Current Lab Personnel (Profiles Below)
Current Personnel (as of May 1, 2023)
Manish N. Raizada, Professor
Erik Glemser, OMAFRA Field Technician (joint with Prof. Hugh Earl)
Michelle Thompson, PhD student
Anuja Shrestha, PhD student
Omar Hewedy, PhD student
Roshan Pudasaini, PhD student and Arrell Scholar
Angelica Miraples, PhD student
Jake Gregory, MSc student
Julianna Tindall, undergraduate
Associated lab members
Dr. Eman Khalaf, Research Associate (and Associate Professor, Damanhour University, Egypt), microbiome bioinformatics
Manish N. Raizada, Professor
Erik Glemser, OMAFRA Field Technician (joint with Prof. Hugh Earl)
Michelle Thompson, PhD student
Anuja Shrestha, PhD student
Omar Hewedy, PhD student
Roshan Pudasaini, PhD student and Arrell Scholar
Angelica Miraples, PhD student
Jake Gregory, MSc student
Julianna Tindall, undergraduate
Associated lab members
Dr. Eman Khalaf, Research Associate (and Associate Professor, Damanhour University, Egypt), microbiome bioinformatics
Covid-19 - Zoom Lab meeting - March 2021
Profiles of Individual Lab Members
Prof. Manish N. Raizada
Group Leader
Email: raizada@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born in the Indian Himalayas, but spent my very early childhood in Nigeria (West Africa) and then grew up in a suburb of Toronto, Canada. When I was a young teenager at North Park Secondary School (Brampton, Canada), a terrible famine hit in Ethiopia (~1984); the televised images of that horrible event were pivotal to my life and I was encouraged by my mentors to get involved. I later learned that crops were not only a source of food, but was also the major source of income in poor nations. In countries such as Ethiopia, 80-95% of the population belong to farmer households. Therefore, to help poor people, agriculture is critical. I combined my love of genetics and agriculture to become a crop geneticist. After being educated in Canada, California and Mexico, I returned to near my childhood home in Canada to become a faculty member at the University of Guelph, Canada’s oldest and largest agricultural university. At Guelph, I am so fortunate to work with a fantastic group of dedicated students and researchers, who are not only wonderful scientists, but also care about the world around them. A few years ago, I began to re-focus the efforts of my Lab around plant probiotics to reduce/replace fungicide and fertilizer inputs, because the world’s 1.2 billion poor farmers cannot afford these. Furthermore, synthetic fertilizer production relies on oil and natural gas which contribute to climate change. I have also brought together a team to test and sell a menu of simple $1 agronomic products packaged into Sustainable Agriculture Kits (SAKs) to help subsistence farmers -- at a cost that the world’s bottom billion can afford to purchase on their own. At Guelph, I also enjoy teaching and mentoring, and I have been fortunate to have taught students who probably taught me more than I could ever teach them. In my personal life, I am married to a lawyer who defends immigrants and refugees, and together we have two young daughters who bring joy to our lives.
Group Leader
Email: raizada@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born in the Indian Himalayas, but spent my very early childhood in Nigeria (West Africa) and then grew up in a suburb of Toronto, Canada. When I was a young teenager at North Park Secondary School (Brampton, Canada), a terrible famine hit in Ethiopia (~1984); the televised images of that horrible event were pivotal to my life and I was encouraged by my mentors to get involved. I later learned that crops were not only a source of food, but was also the major source of income in poor nations. In countries such as Ethiopia, 80-95% of the population belong to farmer households. Therefore, to help poor people, agriculture is critical. I combined my love of genetics and agriculture to become a crop geneticist. After being educated in Canada, California and Mexico, I returned to near my childhood home in Canada to become a faculty member at the University of Guelph, Canada’s oldest and largest agricultural university. At Guelph, I am so fortunate to work with a fantastic group of dedicated students and researchers, who are not only wonderful scientists, but also care about the world around them. A few years ago, I began to re-focus the efforts of my Lab around plant probiotics to reduce/replace fungicide and fertilizer inputs, because the world’s 1.2 billion poor farmers cannot afford these. Furthermore, synthetic fertilizer production relies on oil and natural gas which contribute to climate change. I have also brought together a team to test and sell a menu of simple $1 agronomic products packaged into Sustainable Agriculture Kits (SAKs) to help subsistence farmers -- at a cost that the world’s bottom billion can afford to purchase on their own. At Guelph, I also enjoy teaching and mentoring, and I have been fortunate to have taught students who probably taught me more than I could ever teach them. In my personal life, I am married to a lawyer who defends immigrants and refugees, and together we have two young daughters who bring joy to our lives.
