Contact & People

Department of Biology
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
University of British Columbia Okanagan
1177 Research Road
Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7
Canada

Undergraduate Student/Program Inquiries
ugbiology.okanagan@ubc.ca

Graduate Students/Program Inquiries
biologygrad.inquiry@ubc.ca

Research Finance Inquiries
emma.regush@ubc.ca

Faculty and TA/Marker Inquiries
christina.grant@ubc.ca

General inquires
biology.okanagan@ubc.ca

Biology and Chemisty – Manager
janet.heisler@ubc.ca

Biology – Head
biology.head@ubc.ca

 

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Filsan Abokor | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | filsan.abokor@ubc.ca
Maryam Aghayan | PhD Student | Biology | maghayan@student.ubc.ca | 250.317.9770 | RHS 118
Research Interests: Energy Metabolism; Energy balance; Sex hormones; Modifiable health behaviours; Body composition.
Vivek Arulnathan | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Biology | vivek.arulnathan@ubc.ca | FIP 226
Tal Avgar | Assistant Professor | Biology | tal.avgar@ubc.ca | SCI 162

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Animal habitat-selection and movement ecology, wildlife population biology, consumer-resource interactions, ecological modelling and biometry
Marisa Aviani | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | maviani@mail.ubc.ca
David Bakker | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | dbakker3@student.ubc.ca
Research Interests: Novel topological nucleic acid nanostructures; single-molecule force spectroscopy
Phil Barker (On Leave) | Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Biotechnology | philip.barker@ubc.ca | SCI 316

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Neurodegenerative disease, signal transduction, neurotrophin biology, cell biology, fly and mouse genetics.
William Bates | Associate Professor Emeritus | Biology | william.bates@ubc.ca
Kirk Bergstrom | Assistant Professor | Biology | kirk.bergstrom@ubc.ca | 250.807.8696 | ASC 373

Graduate student supervisor. Not currently considering graduate students.


Research Interests: Host-microbiota interactions; Glycobiology
Courses & Teaching: BIOL420 Functional Glycoscience; BIOL314 Medical Microbiology
Pankaj Bhowmik | Adjunct Professor | Biology | pankaj.bhowmik@ubc.ca | 306.203.2714
Research Interests: Plant Tissue culture, transformation, gene editing; Application of cell technologies - protoplasts and microspore-based genetic manipulation for crop improvement; Genetic enhancement of protein, off-flavour, anti-nutritional quality and processability in pulse crops.
Joyce Boon | Associate Professor Emerita | Biology | joyce.boon@ubc.ca
Olivia Boven | MSc Student | Biology | oboven@student.ubc.ca
Research Interests: The use of genetic tools to inform conservation; marine and freshwater fisheries; research centered on furthering Indigenous goals.
Noah Brooks | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | nbrooks0@mail.ubc.ca
Maxwell Brubaker | MSc Student | Biology | bruba016@mail.ubc.ca | Internal UBC Phone #: 39206 | ASC 374
Research Interests: TBD
Christina Buesching | Adjunct Professor | Biology | christina.buesching@ubc.ca
Hung Bui | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | hung.bui@ubc.ca
Deborah Buszard | Professor Emerita | Biology | deborah.buszard@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Sustainability; agriculture; plant science and plant breeding. My academic discipline is plant science with a focus on fruit crops.
Liam Bystrom | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | lbystrom@mail.ubc.ca
Simone Castellarin | Associate Member | Biology | simone.castellarin@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Molecular and hormonal signals in ripening grapes; cis-regulatory code for transcriptional regulation in grapevines; impact of deficit irrigation and crop size on fruit and wine aroma and quality; canopy management.
Courses & Teaching: Grapevine and berry crop biology; advances in food biotechnology.
Melissa Caza | Adjunct Professor | Biology | Melissa.Caza@interiorhealth.ca | 250.862.4300 ext 25907
Research Interests: Diagnostic molecular microbiology, Next-generation sequencing, antimicrobial resistance, development of diagnostic assays and tools for optimising antimicrobial use through whole-genome sequencing (WGS).
Zhenhao Chen | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | shczh@mail.ubc.ca
Helen Chiang | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | helen.chiang@ubc.ca
Suzie Currie | Vice-Principal and Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation | Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation | suzie.currie@ubc.ca | ADM006M
Research Interests: Comparative animal physiology, focused on understanding how fish will cope with ongoing climate warming.
Brendan D'Souza | Lecturer | Biology | brendan.dsouza@ubc.ca | 250.807.9628 | SCI 160
Research Interests: Cell signaling; molecular mechanisms underlying development and progression of cancer.
Courses & Teaching: Biology for science majors; genetics; cell signaling; molecular biology.
Thu-Thuy Dang | Assistant Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | thuy.dang@ubc.ca | 250.807.9468 | SCI 207

