What is your research about?

Research in my lab is directed toward metabolic engineering. We use synthetic biology to engineer yeast, bacteria and algae so that they will make or do useful things for us. In a technical sense it involves using synthetic DNA and genes to add new pathways and functions to cells and delete existing genes. In an overall sense it is about solving problems as well as learning about what is possible. Some of our current activities include:

1. Engineering yeast to use sawdust and waste materials to produce replacements for palm oil and palm oil derived chemicals. This will reduce the need for large palm plantations that reduce biodiversity in Asia and South America and avoid the carbon footprint of shipping these materials to North America. 

2. We have engineered yeast to produce a biodegradable soap-like surfactant useful in cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. 

3. E. coli are being engineered to produce petrochemical replacements from agricultural and forestry waste materials. 

4. We are engineering bacteria and yeast to capture methanol and methane and convert it into useful chemicals, biofuels and protein for animal feed.

5. We are exploiting some of these unusual organisms for soil bioremediation since they can metabolize hydrocarbons and toxic materials that are generated by petroleum production.

6. We are investigating and improving the power of a probiotic to inhibit intestinal inflammation by secreting anti-inflammatory cytokines and engineering them to fight intestinal infections by pathogenic Clostridium difficile, and Clostridium perfringens. 

What kind of students are you looking for?

My lab group is very diverse, we have 2 postdoctoral scientists, 3 PhD students, 3 undergraduate students doing BIOCH 499 research projects. We often have 3rd year students doing BIOCH 398 research projects. We usually take 2 or more summer students with NSERC or other summer studentships and often host high school students from the WISEST and HYRS programs. We like to have lab members from diverse backgrounds and I think it adds to the potential for innovation.

A fun fact about you that may surprise your students?

Facts about me “that might be fun.” I brew beer at home, I have done several Ironman triathlon races and compete in marathon (10Km and longer) open water swimming races.

What kind of research are you looking to do in the future?

A future project is to engineer algae to produce large amounts of essential vitamins to use during long-term space flight. The algae can consume CO2, produce oxygen, recycle urine into drinkable water, provide a rich source of food and it grows well at 0g. 

My lab specializes in synthetic biology and molecular biology. We do lots of work with DNA and RNA to build genes and clusters of genes. We use gel electrophoresis, many forms of PCR to amplify and assemble pieces of DNA. We do lots of protein analysis and enzyme activity assays. We have many different types of growth chambers for aerobic and anaerobic growth of cells. Microscopes, centrifuges etc. We use gas chromatography and thin-layer chromatography for analysis of lipids and other products and mass-spectrometry for protein analysis.