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The Department of Biology

Research and Research Facilities
within the Department of Biology

The Department has a number of faculty members actively engaged in externally funded research. Their research is supported by research laboratories funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, and ongoing support from NSERC and other external funding sources. Several faculty members are currently supervising graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.  Faculty members may apply to the BU Research Committee (BURC) to support small pilot research projects, and the Department also has a trust fund for supporting student research fieldwork.

Research areas within the Department:

1. Molecular biology, functional genomics and phylogenetic systematics



• Genetics and molecular cytogenetics of food and medicinal plants – Dr. Faiz Ahmad
• Drug resistance mechanisms in parasites – Dr. Bernadette Ardelli
• Phylogenetic analysis of ascomyectes – Dr. Wendy Untereiner / Drs Ardelli and Untereiner’s research is supported by grants from CFI, NSERC, and BURC.

2. Conservation biology



• Biology and management of the northern prairie skink (Eumeces septentrionalis) – Dr. Pamela Rutherford’s research is supported by grants from the World Wildlife Fund (Canada),  BURC, CFB Shilo, and Manitoba Conservation.

3. Environmental Biology



• Mycorrhizal ecology of leafy spurge, root activities in space and time, and soil-plant relation of tundra communities – Dr. Terence McGonigle's research is supported by grants from CFI, Churchill Northern Studies Centre, BURC and CFB Shilo.
• Palaeobotany and paleoclimates of the Paleogene – Dr. David Greenwood’s research is supported by grants from CFI and NSERC.
• Paleoentomology – Dr. S.B. Archibald (NSERC PDF with Dr. Greenwood)
• Pollution biology – Dr. William Paton

4. Aquatic biology



• Environmental and developmental physiology – Dr. Peter Rombough

In addition to these areas, Dr. Jackson supervises student research in neurobiology and human biology, and Mr. Gallaway works with Manitoba Health each summer, supervising the Brandon area mosquito / west nile virus monitoring, and supervises student projects in this area.