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Discovering new biosynthetic enzymes and pathways; generating specialized metabolites structural and functional diversities; re-constituting natural products metabolism in synthetic biology chassis.
Courses & Teaching: Biochemistry
Siobhan Darlington | PhD Student | Biology | s.darlington@ubc.ca | 778.350.0630 | SCI 149
Research Interests: Movement ecology; predator-prey dynamics; optimal foraging theory; anthropogenic disturbance and species distribution modelling.
Andres de Leon | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Biology | adeleone@mail.ubc.ca
Michael Deyholos (On Leave) | Professor | Biology, Biotechnology | michael.deyholos@ubc.ca | SCI 316

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Genetics and genomics of plants, especially in relation to pectin, cell walls, and fibers.
Courses & Teaching: Biochemistry, bioinformatic.
Melanie Dickie | PhD Student | Biology | melanie.dickie@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Studies how anthropogenic habitat alteration and climate change the boreal food web in relation to woodland caribou declines
Long Do | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | long2911@mail.ubc.ca
Jane Donetz | Laboratory Technician | Biology | jdonetz@mail.ubc.ca | 250.807.8489 | SCI 103
Tyler Donner | Laboratory Program Manager | Biology | tyler.donner@ubc.ca | 250.807.9544 | SCI 103
Daniel Durall | Associate Professor Emeritus | Biology | daniel.durall@ubc.ca | 250.807.8759

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Fungi in forest and wine systems; determining the structure of fungal networks connecting trees and the strains of yeast responsible for fermentation.
Courses & Teaching: Microbiology; mycology; botany; ecology.
Cameron Egan | Adjunct Professor | Biology | camegan@usc.edu
Research Interests: Botany; Ecology; Mycology; Microbiology; Ecological Restoration
David Ensing | Adjunct Professor | Biology | david.ensing@agr.gc.ca | 250.859.0749
Research Interests: Agroecology; botany; biological control of weeds; Indigenous food systems and security; plant evolutionary ecology; range limits; rangeland ecology.
Tomas Filip | PhD Student | Biology | tomas.filip@ubc.ca | Internal UBC Phone #: 37012 | ASC 387
Research Interests: Study of the cellular and molecular mechanism of neuronal remodeling in mammals and Drosophila Melanogaster.
Adam Ford | Associate Professor | Biology, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | adam.ford@ubc.ca | 250.807.9773 | SCI 109

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Wildlife ecology and conservation; mammals; temperate forests, grasslands, and tropical savannas.
Courses & Teaching: Animal ecology
Thomas Forge | Adjunct Professor | Biology | tom.forge@agr.gc.ca | 250.494.2119
Mary Forrest | Associate Professor Emerita | Biology | mary.forrest@ubc.ca
Liubov Frolova | PhD Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | liubovf@mail.ubc.ca
Research Interests: Exosome biogenesis; exosomal biomarkers; drug delivery; single molecule imaging.
Rosemary Garner | Laboratory Technician | Biology | rosemary.garner@ubc.ca | 250.807.8058 | SCI 103
Daniel Gaudet | PhD Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | gaudetda@mail.ubc.ca
Sanjoy Ghosh | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention (IHLCDP) | sanjoy.ghosh@ubc.ca | 250.807.8162 | ASC 369

