Ph.D. Trainees

Allyson Bos
Gray Group

Current Degree: Ph.D. Biology

Education
BSc (Biology-Psychology), MSc In Biology; UNB

Research: The objective of my project is to isolate and identify novel bioactive natural products from extracts of fungal endophytes isolated from Canadian and South African medicinal plants, marine algae, and seafoam using bioactivity profiling, and NMR and LC-MS metabolomics prioritization techniques.

Publications

• Li, H., et al. 2018. Antimycobacterial 1,4-napthoquinone natural products from Moneses uniflora. Phytochemistry Letters. 27: 229-233.

• Ramsaywack, S., et al. 2018. Preliminary investigations into the synthesis and antimicrobial activities of boron-containing capsaicinoids. Canadian Journal of Chemistry. 1-6.

• Zhu, D., et al. 2017. Synthesis and antimicrobial properties of cyclic fluorodiamines containing boronate esters. Heteroatom Chemistry. 28(6): e21405.

• Bos, A., et al. 2016. Anticancer natural products from traditionally used Canadian medicinal plants. Planta Medica.82(S 01): 152.

• Benzina S., et al. 2015. Deoxypodophyllotoxin isolated fromJuniperus communis induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry. 15: 79-88.

• Patterson, A.E., et al. 2013. Anti-mycobacterial activities of copper(II) salicylaldimine complexes derived from long chain aliphatic amines. Canadian Journal of Chemistry. 91(11): 1093-1097.

Fun Fact(s): I love to travel and especially indulging in the local gastronomy.

Mmasinachi Atansi
Thompson Group

Current Degree: Ph.D. Chemistry

Education
B.Sc. Hons Biochemistry from Benson Idahosa University. 

Research
During my undergraduate studies I looked at Proximate composition, Phytochemical constituent and Mineral content of some selected Nigerian medicinal plants (Cymbopogon citratus, Pennisetum purpureum, Allanblackia  floribunda and Hagenia abyssinica). This work concluded that all the phytochemical present in the leaves proves that these leaves would serve as anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial agent, anti-oxidant and anti-tumor. The nutrition and health benefit of these leaves as proven that these plants are potential source of useful drugs and foods (Hagenia abyssinica, and Cymbopogon citratus which shows high amount of zinc, copper and also protein and carbohydrate). It is believed that the result of this study could help to stimulate consumption or utilization of this leafy vegetable as they are good source of macro nutrient needed for healthy growth. Further analysis like cytotoxicity, acute toxicity and other biochemical assay needs to be done on these plant products to estimate their safety and dosage for human consumption. It is this research that prompted me to join the Thompson group with the goal of further contributing to my community, and country Nigeria health sector.  

Awards and Scholarships

• Faculty Graduate Studies Scholarship (2019)- Dalhousie University

• Faculty Research Grant Scholarship (2019)- Dalhousie University

 Fun Facts
I love cooking and baking. I make delicious treats from anything in my kitchen. I love dogs as I believe they are man’s loyal friends. I love listening to music; it is an important part of my life. I value family and everything that comes with it.

Trilok Neupane
Langelaan group

Current Degree: Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Education

• MSc Pharmacy, 2019/08 Kyungpook National University, South Korea

• Bachelor of Pharmacy, 2014/06 Kathmandu University, Nepal

Research: My research focuses on using biophysical techniques and functional assays to characterize the fundamental causes and consequences of protein assembly. I am currently involved in characterizing the mechanism of rhodoquinone biosynthesis. During my MSc, I was involved in studying protein-ligand interactions using biochemical and biophysical techniques. Our target was to find small molecule inhibitors for different disease-related proteins using molecular docking, enzyme inhibition assay, enzyme kinetics and cell-based assays. 

