in the Cypress Hills of southwestern Saskatchewan. The research capabilities of the Department are increased by association with local federal and provincial government facilities, and research connections with a number of other universities.

List of Faculty

  • W. Chapco, Ph.D.
  • N.W. Ashton, Ph.D.
  • M. Brigham, Ph.D.
  • W. Chapco, Ph.D.
  • P. R. Leavitt, Ph.D.
  • S.D. Wilson, Ph.D.
  • M.A. Vetter, Ph.D.
  • H.G. Weger, Ph.D.
  • S. Lund, Ph.D.
  • R. G. Manzon, Ph.D.
  • P. Peres-Neto, Ph.D.
  • C. K. Yost, Ph.D.

Financial Support Available

Over 80 different scholarships, awards, and fellowships (including NSERC, SSHRC, NRC, Teaching Assistantships and Research Awards) are available to graduate students in the Department of Biology.

Admissions and Enquiries

Admissions – Department of Biology
Mandy Kiel
University of Regina
3737 Wascana Parkway
Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2

Phone: 306-585-4161
Email: Mandy.Kiel@uregina.ca

Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research
North Tower Residence 110.2
University of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2
Email: grad.studies@uregina.ca

Web: http://www.uregina.ca/gradstudies/calendar/programs/biology.shtml

Department: Veterinary Microbiology

Overview

The Department of Veterinary Microbiology at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine offers graduate studies programs leading to MSc and PhD degrees. The department currently has eleven faculty members who teach undergraduate and graduate courses, have active research programs and have varying levels of other assigned academic duties. Our departmental faculty are recognized both nationally and internationally for their expertise in bacteriology, epidemiology, immunology, parasitology, virology, and molecular biology.

List of Faculty

  • Jeffrey Chen – Mycobacterial virulence factors, TB host-pathogen interactions and aerobiology, Anti-TB vaccines and therapies, Animal models of TB
  • John Ellis – Virology
  • Darryl Falzarano – Development of animal models and vaccines for emerging viruses, Structure-based coronavirus vaccine design
  • Volker Gerdts – Immunology
  • Philip Griebel – Mucosal immunology, Neonatal immunity, Development of animal models andand research tools to analyze immune evasion
  • Janet Hill – Microbial ecology
  • Emily Jenkins – Parasitology
  • Uladzimir Karniychuk – Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
  • Wolfgang Koester – Bacterial pathogens in animals, food and water safety, virulence mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria and host-pathogen interactions
  • Qiang Liu – Virology, virus-host interactions, signal transduction, regulation of gene transcription, translational control, post-translational modification
  • Vikram Misra – Virology
  • Jose Perez-Casal – Mycoplasma diseases in cattle and bison, Mycoplasma bovis experimental challenge models, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia Novel vaccine development
  • Andrew Potter – Immunology
  • Joseph Rubin – Bacteriology
  • Tony Ruzzini – Microbe-host interactions: molecules in symbiosis and pathogenesis, Plasmid-encoded biosynthetic gene clusters, bacterially produced small molecules
  • Craig Stephen – Wildlife Health
  • Suresh Tikoo – Molecular virology, Viral pathogenesis, Virus-host interactions, Vaccinology, Mucosal immunization, Viral vectors, Dendritic cell vaccines
  • Maarten J. Voordouw – Ecology of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Canada
  • Heather Wilson – Mucosal immunology, neonatal vaccinology, swine immunology, and elucidating mechanism of adjuvant signalling
  • Yan Zho – Molecular biology, pathogenesis and vaccine development of influenza virus

Admissions and Enquiries

Linda Nemeth
Graduate Programs Coordinator
Department of Veterinary Microbiology
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
52 Campus Drive
Saskatoon SK S7N 5B4
Phone: (306) 966-7210
Fax: (306) 966-7244
Email: linda.nemeth@usask.ca

Web: http://wcvm.usask.ca/departments/vet-micro.php

Department: Microbiology & Immunology

Overview

The Department of Microbiology offers graduate programs leading to the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. All aspects of the Graduate Program in Microbiology are administered and monitored by the departmental Graduate Affairs Committee (GAC), chaired by a faculty member appointed by the Head of Microbiology. The Department has expertise necessary for the instruction and training of advanced students in areas that include cellular and molecular biology of eukaryotes, microbial genetics and molecular biology, immunology, medical microbiology, medical virology, microbial physiology, and molecular virology of eukaryotes. Students are generally admitted for advanced study and specialization in one of these seven subspecialties.

Research Facilities

The Royal University Hospital’s Department of Clinical Microbiology is an integral part of the Department of Microbiology, providing diagnostic services in bacteriology, virology, mycobacteriology, mycology, parisitology and immunology. The Saskatoon Cancer centre serves as the centre for cancer research for the University of Saskatchewan.

List of Faculty

  • Dr. J. Blondeau – Laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases in clinical microbiology; molecular basis of antimicrobial resistance; patterns in antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial synergy, reversion time MIC’s, ongoing research projects.
  • Dr. P. Bretscher – Mechanisms responsible for self-nonself discrimination and immune class determination. Immune responses in autoimmunity, to tumours, and in chronic infectious diseases, and strategies of vaccination.
  • Dr. H. Bull – Homologous recombination, adaptive mutation, DNA replication.
  • Dr. S. A. Carlsen – Tumor metastasis with special emphasis on the tumor cell surface, cellular interactions and the role of hydrolytic enzymes in tumor invasion and metastasis.
  • Dr. J.R. Dillon – Proteins implicated in bacterial cell division, using round bacteria as model organisms; Antimicrobial surveillance, antibiotic resistance mechanisms and molecular epidemiology of bacterial isolates, with emphasis on the human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Antimicrobial activities of natural products.
  • Dr. H. Goldie – Genetic regulation of the pckA gene in Escherichia coli. Structure and regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in E. coli. Regulatory roles of calcium in bacteria.
  • Dr. C. Havele – Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the cellular and molecular interactions leading to the activation and differentiation of distinct T cell subsets.
  • Dr. S. Hayes – Bacteriophage genetics: regulation of chromosomal rearrangements, mutagenic mechanism, developmental regulation immunity/exclusion, replication initiation.
  • Dr. S. Hemmingsen – Cell cycle regulation. Cytoskeletal protein structure and function. Molecular chaperone structure and function. Phage antibody display technology.
  • Dr. S. P. Howard – Molecular biology of toxin secretion by Gram-negative bacteria. Structure, function and biogenesis of the outer membrane.
  • Dr. K. McClean – Major interests are in the areas of clinical infectious diseases and medical education. Sero-prevalence studies of blood borne pathogens in Zambia and antimicrobial susceptibility of respiratory pathogens in Zambia. Needlestick injuries – financial and psychosocial costs.
  • Dr. V. Misra – Elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which herpesvirus cause infections and disease.
  • Dr. D. Quest – Immunology/Virology related research interests: Pharmacological manipulation of the TH1/TH2 nature of immune response. Clinical: antiviral regimens (optimize pharmacokinetics).
  • Dr. K. E. Williams – Major interests are in the genus Serratia, pathogenesis and immunology of infections in the immune-compromised patient, outer membrane proteins of gram negative organisms, mechanisms of resistance to heavy metals and immunodiagnostic/immunotherapeutic approaches to bacterial infections. Actively involved in clinical research including antibacterial and antiviral treatment trials as well as HIV epidemiology and drug trials.
  • Dr. P. Willson – Vaccine design and testing for bacterial pneumonia in swine. Epidemiology, immunology and pathogenesis related to infectious diseases in livestock.
  • Dr. J. Xiang – Molecular tumor immunology. The study of (i) distinct roles of dendritic cell and T cell subsets and dendritic and T cell communications in antitumor immune responses and (ii) the development of engineered T cells, engineered dendritic cell vaccine and gene therapy in combating well-established tumors.
  • Dr. W. Xiao – Molecular mechanisms of DNA alkylation damage and repair. Mechanisms of gene regulation in response to DNA damage. Chemical mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.

Financial Support Available

Financial assistance at the M.Sc. or Ph.D. level is coordinated through the Graduate Affairs committee of the Department.

The Student Financial Assistance & Awards office includes government loan program advocacy, emergency loan assistance and scholarship and bursary programs. This office provides:

  • government loan advocacy with regard to reassessments, appeals, exceptional circumstances, and other financial assistance issues.
  • short-term, interest free loans to students who are experiencing temporary unexpected financial expenses, and who do not have access to any other sources of funding.
  • provision of scholarships and bursaries; eligibility criteria can include academic achievement, financial need and contributions to school and community life

Admissions and Enquiries

Graduate Chair
Dr. Peter Bretscher
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
College of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5
Phone: 306-966-4306
Fax: 306-966-4311
Email: olauson@skyway.usask.ca

College of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan,
107 Wiggins Road
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5
Phone: 306-966-4306
Fax: 306-966-4311

Web: http://www.usask.ca/medicine/microbio/

Department: Applied Microbiology & Food Science

Overview

The Applied Microbiology and Food Science Department focuses on pre- and post-harvest agricultural science, integrating the disciplines of Food Science and Microbiology, and other sciences for the processing and utilization of agricultural commodities. Faculty research interests include food quality, fermentation, yeast nutrition, microbial biotechnology, applied genetics, environmental microbiology, analytical imaging and microbial ecology, food chemistry, food analysis, detection of food adulteration, meat science, product development, food safety, quality assurance and food governance, and the processing and utilization of grain crops.

Research Facilities

The Agriculture building houses several laboratories as well as a number of core facilities that play a central role in the research of the College and in many cases the University. These facilities also play a critical role in outreach and technology transfer. These include the Phytotron, two pilot-plants (used in meats and crops processing research respectively), the Fraser herbarium and also some similar but smaller facilities. The Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron facility is a state of the science resource located in Saskatoon and in use by departmental individuals and groups.

List of Faculty

  • Dr. Dennis Bayrock – Alcohol, Fermentation
  • Mike Ingledew Ph.D. – Fermentation microbiology.
  • George Khachatourians Ph.D. – Microbial biotechnology, biocontrol agents.
  • Darren Korber Ph.D. – Food microbiology.
  • Nicholas Low Ph.D. – Food chemistry and analysis
  • Michael Nickerson – Food Protein Quality and Utilization
  • Xiao Qiu, Ph.D. – Plant and Microbial Lipids
  • Martin Reaney Ph.D. – Vegetable Oil Chemistry and Oil Seed Processing
  • Phyllis Shand Ph.D. – Meat Science and Technology, Food Processing
  • Takuji Tanaka Ph.D. – Food enzymology.
  • Robert Tyler Ph.D. – Crop utilization, food processing technology.
  • Vladimir Vujanovic Ph.D. – Mycology, Microbial Biotechnology and Bioproducts

Financial Support Available

A number of scholarships and assistantships are available for full-time, fully-qualified students in Master’s and Ph.D. programs. Brief descriptions of these awards are available on our electronic awards database. You may view this publication at www.usask.ca/cgsr.

In addition, certain colleges and academic units offer scholarships, assistantships and bursaries to students pursuing particular programs of study.

The Dean of Graduate Studies and Research has approved a number of academic units to allocate University Graduate Scholarships at the academic unit level. Please contact the academic unit Graduate Chair regarding Graduate Scholarships or the Graduate Studies and Research Awards Administrator.

Admissions and Enquiries

College of Agriculture
University of Saskatchewan
51 Campus Drive
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A8

College of Graduate Studies and Research
50 – 3 Campus Drive
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A4
Phone: 306-966-5751
Fax: 306-966-5756
Email: gradstudies@usask.ca

Web: http://www.usask.ca/calendar/gradstudies/programs/byarea/apmc/

Manitoba

Department: Microbiology

Overview

Microbiological research is probably one of the most dynamic areas of scientific endeavor at present. Concern over the impact of society’s activities on the environment is increasing and there is a strong need for research in environmental microbiology. Biotechnology, especially based on various gene manipulation techniques, shows tremendous promise in many areas of medicine, agriculture, industry and basic microbiological research.

The Department offers M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs of study in various areas of modern microbiology. Because the department is relatively small, the research interests of the faculty and students are concentrated in several main areas. Currently, research programs are offered in: microbial ecology and geochemistry; molecular biology/genetics; metabolism of autotrophic bacteria; microbial biotechnology and biochemistry; microbial pathogenicity.

The aim of the Graduate Program in Microbiology is to ensure that students have the necessary skills to embark on independent research in an academic or industrial setting.

Research Facilities

The Department has close ties with several other University Departments, Agriculture Canada, The Freshwater Institute of the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Canadian Science Centre for Animal and Human Health, and Industry.

List of Faculty

  • Dr. Mike BUTLER – Animal cell biotechnology. The development of strategies for improved productivity from genetically-engineered mammalian cells
  • Dr. Silvia CARDONA – Molecular mechanisms that allow environmental bacteria to evolve as opportunistic pathogens, primarily the genus Burkholderia.
  • Dr. Deborah COURT – Mechanisms controlling the synthesis of proteins involved in mitochondrial DNA replication and structure-function studies of mitochondrial proteins.
  • Dr. Teresa DEKIEVIT – Investigation of the pathogenicity of Burkolderia cepacia and its interaction with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • Dr. Pavel DIBROV – Molecular genetics of sodium-proton antiporters.
  • Dr. Georg HAUSNER – Mitochondrial genetics of Neurospora crassa and its application in attenuating virulence in Dutch Elm Disease. Molecular evolution of group-I and group-II mitochondrial introns within the lower eukaryotes.
  • Dr. Glen KLASSEN – Evolution of ribosomal gene family organization in aquatic fungi. DNA fingerprinting of fungal strains
  • Dr. Peter LOEWEN – Genetics and biochemistry of oxidative stress responses in bacteria focusing on the catalase structure and function
  • Dr. Kathleen LONDRY – Microbial ecology and environmental microbiology. Microbial diversity related to extreme environments and astrobiology. Anaerobic biodegradation of toxic pollutants.
  • Dr. Brian MARK – Three-dimensional structure and molecular function of enzymes involved in bacterial cell wall biology.
  • Dr. Ivan ORESNIK – Molecular biology of plant-microbe interactions focussing on the rhizobia/legume symbiosis.Genetic responses of bacteria to low nutrient stress. Genetic and biochemical characterization of periplasmic redox proteins in Rhizobium.
  • Dr. Richard SPARLING – C1 transfer and electron flow for biosynthesis in methane producing archaebacteria. Mercury methylation by anaerobic bacteria.
  • Dr. Elizabeth WOROBEC – Molecular role of porins in the antibiotic resistance of Serratia marcescens. Molecular and biochemical analyses of glucose transport in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • Dr. Vladimir YURKOV – The study of biological biodiversity of unique aerobic phototrophic bacteria. Microbial bioremediation of toxic heavy metals. Microbial populations in extreme environments of the deep ocean hydrothermal vents, so-called « black smokers ».

Financial Support Available

There are several ways to finance graduate studies at The University of Manitoba:

  • External granting agency fellowships – NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR and MHRC have a value in excess of $16,000/yr. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents to be eligible for these awards.
  • Dean of Graduate Studies Student Achievement Award.
  • University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships (UMGF)
  • Faculty/Departmental Bursary/Scholarship/Award
  • Research and Teaching Assistantship opportunities
  • Canadian federal, provincial and territorial government loans/bursaries

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Microbiology
418 Buller Building
Faculty of Science
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2
Phone: 204-474-9372
Fax: 204-474-7603
Email: sberg@ms.umanitoba.ca

The Faculty of Graduate Studies
500 University Centre, University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2
Phone: 204-474 9377
Fax: 204-474 7553

Web: http://umanitoba.ca/science/microbiology

Department: Medical Microbiology

Overview

The Department of Medical Microbiology offers programs of studies leading to the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees with research and academic experience suitable for a career in basic microbiology or infectious diseases.

The Department has nationally recognized strengths in several areas, particularly epidemiology. It also enjoys extensive collaborative projects with both the University of Kenya in Nairobi, Kenya, and with the new federal laboratories for disease research. The Nairobi project uses epidemiologic, biologic, and molecular biologic studies to better understand sexually-transmitted diseases in the African population. Numerous opportunities for collaborative work with members of other departments as well as with various affiliated research organizations (including the Clinical Microbiology Laboratories of the Health Sciences Centre, the Infectious Diseases programs of the Health Sciences Centre, the Cadham Provincial Laboratory, the federal laboratories, and St. Boniface Hospital) exist.

Recent graduates of the program have been highly successful in academia, industrial, medical, and veterinary careers

Scientific interests of the faculty include: gene regulation, molecular basis of cellular functions to the development of vaccines and diagnostics for human health and veterinary diseases, cell and molecular biology, immunology, virology, bacterial genetics, microbial pathogenicity, Chlamydial biology, and clinical microbiology. Many research projects are oriented to human diseases and many are carried out in collaboration with physicians who have access to patients.

Research Facilities

  • Confocal and Image Analysis Facility which houses the Fluoview confocal microscope, a state-of-the-art research tool which allows researchers to visualize the molecular architecture of cells and tissues.
  • Electron Microscopy unit which utilizes a Philips model 201 transmission electron microscope, which is capable of visualizing the results from most routine and experimental methods of electron microscopy. Sectioning is performed with an LKB Ultratome III with either diamond or glass knives, and all photography is conducted in the lab using Kodak chemistry. A Beckman Airfuge is also available for the preparation of suspension samples.
  • Flow Cytometry Facility (FACS) which operates two instruments: A Becton Dickenson FACS Calibur, equipped with 488 nm Argon-ion and red diode lasers for four colour analysis with cell sorting capabilities (300 cells / second) that is best for cell enrichment of populations with frequencies over 10%. Data acquisition and analysis is through Cell Quest Pro software. For maximum efficiency, a second analysis workstation complete with the Cell Quest Pro software, is available. The second instrument is a Beckman Coulter Epics Elite, two laser, four colour, high-speed sorter (5,000 cells / second). This instrument is located in our biosafety level 3 laboratory allowing sorting of viable human cells from normal controls and those exposed or infected with class III – non-aerosol pathogens (such as HIV). This instrument is idea of analyses requiring live human cells (apoptosis assays) and sorting of rare cell types for cloning or further analysis.
  • Genetic Analysis Core operates a Roche LightCycler and a ABI 310 single capillary genetic analyse and an ABI 3100 16 capillary genetic analyser.
  • Viral Immunology Core – The Core is equipped with four six-foot Biological Safety Cabinets, six CO2 incubators, a Packard cell harvester, a Packard Topcount 96 well scintillation and luminescence detector, a Molecular Devices Spectramax UV spectrophotometer/ELISA reader, an Eppendorf Mastercycler gradient thermal cycler, an MVE 1520 HE 33,000 sample liquid nitrogen storage facility, an ELISpot reader, and a Nikon inverted fluorescent/phase contrast microscope with digital camera. The lab is networked to a server so that data can be easily and safely exported out of the laboratory.

List of Faculty

  • Alfa, Michelle – Nosocomial infections including Clostridum difficile associated diarrhea and infection transmission due to medical device biofilm build-up.
  • Andonov, Anton – Molecular biology, epidemiology, diagnostics and prevention (edible vaccines) of human hepatitis (A,B,C,D,E) and other bloodborne viruses (HGV,TTV,TLMV).
  • Aoki, Fred Y. – Antiviral chemotherapy of herpes simplex virus, HIV and Influenza A virus infection
  • Artsob, Harvey – Surveillance for, and characterization of, zoonotic disease agents in Canada; development of diagnostic tests to detect these agents
  • Bernard, Kathryn – Systematics of non-enteric bacterial pathogens; characterization and development of laboratory response to bacterial agents of bioterrorism.
  • Berry, Jody – Immunogenetics of antibody responses to infectious agents.
  • Blanchard, James – Epidemiology of infectious diseases.
  • Booth, Stephanie – Genomic and proteomic approaches for the identification of biomarkers in prion diseases, the signal transduction pathways leading to neurodegeneration in prion diseases, the role of exosomes in prion pathobiology and transmission.
  • Booth, Timothy – Virus structure and morphogenesis. Biological transmission by arthropod vectors. Diagnosis and pathology of animal viruses.
  • Bow, Eric J. – The prevention and management of bacterial and fungal infections in neutropenic cancer patients, the impact of cytotoxic therapy-induced intestinal epithelial damage on the pathogenesis of invasive infection in cancer patients; and the impact of cytotoxic therapy upon quality of life in cancer patients.
  • Butler-Jones, David – Population and public health, organizational delivery of health services, determinants of health.
  • Cao, Jingxin – Hepatitis B and C immunopathogenesis, with particular interests in those viral proteins with potential immuno- regulatory functions; development of novel therapeutic vaccines for chronic viral infections.
  • Carpenter, Michael – Molecular mechanism of Hepatitis C virus replication and cellular pathogenesis. Host cell regulators of viral gene expression
  • Clark, Clifford – Virulence factors, including protein exotoxins, of E. coli, Salmonella, Aeromonas and Campylobacter species.
  • Coombs, Kevin M. – Determining molecular signals involved in the structure / function, assembly, and pathogenesis of viruses and the diseases they cause.
  • Czub, Markus – Pathogenesis studies on virus infections.
  • Dawood, Magdy R. – HIV detection, the role of the immune system in protection against HIV infection.
  • Drebot, Michael – Molecular diagnostics and genetic characterization of emerging viral and bacterial zoonotic pathogens such as hantaviruses, arboviruses, and tick-borne pathogens.
  • Elliott, Lawrence J – Epidemiology of communicable diseases, including sexually-transmitted infections and tuberculosis.
  • Embil, John – Infectious disease consultant whose research focuses on nosocomial infections, their prevention, transmission and epidemiology.
  • Embree, Joanne E. – Perinatal infections: Effect on prematurity, pregnancy and neonatal complications. STDs in Pediatric. Pediatric AIDS.
  • Fast, Margaret – Epidemiology of communicable diseases
  • Feldmann, Heinrich – Researching emerging/re-emerging biosafety level (BSL) 3 and 4 viruses.
  • Ferguson, Alan – A social scientist with research interests in reproductive health, particularly the socio- demographic aspects of HIV/AIDS and family planning in sub-Sahara Africa and the development of elicitation methods in these fields.
  • Fowke, Keith – Immunobiology of HIV infection
  • Gelmon, Lawrence – AIDS/STD training and capacity-building in Eastern and Southern Africa. Tropical public health and international development.
  • Gilmour, Matthew – The burden of illness due to microbial pathogens is often represented by well-characterized pathogens (such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 causing ‘Hamburger disease’), whereas the true extent of microbial species which are human pathogens is much more diverse.
  • Gin, Alfred – Antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial drug use evaluation, antimicrobial cost containment.
  • Hammond, Gregory W.- Study of the dynamics of communicable diseases and various public health issues for the population of Manitoba
  • Harding, Godfrey K.M. – Pathogenesis and prevention including vaccine efficacy in women with recurrent UTI’s.
  • HayGlass, Kent – The immunoregulatory role of Th1 vs Th2 cytokine production in determining the balance between hypersensitivity, protective immunity and unresponsiveness.
  • He, Runtao – Molecular virology and cell biology. Research projects focus on molecular pathogeneses of SARS coronavirus and hepatitis C virus.
  • Hoban, Daryl – Molecular basis of antibiotic action. Surveillance of resistant pathogens
  • Jackson, Michael – The development and application of advanced in vivo imaging (MRI, fluorescence etc) and spectroscopic (infrared, Raman etc) techniques to study infectious diseases.
  • Jay, Francis T. – Mechanisms of the antiviral and antitumour activities of interferons. Structure-function studies of interferons by gene modification and monoclonal antibody analysis.
  • Johnson, Wendy – molecular diagnostics and epidemiology; bacterial pathogenesis and virulence mechanisms; antibody-based therapeutics; recombinant therapeutic proteins Cangene Corporation
  • Kabani, Amin – Molecular diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance
  • Karlowsky, James – Antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods; and the development and implementation of molecular diagnostic methods for pathogen identification, epidemiological typing and tracing, and antimicrobial resistance detection in clinical microbiology laboratories.
  • Kasper, Ken – Medical education: HIV
  • Joshua Kimani – Epidemiology and Immunobiology of STIs, Mechanisms of HIV resistance among highly exposed Kenyan sex workers, health services research especially integrated programs and the role of Microbicides and pre-exposure prophylaxis in HIV control.
  • Klonisch, Thomas – Determining molecular signalling, structure/function relationships and proteomic changes mediated by the actions of membrane-anchored proEpidermal Growth Factor (EGF) family members and the relaxin hormone in tumor cells.
  • Knox, David – Prion or transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) diseases.
  • Kobinger, Gary – My main interest is to develop and test novel vaccine platforms for different applications including the protection against emerging pathogens.
  • Krause, Denis – Molecular microbial ecology of the human gut as it relates to inflammatory bowel disease, antibiotic resistance determinants, and survival and persistence of pathogens
  • Kumar, Anand – Sepsis and septic shock as it relates to cardiovascular dysfunction and response to antimicrobial therapy.
  • Li, Yan – Molecular biology and genetics of respiratory viruses such as influenza, RSV, and parainfluenza virus.
  • Light, Bruce
  • Lo, Evelyn – Nosocomial infections: epidemiology, prevention and transmission, quality improvement in reducing ventilator associated pneumonia. Infectious Diseases
  • Mburu, David N. – Population genetics of microbial pathogens and their host.
  • McClarty, Grant A. – Biochemical studies on the cell-cell interactions that occur between the obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen Chlamydia and the host cell.
  • Milley, Douglas – Molecular diagnostics in virology.
  • Morris, Chester – Targeted HIV interventions in vulnerable groups, impact assessment of HIV in Africa and models of HIV service delivery in the private sector in resource limited settings.
  • Moses, Stephen – Epidemiology and control of communicable diseases, with particular emphasis on STDs and HIV infection.
  • Mulvey, Michael – Research interstes include bacterial pathogenesis and novel antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.
  • Nagelkerke, Nico – Biostatistics and epidemiology with a focus on the methodology of infectious disease research.
  • Ng, Lai-King
  • Niazi, Wassay – Stop Afghan Aids
  • Nicolle, Lindsay E. – Urinary tract infection, hospital acquired infections, antimicrobial resistance, infections in long term care facilities
  • Noreddin, Ayman – Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics of antimicrobials, population pharmacokinetics, Monte Carlo analysis and clinical simulations.
  • Orr, Pamela H. – Epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis and tuberculosis epidemiology of infections in the elderly and aboriginal populations.
  • Osiowy, Carla – Molecular characterization of Hepatitis B virus (HBV): investigation of drug-resistant and vaccine-escape mutants; molecular evolution studies.
  • Parker, Jim
  • Peeling, Rosanna – Epidemiology, pathogenesis and diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases; reproductive health World Health Organization
  • Plourde, Pierre – Risks to Canadians travelling to foreign destinations. Assessment of immigrants and refugees from developing countries. Epidemiology of social sexual and IDU networks. Epidemiology of enteric pathogens
  • Plummer, Francis A. – Ecology and epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrheae. Immune response to N. gonorrheae. Transmission dynamics of HIV-1 in Africa. National history of HIV-1 in Africa. Perinatal transmission of HIV-1 in Africa (University of Nairobi)
  • Ronald, Allan R. – ARV delivery and education in developing countries,
  • Rubinstein, Ethan -Antibiotic resistance in B. anthracis and other organisms of bio-terrorism; Effect of antibiotics on toxins production by bacteria; Community-acquired methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus infection in indigenous populations; Pharmacodynamic models for assessing antibiotic efficacy
  • Severini, Alberto – Genomics of herpesviruses. Herpesvirus replication and pathogenesis mechanisms. Human papillomavirus testing and molecular epidemiology.
  • Sharma, Meenu – Mycobacterial pathogenicity with special interest in mycobacterial cell wall and host-immune response interaction.
  • Tipples, Graham – Diagnostics, surveillance and research on viruses causing rash illnesses in humans including measles virus, rubella virus and herpesviruses.
  • Van Caeseele, Paul
  • Wagener, Stefan – Survival and inactivation of infectious agents on environmental surfaces. Assessing personal protective equipment, engineering controls and chemical agents in their ability to control biohazards.
  • Wang, Gehua – Molecular biology and pathogenesis of enterobacteria; identification and characterization of Campylobacter virulence factor
  • Weingartl, Hana – Emerging diseases, zoonotic viruses of veterinary importance, pathogenesis, virus-host interaction, animal models
  • Wylie, John – Molecular epidemiology of sexually transmitted and blood-borne pathogens within human social and sexual networks. Population genetics of pathogenic bacteria. DNA-based microbial typing and detection methods
  • Yang, Xi – Role of cytokines in the regulation of protective immunity to, and pathogenesis of intracellular bacterial infection
  • Yao, Xiao-Jian – Molecular mechanisms underlying HIV-1 replication, dissemination and pathogenesis, and to develop effective preventative, and therapeutic strategies against the spread of HIV-1 infection.
  • Zhanel, George – Epidemiology of and mechanism of antimicrobial resistance. Pharmacodynamics of antimicrobials
  • Zhong, Wen – Transport behaviour of fibrous/biomedical materials; Protection and defense textiles against microorganisms; Skin/fabric interactions and related contact dermatitis; Fiber reinforced polymer composites.