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Biochemical aspects of dietary fats and exercise in preventing the development and complications of obesity and diabetes.
Courses & Teaching: Biochemical basis of nutrition.
Julien Gibon | Adjunct Professor | Biology | julien.gibon@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Learning and memory; Working memory; The central nervous system; neurotrophins; neuronal activity; synaptic activity and plasticity. Mechanisms of persistent firing activity in the cortex.
Deanna Gibson (On Leave) | Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Biotechnology, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention (IHLCDP) | deanna.gibson@ubc.ca | 250.807.8790 | ASC 368

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Gut health; intestinal microbiome; gut immunity; dietary lipids; susceptibility to acute and chronic gut diseases like colitis.
Courses & Teaching: Medical microbiology, virology and immunology.
Purnima Govindarajulu | Adjunct Professor | Biology | purnima.govindarajulu@gov.bc.ca | 250.387.9755
Christina Grant | Senior Department Assistant | Biology | christina.grant@ubc.ca | 250.807.8935 | SCI 155
Laura Grieneisen | Assistant Professor | Biology, Biotechnology, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | laura.grieneisen@ubc.ca | 250.807.8760 | SCI 208

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Host-microbiome interactions in wild systems; microbial ecology
Courses & Teaching: Environmental microbiology
Kirsten Hannam | Adjunct Professor | Biology | kirsten.hannam@canada.ca | 250.404.3351
Miranda Hart | Professor | Biology, Biotechnology, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | miranda.hart@ubc.ca | ASC 372

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Microbial ecology of soil microbes; the role and the applications of microbes in sustainable agriculture, viticulture, and ecological restoration.
Courses & Teaching: Botany; ecology; microbial ecology; microbiology.
Trisheeta Hasan | PhD Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | trisheeta.hasan@ubc.ca
Natasha Haskey | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Biology | natasha.haskey@ubc.ca | Internal UBC Phone #: 39206 | ASC 374
Research Interests: The effect of diet modification on clinical disease activity, the gut microbiome and immune response in inflammatory bowel disease.
Tristyn Hay | Laboratory Program Manager and Outreach Coordinator | Biology | tristyn.hay@ubc.ca | 250.807.9550 | FIP 327
Research Interests: Assessing the current level of our post secondary students in three core competencies and implement teaching strategies in order to increase these competencies.
Janet Heisler | Department Manager | Biology, Chemistry | janet.heisler@ubc.ca | 250.807.8757 | SCI 164
Darcy Henderson | Adjunct Professor | Biology | darcy.henderson@canada.ca | 250.491.1507
Karen Hodges | Professor, Associate Head Grad Studies | Biology | karen.hodges@ubc.ca | 250.807.8763 | SCI 382

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Ecology; conservation biology; effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on behaviour and population dynamics; predator-prey dynamics; extinction risks; species-at-risk legislation; wildfires and wildlife; biosolids and wildlife.
Courses & Teaching: Conservation Biology; Science Writing; Spatial Ecology.
Laura Hooker | Associate Professor Emerita | Biology | laura.hooker@ubc.ca | 250.807.9551 | SCI 158
Research Interests: Aquatic ecology.
Courses & Teaching: Aquatic ecology; limnology; evolution and ecology; microbial ecology.
Perry Howard | Department Head, Associate Professor | Biology | perry.howard@ubc.ca | 250.807.8942 | SCI 156

