Faculty Sponsor List
The listing of faculty actively looking for a Summer 2025 research student are posted below.
Students may approach other CBS faculty not listed on this page however please note not all faculty are looking for summer research assistants. Additional names will be added daily so please check back regularly.
Human Health Sciences
The goal of my research program is to understand and gain intimate knowledge regarding mechanisms associated with age-related alterations to muscle contractility across multiple scales of organization. We investigate the neural control of movement using various neuromuscular tools and techniques (e.g, brain, spinal cord, muscle stimulation, electromyography) and basic intrinsic muscle contractile properties at the cellular level. This work has significant relevance, including understanding the neural control of voluntary movement across the lifespan and generating new insight into the active and passive muscular contributions to force production / transmission of skeletal muscle. Utilizing the chronic adapted state of human senescence, we aim to identify mechanisms which regulate intrinsic contractile function and gain invaluable insight into the adaptive capacity of skeletal muscle and what limits function in the context of normal adult aging. Please see lab website on my faculty profile page for more information. Learn more about Dr. Geoffrey Power.
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous
Integrative Biology
Environmental stressors of aquatic ecosystems including eutrophication, sedimentation, and climate change can impact biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Our lab examines links between the physical environment and the ecology of aquatic organisms (algae, plants, mussels, zooplankton) and ecosystems (rivers, lakes). Student assistant opportunities exist to support projects investigating: (1) threats to/recovery of endangered mussel species in Southern Ontario; (2) nutrient/resource flux between the benthic plants and/or invertebrates and the water column, (3) the effect of turbulence on the zooplankton feeding/interactions; and (4) the effect of turbulence on the swimming, feeding and growth of larval fish. Student assistants will engage in both field and lab work throughout the summer with the opportunity to continue as an honours research project in the F23– W24 semester. Please contact Dr. Joe Ackerman (ackerman@uoguelph.ca) if interested.
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous, Morwick, HART
A zebrafish brain continues to generate new neurons throughout its life in a process known as neurogenesis. Stress can impair this process, which may have lasting cognitive and behavioural effects. The Alderman lab is studying how environmental stressors influence neurogenesis, the cellular mechanisms that regulate stress hormone signaling in the brain, and the physiological and behavioral outcomes of stress-induced changes to neurogenesis. Summer research assistants will gain hands-on experience in research, from whole animal experiments through to data analysis. The Alderman lab welcomes applications from all curious and self-motivated students. Those with a strong interest in animal physiology and a desire to pursue an honours research project in F25/W26 are especially encouraged to apply.
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous, Morwick, HART
The Gagnon Lab studies the diversity and evolution of plants, focusing on the tomato family (Solanaceae), and the mega-diverse genus Solanum (c. 1250 sp, including crop species tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes). I will be recruiting a research assistant that will involve generating DNA extractions for next-generation sequencing libraries, for studies related to the phylogenies and comparative genomics of various clades of Solanum. DNA will be extracted either from natural history collections (herbaria), or from plants grown from germplasm material in the greenhouse. The applicant will also measure genome size of these materials, using flow-cytometry techniques. Target groups will include the Potato clade, the Leptostemonum Group, as well as members of the Morelloid group (Black nightshades).
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous, Morwick, HART
Research in the Husband lab explores the ecology, genetics and reproductive biology of plant populations with the goal of understanding fundamental processes affecting biodiversity, developing strategies for the restoration of species at risk, and mitigating threats due to hybridization from domesticated crops.
This summer, the lab has two undergraduate research assistant positions available. Students will work as a team to conduct field surveys of the endangered American chestnut in Ontario. The team will re-locate previously georeferenced trees to assess their current status and health, as well as locate previously unknown trees. This data will contribute to the provincial database on chestnut and be used to develop effective restoration strategies for the Canadian population.
Applicants should be passionate about conservation biology and field work. A valid driver’s license (G level) and comfort working in a range of field conditions is essential.
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous, Morwick
Phenotypic plasticity of brain size in fishes and amphibians
The Laberge lab is offering an opportunity to join a collaborative research effort to evaluate environmental effects on plastic responses of brain size in local cyprinid fishes and American toads. This research aims to identify the factors that drive plastic responses in anamniote vertebrates and how plastic changes contribute to organismal success in variable environments. Work in summer 2025 could involve field sampling of diverse cyprinids to evaluate seasonal acclimatization and laboratory experiments evaluating the effects of temperature on brain size plasticity of larval American toads. Students will be closely involved in animal care at the Hagen Aqualab and will have the opportunity to shape the research direction and lab methods to be used based on their specific interests. Interested students are encouraged to contact Dr. Laberge (flaberge@uoguelph.ca) to further discuss research possibilities.
More information about the Laberge lab can be found on this website: https://comparativephys.ca/labergelab/
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous, Morwick
Savannah sparrow field research on Kent Island, Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick
The 38-year study of Savannah sparrows on Kent Island in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick led by the Norris Lab is one of the longest-term studies of a migratory songbird in North America. Each year, from late May to the end of July, we track the breeding success and survival of all individually marked birds in the study population. This is a unique opportunity for a student to gain familiarity with a variety of field research techniques in a remote, beautiful, and rustic setting. Working with a field team, tasks will include capturing and handling birds, taking morphometrics and blood samples, affixing colour leg bands, finding and monitoring nests, and conducting regular surveys to resight marked individuals. We are looking for a student with demonstrable interests in ornithology, animal behaviour, and ecology, as well as a strong work ethic, capability of working outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, and keen observational skills. Because Kent Island hosts an active field station run by Bowdoin College, the student will also have opportunities to assist with other terrestrial and marine research projects. Accommodation and transportation to and from the field site is provided. Interested students should contact Dr. Ryan Norris (rnorris@uoguelph.ca). Learn more about Dr. Ryan Norris (www.norrislab.ca).