Erik Glemser
OMAFRA Field Technician (joint with Prof. Hugh Earl)
Email: glemsere@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I became a Guelph gryphon when I enrolled as an undergraduate in 2003. I was attracted to the University of Guelph because of its excellent reputation as top comprehensive university, with strong agricultural roots. As fortune would have it, I had the opportunity to perform an undergraduate research project, evaluating the toxicity of mustard extract on agricultural fly pests (Delia sp.), which introduced me to the rewards (and challenges) of scientific experimentation. With this new passion, I started a MSc degree at the University of Guelph in 2008, studying the invasive multicoloured Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis). This beetle is typically a beneficial biocontrol organism, but its presence in vineyards during grape harvest is problematic, causing negative effects on wine quality. To understand why beetles aggregate in vineyards during the autumn, I explored the relationship between grape odours and beetle olfactories. After completing my graduate degree in 2010, I entered the “working world” full-time. I have had many wonderful experiences working in agri-food sector, including positions in government, industry, academia, and non-profit organizations. In 2019, I joined the Riazada research group as a full-time technician, where I support field and laboratory activities. Outside of work, my family and friends keep me active and busy.
OMAFRA Field Technician (joint with Prof. Hugh Earl)
Email: glemsere@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I became a Guelph gryphon when I enrolled as an undergraduate in 2003. I was attracted to the University of Guelph because of its excellent reputation as top comprehensive university, with strong agricultural roots. As fortune would have it, I had the opportunity to perform an undergraduate research project, evaluating the toxicity of mustard extract on agricultural fly pests (Delia sp.), which introduced me to the rewards (and challenges) of scientific experimentation. With this new passion, I started a MSc degree at the University of Guelph in 2008, studying the invasive multicoloured Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis). This beetle is typically a beneficial biocontrol organism, but its presence in vineyards during grape harvest is problematic, causing negative effects on wine quality. To understand why beetles aggregate in vineyards during the autumn, I explored the relationship between grape odours and beetle olfactories. After completing my graduate degree in 2010, I entered the “working world” full-time. I have had many wonderful experiences working in agri-food sector, including positions in government, industry, academia, and non-profit organizations. In 2019, I joined the Riazada research group as a full-time technician, where I support field and laboratory activities. Outside of work, my family and friends keep me active and busy.
Eman Khalaf
Research Associate
Email:ekhalaf@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born and raised in Egypt where I completed my undergrad and postgrad studies (Master's and Ph.D. degrees) in pharmaceutical sciences. However, I like to describe myself as a microbiologist with multidisciplinary interests and a pharmacy background. My research experience comprises over 18 years including 10 years working in clinical and pharmaceutical microbiology, where my research projects were mainly focused on studying bacterial resistance through investigating the potential risks of overuse/misuse of antibiotics.
Then, the turning point happened in 2014 after joining Raizada lab as a visiting scholar postdoctoral fellow where I switched my research interest to work on the culturomics approach where I explored the beneficial microbes living inside cucurbit seeds along with studying their potential functions as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents. Interestingly, my passion for computer science have come true when I used my past experience in PL/SQL used in Oracle database to work on biological data analysis by learning new bioinformatics pipelines. I used these new skills in analyzing the transmitting silk microbiome of the maize crop, and currently, I am contributing to different lab projects focused on exploring the microbiomes of plant organs and their responses to different stresses. Eventually, I would love to translate my research and academic skills into an industry context and contribute to solving real-world problems.
Research Associate
Email:ekhalaf@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born and raised in Egypt where I completed my undergrad and postgrad studies (Master's and Ph.D. degrees) in pharmaceutical sciences. However, I like to describe myself as a microbiologist with multidisciplinary interests and a pharmacy background. My research experience comprises over 18 years including 10 years working in clinical and pharmaceutical microbiology, where my research projects were mainly focused on studying bacterial resistance through investigating the potential risks of overuse/misuse of antibiotics.
Then, the turning point happened in 2014 after joining Raizada lab as a visiting scholar postdoctoral fellow where I switched my research interest to work on the culturomics approach where I explored the beneficial microbes living inside cucurbit seeds along with studying their potential functions as biofertilizers and biocontrol agents. Interestingly, my passion for computer science have come true when I used my past experience in PL/SQL used in Oracle database to work on biological data analysis by learning new bioinformatics pipelines. I used these new skills in analyzing the transmitting silk microbiome of the maize crop, and currently, I am contributing to different lab projects focused on exploring the microbiomes of plant organs and their responses to different stresses. Eventually, I would love to translate my research and academic skills into an industry context and contribute to solving real-world problems.