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Ars2 in RNA biogenesis; RNA processing in stem cells; regulation of Pax6 by miRNA; rewiring of tyrosine pathway in cancer.
Courses & Teaching: Cell Signaling, Gene Expression, Introduction to Biochemistry and Human Health, Scientific writing for graduate students.
Rain Inaba | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | rain.inaba@ubc.ca | ASC 355
Research Interests: Gut Microbiology/ Glycobiology; Organoid Culture
Robyn Irvine | Adjunct Professor | Biology | robyn.irvine@canada.ca | 778.361.0298
Research Interests: In my work with Parks Canada, I am researching how to best incorporate different streams of evidence into carrying out effective applied restoration ecology projects. This work is based on my research background and extensive experience in quantitative ecology, fisheries biology, invasive species biology and evidence-based conservation biology. I also do some consulting work on questions of mitigating impacts of development for First Nations, NGOs, government and industry.
Simin Jafaripour | MSc Student | Biology | simin.jafaripour@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Large intestine microbiotac contribution to host fitness
Karine Jarzecki | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | kjarzeck@mail.ubc.ca
Serena Jilani | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | jserena@mail.ubc.ca
Melanie Jones | Professor Emerita | Biology | melanie.jones@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Physiology of ectomycorrhizas and roots of woody plants; effects of fire and silviculture on ectomycorrhizal fungal communities; carbon allocation within and between woody plants, orchard management under climate change.
Courses & Teaching: Soil ecology; plant physiology; general biology.
Jessica Josephson | PhD Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | jesskb1@mail.ubc.ca
Sunil Kainth | Teaching Laboratory Technician | Biology | sunil.kainth@ubc.ca | 250.807.8489 | SCI 103
Sophia Kast | MSc Student | Biology | sophia.kast@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Forest ecology, botany, alpine botany, ectomycorrhizal fungi, mycology.
Andis Klegeris (On Leave) | Professor | Biology, Biotechnology | andis.klegeris@ubc.ca | 250.807.9557 | ASC 371

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Neuroimmunology; pathogenesis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases; Glial cell biology; cellular and molecular pharmacology; method development for protecting neurons from age-related deterioration; signaling between different cell types of the central nervous system; problem-solving skills of students and effectiveness of alternative instructional techniques.
Courses & Teaching: Pharmacology; neuroimmunology; inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.
Darrek Stephan Kniffen | PhD Student | Biology | kniffend@mail.ubc.ca | 39206 (Internal) | ASC 374
Research Interests: Studying human health using model organisms to better understand the causes and possible treatments for bowel disease. My research interests include medical microbiology, glycobiology, pathogenics, and molecular biology.
Omkar Kulkarni | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry | omkar.kulkarni@ubc.ca
Robert Lalonde | Associate Professor | Biology | robert.lalonde@ubc.ca | 250.807.8764 | SCI 381
Research Interests: Effects of information use on population and community processes; evolutionary ecology and population ecology of parasitic insects; developing insights into the biology of parasitic insects and the dynamics of parasite-dominated communities; potential applications in the area of biological control of both insect pests and introduced weeds.
Courses & Teaching: Animal and insect ecology; evolutionary and population ecology.
Clayton Lamb | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Biology | clayton.lamb@ubc.ca
Joana Larrere | MSc Student | Biology | jlarrere@student.ubc.ca | 778.392.4330
Research Interests: Phytopathology; cover cropping; viticulture; sustainable agriculture.
Karl Larsen | Adjunct Professor | Biology | klarsen@tru.ca | 250.828.5456
Isaac Li | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI) | isaac.li@ubc.ca | 250.807.8069 | FIP 343

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Single-molecule biophysics; programmable molecular devices and biosensors; cancer and immune cell biology; cell mechanics and mechanobiology.
Courses & Teaching: Nucleic Acid, Cellular and Molecular Biophysics, Instrumentation, Physical Chemistry
Michelle Lu | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | michelle.lu@ubc.ca
Brooklyn Maher | MSc Student | Biology | brooklyn.maher@alumni.ubc.ca | SCI 124
Research Interests: Conservation biology; ecology;and effects of habitat loss on wildlife.
Soheil Mahmoud | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Biotechnology, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | soheil.mahmoud@ubc.ca | 250.807.8752 | SCI 312