Financial Support Available

The Department of Medical Microbiology currently has a limited number of graduate stipends which it can award to faculty members to support students. Applications for these stipends are made by the supervisor to the GSC using the Student Stipend Application Form. The value of the awards is adjusted from time to time.

There are several other ways to finance graduate studies at The University of Manitoba:

  • External granting agency fellowships – NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR and MHRC have a value in excess of $16,000/yr. Normally the deadlines for these competitions are prior to December of the academic year preceding the year when funding begins. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents to be eligible for these awards.
  • Dean of Graduate Studies Student Achievement Award.
  • University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships (UMGF)
  • Faculty/Departmental Bursary/Scholarship/Award
  • Research and Teaching Assistantship opportunities
  • Canadian federal, provincial and territorial government loans/bursaries

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Medical Microbiology
510 Basic Medical Sciences Building
University of Manitoba
730 William Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0J7
Phone: 204-789-3444
Fax: 204-789-3926
Email: nelsonak@ms.umanitoba.ca

The Faculty of Graduate Studies
500 University Centre, University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2
Phone: 204-474-9377
Fax: 204-474-7553
Email: graduate_studies@umanitoba.ca

Web: http://umanitoba.ca/medicine/medical_microbiology

Ontario

Department: Biology

Overview

The Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology, which combines graduate programs of Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, leading to MSc and PhD degrees, is one of the largest centres for graduate studies and research in biology in Canada. More than 40 faculty and 15 adjunct professors supervise the research of approximately 100 graduate students in: cell and molecular biology; physiology and biochemistry; and ecology, systematics and evolution.

Research Facilities

The Carleton Greenhouses are some of the best University greenhouse complexes in Canada. This facility is used for research, teaching and display to the general public. The greenhouses hold comprehensive plant collection of several thousand specimens ranging from popular crop species such as corn, soybean, papaya, banana and sugarcane to some quite unusual desert specimens. Welwitschia, usually found only in the Namib desert regions of South West Africa resides in our own desert room.

Climate controlled display houses simulating tropical, desert and temperate environments, 18 houses containing teaching and research material and a number of controlled environment chambers and rooms all make up approximately 10,000 square feet of a unique research, teaching and learning environment.

The Carleton Aquatic Animal Facility and Physiology Laboratory has enabled an innovative and multidisciplinary approach integrating physiological and behavioral experimental techniques to try to understand the physiological basis of the negative consequences of subordinate social status in salmonid fish.

The University has excellent facilities for electron microscopy, controlled environment research and molecular biology. The research facilities at Carleton University also include a biology computer lab, college storeroom, fluroesence microscope, and a biology core facility.

List of Faculty

  • Susan Aitken – Molecular Enzymology
  • Susan Bertram – Behavioural Ecology
  • Naomi Cappuccino – Evolutionary Biology
  • Nathalie Chaly – Cell Biology
  • Jim Cheetham – Membrane Biochemistry and Bioinformatics
  • Steve Cooke – Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology
  • Jeff Dawson – Physiology of Insect Flight
  • Michel Dumontier – Bioinformatics
  • Lenore Fahrig – Landscape Ecology
  • Mark Forbes – Ecology of Host-Parasite Interactions
  • Ashkan Golshani – Proteomics of Transcription and Translation
  • Jean-Guy Godin – Behavioural Ecology
  • Root Gorelick – Evolutionary Theory and Botany
  • Shelley Hepworth – Plant Developmental Biology
  • Iain Lambert – Molecular Carcinogenesis
  • Stewart Peck – Evolutionary Biology and Biogeography of Insects
  • Owen Rowland – Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Mike Runtz – Natural History
  • Tom Sherratt – Behavioural Ecology and Population Dynamics
  • Andrew Simons – Life-History Evolution
  • Myron Smith – Molecular Biology of Fungi
  • Ken Storey – Molecular Physiology of Stress
  • John Vierula – Molecular Biology of Fungi
  • Nigel Waltho – Ecology and Conservation Biology
  • Bill Willmore – Molecular Biology of Stress
  • Tim Xing – Plant Genomics
  • Jayne Yack – Neuroethology

Financial Support Available

The awards administered by Carleton University are derived from a variety of sources. Throughout the years, a number of individuals and organizations have contributed substantial funds to the University, through bequests and donations, in order to help support students in various fields of study.

There are two categories of awards: internal awards and external awards. Internal awards comprise of teaching/research assistantships; graduate scholarships; research assistantships; graduate bursaries; excellence scholarships for new international students; and Endowment Scholarships administered by Carleton University. External awards consist of scholarships, fellowships, and bursaries administered and awarded by external agencies including:

  • OGSST
  • OGS
  • NSERC
  • SSHRC

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Biology
2240 Herzberg Laboratories
Carleton University
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6
Phone: 613-520-3515
Fax: 613-520-3539
Email: biology@carleton.ca

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
512 Tory Building
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6
Phone: 613-520-2525
Fax: 613-520-4049
Email: graduate_studies@carleton.ca

Web: http://www.carleton.ca/biology/

Department: Biology

Overview

Laurentian offers programs of study leading to a degree of M.Sc. in Biology or a Ph.D. in Boreal Ecology or Biomolecular Sciences. Graduate students can select research projects in areas such as botany, zoology, ecology, microbiology, genetics, molecular biology, and biomolecular sciences as determined by the expertise of their potential supervisor.

Research Facilities

The Department’s well-equipped laboratories and field stations allow research at all levels of biological organization, from molecular to ecosystem. The Department maintains an Herbarium and an Arboretum, as well as Vertebrate and Invertebrate Biology collections. Graduate students carrying out approved zoological studies may be allocated space in the Paul Field Animal Care Building. This facility includes a quarantine area, 15 controlled-environment rooms, and two permanent outdoor enclosures. Collaborations exist between the Department of Biology and the Co-operative Freshwater Ecology Unit (soon to be located in the new Vale Living with Lakes Centre), the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and the Regional Cancer Program of the Sudbury Regional Hospital, among others.

List of Faculty

  • Y. Alarie – cladistics, aquatic insects, evolution, freshwater ecology, systematics
  • M.A. Alikhan
  • M. Anand
  • S.E. Arnott
  • P.J. Beckett – restoration ecology, plant ecology
  • C. Boudreau-Larivière
  • J. Bowman
  • R. Brooks
  • G. Brown
  • D. Campbell, – community plant ecology, functional plant ecology, restoration of degraded ecosystems
  • E. Cholewa
  • F.V. Clulow
  • G.B. Côté
  • G.M. Courtin
  • J.C. Davies
  • R.W. Dirszowsky
  • G.D. Ferroni
  • E.R. Gauthier
  • J.M. Gunn – restoration ecology, fisheries science, environmental stressors
  • J. Hamr
  • I. Imre
  • T. Johnston
  • W. Keller, M.Sc.
  • T. Kovala
  • A. Kumar
  • R.M. Lafrenie
  • C. Lanner
  • L.G. Leduc – microbiology, iron-oxidizing bacteria, acidophilic bacteria, AMD, bioleaching
  • H. Lee
  • D. Lesbarrères – amphibians, ecological and population genetics, evolutionary ecology
  • J.D. Litzgus – evolutionary ecology, herpetology, conservation biology
  • B. Lyons
  • D.A. MacLean
  • F.F. Mallory – mammalian predator/prey systems, arctic/boreal/tropical ecology, animal behaviour
  • M.L. Martínez-Garcia – animal physiology, metabolism, hypoxia, fish development
  • T.J.S. Merritt
  • E.J. Naranjo-Piñera
  • S.M. Nasserulla – plant taxonomy and physiology, stressed terrestrial ecosystems
  • K.K. Nkongolo – plant and human genetics
  • P. Nosko
  • A. Omri
  • A. Parissenti
  • G.H. Parker – wildlife parasites, epidemiology, physiological responses and adaptations
  • B. Paul
  • M.A. Persinger – neuroscience
  • G. Pyle
  • C.W. Ramcharan – aquatic ecology, food web structure, acid precipitation and recovery
  • A. Ratiarson – molecular biology of oncogenic viruses
  • L.A. Renecker
  • S. Ritz
  • J.-F. Robitaille – forest ecology, habitat ecology, furbearer ecology, Mustelids, landscape ecology
  • G.M. Ross
  • P. Ryser – plant environmental adaptation, biomass turnover, leaf and root life span
  • M. Saleh – protein secretion in microbial ecology
  • J. Schaefer
  • B. Schamp
  • A. Schulte-Hostedde – behavioural ecology, ecological genetics, evolution, sexual selection, vertebrates
  • J.D. Shorthouse – gall insects communities, gall development
  • G. A. Spiers
  • L. Sutherland
  • T.C. Tai
  • Z. Vohkiwa
  • N.D. Yan

Financial Support Available

All graduate students are eligible for a graduate student stipend that consists of a graduate teaching assistantship, a summer fellowship and financial support from the supervisor. Students are encouraged to apply for NSERC scholarships and Ontario Graduate Scholarships.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Biology
Laurentian University
935 Ramsey Lake Road
Sudbury, Ontario P3E 3C6
Phone: 705-675-1151 x2285
Fax: 705-675-4859
Email: biology@laurentian.ca

Web: http://biology.laurentian.ca/grad/index.htm

Department: Molecular Immunology, Virology & Inflammation

Overview

The Molecular Immunology, Virology and Inflammation (MIVI) department includes many highly interactive laboratories with complementary interests. Research within this program is relevant to a number of serious diseases with an emphasis on the basic mechanisms and treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions (including asthma, fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatic disease), infectious diseases (including HIV, chlamydia, human papilloma virus, tuberculosis), as well as treatment of cancer through modulation of immunity. Current research areas include:

  • immunology and disease pathogenesis at mucosal surfaces including the airways, gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts
  • examination of T-cell and antibody responses, cytokine cascades in inflammation and immunity
  • investigation and development of vaccines and novel strategies of immuno-modulation and gene therapy
  • immune stimulation for treatment of cancer
  • roles of (and interactions between) lymphocytes, mast cells, eosinophils, macrophages, muscle function, nerve cells
  • immunology of pregnancy, immunogenetics and HIV immunodeficiency

Research Facilities

The research laboratories in the Health Sciences Centre at McMaster are well-supported and augmented by those in associated institutions located in Hamilton, e.g. the Hamilton Civic Hospitals Research Centre, the Father Sean O’Sullivan Research Centre and the Hamilton Regional Cancer Centre.

The MIVI program area includes laboratories which use the full range of molecular, in vitroand in vivoapproaches to examine disease related issues of importance to our understanding of basic mechanisms and the potential for new approaches to therapy. Close collaborations have been formed involving scientists of the Centre for Gene Therapeutics, the Intestinal Disease Research Program, the Rheumatic Disease Unit and the Asthma Research Groups as well as colleagues at other universities, research institutes and the pharmaceutical industry. A number of well-equipped on-campus facilities are available for use including the:

  • Central facility of the Institute for Molecular Biology which provides important services to faculty using molecular biological techniques, including oligonucleotide and peptide synthesis and automated DNA sequencing
  • Central Animal Facility
  • Central Analytical Facility
  • Occupational & Environmental Health Laboratory
  • Electron Microscope (and Confocal Light Microscope) Facility
  • Computer Services Unit.
  • Health Sciences Library

List of Faculty

  • ASHKAR, Ali A. – Innate Immunity, NK/NKT cells, IL-15, Mucosal Immunity, Toll-like Receptors, dsRNA, Tumor, Stem Cell Transplantation
  • BIENENSTOCK, John – Mast Cells, Neuro-Immune, Mucosal Immunity, Probiotics, Behaviour
  • BRAMSON, Jonathan – T lymphocyte, Genetic Vaccine, Gene Therapy, Virus, Cancer, Flow Cytometry
  • CHERNESKY, Max A. – Rapid Diagnosis, Infections, Immunization, Methods, Mechanisms, Pathogenesis, Laboratory
  • CLARK, David A. – Pregnancy Immunology, Tolerance, Cytokines, Transfusion immunomodulation, CD200, fgl2
  • COLLINS, Stephen M. – Inflammation, Nerves, Bacteria, Gastrointestinal Disease, Neuroimmunology, Probiotics
  • COX, Gerard P. – Pulmonary Inflammation, Neutrophil, Eosinophil, Apoptosis, Cell Biology
  • CROITORU, Kenneth – Mucosal Immunology, T Cells, T Cell Receptor, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Helicobacter Pylori, Host Resistance, Autoimmunity
  • DENBURG, Judah A. – Eosinophils, Basophils, Hemopoiesis, Allergic Inflammation, Allergic Disease, Autoimmune Disease, Psychoneuroimmunology
  • FOLEY, Ronan S. – Gene Transfer, Dendritic Cells, Adenoviral Gene Transfer, Cytokines, Stem Cells, Clinical Trials
  • FOX-ROBICHAUD, Alison – Inflammation, Sepsis, Liver, Endothelium, Adhesion molecules, Cytokines, Oxidative Stress
  • GAULDIE, Jack – Cytokine and Dendritic Cells, Inflammation and Immunity, Fibrosis, Tumour Immunotherapy, Interleukin-6, Gene Therapy
  • HARNISH, Delsworth G. – HPV, Molecular Biology, Education
  • JORDANA, Manel – Allergic Inflammation, Asthma, Peanut-induced Anaphylaxis, Immune Regulation, Cytokines, Chemokines, Co-stimulatory Molecule
  • KAUSHIC, Charu – Mucosal Immunology, Female Genital Tract, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Sex Hormones, HIV, Vaccines
  • KHAN, Waliul – Mucosal Immunity, Host Defense, T Cells, Cytokines, Chemokines, Enteroendocrine Cells, Goblet Cells, Enteric Infection, Inflammation
  • KOLB, Martin – Lung Fibrosis,Tissue Repair, GeneTherapy, Small Animal Imaging, Drug Trials, Clinical Research
  • LICHTY, Brian – Vesicular Stomatitis Virus, Coronavirus, Cancer, Myeloma, Interferon
  • MACPHERSON, Andrew – Mucosal Immunology, Commensal Intestinal Bacterial, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, IgA, Dendritic Cells
  • MAHONY, James B. – Infectious Diseases, Chlamydia Pneumoniae, Virology, Atherosclerosis, Pathophysiology, Gene Expression, SARS, West Nile Virus
  • MARGETTS, Peter J. – Adenovirus, Fibrosis, Angiogenesis, Gene Therapy, Laser Capture Microdissection, Gene Regulation, Renal Disease, Peritoneal Dialysis
  • McDERMOTT, Mark R. – Mucosal Immunity, Vaccine Development
  • MOSSMAN, Karen – Virus Pathogenesis, Interferon, Immune Evasion, Signal Transduction, Tissue Culture, Gene Therapy, Cancer Therapy, Oncolytic Viruses
  • RICHARDS, Carl D. – Inflammation, Arthritis, Synovium, Cytokines, Matrix Metalloproteinases, Adenovirus
  • ROSENTHAL, Kenneth L. – Mucosal Immunity, Mucosal Vaccination, Recombinant Adenovirus Vectors, CpG DNA, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte (CTL), Chemokines
  • SEHMI, Roma – Asthma Pathology, Allergic Inflammation, Tissue Eosinophilia, Eosinophilia, Eosinophil Progenitor Cells, Hemopoiesis, Cell Migration and Traffic, Bone Marrow, Eosinophils
  • SMAILL, Fiona – HIV Infection, Infectious Diseases, Diagnostic Microbiology, Meta-Analyses, Pregnancy
  • SNIDER, Denis P. – Mucosal Immunity, T Cell Activation, Dendritic cell, Inflammation, graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR)
  • STÄMPFLI, Martin R. – COPD, Asthma, Immunology, Tolerance, Experimental Research
  • WAN, Yonghong – Dendritic Cells, Tumor Immunology, Cancer Vaccines, T Cells, Gene Therapy, Genetic Immunization, Adenovirus
  • XING, Zhou – Host Defense, T Cells, Macrophages, Cytokines, Mycobacteria, Pneumonia, Gene Transfer, Vaccines

Financial Support Available

McMaster University provides four types of financial support to full-time students.

  • teaching assistantships
  • graduate scholarships
  • endowed scholarships
  • bursaries

Teaching assistantships are provided to many graduate students offered admission to regular full-time programs. Duties vary according to department but will usually consists of tutorials, lab demonstrations and marking. The University provides graduate scholarship awards to most full-time graduate students in Ph.D. programs and in some Master’s programs. Such scholarships are awarded annually based upon academic merit. A Ph.D. student is normally funded for four years. Students in Master’s programs are usually supported for their first three to six terms depending on the department.
The endowed scholarships and bursaries have various conditions and amounts attached to them. All incoming students and currently enrolled students are automatically eligible and considered for all four types of financial assistance subject to the above eligibility conditions.

McMaster University has adopted a policy of ensuring that all full-time Ph.D. students earn at least $17,500 per year. Many programs have support levels in excess of this amount.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Molecular Immunology, Virology & Inflammation
Department of Molecular Immunology, Virology & Inflammation
McMaster University
Faculty of Health Sciences
Health Sciences Centre, Room 3N10
1200 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5
Phone: 905-525-9140
Fax: 905-546-1129
Email: askhsgp@mcmaster.ca

Web: http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/grad/medsci/research/mivi.htm

Department: Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences

Overview

The Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences was established in 1967 and is in both the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Science. The department offers MSc and PhD programs.

Research Facilities

We are located in the Health Sciences Centre which integrates a research hospital with the main campus.

List of Faculty

Full Faculty Directory available here: http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/biochem/dir/fac.htm

  • Ananthanarayanan, Vettai – Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid; Structure/Function
  • Andrews, David W. – Cancer Biology, Therapeutics and Biochemistry
  • Atkinson, Stephanie – Metabolism and Toxicology
  • Baron, Christian – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research
  • Berti, Paul – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research
  • Bhatia, Mickey
  • Bishop, Russell – Biogenesis of the Gram-negative Cell Envelope
  • Bramson, Jonathan – Understanding the communication between gene-modified cells and the immune system: Development of new gene therapies, anti-viral strategies and vaccines.
  • Brennan, John – Bioanalytical Chemistry and Optical Biosensors
  • Brown, Eric – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research
  • Bryant, Douglas – Ecological risk assessments
  • Burrows, Lori – Bacterial Adhesins and Biofilm Formation
  • Capone, John P. – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Chan, William – Theoretical biochemistry, origin of life.
  • Coombes, Brian – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research; Cell Biology and Gene Regulation
  • Dlugosz, Paula
  • Doble, Bradley
  • Epand, Richard – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Fradin, Cecile – Molecular Biophysics
  • Gauldie, Jack – Cancer Biology, Therapeutics and Biochemistry
  • Gerber, Gerhard – Membrane Biology and Lipid Biochemistry
  • Ghosh, Hara – Cancer Biology, Therapeutics and Biochemistry
  • Guarne, Alba – Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure/Function
  • Gupta, Radhey – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Haslam, Richard – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Hassell, John A. – Cancer Biology, Therapeutics and Biochemistry
  • Higgs, Paul – Biophysics and Bioinformatics
  • Junop, Murray – Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure/Function
  • Leber, Brian – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Li, Yingfu – Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure/Protein
  • MacDonald, Michelle
  • McGibbon, Graham – Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure/Protein
  • Melacini, Giuseppe – Biological NMR, protein structure & dynamics, biomolecular interactions, structural genomics
  • Mossman, Karen – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Nieboer, Evert – Metabolism and Toxicology
  • Nodwell, Justin – Bacteria as multicellular organisms
  • Ortega, Joaquin – Electron Microscopy Studies of the HtrA family of Proteases
  • Persad, Sujata – Growth factor signalling and cancer
  • Singh, Gumat – Cancer Biology, Therapeutics and Biochemistry
  • Trigatti, Bernardo – Cancer Biology, Therapeutics and Biochemistry
  • Truant, Ray – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Weitz, Jeffrey – Molecular mechanisms of coagulation and fibrinolysis with emphasis on the clinical significance of findings
  • Werstuck, Geoff – My research interests are focused upon the link between diabetes mellitus and the development and progression of cardiovascular disease.
  • Whyte, Peter – Cancer Biology, Therapeutics and Biochemistry
  • Wright, Gerard – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research
  • Wynder, Christopher

Financial Support Available

The Department provides financial support for candidates accepted into the graduate program in the form of a teaching assistantship and departmental research scholarship. MSc students normally receive support for up to two years from the time of initial registration in the program, and PhD students up to four years. All full-time graduate students are automatically considered for financial support. Current minimum levels of support are $19,000 for MSc and $21,000 for PhD students. Many of our students secure scholarships from Provincial or Federal granting agencies including inparticular the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, National Science and Engineering Research Council and Ontario Graduate Scholarships.

Admissions and Enquiries

Lisa Kush
Graduate Assistant
4N62 Health Sciences Centre
McMaster University
1200 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario
L8N 3Z5
Phone: 905-525-9140
Fax: 905-522-9033
Email: bbsgrad@mcmaster.ca

Web: http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/biochem

Department: Chemical Biology

Overview

A new program in Chemical Biology is being offered where chemical biologists study the composition, structure, properties and interactions of chemicals in living organisms. The program offers MSc and PhD training opportunities in microbial chemical biology.

Research Facilities

Recent acquisitions funded by both the Provincial and Federal Governments have provided state-of-the-art facilities for research in chemical biology. Research facilities include: Magnetic Resonance Facility, Regional Centre for Mass Spectrometry, Single Crystal X-ray Facility, Protein Preparation Facilities, Cell culture facilities, computational facilities, and extensive optical spectroscopy resources.
In addition, McMaster University has the only academically-based high-throughput screening facility in Canada , which is capable of both enzyme and high content whole-cell screening. Individual faculty members also have their own equipment in their laboratories which they support and maintain. More information about our research facilities is available on individual departmental websites.