Michelle Thompson
PhD student
Email: mthomp15@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I began my research career in a different area of agriculture, as I completed my Bachelor’s of Science (Hons) in Animal Biology with a minor in Agriculture. Animal Biology involved learning about animal microbiomes, farming, and growing plants for animal feed, so my undergraduate degree (combined with my long-term interest in international development) really led me into my current passion – researching endophytes and their role in crop protection. My current research lies in probiotic microbes for crops, and their role in suppressing pathogens. This research is of global importance and ties together my background in animal science (mycotoxins affect animal production), plant agriculture, and international development. In the Raizada Lab I have developed skills in microbiome culturing, taxonomy, DNA sequencing, genetic transformation, microscopy, and in-vitro and in-planta testing. I’ve had the privilege of working on interdisciplinary teams with the Food From Thought Research Assistantship, and I look forward to engaging in cross-department collaboration in my future research. I am eager to continue in research to assist both Canadian farmers and international subsistence farmers in integrated crop-livestock systems. I aim to work in a way that is sustainable for feeding the human population while maintaining the global ecosystem. I also love volunteering with Let’s Talk Science, hiking, and playing ringette
PhD student
Email: mthomp15@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I began my research career in a different area of agriculture, as I completed my Bachelor’s of Science (Hons) in Animal Biology with a minor in Agriculture. Animal Biology involved learning about animal microbiomes, farming, and growing plants for animal feed, so my undergraduate degree (combined with my long-term interest in international development) really led me into my current passion – researching endophytes and their role in crop protection. My current research lies in probiotic microbes for crops, and their role in suppressing pathogens. This research is of global importance and ties together my background in animal science (mycotoxins affect animal production), plant agriculture, and international development. In the Raizada Lab I have developed skills in microbiome culturing, taxonomy, DNA sequencing, genetic transformation, microscopy, and in-vitro and in-planta testing. I’ve had the privilege of working on interdisciplinary teams with the Food From Thought Research Assistantship, and I look forward to engaging in cross-department collaboration in my future research. I am eager to continue in research to assist both Canadian farmers and international subsistence farmers in integrated crop-livestock systems. I aim to work in a way that is sustainable for feeding the human population while maintaining the global ecosystem. I also love volunteering with Let’s Talk Science, hiking, and playing ringette
Anuja Shrestha
PhD student
Email: ashrest@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was not born to a family with a farming background, but I grew up in a community of farm families. Therefore, I am pretty aware of the challenges that farmers especially those in developing countries face in their everyday life. Having the advantage that an agricultural college was near my home town, I was inclined towards pursuing my higher studies in agricultural science. With my undergraduate degree in agricultural science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and Master’s degree in Plant Science from Wageningen University, The Netherlands under NUFFIC Fellowship program, I have been able to educate myself on several topics associated with problems as well as advancements made in the field of agriculture and food security. I do have almost 5 years of experience working closely with farmers and farming communities when I worked for two well-known organizations in Nepal: “Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), Nepal” and “World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Nepal”. More notably my job at LI-BIRD was to identify, research, and promote farmers’ local innovations through the participatory innovation development approach. I am keen on research that in particular has the potential to help the needy farmers around the world, and striving to make some impact. In the Raizada Lab, my research project concerns discovering novel microbes to help farmers.
PhD student
Email: ashrest@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was not born to a family with a farming background, but I grew up in a community of farm families. Therefore, I am pretty aware of the challenges that farmers especially those in developing countries face in their everyday life. Having the advantage that an agricultural college was near my home town, I was inclined towards pursuing my higher studies in agricultural science. With my undergraduate degree in agricultural science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and Master’s degree in Plant Science from Wageningen University, The Netherlands under NUFFIC Fellowship program, I have been able to educate myself on several topics associated with problems as well as advancements made in the field of agriculture and food security. I do have almost 5 years of experience working closely with farmers and farming communities when I worked for two well-known organizations in Nepal: “Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), Nepal” and “World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Nepal”. More notably my job at LI-BIRD was to identify, research, and promote farmers’ local innovations through the participatory innovation development approach. I am keen on research that in particular has the potential to help the needy farmers around the world, and striving to make some impact. In the Raizada Lab, my research project concerns discovering novel microbes to help farmers.