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Molecular, cellular, biochemical and environmental factors that regulate the quality and quantity of aromas and essential oils produced by herbal and medicinal plants; identification, cloning and characterization of structural and regulatory genes that are involved in the biosynthesis, inter- and intra-cellular trafficking, secretion and storage of monoterpenes in plants cells specialized for secondary metabolite production.
Courses & Teaching: Plant molecular biology and biochemistry; metabolism of natural products; plant biotechnology.
Chase M Mason | Assistant Professor | Biology, Biotechnology | chase.mason@ubc.ca | 250.807.9189 | SCI 385

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Plant ecophysiology, plant-biotic interactions, plant secondary metabolism, genome-wide association mapping, functional trait evolution, crop biodiversity, crop-wild relatives, evolutionary ecology.
Courses & Teaching: Land Plants (BIOL 210), Plant Ecophysiology (BIOL 358)
Bruce Mathieson | Associate Professor Emeritus | Biology | bruce.mathieson@ubc.ca
Portiaa McGonigal | PhD Candidate | Biology | portiaa.mcgonigal@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Grapevine diseases; biological controls; compost amendments; phylogenetic analysis; greenhouse studies; digital droplet PCR.
Alexandra McGregor | PhD Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | a.mcgregor@ubc.ca
Michelle McLellan | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Biology | mmclel01@mail.ubc.ca
Vivien Measday | Associate Member | Biology | vivien.measday@ubc.ca | 604.827.5744
Research Interests: Isolate and characterize yeast populations associated with vineyards; retrotransposons.
Courses & Teaching: Food Microbiology; microbiology of food and beverage fermentation; advances of food biotechnology; advanced topics in molecular biology.
Mackenzie Melvin | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | mmelvin@mail.ubc.ca
Frederic Menard | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI) | frederic.menard@ubc.ca | 250.807.8225 | FIP 348

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Chemical biology: use of small molecules to study and manipulate biological systems; design of molecular tools to study the real-time dynamics of cellular events; using organic chemistry, natural products are modified to label proteins involved in cellular signaling; the biology questions studied focus on protein-protein interactions, astrocytes communication, synapse elimination, and neurodegeneration.
Courses & Teaching: Synthetic organic chemistry.
Stefano Mezzini | Sessional Lecturer | Biology | stefano.mezzini@ubc.ca | SCI 354
Research Interests: Quantitative ecology; statistical ecology; macroecology; animal movement; environmental stochasticity; energetics; fire ecology; decolonizing methodologies.
Courses & Teaching: BIOL 202
Susan Murch | Department Head (Pro Tem), Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Materials and Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI), Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | susan.murch@ubc.ca | 250.807.9566 | FIP 350

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: The Plant Secondary Metabolite Analytical Research Team (PlantSMART) researches chemistry of plants and how plant chemistry affects human health using analytical chemistry, mass spectrometry, biotechnology, metabolomics and hormonomics approaches.
Courses & Teaching: Analytical chemistry; plant biochemistry. Micro-credential in Metabolomics
Denise Neilson | Adjunct Professor | Biology | neilsend@agr.gr.ca
Louise Nelson | Honorary Professor (Post-Retirement), Professor Emeritus | Biology | louise.nelson@ubc.ca | 250.807.8756 | SCI 103