List of Faculty

  • David W. Andrews – Cancer Biology, Therapeutics and Biochemistry
  • Paul W. Ayers – Density functional theory; computational modeling of enzymes
  • Christian Baron – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research
  • Paul J. Berti – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research
  • Russell Bishop – Biogenesis of the Gram-negative Cell Envelope
  • John D. Brennan – Bioanalytical Chemistry and High Throughput Screening
  • Philip Britz-McKibbin – Bioanalytical chemistry; separation science; metabolomics; cellulomics
  • Eric D. Brown – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research
  • Lori Burrows – Bacterial Adhesins and Biofilm Formation
  • Fred Capretta – Organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry, parallel synthesis, chemical biology
  • Brian Coombes – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research; Cell Biology and Gene Regulation
  • Richard M. Epand – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Turlough M. Finan – Molecular genetic studies on symbiotic N2-fixation and phosphate metabolism; plasmid genetics.
  • Cecile Fradin – Molecular Biophysics
  • Alba Guarné – Biological X-ray Crystallography; Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure/Function
  • Radhey S. Gupta – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Paul H.M. Harrison – M.C.I.C. Bioorganic chemistry; biosynthetic processes; biomimetics
  • Adam P. Hitchcock – F.C.I.C. Electron impact and synchrotron spectroscopies; X-ray microscopy of proteins
  • Murray S. Junop – Biological X-ray Crystallography; Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure/Function
  • Yingfu Li, B.Sc. – Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure/Protein
  • Brian E. McCarry – F.C.I.C. Environmental chemistry; trace analysis; metabolomics
  • Graham McGibbon – Biological Mass Spectrometry, Protein Structure and Biomolecule Interactions, Proteomics
  • James McNulty – Synthesis; organophosphine chemistry; anticancer drugs; chemical biology; natural product isolation
  • Giuseppe Melacini – Biological NMR, protein structure & dynamics, biomolecular interactions, structural genomics
  • Justin R. Nodwell – Bacteria as multicellular organisms
  • Joaquin Ortega – Electron Microscopy Studies of the HtrA family of Proteases
  • Bernardo L. Trigatti – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • Ray Truant – Cell Biology and Regulation
  • John F. Valliant – Medicinal inorganic and radiopharmaceutical chemistry
  • Lesley A. Warren – Microbial-Geochemical linkages
  • Elizabeth A. Weretilnyk – Biochemical and molecular genetic analysis of plant metabolic adaptation
  • Geoff Werstuck – Diabetes mellitus; cardiovascular disease
  • Gerard D. Wright – Microbiological Biochemistry and Antimicrobial Research
  • Daniel S-C. Yang – Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure/Function
  • Boris S. Zhorov – Structural Biology and Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure/Function

Financial Support Available

Current minimum levels of support are $19,000 for M.Sc. and $21,000 for Ph.D. students. Many of our students secure scholarships from Provincial or Federal granting agencies including in particular the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, National Science and Engineering Research Council and Ontario Graduate Scholarships.

The graduate stipend is designed to cover the costs of tuition and living expenses. With the relatively low cost of living in the area surrounding the university, students can expect to live comfortably on their stipend alone.

All students who are accepted into the Chemical Biology graduate program are awarded a graduate stipend. Full-time graduate students receive financial support in the form of a Teaching Assistantship plus a Graduate Scholarship.

The Program also awards annually a number of scholarships in addition to regular Graduate Scholarships. These take the form of Entrance Scholarships to highly qualified incoming students, and in-course Scholarships for outstanding performance in our graduate programs. All incoming students are automatically considered for an entrance scholarship at the time of application.

Graduate students with the proper qualifications are also encouraged to apply for major scholarships awarded at the national (NSERC) and provincial (OGS) level. More information about these external scholarships is available from the School of Graduate Studies.

Admissions and Enquiries

Jackie L Garnett
Administrative Secretary
Chemical Biology Programme
A.N. Bourns Science Building Room 156
Department of Chemistry
McMaster University
1280 Main St. West
Hamilton, Ontario
L8S 4M1, Canada
Phone: (905) 525-9140
Email: jgarnet@mcmaster.ca

Web: http://chembio.mcmaster.ca/index.html

Department: Pathology & Molecular Medicine

Overview

The Faculty of Health Sciences offers Graduate programs in various areas of the Health Sciences. The Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine is involved in the Medical Sciences Graduate Program, along with other departments in the faculty. An interdisciplinary approach to learning is emphasized in all of the Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Program.
The division of Clinical Pathology encompasses the disciplines of hematology, genetics, microbiology, clinical chemistry, immunology and histocompatability. Similar to anatomic pathology, the primary mandate of this division is to provide clinical services to hospitals in the Hamilton region, facilitated through the Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program (HRLMP).

Research Facilities

The research laboratories in the Health Sciences Centre at McMaster are well-supported and augmented by those in associated institutions located in Hamilton, e.g. the Hamilton Civic Hospitals Research Centre, the Father Sean O’Sullivan Research Centre and the Hamilton Regional Cancer Centre.

A number of well-equipped on-campus facilities are available for use including the:

  • Central facility of the Institute for Molecular Biology which provides important services to faculty using molecular biological techniques, including oligonucleotide and peptide synthesis and automated DNA sequencing
  • Central Animal Facility
  • Central Analytical Facility
  • Occupational & Environmental Health Laboratory
  • Electron Microscope (and Confocal Light Microscope) Facility
  • Computer Services Unit.
  • Health Sciences Library

List of Faculty

  • Agro, Albert
  • Alexopoulou, Iakovina – Autopsy and Renal Pathology
  • Alowami, Salem – Clinical (translational) research in skin and breast cancer.
  • Arsenault, Larry
  • ASHKAR, Ali A. – Innate Immunity, NK/NKT cells, IL-15, Mucosal Immunity, Toll-like Receptors, dsRNA, Tumor, Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Austin, Richard – Molecular biology of vascular disease and thrombosis
  • Aziz, Tariq
  • Balion, Cynthia – Clinical Chemistry
  • Ball, Alexander
  • Belbeck, Larry
  • BIENENSTOCK, John – Mast Cells, Neuro-Immune, Mucosal Immunity, Probiotics, Behaviour
  • Blajchman, Morris – Transfusion Medicine and hemostasis
  • Bourgeois, Jacqueline – Pediatric pathology
  • Boutross-Tadross, Odette – Gynaecological and Breast pathology
  • BRAMSON, Jonathan – T lymphocyte, Genetic Vaccine, Gene Therapy, Virus, Cancer, Flow Cytometry
  • Brook, Michael – Silicone chemistry, stabilizing enzymes in silicones and silica, passivating biomaterials
  • Buchanan, Michael – Monohydroxide regulation of blood and vascular wall cell adhesivity, and it’s relationships to actue thrombus formation and chronic intimal hyperplasia. Oral monohydroside therapy and the treatment, prevention and regression of vascular hyperplasia.
  • Butler, Richard – plasticity of highly differentiated cells in adult mammals.
  • Carter, Ronald – Medical Genetics; Cancer Genetics
  • Chen, Vicky – Diagnostic Cytopathology, Head and Neck Pathology and Hematopathology
  • CHERNESKY, Max A. – Rapid Diagnosis, Infections, Immunization, Methods, Mechanisms, Pathogenesis, Laboratory
  • Chetty, Tony – Metabolic Syndrome, diabetes Prevention, Lipid Metabolism and Obesity.
  • Chorneyko, Katherine – Diagnostic electron microscopy and its clinical applications in platelet dysfunction, renal glomerular diseases, muscle disorders, neoplastic and metabolic processes; Renal Pathology; General Surgical Pathology and Cytology.
  • CLARK, David A. – Pregnancy Immunology, Tolerance, Cytokines, Transfusion immunomodulation, CD200, fgl2
  • Clarke, Bryan
  • Coyle, Anthony – T cell costimulation and activation.
  • Cutz, J-C
  • Daya, Dean – gynecologic and urologic pathology
  • Deb, Pratima
  • Delaney, Kathleen
  • DeNardi, Franco – Clinical gastrointestinal disease and interstitial laser photocoagulation.
  • Deodhare, Sanjeev -Hematopathology
  • Doering, Laurie – Stem Cells, Neural Transplantation and CNS Disorders.
  • Dolling, Jo-Anna – Molecular Genetics and Cytogenetics
  • Elavathil, Leelamma
  • Evelegh, Michael – Development of diagnostic tests for the early detection of cardiovascular disease and cancer; Defining the relationship between cholesterol in the skin and cardiovascular disease risk; Development of novel technologies applicable to in vitro diagnostics
  • Fernandes, John – Forensic pathology; the impact of ‘club’ drugs; Gunshot injury; Perinatal and placental pathology; Pathology of high risk obstetrics; Evidence based practice of medicine; Impact of decreased length of stay on the outcome of clinical care; Impact of decreased length of stay on the outcome of clinical care; Impact of health sector economic distribution on clinical outcomes; Evaluation of community based teaching.
  • Fletch, Andrew – Spontaneously occurring rat models of dysmelination; Analgesics and pain management; Infectious diseases caused by viral protozoan agents
  • FOLEY, Ronan S. – Gene Transfer, Dendritic Cells, Adenoviral Gene Transfer, Cytokines, Stem Cells, Clinical Trials
  • Freeman, Viola – Rapid chromosome diagnosis; Association of radiation exposure and abnormal chromosome segregation; Twinning in spontaneous abortions; Non-disjunction in Down syndrome; Neoplasia
  • GAULDIE, Jack – Cytokine and Dendritic Cells, Inflammation and Immunity, Fibrosis, Tumour Immunotherapy, Interleukin-6, Gene Therapy
  • Grey, Vijaylaxmi – Determinants of bone health in Cystic Fibrosis
  • Gohla, Gabriella – Breast pathology; Skin pathology
  • Groves, David – Development, implementation and assessment of new diagnostic technologies, including molecular diagnostic tests
  • Groves, Hallie – The effect of different strategies to stimulate and link the learning of anatomy in problem-based learning programs; the computer capture and processing of digital images of anatomical material for use in the development of educational resources; The determination of the factors that cause stress of anxiety in students working in an anatomy lab, and strategies for modifying these factors; the use of ultrasound in the anatomy lab for teaching ‘living anatomy’
  • Guzowski, Ann
  • HARNISH, Delsworth G. – HPV, Molecular Biology, Education
  • Haslam, Richard – Signal transduction pathways involved in the regulation of blood platelet function
  • Hassell, John
  • Hayward, Catherine
  • Heddle, Nancy
  • Hill, Stephen – Markers of cardiac injury and outcome prediction in Acute Coronary Syndrome; Homocysteine and vascular disease; Apolipoprotein E
  • Hitt, Mary – Development of Adenovirus Vectors for the Gene Therapy of Cancer
  • Hortelano, Gonzalo – Gene therapy
  • Horsewood, Peter – Development of non-invasive diagnostic assays; Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies; Development of immunoassay and immunodiagnostic methods; Immunochemical methods of analysis; Mechanisms of thrombocytopenias and the role of specific platelet molecules in hemostasis; Mechanisms of platelet activiation; Transfusion medicine procedures; risk factors in atherosclerosis; Detection of cancer markers
  • Igdoura, Suleiman – Molecular genetics of sialidase and its role in monogenic as well as multifactorial diseases
  • Jayaratne, Padman – Microbial source tracking, Microbial Pathogenesis, Molecular diagnostics, Environmental gene pool, Antibiotic resistance.
  • Jones, Kim – Interactions between tissue engineering and the host response
  • JORDANA, Manel – Allergic Inflammation, Asthma, Peanut-induced Anaphylaxis, Immune Regulation, Cytokines, Chemokines, Co-stimulatory Molecule
  • Kapusta, Linda – prostate carcinomas.
  • Karmali, Mohamed – Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and public health significance of emerging zoonotic enteric pathogens
  • KAUSHIC, Charu – Mucosal Immunology, Female Genital Tract, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Sex Hormones, HIV, Vaccines
  • Kay, Michael – Pulmonary pathology, pulmonary vascular disease, pulmonary hypertension, drug-induced lung disease.
  • Kelton, John – Investigating the immune mechanisms in various clinical platelet disorders
  • KOLB, Martin – Lung Fibrosis,Tissue Repair, GeneTherapy, Small Animal Imaging, Drug Trials, Clinical Research
  • Kwiecien, Jacek
  • Lach, B – Pathology and immunohistochemistry of human Herpes Simplex Encephalitis and other viral infections of the CNS; Mitochondrial encephalomyopathies; Pathology, biochemistry and tissue culture studies; Muscle pathology in Leber’s optic atrophy – tissue culture, mitochondrial DNA and ultrastructudy; Neurooncology
  • Lee, Christine – Optimal laboratory methods of diagnosis and treatment of Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea; refining microbiologic diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases; and, diagnosis and management of nosocomial infections (intravenous catheter infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia
  • Lee, Jonathan – Apoptosis and the regulation of mitosis
  • LICHTY, Brian – Vesicular Stomatitis Virus, Coronavirus, Cancer, Myeloma, Interferon
  • Loeb, Mark – Emerging infectious diseases, infections in seniors, influenza and other respiratory infections, and antimicrobial use and resistance
  • Luxton, Allan
  • Lytwyn, Alice
  • Marci, Joseph – Investigating the mechanisms involved with regulating the assembly and secretion of hepatic lipoproteins; Utilizing proteomics-based technologies to investigate specific cellular and intracellular mechanism associated with the development of atherosclerosis.
  • MAHONY, James B. – Infectious Diseases, Chlamydia Pneumoniae, Virology, Atherosclerosis, Pathophysiology, Gene Expression, SARS, West Nile Virus
  • Main, Cheryl – Sexually Transmitted Infections; Electronic Educational Learning Tools; Laboratory Safety
  • MARGETTS, Peter J. – Adenovirus, Fibrosis, Angiogenesis, Gene Therapy, Laser Capture Microdissection, Gene Regulation, Renal Disease, Peritoneal Dialysis
  • McDERMOTT, Mark R. – Mucosal Immunity, Vaccine Development
  • McKay, Derek – Neuroimmune regulation of gut function and elucidation of the active role of the epithelium in mucosal immunity.
  • McQueen, Matthew
  • Medina, Maria
  • Meyer, Ralph – malignant hematology
  • Mohialdin, Vian – Radiology; Anatomy
  • Moore, Jane
  • MOSSMAN, Karen – Virus Pathogenesis, Interferon, Immune Evasion, Signal Transduction, Tissue Culture, Gene Therapy, Cancer Therapy, Oncolytic Viruses
  • Nowaczyk, Malgorzata – Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome
  • Ofosu, Frederick – Platelet Responses to Thrombin
  • Pennie, Ross – Use and abuse of antibiotics in outpatient practice; Diagnosis and management of acute otitis media in children.
  • Perdue, Mary – Physiology and pathophysiology of the small intestine and colon, examining the complex interaction between immune cells, nerves and epithelium that regulate mucosal function in health and result in dysfunction during disease
  • Petrich, Astrid
  • Poinar, Hendrik
  • Potter, Murray – inborn errors of metabolism
  • Powers, Peter – diagnosis, prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism.
  • Provias, John – neuro-oncology/angiogenesis
  • Radhi, Jasim – Anatomic Pathology; Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic tumors.
  • Ramsay, Jennifer – Pediatric and placental pathology; Dermatopathology; Gastrointestinal pathology; Endocrine pathology
  • RICHARDS, Carl D. – Inflammation, Arthritis, Synovium, Cytokines, Matrix Metalloproteinases, Adenovirus
  • Riddell, Richard
  • Rosenfeld, Jack – Bio-analytical chemistry
  • ROSENTHAL, Kenneth L. – Mucosal Immunity, Mucosal Vaccination, Recombinant Adenovirus Vectors, CpG DNA, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte (CTL), Chemokines
  • Ross, Catherine
  • Shali, Ari
  • Shaughnessy, Stephen – Effects of anticoagulants on bone morphology and metabolism
  • Shaw, Danielle
  • Sheffield, William – Natural and recombinant coagulation proteins that either stimulate or suppress coagulation.
  • Sheardown, Heather – To develop polymeric biomaterials that interact with the cells and tissues of the surrounding biological environment and to characterize both the materials and the biological environment.
  • Singal, Dharam – Major histocompatibility complex, HLA, in man
  • Singh, Gurmit – Experimental Cancer Therapy for breast and prostate cancer; Mitochondria as a target for cancer chemotherapy; Strategies to modulate bone metastasis; Molecular and cellular mechanisms of photodynamic therapy
  • SMAILL, Fiona – HIV Infection, Infectious Diseases, Diagnostic Microbiology, Meta-Analyses, Pregnancy
  • Smieja, Marek – interaction between infections, inflammation, and chronic cardiovascular and respiratory diseases
  • SNIDER, Denis P. – Mucosal Immunity, T Cell Activation, Dendritic cell, Inflammation, graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR)
  • Srigley, John – pathology of tumours of the genitourinary tract including those of the prostate gland, urinary bladder, kidney and testis.
  • STÄMPFLI, Martin R. – COPD, Asthma, Immunology, Tolerance, Experimental Research
  • Sur, Monalisa – Neuropathology and Hematopathology.
  • Trus, Michael – investigating the role of aberrant gene expression in the pathogenesis acute myelogenous leukemia and therapeutic measures that restore normal gene expression in this disease.
  • Underdown, Brian
  • Vincic, Lydia
  • Walsh Jennifer – Anatomic Pathology, Gynecological and Non-gynecological Cytology, Hematology and Autopsy
  • WAN, Yonghong – Dendritic Cells, Tumor Immunology, Cancer Vaccines, T Cells, Gene Therapy, Genetic Immunization, Adenovirus
  • Wang, Jack – Genotype-phenotype correlation study in cytogenetic rearrangements such as deletion, duplication, inverted duplication
  • Warkentin, Theodore – To characterize the pathophysiology, frequency, clinical presentation, diagnostic testing and treatment of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia; To characterize the pathophysiology, frequency, clinical presentation, diagnostic testing, and treatment of bleeding gastrointestinal angiodysplasia associated with cardiovascular disease
  • Waye, John – The study of human genetic disease, particularly the relationship between genotype and phenotype; Forensic identity testing.
  • West-Mays, Judith – Molecular and Genetic Mechanisms Regulating Eye Development and Disease
  • Whyte, Peter – Tumor suppressor genes and cell cycle regulation
  • XING, Zhou – Host Defense, T Cells, Macrophages, Cytokines, Mycobacteria, Pneumonia, Gene Transfer, Vaccines
  • Yamamura, Debra
  • Yang, Pinchang – Relationship of allergic reactions and inflammation in the intestinal mucosa, that involves brain and gut interaction, intestinal mucosa immune regulation, allergic mediators signal transduction and protein regulatory mechanisms, antigen transepithelial transportation and intestinal epithelial barrier functions
  • Young, Edward – Hemostasis and thrombosis, anticoagulants; Biological effects of heparin and related molecules; Extensive use of biochemical techniques such as gel and affinity chromatography; gel eletrophoresis; coagulation assays; uses of radiolabeled tracers; small animal and cell culture models.
  • Younglai, Edward – Identification of environmental pollutants in human reproductive fluids and the effects of similar mixtures on developmental reproductive processes.
  • Zhang, C – molecular biology and pathogenesis of human viral pathogens

Financial Support Available

McMaster University provides four types of financial support to full-time students.

  • teaching assistantships
  • graduate scholarships
  • endowed scholarships
  • bursaries

Teaching assistantships are provided to many graduate students offered admission to regular full-time programs. Duties vary according to department but will usually consists of tutorials, lab demonstrations and marking. The University provides graduate scholarship awards to most full-time graduate students in Ph.D. programs and in some Master’s programs. Such scholarships are awarded annually based upon academic merit. A Ph.D. student is normally funded for four years. Students in Master’s programs are usually supported for their first three to six terms depending on the department.
The endowed scholarships and bursaries have various conditions and amounts attached to them. All incoming students and currently enrolled students are automatically eligible and considered for all four types of financial assistance subject to the above eligibility conditions.

McMaster University has adopted a policy of ensuring that all full-time Ph.D. students earn at least $17,500 per year. Many programs have support levels in excess of this amount.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
McMaster University
1200 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3Z5
Phone: 905-521-2100
Fax: 905-577-0198
Email: askgrad@mcmaster.ca

Web: http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/path

Department: Biomedical and Molecular Sciences

Overview

To provide the graduate student with an advanced level of knowledge and research expertise in one or more of the disciplines of virology, immunology, bacteriology, infectious disease microbiology or biotechnology, in combination with a firm understanding of the fundamentals of microbiology and immunology as a whole.

The Department offers programs leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees as well as research programs for individuals at the postdoctoral level (M.D. or Ph.D.). The objectives of the program are to provide the graduate student with an advanced level of knowledge and research expertise in one or more areas of bacterial physiology, microbial & viral genomics & proteomics, immunology, molecular and diagnostic virology, clinical microbiology, immunochemistry, cell cytology, and pathogenesis. This will assist candidates to become competent, independent scientists for careers in research and teaching. Strong ties exist with groups located in local public health and hospital laboratories and allied University departments.

Research Facilities

The Department is located in the University Health Sciences Complex (Botterell Hall) which also houses the medical library and other basic science departments. It occupies approximately 20,000 square feet of laboratory space, and is well equipped for fundamental research in bacteriology, immunology and virology. See http://microimm.queensu.ca/people/faculty.htm for a listing of faculty members and their research interests.

List of Faculty

  • Sam Basta PhD – Virus-host interactions focusing on determining key features of the immunobiology of antigen presenting cells that allow for efficient induction of host antiviral immune responses.
  • Bruce Banfield PhD- Molecular characterization/analysis of viral proteins important in signal transduction in herpes simplex virus, varicella-zoster virus and pseudorabies virus.
  • Eric B. Carstens PhD – Cellular and molecular biology of viral replication, including roles and interactions of viral and host cell components in viral replication, diversity within a host and host range..
  • Anne Croy PhD- Functions, mechanisms of activation and lineage relationships of immune competent cell populations that home to the maternal-fetal interface during mammalian pregnancy.
  • Andrew Daugulis PhD- Cell culture engineering, protein expression, partitioning bioreactors for biosynthesis and bioremediation, bioprocess development, modeling and simulation of bioreactors.
  • Bruce Elliott PhD- The role of scatter factor/HGF autocrine loops, and cell adhesion-based signaling cascades in the development of invasive breast cancer.
  • Anne Ellis MD- Dr. Ellis’ research programs currently focuses on the development of biomarkers predictive of future atopy in umbilical cord blood as well as local and systemic mechanisms of allergic rhinitis. She is affiliated with AllerGen, a National Centres of Excellence in allergic diseases and is also involved in clinical trials utilizing the Environmental Exposure Unit (EEU) at Kingston General Hospital.
  • Gerald Evans MD- Clinical trials of new antimicrobials for use in the treatment of human infectious diseases. Antimicrobial therapy of community-acquired pneumonia and human herpesvirus infections.
  • Katrina Gee PhD – Function of the IL-12 family of cytokines during human inflammatory responses
  • Ken F. Jarrell PhD – Ultrastructural, genetic and biochemical studies of surface structures (flagella and pili) and flagella assembly from methanogenic Archaea, with special focus on posttranslational modifications.
  • Nancy L. Martin PhD – Understanding how Salmonella typhimurium, a common cause of food poisoning, senses and adapts to changes in environments relevant to infection.
  • Elaine Petrof MD- Our lab is interested in the study of commensal bacteria, probiotics and the effects of intestinal bacteria on inflammation, to better understand the protective role of commensal gut flora under conditions of inflammation and stress.
  • R. Keith Poole PhD – Bacterial multidrug efflux pumps and their role in antibiotic and biocide resistance and treatment failure. Mechanisms of resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics in the cystic fibrosis pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa..
  • Leda Raptis PhD – Signal transduction in cell transformation and adipocytic differentiation.
  • Myron R. Szewczuk PhD – Novel role of mammalian Neu1 sialidase in the activation of TOLL-like and tyrosine kinase receptors.
  • Virginia Walker PhD- Freeze-thaw tolerance and cold survival of microbial communities.
  • Wendy Wobeser MD- Dr. Wobeser has considerable expertise in the fields of HIV and Tuberculosis. She maintains clinical studies in the field of HIV and epidemiologic studies of Tuberculosis.
  • Special Appointees and Adjunct Faculty:
    • Renee Finnan PhD: Department of Microbiology and Immunology
    • Anna Majury DVM PhD: Kingston Public Health Laboratories

Financial Support Available

All potential applicants having first class (over 80%) averages are highly encouraged to apply to the Ontario Graduate Scholarship program. All eligible students with averages over 80% are also encouraged to apply to the CIHR and NSERC Scholarship programs. All students in this Department are eligible for Queen’s University scholarships only if they have applied for external support.

Most successful applicants to this Department have some form of external scholarship funding, the remainder are supported by individual Faculty members’ research operating grants. The minimum guaranteed stipend is $21,000 annually for PhD programs for the first 4 years and $19,000 annually for MSc programs for the first 2 years. Students often receive more than the minimum stipend as a result of securing additional sources of support such as national scholarships and teaching assistantships.. Depending upon need and the availability of funds a limited number of teaching assistantships are also available. The majority of these are worth about $2500/laboratory instructed (1 term).

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences
Room 915, Botterell Hall
18 Stuart St.
Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6
Web: http://dbms.queensu.ca/

Diane Sommerfeld, Graduate Program Assistant
Phone: (613) 533-6000 x74836
Email: diane.sommerfeld@queensu.ca

Nancy Martin, Graduate Program Coordinator
Phone: (613) 533-2460
Email: nancy.martin@queensu.ca

Web: http://microimm.queensu.ca/

Department: Chemistry and Biology

Overview

Toronto Metropolitan University offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology as well as Biomedical Science. The Biology program dives into the study of living organisms, with the intent of unlocking the mysteries of our planet. Students have opportunities to focus on microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, botany and evolution and are able to customize their degree with our unique and plentiful options. There are also optional specializations in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Biophysics or Environmental Biology.

