Dr. Emery is one of the world’s leading experts in the study of plant hormones. In particular, he works on a family of hormones, the cytokinins, which are notoriously difficult to analyze and which are potent regulators of plant development even when present at extremely low concentrations. In his work with legumes he is studying how the plants biochemically pull themselves together as a means of determining how to create bigger, more stable yields. The end users of research findings would be breeders of plants who he could give direction for making better varieties of each plant.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr. Anna Kisiala Bydgoszcz, Poland
Ph.D. Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Poland M.Sc. Agrobiology, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Poland Email: annakisiala@trentu.ca Website
Anna started working at Trent University in November, 2011. She is a Research Adjunct in the Environmental & Life Science Graduate Program and Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biology at Trent University. With background in agrobiology, Anna’s research in the Emery Lab concentrates on the use of mass spectrometry for growth hormone profiling in plant, microbial and animal tissues. Anna has co-authored many successful research projects on the applications of beneficial Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria for crop quality and yield improvement that have been funded by Canadian government (NSERC, Genome Canada), provincial farmers organisations (GFO, SPG) and private industry partners (NutriAg Ltd., Noblegen, Acadian Seaplants Ltd.). She publishes in the area of plant physiology and biotechnology and is a co-author of over 25 peer-reviewed publications in international journals.
Dr. Ainsely Lewis Mandeville, Jamaica
Ph.D. Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University M.Sc. Biology, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Jamaica Email: ainselylewis@trentu.ca
Ainsely finished the Ph.D. Program in the Environmental and Life Sciences in January 2021, where he looked on using ultra high resolution mass spectrometry to characterize Euglena gracilis as a biosorbent, and also applying it for use in rare earth element removal. He also has experience synthesizing silver monometallic and silver gold bimetallic nanoparticles and applying it to inhibit an oral pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis. Ainsely is now a postdoc in the Emery lab where he is investigating plant and bacterial metabolomics and hormonomics.
Ph.D. Students
Mark Seegobin Barrie, Ontario
Ph.D. Candidate. Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University Hons. B.Sc. Biology & Forensic Science, Trent University
Email: markseegobin@trentu.ca
Mark completed his undergraduate degree at Trent, where he majored in both Forensic Science and Biology. He completed a fourth year thesis characterizing effector proteins of the model corn smut Ustilago maydis. During this time, Mark also began working with Noble Inc. investigating potential uses of nanosilver particles in the treatment of cancer. Today Mark is still working with cancer, specifically investigating expression of endogenous hormones and their roles in cellular development. His goal is to understand how hormones can be used to better understand and treat cancer.
Megan Aoki Freedom, Wisconsin
Ph.D. Candidate. Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University Hons. B.Sc. Biology and Psychology (Specialization in Health Sciences), Trent University Associate's Degree - University of Wisconsin: Fox Valley Email:meganarnoldussen@trentu.ca
Megan completed her associate's degree at the University of Wisconsin: Fox Valley, where she started her research career working with the evolution of the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus for agricultural applications. Megan researched endogenous cytokinin biosynthesis in mammalian systems for her fourth year thesis. Her goal was to understand the biosynthesis pathways of recently identified signaling molecules. She is currently pursuing a post secondary Ph.D. Degree in the Environmental & Life Sciences program at Trent University. Megan is working with the cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum, looking at specific cytokinin biosynthesis genes and localization of the gene products.
Daniel Palberg Caledon, Canada
Ph.D.Candidate. Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University Hons. B.Sc. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. Trent University
Email: danielpalberg@trentu.ca
Daniel completed his undergraduate degree at Trent University where he majored in biochemistry. He completed a fourth year thesis in the Department of Chemistry identifying and characterizing the phenomenon of adduct formation in electrospray ionization. During this time, he became well acquainted with the biochemistry of flavonoids and mass spectrometry. Currently, Daniel continues to work with flavonoid-like compounds and is focusing on the use of mass spectrometry for metabolite profiling in plant and microbial tissues to better understand the biochemical dynamics of plant-microbe interactions.