Publications & Awards

• Scholarship: Korean Government Scholarship (2016-2019)

• Award: Outstanding Academic Achievement Award (2015) 

• Poster: Biophysical characterization of new chemotype inhibitors for Hsp90. Fall International Conference of Pharmaceutical Society of Korea, Jeju, South Korea, 2018.

Fun Fact(s): I love photography and enjoy travelling to new places.

M.Sc. Trainees

Adam Beckett
Speed group

Current Degree: M.Sc. Chemistry

Education: B.Sc. Hons Chemistry from Mount Allison University

Research: The Speed group focuses on both synthesis and catalytic properties of main group chemical complexes. This chemistry aims to increase efficiency of current methods as well as explore new chemistry in the realm of enantioselective transformations. My research considers the synthesis of previously unattainable phosphorus-based catalysts through novel cyclization methods.

Fun Fact(s): When I am not doing chemistry, I like to indulge in photography and playing basketball.

Cassie Burns
Sit Group

Current Degree: M.Sc. Chemistry

Education: I completed my undergrad, B.Sc. in biology, at Saint Mary’s University.

Research

My project is focused on promoting sustainable agriculture in Nova Scotia, through the use of plant growth promoting bacteria to develop a new biofertilizer. Food security and food availability are important global issues we are currently facing. Plant life provides approximately 80% of our human diet, a substantial part of human nutrition, and we depend on agriculture as a crucial economic resource and mechanism of development. Currently, our freshwater, oceans, biodiversity and soils are being expeditiously degraded. Climate change is contributing even more pressure on the resources we depend on. We propose that supplementing the soil near or at the rhizosphere using specific strains of bacteria may augment plant growth, plant productivity, plant defence against pathogens and disease, and hardiness in different or altering climates. Previous results from our lab studying barley, demonstrate that our method of bacteria/biochar formulation encouraged the barley to redirect its nutritional resources to produce larger fruit instead of growing taller plants. We are excited about the potential of our formulation to increase barley crop yield. We believe that the patenting and commercialization of this method will have a large impact on Nova Scotia’s agricultural industry and overall economy, in addition to addressing some of the food availability issues we face as a planet. This project has been focused on testing and modifying the bacteria/biochar formulation to see if we can observe similar success in other plant species, including setting up multi-year studies on important staple foods and high dollar value crops that are important to Nova Scotia.

 Awards

• FGSR scholarship

• Joseph Edmund Donahue Scholarship

• John Glenister Memorial Scholarship

• Cayley Fox Memorial Scholarship 

Fun Fact(s): I am a Special Olympics coach, a cat mom to Georgie, and I have 21 house plants. I enjoy running and biking, which is convenient because I am a big fan of donuts.  

Erin welsh
Speed group

Education: Completed my BSc. Hons. Chemistry at Dalhousie University and now planning to transfer to the PhD program this year.

Research: The Speed group has developed simple phosphorus-based metal-free catalysts to form chiral amines, however their current performance falls short of that expected from precious metal catalysts. My work attempts to improve metal-free routes to obtain these amines. My research will improve the catalysts developed in the Speed group to a level of performance that is competitive with current metal-based catalysts. This improvement will allow the replacement of current metal-based catalysts with phosphorus-based catalysts in both discovery chemistry, and manufacturing settings.

Publications

• Lundrigan, T.; Welsh, E. N.; Hynes, T.; Tien, C. H.; Adams, M. R.; Roy, K. R.; Robertson, K. N.; Speed, A. W. H. Enantioselective Imine Reduction Catalyzed by Phosphenium Ions. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2019, 141 (36), 14083–14088. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.9b07293.

• Hynes, T.; Welsh, E. N.; McDonald, R.; Ferguson, M. J.; Speed, A. W. H. Pyridine Hydroboration with a Diazaphospholene Precatalyst. Organometallics 2018, 37 (6), 841–844. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.organomet.8b00028.

Presentations

• Welsh, E. N.*; Speed, A. W. H.; Second Generation Chiral Diazaphospholenes, 2019 102nd Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Oral Presentation. 