Omar Hewedy
PhD student
Email: ohewedy@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born near the Egyptian capital, Cairo. During my life, I have been fascinated by natural diversity among living creatures. As one of the triplets, it was always assumed that our resemblance would be remarkable. We were not, and upon research and reading, I first learned about multiple births and polyzygotic pregnancies. This was the spark that ignited my curiosity and got me interested in genetics. Upon high school, my focus shifted toward the genetics of microorganisms. When I was an undergraduate student, my scientific interest was more focused on the application of microbial genetics in the agricultural sector. I observed that most of the area’s farmers in Egypt rely heavily on pesticides and chemical fertilization, which increase environmental and food pollution. From this point, I started to think about how to make our crops tolerant to environmental stress. In Egypt, during my master’s degree, I studied the symbiotic relationship between Faba bean plants and Rhizobia bacteria. In the Raizada Lab, I am conducting a number of projects related to understanding and applying probiotics to field crops, ultimately to enrich soil and improve the health and yield of crops, using less fertilizer, water, and pesticides. On the personal side, I am married to a food science PhD student. In my spare time, watching TV, learning bioinformatic skills and walking with my daughter are my daily activities
PhD student
Email: ohewedy@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born near the Egyptian capital, Cairo. During my life, I have been fascinated by natural diversity among living creatures. As one of the triplets, it was always assumed that our resemblance would be remarkable. We were not, and upon research and reading, I first learned about multiple births and polyzygotic pregnancies. This was the spark that ignited my curiosity and got me interested in genetics. Upon high school, my focus shifted toward the genetics of microorganisms. When I was an undergraduate student, my scientific interest was more focused on the application of microbial genetics in the agricultural sector. I observed that most of the area’s farmers in Egypt rely heavily on pesticides and chemical fertilization, which increase environmental and food pollution. From this point, I started to think about how to make our crops tolerant to environmental stress. In Egypt, during my master’s degree, I studied the symbiotic relationship between Faba bean plants and Rhizobia bacteria. In the Raizada Lab, I am conducting a number of projects related to understanding and applying probiotics to field crops, ultimately to enrich soil and improve the health and yield of crops, using less fertilizer, water, and pesticides. On the personal side, I am married to a food science PhD student. In my spare time, watching TV, learning bioinformatic skills and walking with my daughter are my daily activities
Roshan Pudasaini
PhD student and Arrell Scholar
Email: rpudasai@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born and raised in a farming family from Nepal. I completed my master's degree in Agriculture with a specialization in soil science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. I have worked for a local agricultural NGO, LI-BIRD (Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development), for ten years. At LI-BIRD, I coordinated a number of projects intended to improve smallholder farmer food security, livelihoods, and resilience. A few examples are Home Gardens for Family Nutrition (supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC), Sustainable Agriculture Kits (SAK) project (Supported by the International Development Research Centre, IDRC) and Climate Smart Village for Community Resilience (supported by the CGIAR program on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security, CCAFS). Thus far, my work in agricultural research has impacted the lives of an estimated 520,000 subsistence rural Nepalese (114,000 families), either directly or indirectly, and created models that can be implemented to help millions globally in the future. For my PhD in the Raizada Lab, I am researching indigenous short-duration drought tolerant small-grain cereals from Africa and Asia that are considered to be orphan crops. A component of my research involves investigating their microbiomes.
PhD student and Arrell Scholar
Email: rpudasai@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born and raised in a farming family from Nepal. I completed my master's degree in Agriculture with a specialization in soil science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. I have worked for a local agricultural NGO, LI-BIRD (Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development), for ten years. At LI-BIRD, I coordinated a number of projects intended to improve smallholder farmer food security, livelihoods, and resilience. A few examples are Home Gardens for Family Nutrition (supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC), Sustainable Agriculture Kits (SAK) project (Supported by the International Development Research Centre, IDRC) and Climate Smart Village for Community Resilience (supported by the CGIAR program on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security, CCAFS). Thus far, my work in agricultural research has impacted the lives of an estimated 520,000 subsistence rural Nepalese (114,000 families), either directly or indirectly, and created models that can be implemented to help millions globally in the future. For my PhD in the Raizada Lab, I am researching indigenous short-duration drought tolerant small-grain cereals from Africa and Asia that are considered to be orphan crops. A component of my research involves investigating their microbiomes.