Zeynab Azimychetabi Tehran, Iran
Ph.D.Candidate. Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University M.Sc.Agronomy and Plant Breeding, University of Tehran
Email: zeynazimychetabi@trentu.ca
Zeynab has always been fascinatedby every aspect of nature, especially medicinal plants. She conductedresearch on the effects of some phytohormones on the two main genes that initiate the floweringof Damask Rose for her Master’s thesis in the University of Tehran. At the heart of her specific research enthusiasm lies an interest in improving plants for medicinal purposes focusing on the rules of plant hormones on this matter. For her Ph.D. thesis she will perform experiments regarding secondary metabolites and hormone relationships, genes involved in thebiosynthesis of these metabolites and elucidation of their pathway to improve their production in microbial hosts.
Emma Kaszecki Burlington, Canada
Ph.D.Candidate. Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University Hons. B.Sc. Forensics Science. Trent University
Email: emmakaszecki@trentu.ca
Emma completed her undergraduate degree at Trent University where she majored in Forensic Science. During her fourth year, she conducted a community-based research project for the Human Services and Justice Coordinating Committee about the viability of building a tiny home community in Peterborough to help address the homelessness crisis. Currently, Emma is investigating the heavy metal tolerance of the alga Euglena mutabilis, which was isolated from a gold mine in Timmins, Ontario along with symbiotic fungi and bacteria. Emma is interested in exploring the interactions between these organisms using genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic approaches to elucidate why they can survive in a toxic environment. This research is hoping to inform how microorganisms can be utilized as an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and economical biotechnology for remediating areas that have been contaminated with heavy metals.
M.Sc. Students
Vedanti Ghatwala Surat, India
M.Sc. Candidate. Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University Hons. B.Sc. Biology (Health Sciences Specialization), Trent University
Email: vedantighatwala@trentu.ca
Vedanti started her undergraduate studies in India in 2017 and completed one year pursuing the program of 5-year integrated M.Sc. in Biotechnology. She transferred to Trent to continue her undergraduate degree in 2018 with a Biotechnology focus in mind. She finished a 4th year UG thesis project with Dr. Janet Yee and Dr. Neil Emery working on characterization and identification of cytokinins in Giardia intestinalis, a freshwater protozoan parasite that causes beaver fever. The aim of her research is to understand the mechanisms that control the cytokinin production by the parasite.
Peter Andreas Peterborough, Ontario M.Sc. Candidate. Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University Hons. B.Sc. Biology, Trent University Biotechnology Advanced Diploma Program Fleming College
Email: peterandreas@trentu.ca
Currently, I am a Professor in the Biotechnology Advanced Diploma Program at Fleming College in Peterborough. This cross-disciplinary program combines elements from the life sciences, quality control and assurance through ISO17025 regulations, applied computing, forensic science, automation, policing, and business skills. This gives graduates the benefit of having the multiple, job-ready skills that employers are seeking. The program has been developed in response to identified industry needs and a skills shortage in this field.
Kimberly Molina Bean Aguascalientes, Mexico M.Sc. Candidate. Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University B.Sc. Biotechnology Engineering, Tec de Monterrey
Email: kimberlymolinabean@trentu.ca
I am from Aguascalientes (Hotwater), Mexico. My BSc is biotechnology engineering at ITESM. During that period I did two research internships, one in vitro plant tissue culture with Mexican endogenous plant. And as MITACS student in Emery Lab to discover the production of cytokinins in the fungi Trichoderma. Currently I am doing MSc. I am studying fungi at different developmental stages by analyzing targeted and untargeted metabolites via mass spectrometry.
B.Sc. Students
Sarah Griffin Ottawa, Ontario Hons. B.Sc. Student. Forensic Biology, Trent University
Email: sarahgriffin@trentu.ca
I am currently working to complete my undergraduate degree in Forensic Biology with a specialization in law and policing. I am using a mosaic of different techniques to analyze a potential emerging fungal pathogen of soybean plants. I will be working to sequence and identify the organism or organisms at hand, characterize the organism and its pathogenicity factors in soybean, and use hormonomics and metabolomic analysis to theorize how the pathogen is hijacking the soybean.
Alumni
Imesha Perera Negombo, Sri Lanka
M.Sc, Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University
Thesis title: Impact of cover crops on soil health, soil N-dynamics, and cytokinin profiles
Riley Clarke London, Ontario
Hons. B.Sc. Biology, Trent University
Thesis title: Effect of phytohormones on benzylisoquinoline alkaloid synthesis in poppy species
Suruthe Janakan Toronto, Ontario
Hons. B.Sc. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Trent University
Thesis title: Neurotransmitter-like molecules in plants
Hai Ngoc Nguyen Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
M.Sc.Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University