The Biomedical Science BSc program allows student to investigate pressing medical conundrums such as how microorganisms attack the body, the nature of cancerous cells, and the correlation between gene expression and its effects on aging. Like the Biology Program, students in the Biomedical Science program have the opportunity to tailor their programs to meet their specific interests. Courses include medical microbiology, molecular biology, immunology, experimental design, cancer biology, stem biology, and systems biology. Undergraduates in both programs can enhance their studies through work placement opportunities, summer internships, and practical research projects. These external experiences are made more enviable by our location in the heart of downtown Toronto.

At the graduate level, Toronto Metropolitan University offers a MSc and a PhD program in Molecular Science with many opportunities to study microbiology. Among the 8 research foci within the department are Pathogens and Infection, Cells, Genes and Molecules, Biomedicine and Biomolecular Interactions and Surfaces and Interfaces, all of which offer exciting opportunities to study and research microbiology.

Research Facilities

Toronto Metropolitan University has an array of well-equipped research laboratories dedicated to direct support of biology and molecular science research. The Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), created in partnership between Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Michael’s Hospital occupies newly built space on the 7th floor of the Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science. January 2017 will see the opening of new biomedical research labs in the nearby MaRS Tower 2. This state of the art space will provide shared facilities for advanced imaging, cell culture, bacterial culture, analytical chemistry and will house approximately 150 graduate students, technicians and researchers. Also included at our original Kerr Hall research facility, there are a number of outstanding microscopy facilities including two-photon confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), a Raman confocal microscope (RCM), an atomic force microscope (AFM) and an inverted laser-confocal microscope. WE also have live-cell imaging for the acquisition of high resolution images of living cells in an environment. Deconvolution software generates non-blurry, high-resolution images; image acquisition and analysis software drive a powerful suite of functions for automation, multi-point tracking, particle tracking, and image rendering. Our newest facility (January 2016) features a microscope system that couples spinning disc confocal and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) technologies (SD-TIRF). The SD module enablins live cell imaging at a resolution high enough to resolve miniscule structures like organelles and molecular super-assemblies. The TIRF module permits observation of events within 200 nm of the cell surface without confounding signals originating from deeper in the cell. Coupling the two technologies allows the correlation of surface-proximal events with whole-cell events. The availability of these leading edge technologies offers exciting new opportunities for research in microbiology.

List of Faculty

  • Michael Arts: the global impacts of stressors such as climate change, exotic invaders, UV radiation, pesticides, and effluents
  • Costin Antonescu the regulation of growth factor receptor signalling and membrane traffic
  • Catherine Beauchemin: computer and/or mathematical simulators of virology/immunology systems
  • Vadim Bostan: Environmental biology, aquatic ecotoxicology and geochemistry, assessment of antibiotic pollution on food webs
  • Roberto Botelho: nitracellular signaling and membrane trafficking in the context of organelle biogenesis and function
  • Lesley Campbell : how evolutionary processes (hybridization, selection) and properties (mating systems, genetic diversity) affect the ecological function of plant populations
  • Imogen R. Coe: Structure, function, regulation of transporters and other membrane proteins.Structure, function, regulation of transporters and other membrane proteins.
  • Mario Estable: Biochemistry, molecular retrovirology, examination of the effects of environmental conditions on gene mutations and their role in human disease, gene transcription factors and DNA sequencing
  • Jeffrey Fillingham: chromatin assembly, post-translation modifications, such as histone acetylation. histone chaperones
  • Debora Foster: gastrointestinal pathogens, host-pathogen interactions, the molecular basis of pathogenesis, the impact of environmental stress on pathogen virulence, development of antimicrobial treatment and prevention therapies.
  • Kimberley Gilbride: composition and diversity of microbial populations in complex environmental samples; microbial pathogens in both surface water and biologically treated wastewater.
  • Martina Hausner: Microbial Ecology, Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Biofilms. Characterization of the structure, composition and function of biofilms and other bioaggregates. Fate of catabolic plasmids in biofilms, bioaugmentation.
  • Michael C. Kolios: Ultrasound imaging and therapeutics, ultrasound imaging, heat transfer in tissue, thermal therapies
  • Janet Koprivnikar: ecology and evolution of infectious diseases, animal parasites, their hosts, and the environment, aquatic ecosystems
  • Andrew Laursen: Ecosystem Ecology, Biogeochemisty, Limnology.
  • John Marshall: protein biochemistry, innate and humoral immunity and cellular defense.
  • Lynda McCarthy: Environmental biology and environmental biotechnology, aquatic ecotoxicology, assessment of pollution and remediation, particularly endocrine disruptors in Great Lakes aquatic systems
  • Joseph McPhee: Crohn’s disease-associated E. coli, inflammatory conditions associated with the disease, molecular determinants of bacterial fitness under pro-inflammatory conditions.
  • Stephanie Melles: spatial ecology, cross-scale drivers of species diversity on land and in water
  • Warren Wakarchuk: glycobiology , glycosytransferase enzyme donor/acceptor specificity, protein glycosylation in soil bacteria that degrade cellulose and other polysaccharides.
  • Gideon Wolfaardt: role of biofilms in the environmental survival and proliferation of microorganisms leading to improved metabolic activity and persistence in the presence of microbes

As well as 13 faculty who undertake Chemistry-related research. For a full listing of faculty in the department, please visit the departmental faculty page: https://www.torontomu.ca/chemistry-biology/

Web:  https://www.torontomu.ca/chemistry-biology/

Department: School of Environmental Sciences

Overview

The School of Environmental Sciences (SES) was formed in April 2009 when the former Departments of Environmental Biology and Land Resource Science merged. The SES represents a consolidation of internationally recognized expertise in the life and physical sciences that allows faculty to focus on the comprehensive study and analysis of interconnected concepts and processes inherent to the Earth’s Critical Zone. The Critical Zone is the near surface layer of the Earth where complex interactions involving soil, rock, water, air and living organisms regulate natural ecosystems and ultimately determine the quantity and quality of life sustaining resources. The University of Guelph’s SES distinguishes itself from other environmental science programs in that it comprises a true integration of the life and physical sciences to address important environmental problems in forest, aquatic and agro-ecosystems. The SES has particular strengths in: forest systems management; reduced risk crop protection strategies; soil management & conservation; water resource management; bioremediation; climate change; and ecotoxicology & environmental microbiology. This integrated spectrum, uniquely available in SES, also allows for comprehensive consideration of socio-economic and policy issues that would otherwise not be possible in more traditional environmental science programs.

In addition to our unique research capabilities, the SES is committed to providing learner centered environmental science study for undergraduate and graduate students – one that is second to none in North America.

While the SES comprises a critical mass of 40 faculty, 150 graduate students and approximately 50 postdocs, technicians and staff members, we are only part of the University of Guelph’s extraordinary strength in environmental sciences.

Environmental microbiology research in the School of Environmental Sciences aims to examine the impact of microorganisms on human and environmental health through fundamental and applied research. Fundamental studies include microbial cell physiology, survival, persistence, and function in aquatic, soil, and extreme environments from culture dependent and culture independent perspectives. Applied studies in biodegradation and biotransformation of environmental pollutants, bioenergy production, and the detection of pathogens and indicator bacteria in water, biosolids, and soils are primary areas of research focus.

Research Facilities

SES offers modern facilities that are well equipped for contemporary research in all areas of environmental microbiology and plant pathology, including extensive equipment for chemical, fluorescence and genomic analysis of microorganisms, as well as the latest equipment in many aspects of molecular biology. The department also contains the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility (CESRF), which provides a complete research venue suitable for measurement of plant growth, gas exchange, volatile organic compound (VOC) evolution, and nutrient remediation in a precisely controlled environment.

List of Faculty

Faculty with particular interest in Microbiology have a (*)

  • Madhur Anand (biodiversity, computational ecology, ecological complexity)
  • Emmanuelle Arnaud (sedimentary record of lakes and marine glacial deposits )
  • Kari Dunfield* (applied soil ecology)
  • Susan Glasauer* (geomicrobiology, biogeochemistry)
  • Paul Goodwin (physiology and molecular biology of plant-pathogen interactions)
  • Andy Gordon (carbon dynamics, nutrient cycling, ecological modelling)
  • Rob Gordon (agrometeorology; emissions from agricultural systems)
  • Ernesto Guzman (bee biology and apiculture)
  • Marc Habash* (aquatic microbiology)
  • Bev Hale (metals in the human environment)
  • Chris Hall (large-scale expression of antibodies in planta for environmental remediation)
  • Rebecca Hallett (chemical ecology and integrated management of vegetable pests; insect-plant relations; plant resistance to pests; climate changes)
  • Richard Heck (soil and landscape processes)
  • Tom Hsiang (turfgrass disease management and biology)
  • Shelley Hunt (boreal forest ecology, biodiversity, carbon and nitrogen dynamics)
  • John Lauzon (soil management and fertility)
  • Hung Lee* (microbial biochemistry and physiology; degradation of pollutants; lignocellulosic biomass conversion)
  • Steve Marshall (insect taxonomy)
  • Ray McBride (pedotechnology and land use, applied soil physics)
  • Jonathan Newman (plant-insect relationships under climate change)
  • Rob Nicol (chemical ecology, biofuels production)
  • Ivan O’Halloran (soil fertility and nutrient use efficiency)
  • Gard Otis (insect behaviour)
  • Gary Parkin (plant nutrition and soil fertility)
  • Len Ritter (occupational exposure to pesticides; human health effects of pesticides)
  • Neil Rooney (fisheries management; environmental impact assessment; first nations traditional knowledge)
  • Jonathan Schmidt (vernal pool ecology; the role of arthropods in decomposition)
  • Cynthia Scott-Dupree (integrated pest management, beneficial insect-plant relationships)
  • Paul Sibley (environmental quality assessment and management; risk assessments; disturbance ecology; aquatic-terrestrial interactions)
  • Jack Trevors* (microbial physiology, ecology and biotechnology of environmental bacteria)
  • Laura Van Eerd (plant nutrition and soil fertility)
  • Paul Voroney (soil biology and soil management)
  • Claudia Wagner-Riddle (agrometeorology; greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems)
  • Jon Warland (micrometeorology)

Financial Support Available

Each graduate student is guaranteed minimum funding of $16,500 annually for an MSc. and $17, 500 for a PhD. This assistance may be available in several forms: (1) students with first class academic standings are encouraged to apply for Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Postgraduate Scholarships (NSERC) and Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS), (2) Graduate Research Assistantships, (3) University of Guelph Scholarships, and (4) Graduate Teaching Assistantships. Further support is also available through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Admissions and Enquiries

School of Environmental Sciences
Ontario Agricultural College
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1
Phone: 519-824-4120 x53920
Fax: 519-837-0442

Admissions Officer (Service Associate)
Chris Goody
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1
Phone: 519-824-4120 x56736
Email: cgoody@registrar.uoguelph.ca

Web: http://www.uoguelph.ca/ses/

Department: Molecular and Cellular Biology

Overview

The Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate program offers thesis-based MSc and PhD degrees. An option for direct entry of highly qualified B.Sc. students into the Ph.D. program is available. The program currently offers the following areas of specialization: Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Microbiology, Plant Biology, Molecular Biology and Genetics. Faculty in the Department also contribute to the interdepartmental programs in Biophysics (MSc and PhD) and Bioinformatics (course-work MSc), as well as the collaborative MSc and PhD programs in Neuroscience and Toxicology.

Research Facilities

The research and teaching laboratories of the Department are located in the Science Complex, which was completed in 2007. The research laboratories are all well-equipped for contemporary work in microbiology and the broader molecular biosciences. Several equipment rooms contain larger items of shared equipment, which are maintained by the Department. The Science Complex also houses critical institutional core facilities including: Genomics, Mass Spectrometry Molecular and Cellular Imaging (electron and confocal microscopy), NMR, Phytotron, and X-Ray Diffraction and Scattering.

List of Faculty

  • Akhtar, Tariq – Assistant Professor
    (plant metabolism and secondary metabolites)
  • Allen-Vercoe, Emma – Associate Professor
    (microbial ecology of the gut)
  • Bag, Jnanankur – Professor
    (molecular machinery involved in mRNA)
  • Baker, Mark – Professor
    (homologous recombination in mammalian cells)
  • Bendall, Andrew- Associate Professor and Graduate Studies Coordinator
    (molecular biology of vertebrate development)
  • Brauer, Manfred – Associate Professor
    (NMR spectroscopy and imaging of biological systems)
  • Clarke, Anthony – Professor, Assistant VP (Graduate Studies & Program Quality Assurance)
    (carbohydrases, amino acids, enzymes)
  • Colasanti, Joseph – Associate Professor
    (developmental signalling in plants)
  • Coppolino, Marc – Associate Professor
    (membrane traffic, control of integrin function, cellular motility)
  • Dawson, John – Professor
    (muscle proteins)
  • Emes, Michael – Professor & Dean, College of Biological Science
    (plant metabolism)
  • Graether, Steffen- Associate Professor
    (protein NMR structure, protein/ligand interactions)
  • Harauz, George – Professor, Canada Research Chair
    (protein structure and characterization in multiple sclerosis (MS))
  • Jones, Nina – Associate Professor, Canada Research Chair
    (signaling events in mammalian development and disease)
  • Josephy, David – Professor
    (biochemical toxicology, molecular toxicology)
  • Kaushik, Azad – Associate Professor
    (immunology)
  • Khursigara, Cezar – Assistant Professor
    (high-resolution imaging, cell division, bacterial biofilms)
  • Kimber, Matthew – Associate Professor
    (macromolecular crystallography)
  • Krell, Peter – Professor
    (virology)
  • Lam, Joseph – Professor, Canada Research Chair
    (pathogens and lung infections, cystic fibrosis)
  • Lu, Ray – Associate Professor
    (cell signaling, animal stress response, herpesvirus-cell interaction)
  • Mathur, Jaideep – Associate Professor
    (plant cell biology and development, cytoskeleton, subcellular interactions)
  • Meng, Baozhong – Associate Professor
    (plant virology, molecular and cellular biology of RNA viruses, virus-host interactions)
  • Merrill, Rod – Professor
    (protein structure & function, bacterial toxins)
  • Mosser, Richard – Associate Professor
    (cellular response to stress, heat shock proteins, regulation of apoptotic signaling pathways)
  • Mullen, Robert – Department Chair, Professor, University Research Chair
    (plant cell and molecular biology, plant organelle biogenesis)
  • Mutharia, Lucy – Associate Professor
    (mycobacterium paratuberculosis, causes of Johne’s disease or paratuberculosis)
  • Nassuth, Annette – Associate Professor
    (plant stress tolerance)
  • Rothstein, Steven – Professor, University Research Chair
    (plant metabolism and nitrogen use)
  • Ryan, Scott – Assistant Professor
    (cytoskeletal dynamics in neural development and disease)
  • Seah, Stephen – Associate Professor
    (iron acquisition systems in microbial pathogens, enzymes for bioremediation)
  • Stevenson, Roselynn – Professor
    (microbial diseases of fish)
  • Tetlow, Ian – Associate Professor
    (plant metabolism)
  • Uniacke, Jim – Assistant Professor
    (translation during hypoxic stress)
  • Van der Merwe, George – Associate Professor
    (fermentation, wine yeasts)
  • Van Raay, Terry – Assistant Professor
    (regulation of Wnt signaling, cellular polarity, zebrafish)
  • Vessey, John – Assistant Professor
    (RNA localization in neural precursor cells)
  • Whitfield, Chris – Professor, Canada Research Chair
    (prokaryotic glycobiology, cell-surface assembly in bacterial pathogens)
  • Wood, Janet – Professor
    (bacterial stress responses, regulation of membrane transport)
  • Yankulov, Krassimir – Associate Professor
    (regulation of gene promoters in DNA replication)

Financial Support Available

Students in the Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate program are supported through a combination of sources. These include national scholarships (including NSERC, CIHR and various health foundations), provincial awards (Ontario Graduate Scholarships, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs), faculty research grants, and graduate teaching assistantships. Minimal stipends for MSc students are $19,500 and $21,500 for PhD students (2014-15). Tricouncil award recipients are awarded an additional $5,000 scholarship from the University.

Admissions and Enquiries

Microbiology Graduate Coordinator
Graduate Coordinator (Dr. Andrew Bendall)
or
Graduate Secretary (Ms. Carol Schlaht)
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Science Complex
University of Guelph
50 Stone Road E
Guelph
Ontario N1G 2W1
Canada.
Phone: 1-519-824-4120 ext. 53815
Email: mcbgrad@uoguelph.ca

Web: http://mcb.cbs.uoguelph.ca/

Department: Pathobiology

Overview

The Department of Pathobiology is located in the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and provides graduate programs in:

  • Immunology
  • Veterinary Infectious Diseases including Zoonotic Diseases (bacteriology, parasitology, and virology)
  • Veterinary Pathology (anatomic pathology, clinical pathology)
  • Comparative Pathology (avian pathology, fish pathology, zoo animal/wildlife pathology, laboratory animal medicine)

The department offers programs of study leading to MSc and PhD degrees. Note: a DVM degree is not needed to enter these programs. The department also offers a Graduate Diploma in Applied Pathology and participates in the inter-departmental Doctor of Veterinary Science (DVSc) program. The DVSc is offered in applied areas of microbiology, immunology, or pathology.

Research Facilities

  • Many well equipped laboratories for infectious disease and molecular biology research
  • Central media preparation and wash up facilities
  • Central Research Laboratory with a laser capture microdissection workstation, Roche LightCycler, Leica DMRA2 microscope, DAKO autostainer, Leica CM 3050S cryostat, and 2D gel electrophoresis equipment.
  • OMAF isolation facilities for infection studies with large animals immediately adjacent

The department also has strong ties with the nearby OMAFRA Animal Health Laboratory, Health Canada, and the Guelph Food Technology Centre.

List of Faculty

  • Ian K. Barker DVM, MSc, PhD – Wildlife and zoo animal pathology; epidemiology of Lyme disease, gastrointestinal pathology
  • John R. Barta BSc, PhD – Protozoan parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa
  • Dorothee Bienzle DVM, MSc, PhD, Dipl ACVP – Retroviral pathogenesis; Mechanisms of airway inflammation
  • Patrick Borlin DVM, MSc – Epidemiology of infectious diseases
  • Andrew Brooks, BA, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVP – Innate immunity; Respiratory Disease; Mechanisms of infectious disease resistance; Inflammation
  • Jeff Caswell DVM, DVSc, PhD, Dipl ACVP – Neutrophil chemotaxis; Bacterial pneumonia of cattle and pigs
  • Robert A. Foster BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, Dipl ACVP – Reproductive pathology, surgical pathology
  • M. Anthony Hayes BVSc, PhD, Dipl ACVP – Anatomic Pathology, Toxicological Pathology, Mechanisms of innate resistance to bacterial infection
  • D. Bruce Hunter DVM, MSc – Avian diseases; nursing disease of mink; pulmonary function in turkeys; circovirus infection in pigeons
  • Robert M. Jacobs BSc, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVP – Bovine viruses, effect on the immune response; canine hereditary glomerulopathy
  • John S. Lumsden BSc, DVM, MSc, PhD, Dipl ACVP – Fish health, Innate and muccosal host response, Pathology
  • Janet I. MacInnes BSc, PhD – Molecular analysis of virulence determinants of bacteria, development of recombinant and live attenuated vaccines
  • Bonnie A. Mallard BSc, MSc, PhD – Immunogenetic aspects of antibody and cellular mechanisms of host defense with emphasis on breeding commercial livestock for inherent disease resistance
  • Éva Nagy DVM, PhD, DSc – Veterinary virology, molecular virology of avian viruses, development of recombinant viral vaccines, viral epidemiology, diagnostic tests for viral diseases of animals
  • Andrew S. Peregrine BVMS(Hons.), PhD, DVM – Epidemiology, impact and control of parasitic infections
  • John F. Prescott MA, VetMB, PhD – Bacterial disease in animals; Rhodococcus equi pneumonia; clinical bacteriology; effective antimicrobial drug use
  • Shayan Sharif DVM, PhD – Immunology and genetics of host disease resistance
  • Patricia E. Shewen BSc, DVM, MSc, PhD – Bacterial diseases, bovine respiratory disease
  • Dale A. Smith DVM, DVSc – Diseases of Wildlife and Zoo Animals
  • Patricia V. Turner BSc, MSc, DVM, DVSc, Dipl ACLAM – Diseases of laboratory animals; Toxicologic pathology
  • Darren R. Wood DVM, DVSc – Clinical Pathology and effects of BVDV infection on hematopoietic tissue
  • Dongwan Yoo DVM, MSc, PhD – Animal virology with emphasis on the molecular basis for viral pathogenesis and host cell-virus interactions

Financial Support Available

Students are encouraged to apply for support from national granting agencies such as NSERC and CIHR, provincial sources such as OGS, and for internal scholarships and awards. Students may also be supported by their advisor’s research funds. The minimum recommended level of support is $17,500 for MSc students and $19,500 for PhD.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Pathobiology
Dr. Janet MacInnes
Ontario Veterinary College
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1
Phone: 519-824-4120 x54731
Fax: 519-824-5930
Email: macinnes@uoguelph.ca

Graduate Secretary – Admissions
Donna KangasEmail: dkangas@uoguelph.ca

Web: http://www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/pathobio/

Department: Applied Bioscience Graduate Program

Overview

The Applied Bioscience Graduate Program fosters a multidisciplinary training environment at the interface between chemistry and biology. Several of our faculty at UOIT are leading experts in the field of Microbiology. The Faculty of Science, with no traditional departments, exposes students to interdisciplinary research, allowing them to gain experience working successfully within collaborative networks. The graduate programs equip students with a wide array of both practical and conceptual scientific skills that prepares them for leadership roles in the life sciences. At UOIT, we offer both MSc and PhD degrees in Applied Bioscience.

Research Facilities

We have acquired several facilities and equipment by both the Provincial and Federal Governments have provided state-of-the-art facilities for research in Applied Bioscience. Research facilities include: cell culture facilities, nuclear magnetic resonance, spectroscopy laboratories, analytical chemistry facilities. Faculty members have equipment in state-of-the art laboratories which are supported and maintained through external and internal funding. More information is located on the webpage.

List of Faculty

  • Dr. Dario Bonetta: Mechanisms of polysaccharide biosynthesis and cell wall integrity in Arabidopsis and microorganisms; bio-based materials for creation of fuels and fibers.
  • Dr. Jean-Paul Desaulniers: Nucleic acid chemistry; gene silencing; peptidomimetics; protein biochemistry.
  • Dr. E. Bradley Easton: Biosensors based on ceramic carbon electrodes (CCE).
  • Dr. Shari Forbes (Tier II Canada Research Chair in Decomposition Chemistry): Decomposition chemistry in soft tissue degradation, with applications in both forensics and food science.
  • Dr. Sean Forrester: Genomic, molecular and physiological investigation of neurotransmitter receptors in parasitic nematodes.
  • Dr. Julia Green-Johnson: Effects of gut microbes and food components on the immune system.
  • Dr. Douglas Holdway (Tier 1 CRC Chair in Aquatic Toxicology): Impacts of contaminant pulse exposure on aquatic organisms; development and use of biomarkers in monitoring fish population health.
  • Dr. Holly Jones-Taggart: Cellular and molecular biology, environmental and cancer biology.
  • Dr Andrea Kirkwood: Microbial diversity and function in aquatic ecosystems.
  • Dr. Ayush Kumar: Multi-drug resistance in bacteria.
  • Dr. Helene LeBlanc: Forensic entomology
  • Dr. Bernadette Murphy: Sensorimotor integration, motor control, chronic musculoskeletal pain.
  • Dr. Krisztina Paal: Ligand-protein interactions, targeted drug delivery.
  • Dr. Kevin Power: Motoneurone excitability and adaptions; muscle contraction
  • Dr. John Samis: Protease biochemistry, blood coagulation, inflammation, and acquired blood disorders.
  • Dr. Otto Sanchez: Experimental Pathology, environment and cancer biology
  • Dr. Janice Strap: Microbial interactions, genomics and proteomics.
  • Dr. Paul Yielder: Cortical asymmetry, motor control, medical imaging.

Financial Support Available

We offer competitive financial support packages for our students. The graduate stipend is designed to cover the costs of tuition and living expenses. Oshawa is an affordable community approximately 45 minutes east of Toronto. In addition, our Graduate School offers several internal scholarships for eligible students. All full-time students who are accepted into the Applied Bioscience Graduate Program are awarded a graduate stipend in the form of either a Teaching Assistantship, a Graduate Research Assistantship, and/or internal or external scholarships. For example, several of our students secure external funding through government agencies such as National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS), and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR). More information about these external scholarships is available from the School of Graduate Studies.

Admissions and Enquiries

Victoria Pearce
Program Assistant for the Applied Bioscience Graduate Program
UA Science Building
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, OntarioL1H 7K4 Canada
Phone: (905) 721-8668 x 3754
Email: gradsecretary@science.uoit.ca

Web: http://www.science.uoit.ca/graduate/applied_bioscience/index.php

Department: Biology

Overview

Biology opens the door to many careers – agriculture, forestry, environmental sciences, resource management, medicine, paramedical services, education –and the Biology program at the University of Ottawa is designed to provide a solid background for them all.

Research Facilities

The campus is well equipped for a wide range of biological research; some major equipment and facilities include transmission and scanning electron microscopes, spectrophotometers, liquid scintillation and other radioactivity counters, high performance liquid and gas chromatographs, amino acid analyzer, preparative and analytical ultracentrifuges, electrophysiology equipment, tissue culture, animal and plant growth facilities, controlled environment cabinets and on-line computer access. State-of-the-art facilities for research in genomics and bioinformatics are available at the new Centre for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics (CAREG). Students also benefit from the resources of nearby government laboratories and libraries such as: Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada, Environment Canada, Health Canada, the National Research Council and the Canadian Institute for Scientific and Technical Information.

The Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology is one of the largest centers in Canada for graduate studies and research in Biology. The Institute was formed in 1982 by the amalgamation of the graduate programs of Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. The Institute has three major fields of research: cell and molecular biology; physiology and biochemistry; and ecology, systematics and behavior. The Institute also contributes to interdisciplinary specializations including biotechnology, environmental and chemical toxicology, neurosciences, and environment and economic interactions. Because of its location in Canada’s capital, Institute scientists have the opportunity to collaborate with the many federal government research scientists in institutions including the National Research Council, Agriculture Canada, Health Canada, National Museums, Environment Canada, Atomic Energy of Canada and Canadian Wildlife Service. It is from these institutions that our adjunct professors are drawn.

List of Faculty

  • ARIS-BROSOU, Stephane – Comparison of molecular phylogenies; Estimation of molecular phylogenies and divergence dates; Markov models of codon substitution and detection of adaptive molecular evolution
  • ARNASON, John T. – Chemical ecology; Ethnopharmacology and medicinal plants;
  • BLAIS, Jules – Identifying the consequences of anthropogenic stressors on natural systems.
  • BLOUIN-DEMERS, Gabriel – The interface of ecology, behaviour, and physiology.
  • BONEN, Linda – Structure, expression and evolution of mitochondrial genes in plants – events that are essential for respiratory function.
  • BROWN, Adam – The factors that influence insect-flower interactions as they relate to berry production in two separate study systems, le wild cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) and the cultivated cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon).
  • CATLING, Paul M. – Systematics of clonal crops including hybridization and evolution.
  • CHAPLEAU, François – Systematics and Ecology of Fishes
  • CHAREST, Christiane – Mycorrhizal Plant Research and Plant Stress Physiology
  • CURRIE, David J. – Big Picture Ecology: The Patterns of Ecosystem Structure and Function
  • DROUIN, Guy – Studying the molecular evolution of RNA polymerase genes to infer the phylogeny of land plants; Studying how RNA polymerases I, II and III evolved from the single RNA polymerase gene found in prokaryotic species; Using the currently available complete prokaryotic and eukaryotic genome sequences to study the effect of gene conversions on the evolution of multigene families.
  • EKKER, M. – Function and Regulation of Vertebrate Dlx genes; Fate of Duplicate Genes in Evolution; Transgenic zebrafish as tools in screens for new mutations and in functional genomics.
  • FINDLAY, Scott – Developing predictive models of ecosystem response to anthropogenic stress
  • GAJEWSKI, Konrad – Analysis of climate change and its impacts on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems
  • GASTON, Anthony J. – Population ecology of marine birds in the Eastern Arctic and Queen Charlotte Islands
  • GILLESPIE, Lynn – Molecular systematics of arctic flowering plants, including hybridization and introgression.
  • GILMOUR, K.M. – Integration of behaviour and physiology in rainbow trout; Ionoregulatory challenges and stress in rainbow trout; Gas exchange and acid-base balance in fish
  • HOUSEMAN, J. – Development and evaluation of teaching and learning tools that support the teaching of biology, and sciences, in Higher Education.
  • JOHNSON, Douglas A. – The identification of molecular markers in barely, wheat and other grains; The seed coat plays a major role in determining seed yield and quality.
  • KASSEN, Rees – The evolution of the niche and the fate of diversity with particular attention paid to the importance of environmental heterogeneity as a general explanation for diversity patterns; The origins of diversity and the genetics of adaptive radiation; The evolution of diversity through social interactions among species.
  • KENNEDY, Sean W. – Effects of environmental contaminants on wildlife.
  • KERR, Jeremy – Influence of human activities on spatial patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem function
  • LEAN, David R.S. – Influence of toxic organic chemicals and mercury on aquatic ecosystems. Impact of UV radiation and climate change on food chain processes.
  • LEWIS, John – How brains acquire and process information.
  • MARTIN, Cristofre – The Zebrafish; Epigenetic Control of Gene Regulation; Epigenetic Toxins; Transgenics
  • MOON, Thomas W. – Evolution of hormone signal transduction pathways; Metabolism and hormone action; Environmental toxicants as hormone disruptors
  • MORIN, Antoine – Ecology and control of black flies; Size spectra of stream assemblages; Impacts of human activities on running water ecosystems; Primary and secondary productivity of running waters; Heavy metal contamination of invertebrate communities of the St Lawrence River, near Cornwall; Empirical and predictive models in running water ecology; Role of meiofauna in the nitrogen cycle in marine mesocosms; Design and optimization of sampling programs.
  • OUELLET, Thérèse – Molecular pathology and gene expression
  • PAULIN-LEVASSEUR, Micheline – Nuclear lamina; Molecular definition of internal components of the karyoskeleton
  • PERRY, Steve F. – Comparative respiratory and cardiovascular physiology
  • PHILOGÈNE, Bernard J.R. – The development of efficient, environmentally acceptable methods for insect control requires an understanding of the insect’s strategies for survival and the host’s ability to survive.
  • PICK, Frances – Microbial food chains of lakes and rivers; Biogeochemistry of trace metals in wetlands
  • PICMAN, Jaroslav – Behavioral Ecology
  • RENAUD, Claude B. – Ecology, systematics and evolution of two economically important groups of fishes; the lampreys (Petromyzontidae) and codfishes (Gadinae).
  • ROLLAND-LAGAN, Anne-Gaëlle – trying to understand morphogenesis and morphology using a combination of experimental and computational approaches
  • RUNDLE, Howard – Interface of natural and sexual selection with quantitative genetics
  • TRUDEAU, Vance – How the vertebrate brain regulates anterior pituitary hormone release.
  • WEBER, Jean-Michel – Functional and structural design of energy supply systems for exercise and hypometabolism (fasting, hibernation).
  • WHITE, Paul – Environmental health sciences
  • XIA, Xuhua – Molecular ecology, evolution and bioinformatics

Financial Support Available

  • Graduate students may be eligible for excellence scholarships which are equivalent to tuition fees. Excellence scholarships are awarded to recipients of major external awards (e.g., CIHR, FRQ, NSERC, OGS, SSHRC). They are awarded for each year that the external award is held.
  • Full-time graduate students holding assistantships at the University of Ottawa may get their tuition fees and other University of Ottawa expenses completely or partially deducted from their salary, interest-free.
  • Students may also be eligible for Ontario Graduate Scholarships in Science and Technology (OGSST).

Admissions and Enquiries

Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology
Department of Biology
MacDonald Hall
150 Louis Pasteur, Room 329
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5
Phone: 613-562-5800 x6335
Fax: 613-562-5665
Email: lise@science.uottawa.ca

Web: http://www.bio.uottawa.ca/eng/welcome.php

Department: Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology

Overview

The Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of M.Sc. and Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology. It also offers a collaborative specialization in human and molecular genetics for students admitted to the M.Sc. or Ph.D. programs in microbiology and immunology.

Research Facilities

  • The Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology is home to the University of Ottawa Biotechnology Research Institute (UOBRI) which was established in 1985 to promote biotechnology-based research within the University of Ottawa and the local scientific community. The Institute has been providing DNA synthesis, coupled with high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and purification of oligonucleotides to Ottawa area researchers and others since 1987, and in 1995, an automated DNA sequencing and analysis service was added as well.
  • The University of Ottawa Flow Cytometry Suite (FCS) is also located in this department.
  • Two microbiological centers are based in the BMI Department which provide opportunities for unique research collaborations with industry and others.
  • The Centre for Research on Environmental Microbiology (CREM)
  • The Centre for Research in Biopharmaceuticals and Biotechnology (CRBB)
  • BMI is the home department for the Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology (OISB)

List of Faculty

  • Addison, Christina – We are interested in the growth of new blood vessels, a process termed angiogenesis, and how this process can be inhibited as a means of preventing tumor growth by starving them of their blood supply.
  • Altosaar, Illimar – Molecular Bio-Pharming: Production of Human Pharmaceutical Proteins in Transgenic Plants; Reduction of Environmental Carcinogens: Production of Bacterial Entomocidal Proteins (Biocides) in Transgenic Plants.
  • Angel, Jonathan – Studies on the mechanisms of HIV induced immune dysfunction; Studies on immune restoration with effective anti-HIV therapy; Studies on immune based therapies and vaccines in HIV infection
  • Aubin, Remy A. – Molecular cloning and functional characterization of genes involved in the pathogenesis of human pancreatic cancer.
  • Baenziger, John – The structural characterization of membrane proteins with a particular focus on a ligand gated ion channel called the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR).
  • Baetz, Kristin – Using the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as our model organism, we aim to integrate directed molecular, genetic and biochemical studies with high-throughput robotics-based chemical and functional genomic techniques to identify and characterize conserved genetic determinants of chromosome stability.
  • Bell, John – Regulation of pre-mRNA splicing by protein kinases.
  • Bennett, Steffany – Research in the Bennett laboratory seeks to identify new therapeutic targets that reduce neuronal death and/or activate adult neural stem and progenitor cells to promote functional CNS regeneration.
  • Birnboim, H. Chaim – Mutatect model for studying genotoxic factors in the tumour microenvironment that may contribute to tumour progression.
  • Brown, Earl G. – Molecular-genetic analysis of RNA viruses with segmented genomes.
  • Bulman, Denis E. – Genes involved in Parkinson’s Disease; Episodic Neurological Disorders; Ion Channel diseases; Genetic factors in Cardiac Valve Development;
    Brachydactyly type A1
  • Cameron, William – Host-pathogen interaction of Haemophilus ducreyi infection. Epidemiology of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS in developing countries AIDS clinical epidemiology and treatment trials in Canada Haemophilus ducreyi (chancroid) serology and vaccine development.
  • Carrier, Danielle – Conformation, dynamics and interactions of membrane lipids in relation with membrane function.
  • Chrétien, Michel – A group of enzymes called Proprotein Convertases (PCs) play an active role in a number of debilitating conditions whose frequency increases with age (including atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS, influenza, obesity and diabetes). This research is expected to produce novel approaches, not only to diagnose and treat these illnesses, but also to prevent them in the future.
  • Copeland, Karen – The effect of host factors on HIV-1 transcription and replication; The modulation of CD8+ T cell function by HIV-1 infection; Chemokine-mediated signal transduction in T cells and monocytic cells; HIV LTR sequence variation.
  • De Bold-Kuroski, Mercedes – The role of ovarian hormones on natriuretic peptides (NP) gene expression, production and release in hypertension and in heart failure.
  • Diaz-Mitoma, Francisco – Pathogenesis of viral infections and the role of cytokines and adhesion molecules in the fight against HIV and hepatitis infections.
  • Dimock, Kenneth D. – Human enterovirus receptors, co-receptors and entry; enterovirus host range and tropism. Parainfluenza virus fusion and entry; regulation of parainfluenza virus fusion and entry; regulation of paranfluenza virus transcription and replication.
  • Farber, Jeffrey – Applied food microbiology. Define the conditions leading to the survival, growth and toxin production of pathogenic bacteria in foods; perform molecular typing, search for novel control methods, develop rapid methods.
  • Figeys, Daniel – To develop proteomic technologies centered on mass spectrometry
  • Filion, Lionel G. – Cytokine in MS Disease. Cytokine “immune hormones” play an important role in autoimmune disease such as Multiple Sclerosis. The project is to determine the role of the cytokines in modulating the immune response in patients with Multiple Sclerosis.
  • Franks, Douglas – PKC isoform translocation during cell cycle progression and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells.
  • Freedman, Mark – Neuroimmunology as applied to the study of MS; Clinical MS research; Therapeutic trials in MS
  • Garber, Gary – Pathogenesis of Trichiomonas vaginalis
  • Gray, Douglas – The chain shortening or deubiquitinating enzymes, their substrate specificities, and their potential roles in the development of cancer.
  • Greenway, Donald – Analysis of compounds of clinical interest by chromatographic and immunological methods; Analysis of porphyrins by HPLC and its application to the differential diagnosis of porphyrias; Automation of immunoassays; Testing for drugs of abuse, analytical and ethical issues; Clinical laboratory automation and robotics; Clinical laboratory utilization.
  • Haché, Robert – How signaling proteins work in the cell nucleus.
  • Harper, Mary-Ellen – Mitochondrial Uncoupling Proteins: Mechanisms and their Metabolic Control.
  • Hefford, Mary – 1) protein chemistry and protein engineering, and 2) protein structure prediction and verification.
  • Holcik, Martin – (i) Identification of the trans-acting cellular factors that bind to the XIAP IRES and modulate its activity; (ii) analysis of the RNA-protein interactions within the IRES element; (iii) analysis of various apoptotic stimuli and stress situations such as hypoxia, chemotherapeutic drugs and g-irradiation on the expression of XIAP, and other IRES-containing mRNAs; (iv) identification of physiological and pharmacological stimuli which modulate IRES-mediated translation.
  • Hou, Sheng T. – Identification of novel molecular targets in the complex cascade of post stroke events and on the development of novel experimental strategies for future clinical therapeutics.
  • Korneluk, Robert G. – Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy (DM): characterization of the DMK gene and its protein product. Role of inhibitors of apoptosis in cancers.
  • Kozlowski, Maya – To identify the cellular mechanisms and signal transduction pathways modulating the immune responses and development of cancer.
  • Krishnan, Lakshmi – Development of subunit vaccines against cancers or infection that induce potent long-term memory.
  • Krworuchko, Marko – HIV-induced defects in immune function; regulation of anti-viral cytotoxic T cell immune responses; cytokine signal transduction.
  • Kumar, Ashok – HIV Immunopathogenesis
  • Labow, Rosalind – Identification of the biological activities causing biodegradation of polyurethane medical devices
  • Laneuville, Odette – The regulation of expression of the enzyme cyclooxygenase
  • Lee, C. – Heme-Iron Uptake in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
  • Lee, Hoyun – The G1/S checkpoint and the S-phase damage-sensing pathway.
  • Lee, Jonathan – Cancer and the molecular biology of cell division
  • Li, Sean – Development of genetically modified viral vectors for vaccine and gene delivery; Mechanistic study of SARS viral assembly; Pathogenesis of prion diseases.
  • Lin, Min – The pathogenic bacterium genes selectively expressed in infected hosts, and roles of these gene products in pathogenesis and immunity
  • Liston, Peter – Characterization of negative regulators of the Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP) protein family, including Smac and XAF1, a candidate tumor suppressor.
  • Liu, Johné – The molecular mechanism of growth factor signal transduction in cell cycle progression and during early embryonic development.
  • Lorimer, Ian – Cancer therapeutics targeting a mutant oncogenic EGF receptor; Signalling by mutant EGF receptor; Targeting viral vectors to cells expressing mutant EGF receptor; Phase I trial of an EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
  • Mackenzie, Alexander – Neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP), assessing its role in modifying the phenotype of the fatal pediatric neuromuscular disorder known as spinal muscular atrophy as well as analysing NAIP gene expression and the protein’s mechanism of action.
  • MacPherson, Paul – Interleukin-7 is essential for the development, maintenance and function of cell mediated immunity.
  • Mah, Thien-Fah – The lab studies Biofilm-specific antimicrobial resistance using genetic, molecular biological and biochemichal approaches.
  • Marcel, Yves – Structure-function analysis of human apolipoprotein A-I, cellular cholesterol transport and lipoprotein transcytosis; Role of hepatocyte cell surface molecules in lipoprotein secretion and uptake
  • Mbikay, Majambu – The biological functions of proprotein convertases (PCs), a seven-member family of calcium-dependent serine proteinases involved in the proteolytic activation of precursor proteins by cleavage after selected pairs of basic residues.
  • McBride, Heidi – Investigation of the molecular mechanisms governing mitochondrial morphology.
  • McBurney, Mike – Molecular basis of gene silencing in mammalian cells.
  • McPherson, Ruth – Structure and function of human apolipoproteins; Adipocyte cholesterol homeostasis; Regulation of adipocyte LRP gene expression.
  • Milne, Ross – Structure/function relationships of plasma lipoproteins
  • Nadin-Davis, Susan – Molecular methods towards the development of novel tests for diagnosis of infection by several viruses, as well as exploring improved methods for detection of Salmonella pullorum and discrimination of variants. Rabies molecular epidemiology and virus strain typing.
  • O’Brien, Edward – The biology of atherosclerosis and the processes involved in arterial narrowing
  • Parissenti, Amadeo – To study novel and effective approaches to dominantly inhibit/downregulate specific isoforms of protein kinase C or protein kinase A in cells.
  • Parks, Robin – Development and characterization of adenoviral vectors deleted of all viral protein coding sequences for use in gene therapy.
  • Pelchat, Martin – characterize the host-components involved in subviral RNA pathogens replication and study their interactions at the molecular level.
  • Perry, Malcolm B. – Structural and cellular aspects of pathogenesis related to human and animal bacterial infections.
  • Pickets, David – Human genetic disease arising from defects in epigenetic gene regulation; ATRX, ISWI; Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD)
  • Ramirez, Sandra – Detection of bacterial contamination in blood products ; Development of molecular assays for bacterial detection in blood components ; Bacterial cell division and cell growth ; Cell division mechanisms of Staphylococcus epidermidis.
  • Sad, Subash – Elucidating the role of cytokines in the differentiation and effector functions of T cells.
  • Sattar, Syed Abdus – Human Health-Related Environmental Microbiology.
  • Scoggan, Kylie – diet-gene interactions through the application of genetic and genomic approaches to the field of nutrition
  • Scott, Fraser – Type 1 Autoimmune Diabetes, Food/Nutritional Modification of Gene and Protein Expression, Inflammation, Cytokines, Mucosal Immunology, Pancreatic Islet Morphogenesis and Stem Cells, Proteomics, Bioactive Food Components, Food Immunology, Environmental Modification of Chronic Disease Risk.
  • Sikorska-Walker, Marianna – Molecular Mechanisms of Apoptotic Cell Death
  • Skerjanc, Ilona – How stem cells differentiate into cardiac and skeletal muscle.
  • Sorisky, Alexander – Obesity, Adipocyte Differentiation, Insulin Action, Apoptosis, Diabetes
  • Sparks, Daniel – The role of high density lipoprotein charge and structure in the metabolism of cholesterol.
  • Stintzi, Alain – Functional genomic analysis of Campylobacter jejuni and other enteric pathogens.
  • Tackaberry, Eilleen – Immunological control of infectious diseases
  • Tanphaichitr, Nongnuj – Understanding the molecular mechanisms of mammalian fertilization with an emphasis on male germ cells.
  • Tesson, F. – Determination of Molecular Basis and Genetic Epidemiology of Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy; Characterisation of Genetic Predictors of Weight Loss in Obese Women
  • Van Huysse, James – Central nervous control of the cardiovascular system
  • Vincent, Renaud – The effects of inhaled contaminants on the respiratory, cardiovascular, immune, and central nervous systems using complementary approaches in cell culture models, experimental animals, and human subjects.
  • Wallace, Valerie – To identify and characterize the cell-cell interactions that regulate proliferation and neurogenesis in the developing mammalian visual system.
  • Wandeler, Alexander – Rabies Diagnosis, Molecular Epidemiology, Recombinant Vaccines for Wildlife Immunization
  • Wang, Lisheng – Development of blood and endothelial cells from hESCs, aiming at understanding their developmental biology and generating required tissues for potential clinical applications.
  • Worton, Ronald – Genetics of human disease (Identification of the dystrophin gene responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy; Mechanism of mutation in patients); Gene regulation of the dystrophin gene; Stem Cell and Gene Therapy
  • Wright, Kathryn – Genetic basis of viral pathogenesis and attenuation, specifically paramyxoviruses.
  • Yao, Zemin – The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying familial combined hyperlipidemia
  • Young, Martin – Carbohydrates on cell surfaces and glycoproteins form specific structures that are recognized by proteins such as antibodies and lectins.
  • Zha, Xiaohui – Cellular Cholesterol Transport and Function.

Financial Support Available

Candidates are encouraged to seek financial assistance by applying directly for scholarships or student loans to provincial, federal or international agencies. Students may be provided full or partial financial support from the research grants of their respective thesis supervisors. Departmental funds for teaching and research assistantships are limited and are generally used for supplementing graduate student stipends.

The Biochemistry Department also offers several financial awards to eligible graduate students.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Faculty of Medicine
University of Ottawa
451 Smyth Road, Room 4209
Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5
Phone: 613-562-5424
Fax: 613-562-5440
Email: grads@uottawa.ca

Web: http://www.medicine.uottawa.ca/microbio/bmi/eng

Department: Molecular and Medical Genetics Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology

Overview

The program of study in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto provides a curriculum of courses and a broad-based multidisciplinary approach to research in mechanisms of disease leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. The Program emphasizes the development of analytical technologies, the application of basic research techniques in biochemistry, cell biology, clinical biochemistry, experimental pathology, genetics, immunology, and molecular biology to the study of mechanisms of cell and tissue injury and the pathogenesis of disease. The program also emphasizes the nature, mechanisms, therapy, and prevention of microbial diseases in humans, as well as the processes by which pathogenic microbes are spread. Areas of research include: bone and matrix pathobiology, Cancer, Cancer development and prevention: The Integrative Science, Immunopathology, Lymphatics, and Transplantation, Laboratory Medicine and, Pathobiology, Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Neuropathobiology and Endocrine Disorders, Vascular and Cardiovascular Biology.

Research Facilities

Research laboratories are situated at the University and in the teaching hospitals and their research institutes.

Microbiologists are mainly in two departments (MMG and LMP), while others are located in Dentistry, Botany, Chemical Engineering, Zoology and Life Sciences (UTSC at Scarborough). Most LMP staff are in teaching hospitals, while the MMG microbiologists are on campus. The size and scope of the research fraternity in the Toronto area makes a wealth of expertise, instrumentation and technology available for the taking. Expanding groups in genomics, proteomics and cell-cell signaling have benefited both medical and environmental research projects. The whole is underpinned by the most extensive, public university library in North America.

List of Faculty

  • ABDELHALEEM, Mohamed PhD
  • ADELI, Khosrow PhD
  • ALMAN, Benjamin PhD
  • ANDRULIS, Irene L PhD
  • ASA, Sylvia L PhD
  • AUBERT, Isabelle PhD
  • BAINES, Andrew D. PhD
  • BAPAT, Bharati PhD
  • BARBER, Dwayne PhD
  • BAST, Darrin PhD
  • BENDECK, Michelle P. PhD
  • BERGERON, Catherine PhD
  • BISHOP, Russell E. PhD
  • BOGGS, Joan M. PhD
  • BOGNAR, Andrew L. PhD
  • BRANCH, Donald PhD
  • BREMNER, Rod PhD
  • BROWN, Martha PhD
  • BRUNTON, James PhD
  • BURROWS, Lori L. PhD
  • CHUN, Kathy PhD
  • COLE, David E.C. PhD
  • CONNELLY, Philip PhD
  • COURTMAN, David PhD
  • CRANDALL, Ian PhD
  • CUTZ, Ernest PhD
  • CYBULSKY, Myron I. PhD
  • DE AZAVEDO, Joyce PhD
  • DENNIS, Jim PhD
  • DENOMME, Gregory PhD
  • DER, Sandy PhD
  • DIAMANDIS, Eleftherios P. PhD
  • DIRKS, Peter PhD
  • DONE, Susan PhD
  • DRUCKER, Daniel PhD
  • ELLEN, Richard P PhD
  • ELSHOLTZ, Harry P PhD
  • FERNANDES, Bernie PhD
  • FORNASIER, Victor L PhD
  • GALLINGER, Steven PhD
  • GOTLIEB, Avrum I PhD
  • GRYNPAS, Marc D PhD
  • GUPTA, Neeru PhD
  • HAMEL, Paul A PhD
  • HANNIGAN, Gregory E PhD
  • HARRISON, Rene PhD
  • HAY, Jack PhD
  • HEDLEY, David PhD
  • HINEK, Aleksander PhD
  • HOUGH, Margaret PhD
  • HU, Jim PhD
  • HUSAIN, Mansoor PhD
  • IRWIN, David M PhD
  • JACKOWSKI, George PhD
  • JIN, Tianru PhD
  • JOHNSTON, Miles G PhD
  • JOSHI, Sadhna PhD
  • JOTHY, Serge PhD
  • KAIN, Kevin C PhD
  • KAMEL-REID, Suzanne PhD
  • KANDEL, Rita A PhD
  • KEELEY, Fred W. PhD
  • KHOKHA, Rama PhD
  • LANGILLE, Lowell B PhD
  • LAU, Herbert PhD
  • LAZARUS, Alan H PhD
  • LEVY, Gary A PhD
  • LEYTIN, Valery PhD
  • LI , Ren-Ke PhD
  • LINGWOOD, Clifford A PhD
  • LOW, Donald PhD
  • LUKACS, Gergely L PhD
  • MAHURAN, Don J PhD
  • MARKS, Alexander PhD
  • MARSDEN, Philip PhD
  • MAZZULLI, Tony MD
  • MCGAVIN, Martin PhD
  • MCKERLIE, Colin PhD
  • MCLAURIN, JoAnne PhD
  • MINTA, Joe O PhD
  • MOGRIDGE, Jeremy PhD
  • MOSCARELLO, Mario A PhD
  • MULLEN, Brendan PhD
  • NAG, Sukriti PhD
  • NG, Dominic PhD
  • NI, Heyu PhD
  • OHH, Michael PhD
  • OPAS, Michal PhD
  • OZCELIK, Hilmi PhD
  • PALANIYAR, Nades PhD
  • POST, Martin PhD
  • PRITZKER, Kenneth PhD
  • PRUD’HOMME, Gerald PhD
  • RAJALAKSHMI, Srinivasan PhD
  • RAND, Margaret L PhD
  • REIS, Marciano PhD
  • RIDDELL, Robert PhD
  • ROBERTSON, Janice PhD
  • ROMASCHIN, Alexander PhD
  • ROSENBLUM, Norman D PhD
  • ROWE-MAGNUS, Dean PhD
  • ROZAKIS-ADCOCK, Maria PhD
  • RUTKA, James T PhD
  • SARMA, Dittakavi SR PhD
  • SCHMITT-ULMS, Gerold PhD
  • SEMPLE, John PhD
  • SETH, Arun PhD
  • SHAW, Patricia A PhD
  • SHEK, Pang N PhD
  • SHERMAN, Phillip PhD
  • SQUIRE, Jeremy A PhD
  • STEWART, Duncan J PhD
  • STRAUSS, Bradley PhD
  • TAYLOR, Michael PhD
  • TEIN, Ingrid PhD
  • TELLIER, Raymond PhD
  • TEMPLETON, Douglas M PhD
  • TENENBAUM, Howard C. PhD
  • TESHIMA, Ikuko PhD
  • THORNER, Paul S PhD
  • TSAO, Ming-Sound PhD
  • VIETH, Reinhold PhD
  • VOGEL, Wolfgang PhD
  • WANG, Chen PhD
  • WARD, Michael E. PhD
  • WESTAWAY, David PhD
  • WILSON, Gregory J PhD
  • WONG, Pui-Yuen PhD
  • YANG, Burton B. PhD
  • YEGER, Herman PhD
  • YUCEL, Yeni PhD
  • ZACKSENHAUS, Eldad PhD
  • ZHANG, Li PhD
  • ZIELENSKA, Maria PhD

Financial Support Available

Graduate students are encouraged to compete for external awards from a variety of provincial, national and international funding agencies including CIHR, CGSMA, NSERC, IPS, OGS, HSFO and many others. Internal sources of funding include fellowships, scholarships, trusts, studentships and awards.

