Dr. Marina Cvetkovska, Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor, uOttawa (2019-current)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Western University (2014-2018)
PhD, University of Toronto Scarborough (2006-2013)
BSc, Carleton University (2001-2006)
Google Scholar ResearchGate
Assistant Professor, uOttawa (2019-current)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Western University (2014-2018)
PhD, University of Toronto Scarborough (2006-2013)
BSc, Carleton University (2001-2006)
Google Scholar ResearchGate
Mackenzie Poirier, PhD (OGS-funded)
Mackenzie arrived at uOttawa in September 2019, after obtaining her BSc from the University of Waterloo. Mackenzie is currently looking at how Antarctic algae synthesize chlorophyll and how they perceive light signals in and extremely light-limited environment under the polar ice.
Lyn Vakulenko, MSc
Lyn came to the lab in September 2020, after completing her BSc at Carleton University. Lyn studies an apparent biological oxymoron: Heat Shock Proteins in psychrophilic algae that never experience heat in their natural environment. She is interested in the regulation and role of these chaperones in green algae.
Josephine Payment, MSc (NSERC CREATE, OGS-funded)
Josephine joined the lab in September 2020, coming from the University of Manitoba where she completed her BSc. She is a trail blazer in our lab, and is starting the first plant project exploring abiotic stress in tobacco and cannabis. Currently she is examining how a combination of stressors (such as found outdoors during the Canadian spring) affect plant growth and physiology
Pomona Osmers, MSc (OGS-funded)
Pomona has been a part of the lab since 2019 as an Honours student and an RA, and officially started her MSc degree in May 2021. Pomona is currently simulating climate change scenarios in the lab and measuring the effects on environmental stress on algal extremophiles. Her work aims to give insight on whether polar algae can withstand a change in their natural environment
Pomona has been a part of the lab since 2019 as an Honours student and an RA, and officially started her MSc degree in May 2021. Pomona is currently simulating climate change scenarios in the lab and measuring the effects on environmental stress on algal extremophiles. Her work aims to give insight on whether polar algae can withstand a change in their natural environment
Sabina Henry, Honours Thesis
Sabina is looking into the growth and survival of of Antarctic algae during the long polar night. She is currently in her 4th year and is interested in the physiology of photosynthesis and plant stress, something that she intents to continue working on in a master's degree. Sabina has a keen interest in data analysis and was a finalist in the 2021 National Undergraduate Big Data Challenge. Check out here work here
Laura Kostyniuk, Honours Thesis
Laura Kostyniuk is a 4th year student joining the lab to study the relationship between two extremophilic algae species found on opposite poles of the Earth, that are genetically almost identical. She is a big fan of plants and is always happy to chat about sustainability, plants, and insects, especially on her Instagram (@leafyadvice).
Laura Dublin, Honours Thesis
Laura is in her 4th year at the University of Ottawa in Biopharmaceutical Science and has joined our lab for her honors research project. She is studying abiotic stress and heat shock proteins in tobacco and cannabis
We are grateful to all past lab members who have helped support our research:
Postdoctoral Fellows:
Dr. Marc Possmayer (2019-2020)
Graduate Students:
Dr. David Hiscott (2019) - Visiting PhD student, Western University
Undergraduate Students:
Natalija Vasilevska (2021) - Mitacs Globalink Intern
Kirsten Holy (2021) - CO-OP Research Assistant
Peter Noel (2021) - URS Research Assistant
Kieran Wilkins (2020-2021) - Honours Thesis student
Andrew Racz (2020-2021) - Honours Thesis student
Sam Benzaquen (2020) - Volunteer
Dourra Assani (2020) - Research Assistant
Kassandra Fugard (2019-2020) - Honours Thesis student, CO-OP Research Assistant
Shazara Khan (2019-2020) - Honours Thesis student
Michelle Tran (2019-2020) - UROP Scholarship and volunteer
