Upcoming Events

• Faculty-Student Speed Networking (FSSN) - February 17th, 2017

  • WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

  • Attendees will have short five (5) minute interviews to talk one-on-one with at least one (with a possibility of two) PIs of their choice. All the PIs attending are looking to take on an undergraduate student in their lab. 

  • 
    Read up on all the PIs and their research and come with a top 3.
    
    Spots are limited as the event will be capped at 5 to 10 students per PI on a first-come-first-serve basis. So make sure to arrive early if you want a spot! 
     

  • ENTRANCE FEE
    $5 for members
    $8 for non-member
    $10 admission + SRI membership (access to volunteer database)
    
    Sign-in starts at 6pm, and the event will start at 6:30pm.
    Refreshments will also be served!
     

  • PROFESSORS ATTENDING:
    
    Dr. Aliki Thomas - represented by Fatima Amari
    (School Of Physical & Occupational Therapy)
    Dr. Thomas' research is on education and knowledge translation. She is interested in the development and assessment of advanced clinical competencies including evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning, decision-making and the development of professional expertise. Her work spans three major areas of occupational therapy education and practice, from admissions, to professional education (including curriculum design and assessment), and clinical practice. In addition to her research in education, she is involved in research on how to bridge the evidence-to-practice gap where she uses an educational psychology perspective to examine the use of theory in the design and delivery of effective KT interventions. She is also interested in the concept of scholarship of practice and the outcomes of clinical-researcher partnership on clinical practice.
    
    Dr. Petra Rohrbach - represented by Stephanie Kucykowicz and Sharareh Maleki
    (Department Of Microbiology And Immunology)
    The human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has co-existed with humans for many thousands of years and has developed a complex life cycle that allows it to thrive inside a human host. The parasite invades circulating red blood cells (RBCs) to then propagate. Its survival depends on RBC modifications. In our lab, we focus on the erythrocytic stages of P.falciparum. One area that we are particularly interested in is the rise of drug resistance against malaria, particularly against chloroquine, that is hindering the treatment of many infected patients and the prevention of infection. Much of our previous research has focused on the role played by the PfMDR1 transporter in drug resistance and the effect of specific mutations on its function. Other avenues have sparked interest in our lab are the role of hemin on RBC permissiveness to malaria infections and the role of extracellular vesicles in parasite-to-parasite communication and in the induction of gametocyte production. Thus, the methods used in our lab are centered on cell biology such as parasite culturing and drug resistance assays (IC50 assays) and recently the development of new protocols using the live cell imaging IncuCyte platform. Other methods involve confocal live cell imaging, microscopy and molecular biology (DNA isolation, RNA isolation, bacterial transformation, PCR, western blots). Overall, we aim to achieve a better understanding of mechanisms involved in P.falciparum invasion of RBCs, in drug resistance and in cell-to-cell communication.
    No particular skills are required to work in our lab, students are trained in the lab for proper handling of the specimens. However, previous training with aseptic techniques and previous work with biosafety cabinets would be an asset. Any previous experience with any of the methods mentioned in previous paragraph (molecular biology techniques, confocal microscopy, malaria culturing) would also be very beneficial. 
    
    Dr. Anthony Ricciardi - represented by Rachel Ryan and Alex Crew
    (School of Environment)
    We are interested in advertising for students interested in honours and independent research projects for Winter 2017, Summer 2017 or Fall 2017. Our lab is an invasive aquatic ecology lab, examining impacts and patterns of dispersal of aquatic invasive species. A subsection of the lab also works on microplastic pollution in freshwater systems, investigating sources, diversity and abundance of microplastics and their impacts on freshwater organisms. 
    In particular, there are many research opportunities with one of our PhD candidates studying the impacts of an invasive fish, tench, in freshwater rivers in Quebec, Washington, and South Africa. She is looking to take on U2 or U3 students interested in an undergraduate project that can involve morphometrics, diet analysis, or GIS. Students must have taken an upper level ecology class, have some knowledge of statistics, and be committed to generating research of publishable quality. Previous lab work is also helpful. 
    Students interested in a project with the lab in any capacity, whether with tench, microplastics, or other invasive species, can contact me at rachael.ryan@mail.mcgill.ca with a description of their research interests and previous experience. 
    This lab is also interested in recruiting a student for a summer NSERC USRA project. 
    
    Dr. Momar Ndao
    (Department of Medicine)
    During the past few years increased awareness of parasitic infections has led to newly recognized parasites, emerging pathogens, and bioterrorism considerations; the fields of diagnostic medical parasitology, treatment and vaccines are undergoing dramatic change. My laboratory has interests in: 
    1) diagnosis of parasitic diseases 
    2) the study of host-parasite interactions
    3) screening drugs to be used as therapies for protozoan parasitic disease
    4) developing vaccines to prevent parasitic diseases 
    5) applying proteomic technology to discover biomarkers for infectious diseases.
     

  • PROFESSORS NOT YET CONFIRMED:
    
    Dr. Bradley Siwick
    (Department of Chemistry)
    The Siwick group develops and applies new scientific instruments in order to investigate the time-evolving structure of matter at the atomic level. These instruments combine advanced lasers and specially designed electron microscopes, and are capable of making atomic-level ‘movies’ of chemical reaction and material phase transitions. One day it may be possible to watch proteins as they function with these instruments. 
    See more at: http://www.physics.mcgill.ca/siwicklab/
    Experience coding in Python would be a real asset. Students enrolled in Physics, Chemistry or Engineering programs would be best suited for work in the Siwick group, but enthusiastic Biologist should also apply!
    
    Dr. Eduardo Franco
    (Cancer Epidemiology)
    We have a couple of domains of research or scholarly work that undergrad students may be interested:
    1) Research on the epidemiology and prevention of cervical cancer and of human papillomavirus infection
    2) Editorial work in a major medical journal
     

  • DISCLAIMER:
    We have had situations in the past where some professors are unable to attend last minute. In such situations, we do our best to accommodate those affected by these events. Our general policy is to guarantee at least one interview per person or your money back.

 

• Lab tours

  • Undertermined

  • SRI Execs will accompany participants to visit several labs at McGill that's conducting cutting edge science. Participants may also get a chance to practice some of the common lab techniques under supervision. 

 

• SRI talk

  • Mid-February

  • Inspired by the TED Talk concept, we will introduce leading professionals in research, based in McGill, who will share their insights and experiences of their academia. This event will also provide an opportunity to increase awareness surrounding a selected topic (last year, it was cancer research) as well as ongoing research happening at our very own university!