• Welsh, E. N.*; Speed, A. W. H.; Second Generation Chiral Diazaphospholenes, 2019 44th Annual Science Atlantic-CIC Chemistry Conference, Oral Presentation. 

• Welsh, E. N.*; Speed, A. W. H.; Second Generation Chiral Diazaphospholenes, 2018 43rd Annual Science Atlantic-CIC Chemistry Conference, Oral Presentation. 

Awards

• Douglas E. Ryan Award (2019-2020)

• Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarship (2018-2020)

• Undergraduate Certificate: Medicinal Chemistry (2018)

• Spirit of Chemistry (2018-2019)

Fun Fact(s): Outside of chemistry, I love to be active so you can often find me at SPINCO or the gym. I love nature and exploring the outdoors, so I try to be outside as much as possible and enjoy hiking especially around parts of Nova Scotia I have never been to. 

Jennifer Kolwich
Sit Group

Current Degree: M.Sc. Applied Science (Chemistry)

Education
I completed my B.Sc. at Saint Mary’s University in 2019 with a double major in Biology and Honours Chemistry.

Research
My research focuses on the treatment of bat white-nose syndrome using microbes associated with bat skin and caves. By utilizing the antimicrobial compounds produced by native skin microbes against the WNS-causing fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans, safe and effective treatments can be developed to prevent the spread of the disease and reduce mortality in affected regions.

Publications

• Publicover EA, Kolwich J, Stack DL, Doué AJ, Ylijoki KEO. (2017). Crystal Structure of ( S)- Sec -Butylammonium L-Tartrate Monohydrate. Acta Crystallographica Section E Crystallographic Communications. 73(5): 716–719.

Conference Posters/Presentations

• Oral: An in-depth investigation into the inhibitory activity of a native cave fungus against Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Maritime Natural Product Conference, Saint John, Canada, 2019 – Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation

• Oral: Discovery of fungus-derived antimicrobial compounds with activity against Pseudogymnoascus destructans. 44rd Annual Science Atlantic/CIC Student Chemistry Conference, Wolfville, Canada, 2019 – CIC Award for the Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation in Biological or Medicinal Chemistry

• Oral: Investigation of metabolites and virulence factors of white-nose syndrome fungus, Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Maritime Natural Product Conference, Halifax, Canada, 2018

• Oral: Discovery of anti-fungal compounds from the immunobiome of North American bat species threatened by fungal infection with Pseudogymnoascus destructans. 43rd Annual Science Atlantic/CIC Student Chemistry Conference, Halifax, Canada, 2018 – Science Atlantic Communication Award

• Poster: Utilizing micro-ecological activity against bat pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans as a means of discovering novel antimicrobial compounds. 101stCanadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Edmonton, Canada, 2018

• Oral: Utilizing micro-ecological activity against bat pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans as a means of discovering novel antimicrobial compounds. Maritime Natural Product Conference, Charlottetown, Canada, 2017

Awards

• 2014-2019 Academic Achievement Scholarship

• 2016-2019 Cleary Family Scholarship

• 2017 Jack Ginsburg Memorial Scholarship

• 2017-2019 NSERC USRA

• 2019 NSERC CGS M

• 2019 President's Hall of Academic Excellence Inductee

Fun Fact(s)
My hobbies include writing, sketching, and singing—really just any activity that allows me to tell a story in some way!

Lauren Grant
Sit Group

Current Degree: M.Sc. Chmistry

Education: B.Sc. in honours chemistry at UPEI

Research: I am looking at the effects of yeast, bacteria, and fungi in/on soil and grapes during natural wine fermentation. I am working specifically with L'Acadie Vineyards and the natural wine they produce.

Presentations

• (24/08/2018) A High Throughput Chemical Elicitor Screen for The Discovery of Silent Natural Products in Gram-Negative Bacteria. Maritime Natural Products Conference, Halifax, Canada. Oral Presentation.