Admissions and Enquiries

Admissions – Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology
Marika Michael
Faculty of Medicine
University of Toronto
Banting Institute
100 College Street, Room 110
Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L5

Phone: 416-978-2550 / 416-978-2557
Fax: 416-978-7361
Email: marika.michael@utoronto.ca

Web: http://www.lmp.facmed.utoronto.ca/scripts/index_.asp

Department: Biology

Overview

The Department of Biology offers graduate training at both the Master’s (M.Sc.) and Doctorate (Ph.D.) levels. The M.Sc. degree is available as both a regular and co-op program. Joint studies in biology and other departments, including those in other faculties, can also be arranged. Both the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees are thesis degrees, involving course work and a thesis based on original research.

The fields in which research is in progress in the Department include: Animal Physiology, Ecology and Environmental Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, and Plant Biology.

Research Facilities

The Department of Biology has extensive research facilities to support microbiological research. Facilities include basic microbiology laboratories, well equipped fermentation laboratories, facilities and equipment for research in molecular biology, equipment for cell extraction and product purification, and extensive analytical instrumentation including liquid gas and chromatography, GC-MS and electron microscopy. Specialized facilities are available for research on bioremediation, environmental microbiology, toxicology, plant-microbe interactions, Archaea, and yeast molecular biology, and pilot scale equipment for bioprocess scale-up.

A leading edge facility for molecular microbiology and bioinformatics has been established. Four new laboratories have been constructed to support research on hyperthermophilic bacteria, yeast molecular genetics, plant-microbe interactions, and bioinformatics and systematics. Laboratory equipment includes a high temperature incubator, various cell culture equipment, laminar flow hoods, an autoclave and steamer, a phase-contrast microscope, UV/Vis spectrophotometers, H2 S gas chromatograph, a FPLC system, a PhastSystem (for protein analysis), 2D gel electrophoresis, gel documentation system, micromanipulator, a bead-beater, a sonicator, several thermocyclers, a hybridization oven, low-temperature freezers, an ultracentrifuge, an automated DNA sequencer and a plant growth chamber. Bioinformatics activities are facilitated by two Sun Blade 1000 UNIX computers, each with two 750Mhz processors, and one Sun Blade 1000 UNIX computer, with one 750Mhz processor.

Facilities also include:

  • Environmental Genomics and Biomarker Development Facility
  • Plant Growth Facility
  • Herbarium
  • Electron and Confocal Microscopy Equipment
  • Aquatic Ecology Facilities and Equipment
  • Wet-lab Facility

List of Faculty

  • T.C.Charles BSc, PhD – Plant-Microbe Interactions
  • B.P. Duncker BSc, PhD – using the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in cancer-related studies of the cell cycle.
  • B.R.Glick BSc, MSc, PhD – Isolation, characterization and manipulation of microbial genes which encode products that are involved in the microbial stimulation of plant growth.
  • S.J.Guildford BSc, MSc, PhD – lower trophic levels in lakes and oceans (bacteria, algae, and small grazers), factors controlling these organisms (nutrient chemistry, physical variables, grazing) and the role these organisms play in the overall productivity and health of the waterbody
  • K.Ma BS, MS, PhD – Physiology and enzymology of hyperthermophilic microorganisms.
  • K.M.Muller BSc, PhD – Evolution and systematics of the eukaryotic algae and Bioinformatics.
  • W.D.Taylor BSc, PhD – aquatic ecology, including the ecology of protozoa, the fate of aquatic bacteria, nutrient cycles, bioaccumulation of contaminants, and human effects on water quality.
  • O.P.Ward BSc, PhD – Decarboxylases in asymmetric synthesis; Omega-3/6 fatty acid production; Fermentation research; Biodegradation research

Financial Support Available

The Department of Biology offers financial support in the form of Research Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships. The support is normally offered until the student’s program time limit is reached. Internal and external scholarships are also available and students are assisted in applying for such funds as they become available. Departmental policy defines a mandatory minimum level of financial support for all students in good standing and within program time limits. The minimum is designed to meet the needs of single students who pay domestic tuition fees and have no exceptional expenses; it is reviewed periodically by the department.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Biology
Jennifer Lehman
University of Waterloo
200 University Ave. W.
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
Phone: 519-888-4567 x6392
Fax: 519-746-0614
Email: gradbio@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca

Graduate Studies Office
Needles Hall, Room 2072
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
Phone: 519-888-4567 x5411

Web: http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/biology/biology.html

Department: Microbiology & Immunology

Overview

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology is a core department in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and places a special emphasis on biomedical research and teaching with a focus on human disease, infection, and immunity. The Department is committed to the training of Ph.D. and M.Sc. students through the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. The Graduate Program revolves around two major fields of scientific endeavor:

  • The molecular and cellular biology of microorganisms
  • The molecular and cellular biology of the immune system.

These fields involve studies on bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, and immune cells with an emphasis on molecular biology, biochemistry, and pathogenesis.

Research Facilities

Excellent facilities and resources for carrying out research are available in the Department as well as in the University Hospital, Lawson Health Research Institute, Robarts Research Institute, and the London Regional Cancer Program at Victoria Hospital.

List of Faculty

  • Dr. Stephen Barr – TRIM22 is an interferon-induced gene which is able to prevent HIV release from infected cells. The mechanism behind this defense is unknown and is the main research focus.
  • Dr. Peter Cadieux – Bacterial infections of the urinary and urogenital tracts, incorporating in vitro methods, animal models and clinical samples.
  • Dr. Ewa Cairns – The role of MHC class II molecules and auto-antigens in the development of rheumatic autoimmune diseases, specifically Rheumatoid Arthritis (RADr. Carol Creuzenet –To elucidate the molecular basis for the biosynthesis of surface virulence factors in the human pathogens, Campylobacter jejuni, Helicobacter pylori and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.
  • Dr. Greg Dekaban –Major research focuses are to develop 1) improved vaccines for HIV/AIDS and cancer; 2) novel acute anti-inflammatory treatments for spinal cord injury.
  • Dr. Rod Dekoter – Study of transcription factors that regulate the immune system with a focus on PU.1 where reduced levels have been correlated to Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
  • Dr. Lakshman Gunaratnam – Study of the potential role of kidney injury molecule-1 in regulating the immune response and in preventing kidney transplant rejection.
  • Dr. Mansour Haeryfar – (1) Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) development in response to viral pathogens and tumor antigens; (2) Immunodominance hierarchies of CD8+ T cells; (3) Direct priming and cross-priming in CD8+ T cell responses.
  • Dr. David Heinrichs – Study of proteins of Staphylococcus aureus that are essential for the acquisition of iron.
  • Dr. Anthony Jevnikar – Study of autoimmune diseases, including diabetes and lupus kidney disease, and the prevention of kidney transplant rejection.
  • Dr. Yong Kang – Development of efficacious vaccines against various human diseases including AIDS, hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever.
  • Dr. Sung Kim – Investigation of the molecular and signalling mechanisms by which macrophages interact and their response to different microbes including Bacillus anthracis, commensals and probiotics.
  • Dr. Jim Koropatnick –Investigation of the roles of metallothioneins and metal ion and amino acid transporter proteins that affect the toxicity and physiological activity of metals.
  • Dr. Susan Koval – Study of the mechanism of attachment and invasion of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, an obligate predator of other Gram-negative bacteria.
  • Dr. Tom Linn – Transcriptional and translational control mechanisms that regulate gene expression in prokaryotes. Emphasis is towards alternative sigma factors in Bacillus cereus, a species closely related to Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax.
  • Dr. Joaquin Madrenas – Regulation of the activation of T lymphocytes through their antigen receptor.
  • Dr. John McCormick –Structural and functional characterization of potent “super-antigen” toxins produced by Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus.Dr. Martin McGavin –Study of how secreted virulence factors of Staphylococcus aureus, including serine-, cysteine- and metalloproteases promote rapid transition between colonization and infection.
  • Dr. Tina Mele – Investigation of human expressed genes and gene polymorphisms that impact the outcomes of sepsis.
  • Dr. Joe Mymryk –Use of small RNA viruses as tools to explore and discover fundamental mechanisms regulating eukaryotic cell growth and gene expression with focus on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Human Adenovirus.
  • Dr. Gregor Reid –Studies on how indigenous and exogenously applied (probiotic) lactobacilli confer health benefits in the gut and urogenital tract.
  • Dr. Bhagi Singh – Development of specific immunotherapeutic approaches for autoimmune type I diabetes (T1D).
  • Dr. Alp Sener – Establishment of novel strategies of minimizing post-transplant graft rejection and in promoting improved early and late allograft survival.
  • Dr. Miguel Valvano – Mechanism of assembly of O antigen lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and pathogenesis of the Burkholderia cepacia complex.

Financial Support Available

It is the policy of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology that all Graduate Students receive a stipend that guarantees a living allowance (i.e. after tuition and ancillary fees) of no less than $12,500 for M.Sc. and $14,500 for Ph.D. students. This brings the total amount paid to each student to a minimum of ~$19,400-$21,400, before tuition. The base student stipend is typically a composite of funds from the supervisor’s research grant, and School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Scholarship funding (e.g. Schulich Graduate Scholarship or Western Graduate Research Scholarship).

A limited number of Teaching Assistantship positions (covered by the Collective Agreement between UWO and PSAC Local 00610) become available each year and information regarding these positions is communicated during the Summer term.. These are valued at approximately $2300 – $3300/ term and are normally above and beyond the base stipend values. Graduate Students in the Microbiology and Immunology program are also eligible for a number of competitive internal awards, including Departmental Entrance Scholarships.

Students are encouraged to apply to all available external agencies for support. Information on the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Awards program, and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Awards programs are made available when the program recieves the appropriate information.

Admissions and Enquiries

Graduate Secretary
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario N6A 5C1
Phone: 519-661 3427
Fax: 519-661 3499
Email: jjbrace@uwo.ca

Web: http://www.uwo.ca/mni/

Quebec

Department: Biology

Overview

The Division of Research and Graduate Studies

  • Assists researchers in identifying funding sources and in preparing, submitting and administering research grant applications and contracts
  • Provides financial support to graduate students

Awards and scholarships available to graduate students at Acadia are:

  • Geldart Milner Memorial Scholarship
  • IUGB Wildlife Research Award
  • Deacon George Thomas
  • Dr. J. Murray Beardsley (2)
  • Alden B. Dawson (1-2)
  • Dr. Muriel Roscoe Memorial
  • Harry E. Felch
  • Robie Tufts Research Scholarship

Research Facilities

The Department has extensive animal and human research facilities that are supported by the University and numerous granting agencies. Currently, departmental faculty members attain about 2.4 million dollars annually in external funding to support their research. Because of such high levels of funding, laboratories within the Department provide faculty and students with an excellent environment for conducting their research. Research laboratories are well-equipped, with ample computing facilities at both the local network and the university-wide levels.

List of Faculty

  • P.J. Albert – Insect Physiology and Behaviour
  • C. Bachewich – Cell cycle regulation of differentiation and virulence in Candida albicans
  • G. Brown – Aquatic Behavioural and Chemical Ecology
  • S. Dayanandan – Forest and Evolutionary Genomics
  • E. Despland – Behaviour in plant-insect interactions
  • J. Grant – The behaviour and ecology of competitive aggression
  • P. Gulick – Plant responses to Stresses and Pathogens
  • M.B. Herrington – Folate Metabolism in Escherichia coli
  • D. Hickey – Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics
  • R. Ibrahim – Flavonol methyltransferases
  • J. A. Kornblatt – Biophysics of interactions between water and biological macromolecules
  • E.J. Maly – Population Ecology
  • B.S. Mangat – Plant Cell Biology and Physiology
  • V. Martin – Microbial engineering and genomics
  • J.D. Mclaughlin – Ecology, biology, pathogenesis and systematics of waterfowl parasites
  • E.B. Newman – Gene Expression and its regulation
  • S.M. Ruby
  • R.K. Storms – Gene Regulation, Functional Genomics, and Industrial Biotechnology
  • V. Titorenko – Peroxisome Biogenesis, Mechanisms of Aging, Mechanisms of Development
  • A. Tsang – Gene Regulation, Functional Genomics, and Industrial Biotechnology
  • L. Varin – Plant Sulfotransferases, Department Chair
  • P. Widden – Ecology of of fungal communities in forest ecosystems
  • W. Zerges – Chloroplast Biogenesis

Financial Support Available

Financial assistance is available for qualified candidates, on a competitive basis, in the form of teaching assistantships, university scholarships, fellowships, research grant stipends or bursaries, that provide a minimum of $12,000 CDN. For scholarships and fellowships, candidates should write to the School of Graduate Studies for application submissions is December 1. Qualified students are also encouraged to apply for Natural Science and Engineering Research council fellowships and Quebec residents for FCAR.

Admissions and Enquiries

Graduate Program Secretary
Ms. Julia Boyko
Department of Biology
Concordia University
7141 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, Quebec H4B 1R6
Email: jboyko@alcor.concordia.ca

Web: http://artsandscience.concordia.ca/biology/

Department: Applied Microbiology, Virology and Immunology, Experimental Health Sciences, and Biology

Overview

The Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry offers a flexible graduate program leading to the degrees of Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Research areas in this dynamic, young department are diverse, and include bacterial pathogenicity, antibody-mediated immunology, peptide libraries and phage display, microbial protein structure and function, biomembranes/lipids, bioinformatics, yeast cholesterol genetics, cellular and molecular embryogenesis, developmental genetics, DNA nanotechnology, nucleic acid biochemistry, ribozymes, enzymology and enzyme engineering, genomics and proteomics, signal transduction, and x-ray crystallography. This diversity facilitates interdisciplinary interactions and collaborations. This department formed in the year 2000 from a previous SFU Institute, the IMBB. This Institute is noted for producing a significant number of prominent researchers who have gone on to become, for example, a coordinator of NCBI’s Genbank or play leadership roles in international pharmaceutical companies and other institutions. Note that many members of this department are playing a lead role in the development of a new SFU Infectious Diseases program.

Research Facilities

  • M.Sc. in Applied Microbiology
    • Wanting to help decrease the shortage of qualified manpower in the area of biotechnology, INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier offers an adequate graduate study program corresponding to the pluridisciplinary and industrial nature as well as to the numerous aspects of the applied biotechnology area. The major objective of this program is to offer our students the possibility of acquiring extensive and pluridisciplinary knowledge in the area of applied microbiology. The theoretical and practical knowledge acquired through this program under the supervision of experienced researchers will prepare our students to undertake doctorate studies or join the workforce immediately.
  • M.Sc. in Virology and Immunology
    • This program focuses on forming specialists with an expertise in two related disciplines. It answers a growing demand for disciplinary decompartmentalization in order to assure a thematic approach to health and environmental problems. The flexibility of this program allows the definition, on an individual basis, of a major orientation in virology or in immunology while allowing the candidate to acquire a solid theoretical and practical knowledge of the complementary discipline. Thanks to this polyvalent training, this program prepares the candidates to either pursue doctorate studies or enter the workforce.
  • M.Sc. in Experimental Health Sciences
    • The main objective of this graduate study program is to initiate students to fundamental research in the experimental health sciences. By favoring molecular or cellular approaches, the student will perform research studies to evaluate the consequences of toxic substances present in the environment on human health. During his/her studies, the student will have to acquire knowledge on the relationship between environmental aggressors and at least two key physiological systems (endocrine, nervous, immune, reproductive, gastro-intestinal, pulmonary or cardio-vasculary).
  • Ph.D. in Virology and Immunology
    • The main objective of this program is to form open-minded leaders with a solid basic training able to solve pluridisciplinary problems. This program answers a growing demand for researchers able to join research teams using their complementary expertise to help resolve problems related to human and animal health and to the environment as well as the associated biotechnologies. The flexibility of this program allows the definition, on an individual basis, of a major orientation in virology or in immunology while allowing the candidate to acquire a solid theoretical and practical knowledge of the complementary discipline. Thanks to this polyvalent training, this program prepares the candidates to a state-of-the-art career either in universities, governments or industries.
  • Ph.D. in Biology
    • The main objective of this program is to form researchers in biological sciences, through the development of elaborate disciplinary knowledge, of analytical capabilities and a sense of synthesis. Students will join pluridisciplinary teams oriented towards solving problems. Their training will be complemented with a knowledge of personnel and budget management and elementary pedagogy.

List of Faculty

  • Maximilien Arella – Approches moléculaires pour le diagnostic d’infections virales (papillomavirus, virus d’insectes et de poissons); Analyse génotypique et phéno-typique du virus de l’immuno-déficience humaine (VIH).
  • Christiane Ayotte – Stéroïdes anabolisants
  • Réjean Beaudet – Biodégradation anaérobie du pentachlorophénol. Étude de bactéries aérobies thermophiles isolées d’un bioréacteur aérobie thermophile traitant du lisier de porc.
  • Jacques Bernier
  • Mathieu Cellier – Study of the implication of Nramp membrane proteins in host/parasite interactions
  • Michel Charbonneau – Toxicology
  • Daniel Cyr – Regulation on intercellular communication; Epididymal tight junctions and the blood-epididymal barrier; Effects of endocrine disruptors on fish reproduction
  • Claude Daniel – Regulation of graft rejection by direct and indirect alloreactivity pathways; Cellular and Molecular Basis of ProteosomeTM Vaccine Immunostimulation
  • François Denis – Molecular events associated to apoptosis; Apoptosis, tolerance and graft rejection; Novel enzyme discovery using metagenomics and robotics
  • Albert Descoteaux – Molecular Mechanisms Leading to Macrophage Activation; Molecular Interaction Between Leishmania and the Macrophage
  • Patrick J. Devine – Ovarian Physiology; Ovarian Damage Caused by Xenobiotics
  • Éric Déziel
  • Charles M. Dozois
  • Pascale Duplay – Role of CD45 in T-cell signaling; Role of Ly-49 receptors in NK cells signaling
  • Claude Dupont – Étude structure/fonction de la xylanase A de Streptomyces lividans; Caractérisation des hémicellulases de Streptomyces lividans
  • Alain Fournier
  • Michel Fournier – Environmental immunotoxicology
  • Denis Girard – Évaluation du potentiel de certains entomopathogènes comme agents de lutte contre les insectes nuisibles.
  • Claude Guertin – Évaluation du potentiel de certains entomopathogènes comme agents de lutte contre les insectes nuisibles.
  • Pierre Juteau
  • Patrick Labonté – Caractérisation moléculaire de la polymérase d’ARN virale (NS5B); Étude des protéines impliquées dans la formation du complexe de réplication (réplicase)
  • Monique Lacroix – The effect of technological treatments on the function properties of proteins and other macromolecules; Study of the secondary metabolites of vegetables and probiotic bacteria and their antioxydant, immunostimulant and antitumoural properties
  • Jean-François Laliberté – La biologie moléculaire du virus de la mosaïque du navet; La moléculture : développement d’un vecteur d’expression d’origine virale pour la production de protéines d’intérêt médical dans les plantes
  • Alain Lamarre – Analysis of antiviral B cell repertoire diversification and maturation
  • Suzanne Lemieux – The functional receptors of NK cells
  • François Lépine – Étude du « quorum sensing » chez Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Étude des rhamnolipides et de leur biosynthèse chez P. aeruginosa; Étude de la dégradation enzymatique des parabènes
  • Abderrazzak Merzouki
  • Rolf Morosoli – Sécrétion des protéines chez Streptomyces lividans; Peptide signal; Traduction; Production d’antigènes de Mycobactérium tuberculosis au moyen du système d’expression et de sécrétion de protéines élaboré chez Streptomyces lividans
  • Belinda Nicolau
  • Marie-Élise Parent – Case-control study of environmental, occupational, lifestyle factors and genetic susceptibility biomarkers in the etiology of prostate cancer; Case-control study of cellular phone use and risk of tumors of the brain, parotid gland and acoustic nerve: the Montreal component of an international study; Case-control study of occupational risk factors for lung cancer
  • Pierre Payment – Drinking water ; Health effects; Pathogens; Virus; Parasite; Water treatment
  • Angela Pearson
  • Charles Ramassamy
  • Marie-Claude Rousseau – Potential health effects from non-specific stimulation of the immune system in early age through vaccination with Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)
  • J. Thomas Sanderson
  • François Shareck – Régulation du complexe xylanolytique de Streptomyces lividans
  • Yves St-Pierre – Role of adhesion molecules and proteases in the spread and growth of cancer cells
  • Michel Sylvestre
  • Pierre Talbot – Virus-induced neurologic diseases
  • Lise Thibodeau – Le virus de l’immunodéficience humaine: prévention et pathogenèse
  • Peter Tijssen – Base moléculaire du tropisme du parvovirus porcin (PPV); Création d’un vaccin recombinant sous-unitaire composé de la gp53 du BVDV; Organisation génomique et stratégie de transcription des densovirus
  • Cathy Vaillancourt – Implications of environmental contaminants and seasons of pregnancy on placental functions and fetal development; Characterization of melatonin, serotonin and dopamine systems in human placenta; Characterization of the 5-HT 2A serotoninergic receptor in human placenta: implication in cell proliferation and placental development.
  • Richard Villemur – Molecular Biology of microorganisms capable of degrading pollutants; Study of microbial diversity in bioprocesses
    Veronika Von Messling – Characterization of Morbillivirus pathogenesis mechanisms
  • Lolita Zamir-Cohen – CANCER: Anti-cancer agents from the Canadian yew; Anti-cancer agents isolated from new plants; MYCOTOXINS: Trichothecenes: biosynthesis and enzymology

Admissions and Enquiries

Web: http://www.iaf.inrs.ca

Department: Biochemistry & Microbiology

Overview

With more than 500 students divided into 7 programs, and state-of-the-art research laboratories, the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at Université Laval is central to the development of new sciences and research in the fields of genetic engineering and proteomics, as well as applied fields such as bacteriology, virology, neurobiology, and plant biology.
The Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology offers programs of study leading to both M.Sc and Ph.D. degrees.

Research Facilities

The CREFSIF (Research center studying the function, structure, and engineering of protein) is a multidisciplinary center for approximately fifteen researchers who are all working on projects relating to different aspects of protein biological research, protein chemistry and protein physiology. The Center also aims at examining the biotechnological exploitation of knowledge involved in this field of research.

Five research areas are covered:

  • new antimicrobiotic agents
  • cytoskeletal proteins
  • biodegradation enzymes
  • enzymes implied in the recognition and modification of nucleic acids
  • membrane proteins

Students in the Department of Microbiologie have access to the Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), the Centre Interuniversitaire de recherche sur le saumon Atlantique (CIRSA), the Laboratoire régional des sciences aquatiques (LARSA), the Centre de Recherche en Biologie Forestière (CRBF) and the Groupe inter-institutionnel de recherches océanographiques du Québec (Québec-Océan formerly
GIROQ).

Other facilities include:

  • SOLAS (Surface Ocean – Lower Atmosphere Study)
  • Québec-Océan (Groupe interinstitutionnel de recherches océanographiques du Québec)
  • CHAIRE d’Anticosti (Chaire de recherche industrielle CRSNG-Produits forestiers Anticosti)

List of Faculty

  • Louise Brisson
  • Manon Couture
  • André Darveau – Virologie; Immunologie molécullaire et cellulaire
  • Paul De Koninck – Neurobiologie; Adaptation cellulaire; Structure, fonction et ingénierie des protéines; Biophotonique
  • Noëlla Deslauriers
  • Caroline Duchaine – Microbiologie de l’environnement; Bioaérosols
  • Pierre Dussault
  • Michel Frenette – Adaptation cellulaire
  • Stéphane Gagné – Structure et dynamique des protéines; Résonance magnétique nucléaire; Bioinformatique structurale
  • Michel Guertin – Adaptation cellulaire; Structures, fonction et ingénierie des protéines
  • Patrick Lagüe
  • Jacques Lapointe – Biosynthèse des protéines; Structure, fonction et ingénierie des protéines
  • Marc Lavoie
  • Claude Lemieux – Génomique microbienne
  • Sylvain Moineau – Caractérisation des phages et des plasmides de Lactococcus lactis et de Streptococcus thermophilus; Interactions phage-bactérie; Mode d’action des systèmes anti-phagiques de L. lactis; Construction de vecteurs de grande alimentaire pour la modification génétique des bactéries lactiques utilisées dans l’industrie laitière; Étude des mécanismes moléculaires du contrôle de l’utilisation des sucres Caractérisation des phages et des plasmides de Lactococcus lactis et de Streptococcus thermophilus
  • Paul H. Roy – Génomique microbienne
  • Monique Turmel – Génomique microbienne
  • Christian Vadeboncoeur – Adaptation cellulaire; Physiologie bactérienne; Métabolisme des sucres chez les streptocoques.

