- Designed and conducted professional laboratory experimental work since 1992.
- Graduated with PhD in terrestrial microbiology (soil science) in 2001 from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Focused on postdoctoral microbiome studies since 2002.
- Publications, including books, can be found here (Google Scholar)
- General audience articles on a variety of subjects have been published on The Conversation’s website: on greenhouse gas emissions, GMO plants, antibiotic alternatives, the gut microbiome and immunity, and the plant microbiome. I am currently pitching a new series of articles on current controversies revolving around what DNA is and how exactly plants are genetically modified.
- I’ve recently tried to publicize an idea I had for how to leverage existing clinical trials to find treatments for the pandemic, or alternately, identify additional at-risk groups, in a recent blog post. Getting the word out is more difficult than I first assumed it might be, and I am still trying.
Details:
- Samples from soil, plants, water, ice, nematode eggs, feces
- Barcoding and “functional gene” sequence processing using a customizable series of scripts
- Everything from perMANOVAs to ordinations to network analysis to study microbiome structure and composition, and contrast treatments.
- Additional expertise in culturing soil organisms, and preparing gnotobiotic systems including plants and ectomycorrhizal fungi.
My recent experience:
- Research Associate, Dr. Kari Dunfield, University of Guelph (2013-present): Focus on nitrogen and phosphorus cycling genes from soil organisms, as well as barcoding projects.
- Crowdfunded project on an interesting cancer-fighting gut bacterium: here.
- For other work experience, feel free to look me up on LinkedIn or contact me.