Dr. Donna Giberson is a freshwater ecologist who works in the Maritimes and Canadian Arctic. She conducts research on the life history, diversity, and habitat patterns of aquatic insects; the effects of natural and human-caused disturbance on streams; and works with local community groups on stream projects.
Dr. Tracy Doucette and two UPEI researchers were awarded a US patent for creating an animal model to understand changes in brain development and function that lead to seizures in Epilepsy, a disorder that affects more than 50 million people worldwide. Her research focuses on the role of kainate receptors in learning, memory, and neurobehavioural development.
Dr. Lawrence Hale has a research focus on the molecular evolutionary genetics of insects, specifically fruit flies. He uses genetic analysis to better understand the macro and micro evolutionary histories of various insect species.
Dr. Robert Hurta, a molecular/cellular biologist, conducts research on gene expression and regulation relevant to vascular and cancer cell biology. He investigates the effects of compounds from plant and marine sources on cancer cell and vascular smooth muscle cell behaviours and the possible chemopreventative and chemoprotective properties of these compounds.
Dr. Michael van den Heuvel, Canada Research Chair in Watershed Ecological Integrity, studies the effects of agriculture and chemical use on freshwater and coastal environments. His focus is the endocrine responses, immunotoxicology, and population health of fish. He is working to develop methods and solutions to best monitor environmental problems and better protect rivers in Prince Edward Island.
Department of Biology and, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College
Canada Research Chair, Watershed Ecological Integrity
Dr. James Kemp’s research involves pollination and floral morphology. He initiated and co-led a project involving wild roses as an alternative crop for bioactive compounds in Atlantic Canada. His work also involves pesticides and the decline of honey bees in Atlantic Canada.
Dr. Christian Lacroix, Dean of Science, researches plant structures from a developmental perspective. His research highlights relationships between morphologically different structures that share similar developmental pathways. His current research interests include leaf complexity in seed-bearing plants, developmental aspects of floral organ identity, and the biology of the Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster.
Dr Quijon researches estuarine and marine benthic habitats, with a focus on predator-prey interactions, animal-sediment relationships, marine biodiversity, and invasive species. His research may lead to a better understanding of the natural history of our coastal habitats and the impact of different sources of disturbance on these habitats.
Dr. Silva-Opps, a terrestrial ecologist, investigates how landscape structure, including habitat fragmentation caused largely by human activity, affects the abundance, diversity, and movement of mammals, birds, and amphibians. She also examines the ecological role of body size and how this morphological characteristic relates to the abundance, energy use, and movement of animal species.
Dr Sweeney moved to UPEI in August 1997, after a short stint as an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, and Principal Investigator in the Saskatchewan Stroke Research Center, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon. Previously, she completed a Ph. D. in Pharmacology at Dalhousie University (Halifax, NS), and an MRC-funded post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of London (St. George’s Hospital and Royal Free Hospital Schools of Medicine, UK).
B.Sc. (Chemistry/Biology) from Mt Allison University (1984), M.Sc. (Pharmacology) from Dalhousie University (1986), Ph.D. (Pharmacology) from Dalhousie University (1989)
Dr. Teather has been a member of the Biology Department at the University of Prince Edward Island since July 1997. He obtained his B.Sc. at Brock University, M.Sc. at Queen's, and Ph. D. at Carleton University (1986).He subsequently spent just over a year in Indonesia before conducting post-doctoral work at Cambridge University. Prior to coming to UPEI, he was a faculty member at Augustana University College in Alberta for two years, and at Trent University in Ontario for three years. His research and teaching interests are in the fields of vertebrate zoology and animal behaviour.
Dr.Hogan's research is centered around the physiology and aquatic toxicology of amphibians and fishes. She is interested in how hormone pathways interact to regulate development and function, particularly within the context of metamorphosis and reproduction. Her research aims to better understand the mechanisms by which molecular and cellular responses contribute to contaminant effects at the organ, organism and population levels. She also uses this approach in studies of immune function in fish and how contaminants influence disease incidence in wild populations.
Dr. Karen Samis is an evolutionary ecologist interested in the evolutionary, ecological and molecular genetic factors associated with local adaptation in plants. She is particularly interested in the role these factors play in determining the extent and limits to species’ geographical distributions, and uses field biology and molecular genetic tools to ask how variation in habitat, plant and population level dynamics affect the limits to species’ geographical distributions.
Dr. Carolyn Peach Brown is an Assistant Professor and UPEI’s Director of Environmental Studies, a multidisciplinary liberal arts and science program. While previously obtaining both a Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Acadia University) and a Master of Science (University of Guelph) in the natural sciences, she ventured into the social sciences for her PhD. Carolyn completed her PhD in Natural Resource Policy and Management at Cornell University in 2005. Prior to doing her PhD she worked for over 10 years in Central Africa at the local level in agricultural and community development.
Research Interests: environmental governance, community-based resource management, international development, biodiversity conservation, climate change, knowledge systems, community resilience.
The UPEI Biology Department is hosting a year-long seminar series representing a broad range of topics in biology. The Series will showcase research from faculty and graduate students as well
Department of Biology