Angelica Miraples
PhD student
Email: amiraple@uoguelph.ca
Biography: : I was born in Toronto, Canada and attended what was then called Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School in Scarborough. I realized I enjoyed academic level biology in my later years and made the decision to attend the University of Toronto, St. George Campus, for my undergrad with the underlying and unspoken expectation to try for medical school. That dream was crushed early on, but as my time passed, I immersed myself in research science, landing volunteer work and then an independent research project in Dr. Keiko Yoshioka’s in the department of Cell and Systems Biology. I loved it so much, that I continued there and completed a master’s degree investigating the function and regulation of cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels (CNGCs) in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. Although my dissertation uncovered novel findings on CNGCs, I hoped that the next step of my journey would involve more translational research to issues we are encountering now on a global scale! Now, under the supervision of Dr. Manish Raizada, I am pursuing a PhD in plant agriculture where we are currently looking to understand the relationship between important crops such as corn and wheat and the beneficial microbes that associate with them.
PhD student
Email: amiraple@uoguelph.ca
Biography: : I was born in Toronto, Canada and attended what was then called Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School in Scarborough. I realized I enjoyed academic level biology in my later years and made the decision to attend the University of Toronto, St. George Campus, for my undergrad with the underlying and unspoken expectation to try for medical school. That dream was crushed early on, but as my time passed, I immersed myself in research science, landing volunteer work and then an independent research project in Dr. Keiko Yoshioka’s in the department of Cell and Systems Biology. I loved it so much, that I continued there and completed a master’s degree investigating the function and regulation of cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels (CNGCs) in the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. Although my dissertation uncovered novel findings on CNGCs, I hoped that the next step of my journey would involve more translational research to issues we are encountering now on a global scale! Now, under the supervision of Dr. Manish Raizada, I am pursuing a PhD in plant agriculture where we are currently looking to understand the relationship between important crops such as corn and wheat and the beneficial microbes that associate with them.
Jake Gregory
MSc student
Email: gregoryj@uoguelph.ca
Biography: Growing up in rural southwestern Ontario, I gained an early introduction to the agricultural sector and our food systems as well as an appreciation for the challenges faced by those involved. I completed a bachelor’s degree here at the University of Guelph in Microbiology with a minor in Biotechnology. During my undergraduate degree, I became fascinated by microbiomes and their yet-uncovered complexities, including the constant flux of interactions between microbiome and host. In following this interest, I began working in the Raizada Lab as an undergraduate student, and for the past 3 years I have been working in the lab studying the plant microbiome and plant-microbe interactions. I have recently begun a M.Sc project investigating the biocontrol of Fusarium graminearum in winter wheat using endophytic bacteria. Outside the lab, I enjoy getting outdoors to go hiking, camping and fishing.
MSc student
Email: gregoryj@uoguelph.ca
Biography: Growing up in rural southwestern Ontario, I gained an early introduction to the agricultural sector and our food systems as well as an appreciation for the challenges faced by those involved. I completed a bachelor’s degree here at the University of Guelph in Microbiology with a minor in Biotechnology. During my undergraduate degree, I became fascinated by microbiomes and their yet-uncovered complexities, including the constant flux of interactions between microbiome and host. In following this interest, I began working in the Raizada Lab as an undergraduate student, and for the past 3 years I have been working in the lab studying the plant microbiome and plant-microbe interactions. I have recently begun a M.Sc project investigating the biocontrol of Fusarium graminearum in winter wheat using endophytic bacteria. Outside the lab, I enjoy getting outdoors to go hiking, camping and fishing.