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Plant-microbe interactions; soil health; plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria; biological control; postharvest fungal pathogens; orchard replant disease; nitrogen cycling; nitrification; denitrification.
Courses & Teaching: Environmental microbiology; sustainability; plant-microbe interactions.
Matthew Nelson | Lecturer | Biology | matthew.nelson@ubc.ca | 250.807.9569 | SCI 160
Research Interests: Behavioural ecology; arachnid diversity; life history.
Courses & Teaching: Invertebrate zoology; sustainability; biology II for science majors; cell biology.
Blythe Nilson | Associate Professor Emerita | Biology | blythe.nilson@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Skepticism and scientific literacy.
Courses & Teaching: Biology for non-science majors; anatomy and physiology for nursing students; biochemistry; molecular genetics labs.
Michael J Noonan | Assistant Professor | Biology, Statistics | michael.noonan@ubc.ca | 250.807.8667 | SCI 379

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Animal movement, conservation, encounter theory, evolutionary processes, macro-ecology, and statistical ecology.
Courses & Teaching: Evolutionary Ecology (Biol 417); Statistical Modelling for Biological Data (Biol 520C); Spatial Statistics (DATA 589)
Benjamin Noyovitz | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | ben.noyovitz@ubc.ca
Emily O'Brien | PhD Student | Biology | emily.obrien@ubc.ca
Research Interests: The production of phytocannabinoids in plants and fungi; phytochemistry; secondary metabolite biosynthesis; the effects of stress and phytohormones on secondary metabolite production and plant genomics.
Rob O'Brien | Adjunct Professor | Biology | R.OB@SupraRnD.ca
Emmanuel T. Osei | Assistant Professor | Biology, Biotechnology | emmanuel.osei@ubc.ca | ASC366

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Establishing 3D bioartificial models to aid in understanding how abnormal multicellular and multiorgan interactions contribute to lung diseases.
Courses & Teaching: Biol 363, Developmental Biology
Eric Palm | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Biology | epalm@mail.ubc.ca
Lael Parrott | Professor | Biology, Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences | lael.parrott@ubc.ca | 250.807.8122 | ASC 401
Research Interests: Understanding ecosystems and landscapes as complex systems in which human and biophysical processes are coupled across multiple scales of space and time; incorporating complexity into natural resource management approaches; regional-scale landscape modelling; social-ecological networks; agent and individual-based modelling approaches; landscape science and scenario building.
Courses & Teaching: Dynamic modelling of coupled human-environment systems.
Malcolm Paterson | Adjunct Professor | Biology | macpaterson@hotmail.com | 250.486.5608
Research Interests: genotoxic stress-sensing (i.e., cell-cycle control and DNA repair) mechanisms and their deregulation in human cells as an initiating and rate-limiting event in cancer development; environmental and hereditary interactions underlying human cancer: breast cancer drug development, Herceptin (Trastuzumab)
Nathan Pelletier | Associate Professor | Biology, Faculty of Management | nathan.pelletier@ubc.ca | 250.807.8245 | FIP 340

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Sustainability measurement and management; life cycle thinking; environmental and social life cycle assessment of food, feed and biomass supply chains; resource efficiency; social license and market access; trade-based externalization of environmental and social risk.
Courses & Teaching: Sustainable food systems; sustainability measurement and management; ecological economics.
Brian John Pickles | Adjunct Professor | Biology | b.j.pickles@reading.ac.uk | (+44) 118.378.7955
Vasyl Pinchuk | Sessional Instructor | Biology | vasyl.pinchuk@ubc.ca
Courses & Teaching: BIOC 308
Jason Pither (On Leave) | Associate Professor | Biology | jason.pither@ubc.ca | 250.807.9629 | ASC 367