• (13/08/2018) A High Throughput Chemical Elicitor Screen for The Discovery of Silent Natural Products in Gram-Negative Bacteria. The Student Program for Undergraduate Research Presentations, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Poster Presentation

Fun Fact(s): I like doing improv

Liandrah Gapare
Thompson Group

Current Degree: M.Sc. Chemistry

Education
B.Sc. Hons Chemistry from the University of Zimbabwe. 

Research
During my undergraduate studies I looked at the heavy metal content of dried Kapenta fish (Limnothrissa miodon) in selected commercially available brands in Harare Zimbabwe. This work concluded that the risk of heavy metal contamination was negligible but if left uncontrolled and without consumption guidelines consumers could be in the long run exposed to toxic heavy metals which can cause health effects like cancer. It is this anticancer research that prompted me to join the Thompson group with the goal of further contributing to my community, Zimbabwe. 

 Awards
SASEP scholarship 2019-2021 

Fun Facts
I have a baby girl, I love food, I’m afraid of heights. I enjoy watching series and listening to loud music that I can’t study without it. 

Ryleigh Stack
Gray Group

Current Degree: M.Sc. Biological Sciences

Education
B.Sc. with Honours at UNBSJ

Research
My research is focused on using DNA taxonomy as a molecular technique to obtain identifications for fungi that have been isolated from inside healthy plant material. 

Conference Oral Presentation

• Stack, R.A., J. Johnson and C. Gray. 2019. Taxonomic analysis of a collection of endophytic fungi. Presentation at the Maritime Natural Products Conference. Saint John, NB.

Fun Fact(s): I have been playing football for 9 years now and have coached several different teams and age groups for 7 years. Other than science and football, I really enjoy travelling and seeing the world.

Tom Gillis
Bearne Group

Current Degree: M.Sc. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Education
B.Sc. in Biochemistry at Eastern Michigan University

Research: Our lab uses classical enzymology techniques to investigate the nature of protein-ligand interactions that contribute to the stabilization of reactive intermediates and transition states. My project specifically looks at an inhibitor of glutamate racemase. My previous lab experience includes investigating histone binding properties as well as breast cancer cell invasion and migration.

Publications & Awards

• Eastern Michigan University: Undergraduate Symposium - Poster Presentation, 2019

• Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer: Student Intern Symposium - Poster Presentation, 2019

• Undergraduate Research Stimulus Award, 2018

• Honours Undergraduate Research Fellowship Award, 2018

Fun Fact(s): I was a competitive springboard diver throughout grade school and university. In my free time I like to give back to the community by volunteering and coaching.

Undergrad Trainee

Francisca Annan
Thompson Group

Education
I am currently a third-year undergraduate student pursing a Bachelor of Science in Medical Sciences 

Research
My research focuses on developing new methodology for the synthesis of fluorescent F-BODIPY dyes.

Awards
NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) 2019

Recent Conference Presentations
Annan, F., Thompson, A. (2019). A New Approach to the One-Pot Synthesis of F-BODIPYs [oral]. Maritime Natural Products Conference, Saint John, NB.

Fun Facts
I like to watch cooking videos on YouTube in my spare time, especially ones from the Bon Appetit test kitchen. My favourite fruit is mango, and I love to try out different mango-flavoured treats like candies and ice cream.

Jasmine Eng
Goralski Group

Education

• Biology-Chemistry (University of New Brunswick)

• Pharmacy/Pharmacology (summer research at Dalhousie)

Research: This past summer I helped with quantifying gene expression changes in human dermal fibroblasts to identify mechanisms of ultraviolet protection of an oral natural product formulation.

Oral Presentation

• Quantifying gene expression changes in human dermal fibroblasts to identify the mechanisms of UV light protection, the Maritime Natural Products Conference, August 2019, Saint-John, NB

Fun Fact(s): I love photography, dancing, and hiking!