Ben McFadyen (in memorium)
MSc student
Email: bmcfadye@uoguelph.ca
Biography: i was raised in Southwestern Ontario by two high school teachers in Burlington, Ontario. Growing up I spent summer months away from school on the beach and exploring nature. I have always loved both the sciences and being outdoors which at first led me to study Biotechnology at Mohawk College. The science-based program at Mohawk helped me solidify my background and interest in science; at Mohawk I focused on learning practical skills and laboratory processes in many areas of science including microbiology, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, fluid flow, analytical science, physics and many others. My decision to come to Guelph was in hopes to be able apply my scientific background in an outdoor or greenhouse setting, either in plant health or animal/human health. Agriculture, I saw as the prefect sector to peruse my goal of using science both outdoors and in a practical way. Beyond studying agriculture, I also have a strong interest in human health in relation to diet and lifestyle, spending a lot of my free time cooking and learning about the health properties of food for fun. As I peruse a future in the sciences, I continue to ask critical questions and get astounded by how much humans know, and don’t know about the natural world and the biology which inhabits it. As I work with the intelligent, friendly and outstanding personnel in the Raizada lab, I continue to grow as a scientist, a science communicator, and a critical thinker; being challenged and shown new areas of science on a regular basis. I hope one day to run a business or become a business advisor in the food science or greenhouse industry and help change the relationship humans have with food and the environment
MSc student
Email: bmcfadye@uoguelph.ca
Biography: i was raised in Southwestern Ontario by two high school teachers in Burlington, Ontario. Growing up I spent summer months away from school on the beach and exploring nature. I have always loved both the sciences and being outdoors which at first led me to study Biotechnology at Mohawk College. The science-based program at Mohawk helped me solidify my background and interest in science; at Mohawk I focused on learning practical skills and laboratory processes in many areas of science including microbiology, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, fluid flow, analytical science, physics and many others. My decision to come to Guelph was in hopes to be able apply my scientific background in an outdoor or greenhouse setting, either in plant health or animal/human health. Agriculture, I saw as the prefect sector to peruse my goal of using science both outdoors and in a practical way. Beyond studying agriculture, I also have a strong interest in human health in relation to diet and lifestyle, spending a lot of my free time cooking and learning about the health properties of food for fun. As I peruse a future in the sciences, I continue to ask critical questions and get astounded by how much humans know, and don’t know about the natural world and the biology which inhabits it. As I work with the intelligent, friendly and outstanding personnel in the Raizada lab, I continue to grow as a scientist, a science communicator, and a critical thinker; being challenged and shown new areas of science on a regular basis. I hope one day to run a business or become a business advisor in the food science or greenhouse industry and help change the relationship humans have with food and the environment
Jacob Kaszas
Technician
Email: jkaszas@uoguelph.ca
Biography: Jacob has been farming for a long time and he has been working at the Raizada Lab since 2018. Jacob has been an essential part of the lab helping us in the lab, greenhouse and field. His expertise spans field experiments, plant growth and phenotyping, microbiology and molecular biology. Jacob is passionate about organic agriculture and sustainable food systems.
Technician
Email: jkaszas@uoguelph.ca
Biography: Jacob has been farming for a long time and he has been working at the Raizada Lab since 2018. Jacob has been an essential part of the lab helping us in the lab, greenhouse and field. His expertise spans field experiments, plant growth and phenotyping, microbiology and molecular biology. Jacob is passionate about organic agriculture and sustainable food systems.
Matthew Whittemore
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: whittemm@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born and raised in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, with my agricultural inspiration located south of Exeter. My grandfather’s farm formed my love, passion, and desire to be forever immersed in agriculture. There, fully surrounded by nature, I was gifted with so many unforgettable opportunities that truly formed me into the man I am today. Through high school, I converted a portion of my backyard into gardens. It allowed me to connect my high school interests in hydroponics and aquaponics, to my own backyard. From this, I finally learned that there was an area I really wanted to study. As I finish my second year of University, studying Agriculture with a major in Crop Science, the family garden has significantly expanded, now taking up much of the backyard. I have used my hydroponic knowledge to do my own trial and error research on horticultural plants, regarding propagation. I find it very interesting to see, on a simple level, what works and what does not. In my ideal area of study, I find myself forever discovering more intricacies of crop systems and cycles, which I am so intrigued to learn more about. My developing knowledge and understanding of plants, allows me to employ and apply my favourite way of thinking; systems thinking. This way of critical thinking, challenges me on a day-to-day basis, making my overall understanding of plant relationships stronger. As I progress into the future, I hope to discover methods to implement, which mitigate climate change, and increase the harmony between agricultural sustainability and environmental health. The world is developing in so many fascinating ways, but it needs support to do so, so more people can thrive.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: whittemm@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born and raised in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, with my agricultural inspiration located south of Exeter. My grandfather’s farm formed my love, passion, and desire to be forever immersed in agriculture. There, fully surrounded by nature, I was gifted with so many unforgettable opportunities that truly formed me into the man I am today. Through high school, I converted a portion of my backyard into gardens. It allowed me to connect my high school interests in hydroponics and aquaponics, to my own backyard. From this, I finally learned that there was an area I really wanted to study. As I finish my second year of University, studying Agriculture with a major in Crop Science, the family garden has significantly expanded, now taking up much of the backyard. I have used my hydroponic knowledge to do my own trial and error research on horticultural plants, regarding propagation. I find it very interesting to see, on a simple level, what works and what does not. In my ideal area of study, I find myself forever discovering more intricacies of crop systems and cycles, which I am so intrigued to learn more about. My developing knowledge and understanding of plants, allows me to employ and apply my favourite way of thinking; systems thinking. This way of critical thinking, challenges me on a day-to-day basis, making my overall understanding of plant relationships stronger. As I progress into the future, I hope to discover methods to implement, which mitigate climate change, and increase the harmony between agricultural sustainability and environmental health. The world is developing in so many fascinating ways, but it needs support to do so, so more people can thrive.