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Biogeography; landscape ecology; biodiversity conservation; community ecology; paleoecology; biodiversity patterns in space and time.
Courses & Teaching: Introduction to Biostatitistics; Biodiversity: patterns and processes.
Richard Plunkett | Associate Professor of Teaching | Biology | richard.plunkett@ubc.ca | 250.807.9650 | SCI 163
Research Interests: oxidative stress defences in anaerobic bacteria; microbe/metal interactions (e.g. Cu, U, As) and the role of microbes in biogeochemical cycles; antimicrobial peptides
Courses & Teaching: microbiology; biochemistry; prokaryotic physiology
Jérémie Poitras | MSc Student | Biology | jeremie.poitras@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF); Community Ecology; Sunflowers; Plant Symbiosis.
Jean Polfus | Adjunct Professor | Biology | jean.polfus@canada.ca | 250.469.1967
Research Interests: Interdisciplinary approaches to conservation, collaborative caribou management, diverse ways of knowing, Indigenous governance, language, and knowledge.
Christina Prokopenko | Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Biology | c.prokopenko@ubc.ca
Sarah Purcell | Assistant Professor, CCDPM | Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Faculty of Health and Social Development, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, Southern Medical Program | sarah.purcell@ubc.ca
Emma Regush | Research Administrative Assistant | Biology | emma.regush@ubc.ca | 250.807.8620 | SCI 155
Scott Reid | Associate Professor | Biology | scott.reid@ubc.ca | 250.807.8761 | ASC 403

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Comparative physiology, fish physiology, and metal metabolism in freshwater fish; how animals physiologically adjust to changes in the quality of their environment.
Courses & Teaching: Comparative animal physiology; membrane biophysics; general biology.
Mark Rheault | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Biotechnology | mark.rheault@ubc.ca | 250.807.9630 | SCI 156

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Physiology of epithelial ion transport; insect toxicology; insect-plant interactions; metals toxicology; organic ion transport.
Courses & Teaching: Cellular physiology; vertebrate zoology; invertebrate zoology; insect physiology; biochemistry.
Jennifer Rhodes | Department Assistant | Biology | jennifer.rhodes@ubc.ca | 250.807.9421 | SCI 154
Camille Rothkop | MSc Student | Biology | crothkop@student.ubc.ca
Research Interests: Soil microbial communities; wildfire burn severity; microbial recovery post-wildfire; forest soil ecosystems
Michael Russello | Professor | Biology | michael.russello@ubc.ca | 250.807.8762 | FIP 346