Financial Support Available

Graduate students who are registered for masters or doctorate programs at Université Laval and who are Canadian citizens may be eligible for a variety of funding opportunities available from internal as well as external sources. Each faculty has funding available for graduate students which adds up to more than $4 600 000. Graduate students who are in greater financial need can apply for assistantships, fellowships and other on-campus employment opportunities.

There are also a variety of scholarships and awards available to graduate students.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Bicochemistry and Microbiology
Université Laval
Cité universitaire, Québec
Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon G1K 7P4
Phone: 418-656-2965
Fax: 418-656-5216
Email: bcm@bcm.ulaval.ca

Web: http://www.bcm.ulaval.ca/

Department: Biology

Overview

With approximately 275 B.Sc. students and 100 graduate students at the M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels enrolled annually, the Department of Biology is an exceptional center of learning and research in fields as diversified as molecular biology, animal physiology, animal ecology, marine ecology, limnology, plant biology and ecology, and environmental studies and conservation. The Department of Biology’s web page provides a wealth of information concerning our teaching and research programs as well as news of current activities and developments in the Department.

The Department of Biology offers MSc degrees, with thesis subjects ranging from molecular biology to community ecology in both aquatic and terrestrial systems. Research may be carried with a professor in the Department or in codirection with adjunct professors at any accepted research establishment. At present, there are approximately 110 graduate students divided between the MSc and PhD programs.

Research Facilities

The Department of Biology is involved with 5 research centers; the Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), the Centre Interuniversitaire de recherche sur le saumon Atlantique (CIRSA), the Laboratoire régional des sciences aquatiques (LARSA), the Centre de Recherche en Biologie Forestière (CRBF) and the Groupe inter-institutionnel de recherches océanographiques du Québec (Québec-Océan previously GIROQ).

Other facilities include:

  • SOLAS (Surface Ocean – Lower Atmosphere Study)
  • Québec-Océan (Groupe interinstitutionnel de recherches océanographiques du Québec)
  • CHAIRE d’Anticosti (Chaire de recherche industrielle CRSNG-Produits forestiers Anticosti)

List of Faculty

  • Anderson, Alan – Regulation of the expression of rat genes for cytochrome P450 2B proteins
  • Barrette, Cyrille – Functional and ecological osteology of large mammals, particularly the biomechanics of mastication in carnivores : comparative study of skulls and teeth.
  • Bernatchez, Louis – Écologie moléculaire, comportementale et évolutive; biologie de la conservation; génomique fonctionnelle; bioinformatique; aquaculture.
  • Boudreau, Stéphane – Écologie de la régénération, perturbations naturelles et anthropiques, relations plantes/herbivores, processus écologiques responsables du maintien de la biodiversité.
  • Cloutier, Conrad – Biology of insect predators and parasitoids of herbivorous insects. Multi-trophic interactions involving insects. Biological control of plant pests.
  • Côté, Steeve – Écologie et comportement des grands herbivores, évolution des stratégies biodémographiques, aménagement de la faune, biologie de la conservation et génétique des populations.
  • Dodson, Julian J. – Écologie évolutive des poissons, évolution des stratégies de reproduction, écologie des jeunes stades de vie, conservation des ressources aquatiques.
  • Fortier, Louis – Marine zooplankton ecology. Population dynamics of copepods. Role of zooplankton in the vertical and trophic fluxes of biogenic carbon. Feeding, growth, and survival of larval and juvenile fish, based on otolith analysis. Climate variability and the larval ecology of Arctic cod, Atlantic cod and Atlantic mackerel. Oceanography of ice-covered seas. Modeling the response of arctic marine ecosystems to variations in climate.
  • Fortin, Daniel – Écologie comportementale, comportement d’approvisionnement, interactions trophiques, aménagement et conservation de la faune.
  • Gauthier, Gilles – Biologie des populations des oiseaux, particulièrement des oies et des canards. Stratégies reproductrices, bioénergétique, relations plantes-herbivores, dynamique des populations.
  • Guderley, Helga – Muscle metabolic capacities and swimming performance in ectotherms, particularly cod, trout and scallops. Biochemical adaptation to temperature and to changes in abiotic and biotic factors.
  • Himmelman, John – Organisation des communautés infralittorales benthiques: rôle des facteurs physiques, broutage et prédation; dynamique des populations d’échinodermes et de mollusques; contrôle de la reproduction chez les invertébrés marins; mariculture.
  • Houle, Gilles – Spatio-temporal dynamics of plant populations (reproduction, dispersal and recruitment), particularly in the cold-temperate deciduous forest of eastern North America. Ecological consequences of allocation conflicts in plants. Diversity-productivity relationship in plant communities.
  • Huot, Jean – Wildlife management, energetics and nutrition of wild ungulates, forest practices and wildlife. Effects of overabundance of ungulates on ecosystems.
  • Johnson, Ladd – Écologie des algues marines benthiques; interactions entre les plantes et les animaux; modèles biophysiques climatiques; écologie des espèces introduites aquatiques.
  • Lapointe, Line – Écophysiologie végétale. Croissance, photosynthèse, allocation des ressources et métabolisme du carbone. Mécanismes d’adaptation au froid et à des changements d’irradiance. Relations plantes-mycorhizes.
  • Larochelle, Jacques – Thermoregulation, locomotion and growth in birds and mammals.
  • Levasseur, Maurice – Marine production of dimethylsulfide (DMS) and impacts on climate: planktonic control of DMS production in the oceans and development of coupled ocean-atmosphere models of DMS emissions. Ecophysiology of harmul algae: interactions between environmental conditions and harmful blooms, and development of bio-physical models for harmful algal populations.
  • Lovejoy, Connie – Current research is focused on Arctic marine microbes, especially planktonic microorganisms (phytoplankton and other protists, archaea and bacteria). These organisms are responsible for global carbon and mineral cycling on a planetary scale. My laboratory addresses such questions as: How many micro-organisms are there in the water column? What is their genetic and metabolic diversity? What factors determine growth and mortality?
  • Paquette, Normand
  • Payette, Serge – Ecology and paleoecology of subarctic and boreal ecosystems. Population dynamics of temperate and boreal tree species in relation to disturbance regimes. Dendroecology. Paleoecology.
  • Tremblay, Jean-Éric – Photosynthetic and nutritive ecophysiology of marine phytoplankton. Functional roles of phytoplankton in organic matter fluxes, food webs and the air-sea exchange of CO2. Biogeochemical cycles of carbon and essential elements in the ocean. Oceanography of polar and temperate seas.
  • Turgeon, Julie – Population genetics, phylogeography and hybridization in aquatic organisms. Theory of evolution.
  • Vincent, Warwick – Aquatic ecosystem responses to environmental change

Financial Support Available

Graduate students who are registered for masters or doctorate programs at Université Laval and who are Canadian citizens may be eligible for a variety of funding opportunities available from internal as well as external sources. Each faculty has funding available for graduate students which adds up to more than $4 600 000. Graduate students who are in greater financial need can apply for assistantships, fellowships and other on-campus employment opportunities.

There are also a variety of scholarships and awards available to graduate students.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Biology
Université Laval
Office 3058 Pavillon Alexandre – Vachon
Sainte-Foy, Quebec G1K 7P4
Phone: 418-656-3180
Email: info@bio.ulaval.ca

Web: http://www.bio.ulaval.ca/en/accueil.aspx?tabindex=0&tabid=59

Department: Microbiology & Immunology

Overview

The Department offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of MSc, MSc (applied) and PhD in the fields of cellular and molecular immunology, microbial physiology and genetics, molecular biology of viruses, and medical microbiology.
Currently, close to 60 microbiology and immunology graduate students are enrolled in the Department, working to further expand current scientific knowledge in the fields of cellular and molecular immunology, microbial physiology and genetics, molecular biology of viruses, and medical microbiology. We also foster close ties with hospitals and research centres across Montreal to favour multidisciplinary research.
Our aim is to create a strong academic environment where graduate students and postdoctoral fellows can develop into independent investigators through sound basic research.

Research Facilities

In addition to labs and other resources at the service of particular research groups, McGill University researchers have access to a large number of research facilities on both campuses, as well as a number of off-campus field stations. McGill also houses some inter-institutional research facilities.

McGill Research Centres include:

  • Centre for Studies in Aging (MCSA)
  • McGill AIDS Centre
  • Artificial Cells and Organs Research Centre
  • Avian Science and Conservation Centre (ASCC)
  • McGill Centre for Bioinformatics Research
  • McGill Cancer Centre (MCC)
  • Centre for Host-Parasite Interactions
  • Centre for the Study of Host Resistance
  • Centre for Tropical Diseases

There are also many other facilities/centres which are available to students from other faculties.

List of Faculty

  • Zafer Ali-Khan – Biology and pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s-type and reactive amyloidosis
  • Jack Antel – Immune regulation and brain-immune interactions, autoimunity and multiple sclerosis
  • Malcolm G. Baines – Immunology of Reproduction, Cancer Immunology, Molecular Immunology
  • Amit Bar-Or – Memory B cells and T cells; Co-stimulation; Autoimmune Diseases; Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Marcel Behr – Molecular Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases
  • Albert Berguis – Development of antimicrobials, antibiotic resistance, crystallography
  • Dalius J. Briedis – Molecular biology and pathogenesis of measles virus infection
  • Nicholas V. Christou – Polymorphonuclear Neutrophil-Endothelial Interactions in Sepsis
  • James W. Coulton – Molecular biology of membrane proteins
  • Benoit Cousineau – Mechanisms and applications of group II intron mobility; Evolution of mobile group II introns
  • André Dascal – Rapid viral and bacterial identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, cost effective diagnostic microbiology
  • Vibhuti Dave – Mechanism of T cell development and function using transgenic and knockout mice
  • Albert Descoteaux – Macrophage activation; Leishmania-macrophage interaction
  • Gaétan Faubert – Immunology, Parasitology, Host-parasite relationship, Waterborne diseases, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, DNA vaccines, Gut immunology, Cell biology
  • Sylvie Fournier – Role of the B7/CD28/CTLA-4 costimulatory system in the maintenance of lymphocyte homeostasis and the development of autoimmunity
  • Anne Gatignol – Virus-Cell Interactions in the Regulation of HIV Expression
  • Matthias Götte – HIV plus-strand DNA synthesis and primer removal
  • Samantha Gruenheid – Host/pathogen interactions, Bacterial pathogenesis
  • Elias Haddad – Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Cell Biology, HIV pathogenesis
  • John Hiscott – Transcriptional control of cytokine and chemokine gene expression during human retrovirus pathogenesis
  • Sabah Hussain – Nitric Oxide Biology, Reactive Oxygen Species, NADPH oxidase, Angiogenesis, Apoptosis Vascular Biology
  • Armando Jardim – Molecular Mechanism of Involved in Targeting and Import of Proteins
    into Glycosomes
  • Taff (David) Jones – Development of Mucosal Vaccines against Respiratory Pathogens
  • Lawrence Kleiman – HIV-1 assembly, incorporation, genomic placement and function of the primer for HIV reverse transcriptase, tRNAlys3
  • Antonis Koromilas – Cytokine signaling, genotoxic and endoplasmic reticulum stress, virus infection, tumor suppressor genes, viral-mediated oncogenesis, gene transcription and translation, protein phosphorylation
  • Arnold Kristof – Molecular Mechanisms of Pulmonary Inflammation
  • George Kukolj – Hepatitis C Virus; drug discovery
  • Peter C.K. Lau – Molecular Genetics of Biodegradation and Gene Technology
  • Chen Liang – Viral and cellular factors involved in HIV-1 assembly
  • Shan-Lu Liu – Virology and Gene Therapy
  • Vivian Loo – Medical microbiology
  • Andrew Makrigiannis – Role of Class I MHC Receptors in Innate Immunity Mediated by Natural Killer Cells
  • Gregory T. Marczynski – Cell cycle and developmental control of chromosomal replication
  • Greg Matlashewski – Human papillomavirus and cervical cancer; Human Leishmania infection
  • Jack Mendelson – Use of cyokines and herpes vaccines in infectious diseases, diagnostic microbiological techniques, clinical trials, antibiotics
  • Mark Miller – Infectious Diseases
  • Hervé Le Moual – Signal Transduction by Two-component Regulatory Systems
  • Andrew J. Mouland – Molecular biology of HIV-1 and other retroviruses; Viral gene expression, post-transcriptional regulation and assembly
  • Robert A. Murgita – Immunology
  • Jay Nadeau – Gene transfer, fluorescent labeling, nanoparticles
  • Marianna M. Newkirk
  • Martin Olivier – Immune evasion by parasites; Leishmania topoisomerase and apoptosis
  • Roger G.E. Palfree – Cell surface proteins and soluble peptides in defence and development
  • Kostas Pantopoulos – Mammalian iron homeostasis control mechanisms
  • Arnim Pause – Molecular oncology
  • Ciro Piccirillo – Immunoregulation of autoimmune and infectious diseases
  • Joyce Rauch – Immunochemical reactivities and induction of autoantibodies, autoimmunity, and system lupus erythematosus
  • Paula Ribeiro – Parasitology
  • Stephane Richard – RNA metabolism, signal transduction, cancer and multiple sclerosis
  • Clément R. Rioux – Molecular biology, recombinant subunit vaccines, bacterial pathogens, allergens
  • Rafick-Pierre Sékaly – Molecular interactions between surface molecules involved in T-cell activation
  • Don Sheppard – Molecular Mycology
  • Terry W. Spithill – Molecular biology, immunology and proteomics of Malaria and Fasciola parasites
  • Christos Tsoukas
  • Bernard Turcotte – Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes
  • Silvia Vidal – Microbial physiology / genetics
  • Mark Wainberg – HIV reverse transcriptase; molecular basis for drug resistance; gene therapy
  • Brian J. Ward – Immunology and immunopathology of vaccines; Nutrition, immunity and infectious diseases

Financial Support Available

There are different ways to finance graduate studies at McGill University. A graduate student can:

  • win a fellowship from an external granting agency;
  • win an internal McGill graduate fellowship;
  • win a McGill departmental or faculty award;
  • obtain a stipend from their supervisor’s research grant or contract;
  • receive funding in the form of loans and bursaries from the federal or provincial government;
  • receive a differential fee waiver for the international fee supplement.

In 2003-04, graduate students received over $6 million in McGill fellowships and $5 million in salaries. They also attracted approximately $14 million in fellowship funding from Canadian and Quebec government sources, as well as $1.4 million in differential fee waivers for international students from the Quebec government. Over $23 million from research grants and contracts was devoted to graduate student support. Preliminary estimates indicate that over $4 million in fellowships was obtained through other external sources.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Duff Medical Building, Room 511
3775 University Street
Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4
Phone: 514-398-3912
Fax: 514-398-7052
Email: office.microimm@mcgill.ca

Graduate Admissions
Email: graduate.admissions@mcgill.ca

Web: http://www.mcgill.ca/microimm/

Department: Natural Resource Sciences (NRS)

Overview

The Department of Natural Resource Sciences (Entomology, Microbiology, and Renewable Resources: Agrometeorology, Forest Science, Neotropical Environment, Soil Science, Wildlife Biology) is an interdisciplinary group that is concerned with natural and managed ecosystems, at both the macro and micro levels, with the aim of conservation and optimal resource management. This includes promoting sustainability and biodiversity. Research is conducted at both applied and basic levels.

The courses and academic programs offered by the Department of Natural Resource Sciences allow students to explore interactions among the components of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems through the development of a strong, interdisciplinary background.

MSc and PhD programs in Microbiology are offered via the Department of Natural Resource Sciences, in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. There are also opportunities for postdoctoral research. The main objective of these programs is to assist candidates in becoming competent, independent scientists for careers in research. Our graduates can be found working in fermentation industries and government laboratories and many have continued our traditions in other universities.

Research Facilities

The Department of Microbiology (Natural Resource Sciences) at the McGill Macdonald Campus has equipment necessary to conduct biochemical, physiological and genetic studies at various levels of cell organization.

The Departmental research facilities include many laboratories for graduate and undergraduate work, a networked computer room as well as the Lyman Museum, Morgan Arboretum and the Ecomuseum

Strong ties exist with other University departments, the Pulp and Paper Research Institute Canada (Paprican), and the National Research Council of Canada Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI).

Although most of our teaching and research is carried out within the Québec and Canadian contexts, the department is also very active in international activities with projects in Egypt, Tanzania, the Philippines, People’s Republic of China, Zimbabwe, India, and Nigeria.

List of Faculty

  • BENNETT, Elena – Ecosystem services
  • BIRD, David M. – Birds (with an emphasis on birds of prey) in a variety of areas including reproductive physiology, toxicology, genetics, parasitology, behavioural ecology, nutrition, physiology and wildlife management.
  • BOUCHER, Stéphanie – Primary research interests are the systematics and ecology of the Leaf-miner flies (family Agromyzidae) and biodiversity of Diptera in Beringia
  • BUDDLE, Christopher M.- Terrestrial arthropod biodiversity
  • CÔTÉ, Benoit – Eco-physiology of woody plant species of northeastern Americ
  • CURTIS, Mark A. – Aquatic Ecology
  • DRISCOLL, Brian T. -Microbial genetics, physiology, ecology, and plant-microbe interactions
  • DUNPHY, Gary B.- Virulence mechanisms of the bacterium Xenorhabdus in insects; insect immunity
  • FYLES, James – Forest biogeochemical ecology
  • HENDERSHOT, William H.- Soil chemistry and speciation modelling
  • HUMPHRIES, Murray M.- Mammal energetics, behaviour, and ecology, especially in relation to hibernation, food and fat storage, and life histories.
  • IDZIAK, Christina L. – Activities are focused in the area of urban forest management and conservation.
  • LEWIS, David J. – Ecology and distribution of aquatic invertebrates, especially insects; ecology and control of biting flies.
  • MEHUYS, Guy R. – Soil physics and soil conservation
  • NIVEN, Donald F. – Biochemistry and physiology of selected animal pathogens of the families Pasteurellaceae and Streptococcaceae.
  • RAU, Manfred E. – Use of plagiorchiid digenean parasites as agents in the biological control of insect- and snail-borne diseases of medical and veterinary importance.
  • STRACHAN, Ian B. – Micrometeorology
  • TITMAN, Rodger D. – Behaviour and ecology of waterfowl and wetland ecology
  • WHALEN, Joann – Soil ecology and fertility, particularly in agro-ecosystems
  • WHEELER, Terry A. – Insect systematics, biodiversity and zoogeography
  • WHYTE, Lyle G. – Polar microbial ecology and biodiversity, cold-adapted microorganisms, low temperature biodegradation, low temperature bioremediation, Rhodococcus, alkane genetics, alkane monooxygenase, molecular microbial ecology, environmental genomics, low temperature physiology, astrobiology

Financial Support Available

There are different ways to finance graduate studies at McGill University. A graduate student can:

  • win a fellowship from an external granting agency;
  • win an internal McGill Graduate Fellowship;
  • win a McGill departmental or faculty award;
  • obtain a stipend from their supervisor’s research grant or contract;
  • receive funding in the form of loans and bursaries from the federal or provincial government;
  • receive a differential fee waiver for the international fee supplement.

In 2003-04, graduate students received over $6 million in McGill fellowships and $5 million in salaries. They also attracted approximately $14 million in fellowship funding from Canadian and Quebec Government sources, as well as $1.4 million in differential fee waivers for international students from the Quebec government. Over $23 million from research grants and contracts was devoted to graduate student support. Preliminary estimates indicate that over $4 million in fellowships was obtained through other external sources.

There are two types of entrance fellowships available to graduate students at McGill in the field of Microbiology in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences:

  • Major Recruitment Fellowships – these are allocated by a committee of the GPSO, upon nomination by the academic units. These are worth between $10,000 and $25,000 and are renewable. The Richard H. Tomlinson Fellowships constitute the flagship of our recruitment programs.
  • Recruitment Fellowships – these are administered by academic unit, where available. These are allocated in $5,000 units, and can be combined.
  • Teaching and Research Assistantships are also available.

Admissions and Enquiries

Natural Resource Sciences
21,111 Lakeshore Road
Ste. Anne de Bellvue, Quebec H9X 3V9
Phone: 514-398-7890
Fax: 514-398-7990
Email: info@nrs.mcgill.ca

Web: http://www.nrs.mcgill.ca/microbiology/graduate.html

Department: Microbiology & Immunology

Overview

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montreal is a stimulating and dynamic program of study and research focused on bacteriology, mycology, virology and immunology.

The general objectives of the doctorate program in Microbiology and Immunology are to train autonomous researchers in this discipline. Students must produce original research, be prepared for presentation at a Scientific Congress, and have their work peer reviewed for publication, as well as demonstrate to others the scientific reliability of their experiments. Students must have the technical skills necessary to engage in an independent research career, and be able to critically interpret their results. Doctorate graduates should be able to compete effectively to obtain research subsidies in the field of microbiology and immunology

Research Facilities

The research facilities at University of Montreal include:

  • IRCM (Clinical Research Institute of Montreal)
  • CHUM (University of Montreal Hospital Centre)
  • Ste Justine Hospital
  • Maisonneuve Rosemont (Guy-Bernier Research Centre)
  • IRIC (Institute for Cancer and Immunology Research)
  • CANVAC (Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics)
  • GREMIP (Research Group for Infectious Diseases in Pork)
  • AQUANET (Canada’s Research Centre in Aquaculture)

List of Faculty

  • Dr Ahmad, Ali – Immunologie, Virologie
  • Dr. Albert, Guy
  • Dr Alfieri , Carolina – Virologie
  • Dr. Alvarez, Fernando
  • Dr Auger, Pierre – Clinique
  • Dr Barbeau, Jean – Bactériologie
  • Dr Bayardelle, Paul – Clinique
  • Dr Belhumeur, Pierre – Virologie; Mycologie; Bactériologie; Immunologie
  • Dr Béliveau, Claire – Clinique
  • Dr Belmaaza , Abdellah – Virologie
  • Dr Bourgault, Anne-Marie
  • Dr Brousseau, Roland-Joseph – Bactériologie
  • Dr Cohen, Éric – Virologie
  • Dr Cohen, Luchino – Virologie
  • Dr Coutlée, François – Virologie; Clinique
  • Dr Daigle, France – Bactériologie
  • Dr de Repentigny, Louis – Mycologie; Immunologie; Clinique
  • Dr Delorme, Jocelyn
  • Dr Demers, Anne-Marie
  • Dr Djillali-Saiah, Idriss
  • Dr Drobetsky, Elliott
  • Dr Drolet, Marc – Bactériologie
  • Dr El Haddad, Elias
  • Dr Fortin, Claude –
  • Dr Gagnon, Lyne – Immunologie
  • Dr Gatignol, Anne
  • Dr Gauchat-Feiss, Dominique
  • Dr Gaudreau, Christiane – Clinique, Bactériologie
  • Dr Girouard, Yves
  • Dr Guiot, Serge – Bactériologie
  • Dr Hallenbeck, Patrick – Bactériologie
  • Dr Hollander, Georg
  • Dr Jolicoeur, Paul – Virologie
  • Dr Labbé, Annie-Claude – Clinique; Bactériologie
  • Dr Laberge, Sophie
  • Dr Labrecque , Louise – Virologie; Clinique
  • Dr Laferrière , Céline
  • Dr Laflamme, Pierre-Jean
  • Dr Lamothe, François
  • Dr Langelier, Yves
  • Dr Laverdiere, Michel – Clinique
  • Dr Le Deist, Françoise – Immunologie
  • Dr Lemay, Guy – Virologie
  • Dr Lemieux , Claude
  • Dr Lemieux, Réal
  • Dr Massie , Bernard
  • Dr Masson , Luke
  • Dr Matte, Claudine – Virologie; Immunologie; Clinique
  • Dr Menezes, José – Virologie; Immunologie
  • Dr Montplaisir , Serge – Immunologie
  • Dr Morisset, Richard
  • Dr Mouland, Andrew – Virologie
  • Dr Mullick, Alaka
  • Dr Noel, Grégoire – Clinique
  • Dr Phaneuf, Denis – Clinique
  • Dr Pichette, Gilbert
  • Dr Poirier, Louise
  • Dr Poisson, Michel – Clinique
  • Dr Ravaoarinoro, Madeleine – Clinique
  • Dr Roger, Michel – Immunologie; Virologie; Clinique
  • Dr Rouleau, Danièle – Clinique
  • Dr Rousseau, Céline
  • Dr Sékaly, Rafick-Pierre – Immunologie; Virologie
  • Dr Soudeyns, Hugo – Immunologie; Virologie
  • Dr St-Antoine, Pierre – Clinique
  • Dr St-Jean, Lise
  • Dr Szatmari, George – Bactériologie
  • Dr Thibodeau, Jacques – Immunologie
  • Dr Thivierge, Benoit
  • Dr Toma, Emil – Clinique
  • Dr Tremblay , Cécile – Clinique; Virologie
  • Dr Turgeon, Pierre-Luc – Clinique
  • Dr Vaillancourt, Marc
  • Dr Vega, Carlos
  • Dr Vincelette , Jean
  • Dr Weiss , Karl – Clinique; Bactériologie

Financial Support Available

Scholarships and financial support at the University of Montreal is designed to encourage students with financial difficulty to continue their studies. Scholarships of $ 2000 to $2300 are distributed annually.