Cassidy Ball
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: cball05@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born in Vancouver, Canada but moved to St. Louis Missouri at a young age. Growing up I was always outside camping and hiking. I have always returned to Canada for the summers so when I was picking a University I knew I would go back to Ontario. I am about to start my fourth year of undergraduate studies in the Food Science department. I have always been attracted to the science behind all parts of the food industry and am excited to pursue wherever that takes me. In the summer before my third year of University I worked as a research assistant in the Plant Agriculture department working primarily with turfgrass and wheat. I fell in love with field research and knew this was something I wanted to pursue further. I am excited for this opportunity to work in Dr. Raizada’s lab and learn new research techniques. Whenever you get a change, feel free to send over the hiring paperwork and I will get it back to you as soon as possible. I look forward to working for you this summer.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: cball05@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born in Vancouver, Canada but moved to St. Louis Missouri at a young age. Growing up I was always outside camping and hiking. I have always returned to Canada for the summers so when I was picking a University I knew I would go back to Ontario. I am about to start my fourth year of undergraduate studies in the Food Science department. I have always been attracted to the science behind all parts of the food industry and am excited to pursue wherever that takes me. In the summer before my third year of University I worked as a research assistant in the Plant Agriculture department working primarily with turfgrass and wheat. I fell in love with field research and knew this was something I wanted to pursue further. I am excited for this opportunity to work in Dr. Raizada’s lab and learn new research techniques. Whenever you get a change, feel free to send over the hiring paperwork and I will get it back to you as soon as possible. I look forward to working for you this summer.
Sneha Sengupta
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: ssengu01@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I’m a student from Mauritius and I’m in the last semester (Winter 2022) of my undergraduate studies in BSc. Agricultural Science with a Crop, Horticulture, and Turfgrass Sciences major. I don’t have a farming background and my passion for agriculture initiated from rising food costs in my country, followed by home gardening and a couple of internships and there I was, traveling to Canada to pursue an agriculture degree. I chose the University of Guelph for its excellent reputation and range of opportunities offered to international students. During my internships, I was mostly involved in sugarcane breeding and farming projects. During my degree, I developed this new passion for crop research by taking plant pathology, breeding, and other courses. I have also received the opportunity to work on campus in the Raizada Lab which inspires me in my endeavor of developing a career in crop research. Ultimately, I want to help save the sugarcane plant breeding department in Mauritius which is an extremely undervalued resource due to the collapsing sugar industry. This urge arises from courses I’ve recently taken (Tissue culture and Medicinal Plants) which emphasize conserving existing resources. Other things about me: I have a diploma in Indian Classical dance, and I love hiking and learning about dermatology and nutrition related to metabolic diseases.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: ssengu01@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I’m a student from Mauritius and I’m in the last semester (Winter 2022) of my undergraduate studies in BSc. Agricultural Science with a Crop, Horticulture, and Turfgrass Sciences major. I don’t have a farming background and my passion for agriculture initiated from rising food costs in my country, followed by home gardening and a couple of internships and there I was, traveling to Canada to pursue an agriculture degree. I chose the University of Guelph for its excellent reputation and range of opportunities offered to international students. During my internships, I was mostly involved in sugarcane breeding and farming projects. During my degree, I developed this new passion for crop research by taking plant pathology, breeding, and other courses. I have also received the opportunity to work on campus in the Raizada Lab which inspires me in my endeavor of developing a career in crop research. Ultimately, I want to help save the sugarcane plant breeding department in Mauritius which is an extremely undervalued resource due to the collapsing sugar industry. This urge arises from courses I’ve recently taken (Tissue culture and Medicinal Plants) which emphasize conserving existing resources. Other things about me: I have a diploma in Indian Classical dance, and I love hiking and learning about dermatology and nutrition related to metabolic diseases.