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Population genomics; conservation genetics; molecular ecology; life-history evolution.
Courses & Teaching: Evolution; population genetics; ecology; conservation biology.
Reza Sajaditabar | PhD Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | reza.sajaditabar@ubc.ca
Pawanjit Kaur Sandhu | PhD Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | pawanjit.sandhu@ubc.ca
Jose Sapien Fernandez | Lecturer | Biology | jose.sapien@ubc.ca | 250.807.9039 | SCI 161
Ken Savage | Lecturer | Biology | ken.savage@ubc.ca | 250.807.8105 | SCI 161
Robert Serrouya | Adjunct Professor | Biology | serrouya@ualberta.ca
Brontë Shelton | PhD Student | Biology | bronte.shelton@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Environmental Microbiololgy; Grassland Ecosystems; Land Use and Overexploitation; Microbial Community Analysis; Environmental Gradients; Meta’omics
Jill Shillito | MSc Student | Biology | jill.shillito@ubc.ca | RHS 118
Research Interests: Exploring the effects of female ovarian sex hormones in appetite, dietary intake, physical activity, and sleep behaviours across the lifespan.
Nishtha Singh | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | nsingh26@mail.ubc.ca
Miranda Smith | MSc Student | Biology | Miranda.smith@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Energy balance; appetite; energy intake.
David Smith | Associate Professor Emeritus | Biology | dave.smith@ubc.ca
Angus Smith | PhD Student | Biology | smith0@mail.ubc.ca | SCI 149
Research Interests: Landscape ecology; Animal Movement; Animal Habitat Selection; Remotely Sensed habitat products (e.g., satellite imagery, lidar); Migration; Effects of Landscape Disturbance on Animal Movement and Habitat Selection
Zoë Soon | Associate Professor of Teaching | Biology | zoeanne.soon@ubc.ca | 250.807.9400 (email is preferred) | SCI 158
Research Interests: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning; Research in Innovative Teaching Strategies designed for Higher Education
Courses & Teaching: Anatomy and Physiology, Lifespan Motor Growth and Development; Pathophysiology
Selina Spence | MSc Student | Biology | selina.spence@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Mycology; Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi; Microbial Ecology; Invasive species; Molecular Biology.
Vicente Stranger | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | vstranm@mail.ubc.ca
Kuselah Tayaban | PhD Student | Biology | kuselahmae.tayaban@ubc.ca | ASC 374
Research Interests: Mycorrhizal symbiosis, soil microbial ecology, host-microbe interactions
David Theilmann | Adjunct Professor | Biology | david.theilmann@agr.gc.ca | 250.494.6395
José Ramón Úrbez-Torres | Adjunct Professor | Biology | joseramon.urbeztorres@agr.gc.ca | 250.404.3359
Andrea Alejandra Verdugo Meza | Sessional Lecturer | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | andrea.verdugomeza@ubc.ca | ASC 374
Research Interests: The protective role of designer probiotics in ulcerative colitis models.
Courses & Teaching: BIOL 318
Tanja Voegel, Dr. rer. nat. | BRAES Coordinator | Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation, Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystems Services (BRAES) | tanja.voegel@ubc.ca | SCI 377
Ian Walker | Professor Emeritus | Biology, Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences | ian.walker@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Environmental change; chironomid palaeoecology; quaternary palaeoecology and paleoclimatology; dynamics of arctic and alpine tree-line ecosystems; aquatic insect ecology; and biomonitoring; use of aquatic insects (living and fossil) as indicators of environmental change.
Courses & Teaching: Quaternary palaeoecology; limnology; freshwater plants and animals; non-vascular plants.
Hillary Ward | Adjunct Professor | Biology | hillary.ward@gov.bc.ca | 250.490.8267
Sheila Williamson | Graduate Program Assistant, Biology & Chemistry | Biology, Chemistry | sheila.williamson@ubc.ca | 250.807.8094 | SCI 154
Kirsten Wolthers | Associate Professor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry | kirsten.wolthers@ubc.ca | 250.807.8663 | FIP 342

Graduate student supervisor


Research Interests: Mechanistic enzymology; structural and functional analysis of cofactor containing proteins.
Courses & Teaching: Enzymology; biochemistry.
Nasser Yalpani | Adjunct Professor | Biology | nyalpani@mail.ubc.ca | 515.770.2599
Research Interests: Plant secondary metabolite pathway engineering and discovery of novel insecticidal and antifungal proteins for crop protection.
Micah Yang | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | msyang@mail.ubc.ca
Adam Yasunaga | PhD Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | adam.yasunaga@alumni.ubc.ca | FIP 245
Research Interests: Development of molecular force sensors that will be used to study the forces involved in cellular processes such as adhesion and rolling. With these force sensors, we will be able to better quantify the forces that cells experience in their environment and how they respond to these forces.
Jamie Yearley | MSc Student | Biology | jamie.yearley@ubc.ca
Research Interests: Soil Biology; soil ecology; cover cropping; sustainable agriculture; carbon cycling; carbon sequestration; agricultural soil; soil organic matter; viticulture.
Robin Young | Assistant Professor of Teaching | Biology | robin.young@ubc.ca | 250.807.8693 | SCI 159
Research Interests: Plant Cell Biology, Organelle morphology, Plant Cell Wall Synthesis.
Courses & Teaching: Introductory Biology, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Biochemistry.
Diego Yusta Belsham | MSc Student | Biology | dayusta@mail.ubc.ca | ASC 374
Research Interests: Microbial ecology; microbial communities; sustainable agriculture
Jian Zhang | Adjunct Professor | Biology | jian.zhang@ubc.ca
Hongyuan Zhang | MSc Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | zhy1997@mail.ubc.ca
Abby Zhou | PhD Student | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | abby.zhou@ubc.ca