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous, Morwick
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Tumour cell invasion through extracellular matrix (ECM) is required for cancers to spread, and is dependent upon partial degradation of ECM components by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) secreted by tumour cells. A semester project is proposed to examine how the transport and targeted release of MMPs are regulated during invasion of ECM by breast cancer cells. The project will involve experimentation using cultured tumour cell lines, expression of GFP-tagged proteins, and cell-based assays to assess cell invasion.
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous
Fungal diseases are emerging as a growing global crisis, with increasing severity and widespread impacts. Fungal infections, which range from superficial to life-threatening invasions in humans, pose a grave challenge to public health while simultaneously devastating agricultural crops, threatening food safety and security worldwide. The urgent need to address significant gaps in the prevention, detection, monitoring, and treatment of fungal diseases highlights a pivotal opportunity to combat both current and emerging fungal pathogens effectively. To achieve this goal, my research group harnesses the cutting-edge power of mass spectrometry-based proteomics. By identifying protein-level drivers of fungal virulence, we can disrupt critical proteins and pathways to weaken the pathogen and prevent infection. We also establish dual-perspective protein production signatures—spanning both host and pathogen—across spatial and temporal dimensions to enable precise diagnostic and prognostic insights. Furthermore, our work explores host-pathogen interactions at the protein level, uncovering novel druggable targets essential for therapeutic innovation. Our research also focuses on combating antifungal resistance by targeting proteins driving resistance, we demonstrate chemical and genetic interventions to reverse resistance mechanisms, restoring the efficacy of existing antifungal drugs. This integrated proteomics-driven approach brings together interdisciplinary expertise, offering transformative solutions to the challenges posed by fungal pathogens and advancing global health initiatives.
The research projects will combine techniques in microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, and bioinformatics to identify and characterize proteins influencing fungal disease.
After almost a century of clinical use, β-lactam antibiotics continue to be the first-line therapy for the treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections. These drugs act by inhibiting peptidoglycan-binding-proteins (PBPs) that are essential for synthesizing peptidoglycan, the critical structural component in the bacterial cell wall. Inactivation of PBPs compromises the structural integrity of the cell wall, resulting in lethal cell lysis. In Gram-negative bacteria, the production of β-lactamases, enzymes that hydrolyze β-lactam antibiotics, is the primary mechanism of β-lactam resistance. However, genetic mutations resulting in the expression of PBP variants capable of conferring target-based resistance have emerged.
Using molecular, biochemical and structural biology approaches, this project seeks to understand the biochemical basis for β-lactam resistance mediated by the expression of variants of PBP3 - a critical β-lactam target in Gram-negative bacteria. In addition, we will employ cell imaging and phenotypic assays, in combination with molecular genetics, to examine how the expression of such variants impacts bacterial fitness. This research will provide insight into adaptive strategies evolved by bacteria to respond to antibiotic stress and highlight therapeutic approaches to address PBP3 variant-mediated β-lactam resistance in pathogenic bacteria.
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous
The proposed project focuses on innate immunity and host-pathogen interaction. Students will work at the intersection of immunology, microbiology, and neurobiology to understand how bacterial molecules regulate the immune function of tissue-resident mast cells during host defense. The project builds on the studies Cell Host Microbe 2019 (PMID: 31278040 ) and Nature 2015 (PMID: 25517090). Working in a highly collaborative environment, students will gain technical skills in mouse and microbial genetics, receptor pharmacology, sequencing, flow cytometry, imaging, and infection models.
Students will perform scientific experiments under the supervision of senior graduate students. Students will conduct cell-based assays, assist with mouse dissections, analyze and interpret data, and participate in the weekly lab meetings.
Interested candidates MUST have completed an introductory immunology course (MICR*3230 or an equivalent course).
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous
Our nervous system must sense, integrate, and process vast amounts of information throughout the day and then coordinate the correct response. Neurons are the basic working unit of the nervous system and are large, complex cells. Neurons receive input at neuron-neuron connections known as synapses located on short projections called dendrites and transmit information to downstream neurons via long output projections known as axons. The efficient trafficking and delivery of neuronal proteins and organelles to specific subcellular locations is critical for neuronal function but can be challenging over long axonal distances. This project seeks to understand how the protein lipid modification palmitoylation regulates protein and organelle trafficking and targeting in neurons. Palmitoylation acts like a sticky tag to tether proteins to specific cellular membranes. Our lab is particularly interested in how palmitoylation of ion channels and trafficking machinery regulates sub-neuronal targeting of proteins and, in turn, neuronal function.
This project offers an exciting opportunity to participate in neuroscience research.
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous
The Shapiro lab develops and applies functional genomic tools for genetic manipulation of fungal pathogens, and uses these tools to study the biology, pathogenesis, and response to antifungal drugs. Projects include the development of novel CRISPR-based systems for genetic manipulation, and the study of genetic mutants (singly or large libraries) to identify the genetic factors the regulate the biology of fungal pathogens. With a focus on Candida yeasts, projects look at the genes and genetic interactions that underpin fungal infections, fungal interactions with hosts, and the evolution of resistance to antifungal drugs.
Eligible Assistantships: CBS, Anne Dagg, Indigenous
About
The College of Biological Science is a globally recognized academic faculty with a mission to expand the understanding of life, from DNA to cells to complex ecosystems. It produces intrepid and interdisciplinary research in a student-centred learning environment that encourages and promotes comprehensive understanding of the systems that govern life.