Some of those scholarships which are available to graduate students are:

  • Scholarship Gaston-Hérald and Françoise Gervais
  • Scholarship Pepsi

The Department via the Faculty of graduate studies also offers competitive studentships to M.Sc. and Ph.D. students of $7,000 and $8,500 respectively, which represent half of the minimum amount of money a graduate student must receive as annual salary support.

Finally, the Faculty of graduate studies publishes an annual guide, which outlines which scholarships are available to masters, doctorate and post doctorate students. For more information, students may consult the Faculty of graduate studies website, where students will find useful links to the websites of the principal granting and funding organizations in Canada.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
University of Montreal
Pavillon Roger-Gaudry
2900, boul. Édouard-Montpetit
Montréal, Québec H3T 1J4
Phone: 514-343-6273
Fax: 514-343-5701
Email: info@microim.umontreal.ca

Web: http://www.microim.umontreal.ca/

Department: Veterinary Medicine

Overview

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal is located in Saint-Hyacinthe, approximately 60 km away from the main campus and in the heart of the most important agro-alimentary zone in Quebec. It is the only institute for teaching and research in veterinary medicine in Quebec and the only French-speaking Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in North America. The University offers a wide range of external (off-campus) services and collaborations, throughout Quebec and the rest of the world! There are more than 400 students in the doctorate program in veterinary medicine.

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Montreal is characterized by its strategic position as the junction between Anglo-Saxon North America and French Canada. As the only French-speaking veterinary faculty in North America, it can benefit from its dual membership in the world of French-speaking and European veterinary teaching as well as the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. Moreover, the faculty is accredited by the prestigious American Veterinary Medical Association; this recognition confers an academic status on an international level. Its international professors and researchers collaborate with those around the world who are interested in health and the well-being animals, and the advancement of knowledge in the fields of biotechnologies, agriculture, and the public health. The faculty attracts students from all over the world. The education and knowledge gained in this department provides a level of quality that creates many opportunities for graduating students.

The Faculty is divided into three departments: Veterinary Biomedicine, Pathology and Microbiology, and Clinical Sciences.

Research Facilities

The centralized urban location of the University of Montreal allows graduate students to share research facilities, resources and engage in interdepartmental, as well as interinstitutional research and learning. Students have access to a variety of public as well as private laboratories, centres and organizations dedicated to public health and higher education.

Advanced training and practical research creates graduate students who can become specialists in their fields. This gives graduates greater opportunities and access to recognized veterinary hospitals as well as access to the network of the most highly respected institutions of teaching and research that North-American and European veterinary surgeons have to offer.

List of Faculty

  • Marie Archambault – Bactériologie
  • Christian Bédard – Pathologie clinique
  • Denise Bélanger – Épidémiologie
  • Michel Bigras-Poulin – Épidémiologie
  • André D. Dallaire – Pathologie
  • Michel Desnoyers – Pathologie clinique
  • Béatrice Doizé – Biologie cellulaire
  • Monique Doré – Pathologie
  • Richard Drolet – Pathologie
  • Daniel Dubreuil – Microbiologie-Bactériologie
  • Mehdy Elahi – Clinicien en virologie
  • John M. Fairbrother – Microbiologie-Bactériologie
  • Sylvie Fortier – Parasitologie
  • Carl A. Gagnon – Virologie
  • Christiane Girard – Pathologie
  • Marcelo Gottschalk – Microbiologie-Bactériologie
  • Josée Harel – Microbiologie-Bactériologie moleculaire
  • Pierre Hélie – Pathologie
  • Mario Jacques – Microbiologie-Bactériologie
  • Réal Lallier – Microbiologie-Bactériologie
  • Anne Lanevschi – Pathologie clinique
  • Daniel Martineau – Pathologie
  • Serge Messier – Microbiologie-Bactériologie
  • Khyali R. Mittal – Microbiologie-Immunologie
  • Michel Morin – Pathologie
  • Michaël Mourez – Bactériologie (biologie moleculaire)
  • Daniel Perron – Médecine reglementée
  • Sylvain Quessy – Microbiologie-Immunologie
  • Daniel Scholl – Épidémiologie
  • Amer Silim – Microbiologie-Immunologie
  • Alex Thompson – Épidémiologie
  • Carl Uhland – Ichtyopathologie
  • Alain Villeneuve – Microbiologie-Parasitologie

Financial Support Available

Scholarships and financial support at the University of Montreal is designed to encourage students with financial difficulty to continue their studies. Scholarships of $ 2000 to $2300 are distributed annually.

Some scholarships which are available to graduate students are:

  • Gaston-Hérald and Françoise Gervais Scholarship
  • Pepsi Scholarship

The Faculty of graduate studies publishes an annual guide, which outlines which scholarships are available to masters, doctorate and post doctorate students. For more information, students may consult the Faculty of graduate studies website, where students will find useful links to the websites of the principal granting and funding organizations in Canada.

Admissions and Enquiries

Secretary of Student Affairs
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Campus de St-Hyacinthe
3200, rue Sicotte
St-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2
Phone: 450-773-8521 x8520
Fax: 450-778-8114
Email: saefmv@medvet.umontreal.ca

Department of Pathology and Microbiology
University of Montreal
Case Postale 5000
St-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2
Phone: 450-773-8521 x8240
Fax: 450-778-8102

Other Website of Interest
Email: www.medvet.umontreal.ca/gremip/

Web: http://www.medvet.umontreal.ca/departements/PathologieMicrobiologie.html

Department: Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Overview

The Masters program in Biology includes four main areas of study: bio-data processing, molecular and cellular biology, ecology, and microbiology.

The Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in the Faculty of Medicine employs a team of researchers working in the following sectors:

  • Molecular genetics
  • Genetic expression
  • Cellular transformation
  • Medical microbiology

Research from recent years has made rapid progress in our understanding of the molecular mechanism which is essential in the life of a cell. Molecular biology has become a discipline of study whose ramifications extend into all fields of research in biology. The impact of these discoveries has allowed new biotechnologies to flourish, the rise of genomic/proteomic and acceleration in the discovery of the rate/rhythm of those applications will be numerous, in particular in the field of health.

Research Facilities

  • Sherbrooke University Hospital Clinical Research Centre
  • The RNA group have a state-of-the-art facility for the study of RNA structure and function. A major goal for our group is to maintain an infrastructure that facilitates the exchange of information between members of all labs. Accordingly, the group initiated a regional seminar series, acquired several pieces of shared equipment (e.g. Laser assisted confocal microscope, FPLC, Spectrofluorometer, Bioanalyzer, Instant Imager, etc.), and invested in a bioinformatic platform that includes a comprehensive database for reagents and experimental results.

List of Faculty

  • Sherif Abou Elela, Ph.D. – Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Gene Expression
  • Brendan Bell, Ph.D. – MÉCANISMES D’EXPRESSION GÉNIQUE DANS LE CANCER ET LE SIDA
  • Benoit Chabot, Ph. D. – ÉPISSAGE ALTERNATIF DES ARNS PRÉMESSAGERS
  • Antonio Conconi, Ph.D. – LÉSIONS DE L’ADN, RÉPARATION ET MAINTIEN DU GÉNOME
  • Eric Frost, Ph. D. – Chlamydia and Atherosclerosis
  • Roscoe Klinck – Annotation fonctionnelle des protéines essentielles produites par épissage alternatif
  • Kerri Kobryn, Ph.D. – Entretien des télomères chez le spirochète de la maladie de Lyme.
  • Sophie Michaud, M.D. – Épidémiologie clinique et moléculaire des entérites à Campylobacter jejuni (CJ).
  • Jacques Pépin – ÉPIDEMIOLOGIE DES MALADIES TRANSMISSIBLES
  • Alain Piché, M.D. – LA THÉRAPIE GÉNIQUE POUR LE CANCER
  • Claudine Rancourt, Ph. D. – LA THÉRAPIE GÉNIQUE POUR LE CANCER OVARIEN
  • Louis Valiquette – DÉVELOPPEMENT, INTÉGRATION ET VALIDATION D’OUTILS CLINIQUES VISANT À PRÉVENIR LES INFECTIONS NOSOCOMIALES ET EN AMÉLIORER LA PRISE EN CHARGE.
  • Raymund J. Wellinger, Ph.D. – LA RÉPLICATION DES TÉLOMÈRES

Financial Support Available

Stipends are paid from grants by supervisors.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Faculty of Medicine
University of Sherbrooke
3001, 12e avenue Nord
Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4
Phone: 819-564-5321
Fax: 819-564-5392
Email: Carole.Picard@USherbrooke.ca OR Sylvie.Carrier@USherbrooke.ca

Web: http://www.usherbrooke.ca/microbiologie/

Newfoundland

Department: Biology

Overview

With over 70 graduate students, the Department of Biology has one of the largest graduate programs at Memorial. The Department has more than 30 full-time faculty members, plus 16 cross-appointed faculty from the Ocean Sciences Centre (OSC), the Fisheries and Marine Institute and other academic departments. Approximately 20 researchers from outside the university, many employed in government laboratories (agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and wildlife), hold adjunct appointments with the department and contribute to the graduate program as co-supervisors and supervisory committee members.

Research projects involve a wide diversity of fauna and flora, with an emphasis on cold ocean and boreal environments. Projects are conducted at levels ranging from molecular and cellular biology to whole ecosystem and evolutionary ecology. The Department also participates in the related interdisciplinary programs (M.Sc. and PhD in biopsychology and M.Sc. programs in aquaculture and environmental science.).

Research Facilities

  • the Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden, a resource centre for basic and applied botanical research, with a particular emphasis on the flora of Newfoundland and Labrador
  • the Agnes Marion Ayre Herbarium, including a vascular plant herbarium, phycological herbarium and a bryological herbarium
  • a year-round field station at Bonne Bay, on the west coast of the island
  • the Ocean Sciences Centre (OSC), provides excellent facilities for holding and experimentation on live marine organisms. The OSC is a cold ocean research facility operated by Memorial University of Newfoundland. Located in Logy Bay, NF, the Centre houses laboratories where research is conducted on the North Atlantic fishery, aquaculture, oceanography, ecology, behavior and physiology. Research is conducted on organisms ranging from bacteria to seals.
  • research vessels, accessible through the OSC, the Marine Institute and the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans
  • a centralized electron microscopy facility with a TEMS (Zeiss EM9A, Zeiss EM109) and a Hitachi 5570 SEM with Tractor Northern 5500 EDX and backscattered electron detector
  • large and well-equipped electronics, glassblowing and metal fabricating shops
    liquid helium and liquid nitrogen plants (operated by the Dept. of Physics and Physical Oceanography)
  • a full-time photographer and an EM technician
  • The department operates a user-fee DNA sequencing service, the « Helix & Primer, » which includes a new ABI377 96-lane DNA sequencer and an upgraded ABI373 « Stretch » sequencer, as well as supporting PCR technology and bioinformatic software.
  • The department runs several computer labs consisting of ether netted PC’s running Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. LaserJet printers, a large format color printer, scanners, a 35 mm slide maker and many scientific software applications are available for the use of graduate and honours undergraduate students.

List of Faculty

  • Dr. S. M. Carr – patterns and processes of molecular evolution in species and natural populations of vertebrate animals
  • Dr. M. A. J. Collins
  • Dr. D. Deibel – zooplankton ecologist and biological oceanographer
  • Dr. W. Driedzic – impact of environmental challenge, especially low oxygen and temperature extremes, on metabolic supply and demand
  • Dr. R. L. Dunbrack – evolutionary and fisheries ecology,
  • Dr. E. Edinger – coral reefs, paleoecology, environmental impacts of mining, and marine conservation.
  • Dr. G. Fåhræus-Van Ree
  • Dr. J. R. Finney-Crawley – free-living marine nematode fauna of the eastern seaboard, impact of pollution on marine nematode communities and development of sediment toxicity tests utilizing marine nematodes
  • Dr. G. L. Fletcher – Antifreeze proteins and cold adaptation in fish
  • Dr. G. A. Gardner
  • Dr. J. Gow – Microbiology; bacteriology
  • Dr. L. A. Hermanutz – Conservation Biology of endangered species, Plant Ecology (arctic-alpine & boreal systems); Protected Areas Strategies, Invasive species biology and impact; Climate change effects on boreal & arctic ecosystems.
  • Dr. R. Hooper – marine benthic community ecology.
  • Dr. D. J. Innes – evolutionary ecology
  • Dr. I. Jones – Seabird behaviour
  • Dr. R. Knoechel – Fresh water ecology
  • Dr. P. Marino (Head of Department) – Bryophyte and Agricultural EcologyBryophyte and Agricultural Ecology
  • Dr. R. McGowan
  • Dr. T. Miller
  • Dr. W. A. Montevecchi
  • Dr. F. Murrin – Mycology
  • Dr. K. Nicholls
  • Dr. G. Parsons
  • Dr. J. Patel
  • Dr. J. Pickavance – Spider systematics and ecology
  • Dr. R. Rivkin
  • Dr. G. Rose
  • Dr. D. Schneider
  • Dr. F. Shahidi
  • Dr. P. Snelgrove
  • Dr. P. Scott – Botany; arctic flora
  • Dr. B. Staveley
  • Dr. R. Thompson – physiological ecology of marine invertebrates
  • Dr. H. Volkoff – Fish physiology
  • Dr. J. Wroblewski – fisheries oceanography, global ocean ecosystem dynamics, and physical-biological mathematical modelling.

Financial Support Available

All graduate students in the Department of Biology are offered a minimum level of financial support. The current (2005) minimum rates are:

  • M.Sc. students, $15,900 per annum for two years
  • Ph.D. students, $17,400 per annum for three years.

This support is derived from several sources, including fellowships from the School of Graduate Studies, teaching assistantships from the Department and research assistantships.

Graduate students are also encouraged to apply for external sources of funding such as scholarships, awards and bursaries.

Admissions and Enquiries

Graduate Program Coordinator
Department of Biology
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John’s, Newfoundland A1B 3X9
Phone: 709-737-7498
Fax: 709-737-3018
Email: graduate.biology@mun.ca

Web: http://www.mun.ca/biology/

Nova Scotia

Department: Biology

Overview

Acadia offers degrees leading to both a Master of Science (M.Sc.) or a doctorate (Ph.D.) in biology.

Acadia is fortunate in its geographical location, for the local diversity of habitats provides a strong basis for field-oriented course work, enabling the Biology Department to offer a good balance of outdoor and indoor laboratory experiences.

Research Facilities

The Department of Biology at Acadia is fortunate to own property on Brier Island (Digby County) and Hemeon Head (Lunenburg County), and to operate the Richardson Field Station in Biology on Bon Portage Island (Shelburne County). The Richardson Field Station provides accommodations and laboratory facilities for both course work and thesis research.

Within the biology building at Acadia are special facilities and well equipped laboratories. The Robie Tufts Museum, E.C. Smith Herbarium, and Kenneth A. Harrison Mycology Laboratory, house unique reference collections of animal and plant specimens. There is a greenhouse, and an animal-holding facility with both freshwater and saltwater systems where animals may be maintained under controlled conditions. There are smaller growth chambers in several laboratories, and fluorescent, transmission electron, and scanning electron microscopes. The biology building also houses well-equipped laboratories in animal and plant physiology, genetics, and microbiology.

Other on-campus facilities include:

  • Acadia Centre for Estuarine Research
  • Centre for Organizational Research & Development (COR&D)
  • Northeast Asia Research Centre (NEARC)
  • Acadia Centre for Microstructural Analysis (ACMA)
  • Centre for Sensory Research of Food (CSRF)
  • Atlantic Centre for Global Change and Ecosystem Research (ACGCER)

List of Faculty

  • Colin Bell – Role & diversity of bacteria in ecosystems
  • Soren Bondrup-Nielsen – Conservation & Wildlife Management/Movement on population density & genetic structure
  • Mike Brylinsky – Aquatic Ecology
  • Graham Daborn – Estuarine Biology
  • Mike Dadswell – Fisheries and Marine Biology
  • Rodger Evans – Plant Systematics
  • Glenys Gibson – Developmental Biology
  • Sara Good-Avila – Evolutionary genetics of plant reproduction
  • Tom Herman – Population and conservation biology
  • Dave Kristie – Plant Physiology
  • Anna Redden – Estuarine Biology
  • Ed Reekie – Plant Ecology
  • Dave Shutler – Behavioural ecology of birds and their parasites
  • Todd Smith – Eukaryotic microbiology and parasitology
  • Marlene Snyder – Scallop mtDNA genomics; molecular ecology of local fauna and flora
  • Don Stewart – Molecular Evolution
  • Phil Taylor – Landscape structure/movement of organisms
  • Dan Toews – Comparative Animal Physiology
  • Sam vander Kloet – Plant Taxonomy
  • Brian Wilson – Neuroendocrinology

Financial Support Available

The Division of Research and Graduate Studies:

  • Assists researchers in identifying funding sources and in preparing, submitting and administering research grant applications and contracts
  • Provides financial support to graduate students

Awards and scholarships available to graduate students at Acadia are:

  • Geldart Milner Memorial Scholarship
  • IUGB Wildlife Research Award
  • Deacon George Thomas
  • Dr. J. Murray Beardsley (2)
  • Alden B. Dawson (1-2)
  • Dr. Muriel Roscoe Memorial
  • Harry E. Felch
  • Robie Tufts Research Scholarship

Admissions and Enquiries

Graduate Coordinator
Dr. Sara Good-Avila
Department of Biology
Acadia University
24 University Avenue
Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6
Phone: 902-585-1334
Fax: 902-585-1059
Email: sara.good-avila@acadiau.ca

Web: http://ace.acadiau.ca/science/biol/home.htm

Department: Microbiology & Immunology

Overview

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology, housed in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University, has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence and for equipping its students to excel in today’s highly competitive field of biological research. In an era of departmental reductions, the Department has been expanding its faculty base and establishing innovative programs through cross appointments in the clinical Departments of Surgery, Dentistry, Pediatrics and Medicine. These expansions have opened up new areas of research in transplantation immunology, oral microbiology, and infectious diseases to complement established programs in immunology, cell and molecular biology, microbial genetics, virology, and bacterial pathogenesis.

The Microbiology and Immunology Department is very active in the following areas of research:

  • Bacteriology & Microbial Pathogenesis
  • Immunology
  • Microbial & Molecular Genetics
  • Virology

Research Facilities

The majority of full time faculty members appointed in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology are based at the Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building. However, members of the Department, mainly joint and cross appointees, occupy space in other research facilites, and(or) are members of other Centres like:

  • Atlantic Research Data Centre (ARDC)
  • Dalhousie Infectious Disease Research Alliance (DIDRA)
  • Aquatron
  • Canadian Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT)
  • Trace Analysis Research Centre (TARC)
  • IWK Health Centre
  • QEII Health Sciences Centre

List of Faculty

  • R. Anderson – Virology , viral pathogenesis, vaccinology
  • C. Barnes – Yeast molecular genetics
  • R. Bortolussi – Immunology, pediatric infectious diseases
  • J. Boyd – Bacterial pathogenesis
  • R. Davidson – Bacterial pathogenesis and resistance to antimicrobials
  • S. Douglas – Marine microorganisms and antimicrobial peptides
  • R. Duncan – Virology, viral pathogenesis, drug delivery
  • G. Faulkner – Microscopy
  • K. Forward – Bacteriology, resistance to antimicrobials
  • R. Garduno – Bacterial pathogenesis
  • D. Haldane – Microbiology
  • S. Halperin – Vaccinology, pediatric infectious diseases
  • D. Hoskin – Immunology, cancer immunology
  • A. Issekutz – Immunology, leukocyte biology
  • T. Issekutz – Immunology, inflammation
  • B. Johnston – Immunology, T-cell biology
  • G. Johnston – Yeast molecular genetics
  • P. Lee – Oncolytic viruses, cancer biology
  • S. F. Lee – Bacterial pathogenesis, vaccinology
  • T. Lee – Immunology
  • Y. H. Li – Bacterial pathogenesis
  • T. J. Lin – Immunology, response to infection
  • J. S. Marshall – Immunology, mast cell biology
  • L. Murray – Yeast molecular genetics
  • B. Nashan – Transplantation
  • W. Schlech – Infectious diseases
  • A. Stadnyk – Immunology, inflammation
  • D. Stoltz – Virology, viral pathogenesis
  • K. West – Immunology, dendritic cell biology

Financial Support Available

Funding for graduate students at Dalhousie is available through a variety of sources:

  • FGS Scholarships and Fellowships
  • Bursaries
  • Teaching Assistantships
  • Student Research and Conference Travel Grants
  • External Funding

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Dalhousie University
Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building, 7th floor
5850 College Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 1X5
Phone: 902-494-3587
Fax: 902-494-5125

Web: http://microbiology.medicine.dal.ca/

Prince Edward Island

Department: Pathology & Microbiology

Overview

The Department of Pathology & Microbiology is one of 4 departments of the Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island. The Department of Pathology & Microbiology teaches various courses for the DVM and graduate programs: Bacteriology, Fish Health, Immunology, Virology, Anatomic, Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Parasitology. In addition to its Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program, UPEI offers Master of Science, Master of Veterinary Science and Doctoral programs within the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Graduate students may focus on one of several aspects of animal health, including: basic and applied biomedical research, fish and animal health research, clinical research on specific diseases and control procedures, environmental health and animal welfare. The Masters or Ph.D. programs may be combined with a clinical residency program for qualified veterinarians.

Teaching and research activities in the Department of Pathology and Microbiology are focused on diseases, health issues and pathogens affecting a variety of domestic animals, fish and wildlife. In addition, faculty and staff provide diagnostic services to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and to veterinarians and producers in Atlantic Canada and beyond.

Research Facilities

The College’s modern facilities have many unique features which have contributed to AVC’s success. Housed under the same roof are state-of-the-art laboratories, high-tech classrooms, diagnostic services and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital with clinics for small and large animals. The College’s aquatic animal facilities support extensive research and service in aquaculture and fish health. AVC is the best known among veterinary colleges for its expertise in this area. World class research centres such as the Lobster Science Centre, the Animal Welfare Centre and the Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences make the College a place of dynamic and varied research.

The interests of the Department encompass diverse aspects of the health and diseases of a variety of aquatic, domestic and sylvatic species. To promote animal health, the Department seeks partnerships with other Departments of the University of Prince Edward Island, the agriculture, aquaculture and fishery industries, other universities, the veterinary profession and all levels of government.

Research facilities also include:

  • Canadian Aquaculture Institute
  • PEI Health Research Institute

List of Faculty

  • James Bellamy – Health informatics; Computational Decision Systems; Quality Assurance; Clinical Pathology
  • Frank Berthe – Aquatic animal health; Mollusc diseases
  • Shelley Burton – Test validation; Diagnostic endocrinology
  • Rick Cawthorn – Parasitology
  • Arnost Cepica – Viral diseases of food producing and companion animals; Immunity and pathogenesis of viral infections of animals; Diagnosis of viral infections; Antibody induced conformational change of viral proteins and its impact on immunity
  • Gary Conboy – Parasitology (Helminthology)
  • Pierre-Yves Daoust – Wildlife health surveillance (mammals and birds, with emphasis on the marine habitat)
  • Les Gabor – Hematopoeitic diseases of cats; Diagnostic diseases of production animals; Surgical biopsies
  • Cora Gilroy – Veterinary Clinical Pathology
  • Spencer Greenwood – Molecular biology; Parasitology (Protists); Lobster Pathogens
  • Dave Groman – Morphologic Fish Pathology; Fish Disease Diagnostic Testing; Fish Health Management; Fin-fish and Shellfish Aquaculture
  • Paul Hanna – Infectious diseases of domestic animals; Dermatopathology
  • Harry Hariharan – Diagnostic bacteriology; Studies on antimicrobial drug resistance; Characterization of foodborne/zoonotic bacterial pathogens
  • Barbara Horney – Veterinary Clinical Pathology; Veterinary medical ethics (interest)
  • Basil Ikede – Pathogenesis of infectious diseases; Foreign and re-emerging animal diseases; Reproductive Pathology
  • Gerry Johnson – Fish Pathology
  • Fred Kibenge – Virology
  • Jeff Lewis – Molecular biology; Bacteriology; Nucleic Acid vaccines; Immunology; Recursive PCR
  • Alfonso Lopez – Pathology of the Respiratory System; Diagnostic Pathology
  • Fred Markham – Immunology; Immunoaassays; Parasite Immunology
  • Scott McBurney – Wildlife Pathology; Morphologic Pathology
  • Sandra McConkey – Pathology & Microbiology
  • Lisa Miller – Cardiovascular pathology; Diagnostic pathology; Wellness of veterinarians and veterinary students
  • David Speare – Fish Pathology; Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease; Treatment of Control of Infectious Disease; Biology of Aquatic Microsproridia; Gill Diseases of Salmonids
  • Carmencita Yason

Financial Support Available

There are a variety of internal as well as external (government) scholarships, awards and bursaries available to graduate students.

Admissions and Enquiries

Department of Pathology and Microbiology
Atlantic Veterinary College
University of Prince Edward Island
550 University Avenue
Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3
Phone: 902-566-0882
Fax: 902-566-0958
Email: avc@upei.ca

Admissions – Department of Pathology and Microbiology
Atlantic Veterinary College
University of Prince Edward Island
Phone: 902-566-0608
Fax: 902-566-0795
Email: registrar@upei.ca

Web: http://www.upei.ca/~pathmicr/