Dylan Brettingham
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: dbrettin@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born in Toronto and grew up both there and in Oakville. I've taken a more roundabout route to science as I have previously gone to culinary school at George Brown and from there, I ended up working as a cheese monger for five years. When I started at the University of Guelph, I was majoring in environmental biology, but after my first year, I switched to microbiology and am greatly enjoying the discipline. I was awarded the Janet M. Wood scholarship during my 2nd year. I will also be a part of the university iGEM team for the spring/summer of 2022. I original joined Prof. Raizadas lab for the summer of 2021, I had a very enjoyable time working with everyone and took the opportunity to stay on as a work-study student for the F21 and W22 semesters. I am back for the summer of 2022 and am looking forward to assisting with some of the exciting projects the lab is currently working on.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: dbrettin@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born in Toronto and grew up both there and in Oakville. I've taken a more roundabout route to science as I have previously gone to culinary school at George Brown and from there, I ended up working as a cheese monger for five years. When I started at the University of Guelph, I was majoring in environmental biology, but after my first year, I switched to microbiology and am greatly enjoying the discipline. I was awarded the Janet M. Wood scholarship during my 2nd year. I will also be a part of the university iGEM team for the spring/summer of 2022. I original joined Prof. Raizadas lab for the summer of 2021, I had a very enjoyable time working with everyone and took the opportunity to stay on as a work-study student for the F21 and W22 semesters. I am back for the summer of 2022 and am looking forward to assisting with some of the exciting projects the lab is currently working on.
Julianna Tindall
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: jtindall@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born in the small town of Uxbridge, Ontario on a dairy goat farm. From a young age, I have had an interest in both crops and livestock and knew that I wanted to pursue an education in agriculture. I am currently a second-year student in the University of Guelph’s Agriculture Science program, majoring in Crop Science. In 2021, I was given the opportunity to work in the Raizada Lab on a variety of projects, however I spent most of the summer working on a corn breeding project. I enjoy learning new things and techniques in this job that I feel give me a better understanding of the field I am studying. I continued to work part time for both the Fall 2021 and Winter 2022 semesters which worked perfectly with my schedule and gave me the opportunity to meet new people, all of which I loved working with. I am excited to continue working this summer in the Raizada Lab!
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Email: jtindall@uoguelph.ca
Biography: I was born in the small town of Uxbridge, Ontario on a dairy goat farm. From a young age, I have had an interest in both crops and livestock and knew that I wanted to pursue an education in agriculture. I am currently a second-year student in the University of Guelph’s Agriculture Science program, majoring in Crop Science. In 2021, I was given the opportunity to work in the Raizada Lab on a variety of projects, however I spent most of the summer working on a corn breeding project. I enjoy learning new things and techniques in this job that I feel give me a better understanding of the field I am studying. I continued to work part time for both the Fall 2021 and Winter 2022 semesters which worked perfectly with my schedule and gave me the opportunity to meet new people, all of which I loved working with. I am excited to continue working this summer in the Raizada Lab!
Older Lab Group Pictures
Raizada Lab - July 2015 - (from L-R) - Dr. Malinda Thilakarathna, Kamal Khadka, Walaa Mousa, Dr. Tejendra Chapagain, Jaclyn Clark, Manish Raizada, Dylan Harding, Travis Goron, Charles Shearer, Dr. Eman Khalaf, Hanan Shehata, Myla Manser, Finlay Small (missing: Jeffrey Rinne, Paul Cote, Eamonn McGuinty, Lisa Smith, Gryphon Therault-Loubier, Sophia Watts, Austin Bruch, Sara Wyngaarden)
Raizada Lab May 2013 - (L to R) - Travis Goron, Hanan Shehata, Walaa Mousa, Manish Raizada, Robert Kerr and Charles Shearer
Raizada Lab July 2008
Raizada Lab May 2008 - (L to R) - David Johnston Monje, Amelie Gaudin, Adrienne Davidson, Michael Tessaro, Manish Raizada, Sameh Soliman, Steve Chatfield, Bridget Holmes, Blair Nameth, Christophe Liseron-Monfils
Raizada Lab - August 2007
Raizada Lab & Families - May 2007
Raizada Lab - September 2004 - (Front, L-R) - Rosalinda Oro, Ekaterina Simion, May Quach, Manish Raizada - (Back, L-R) - Steve Chatfield, Rohit Makhijani
Raizada Lab and Kasha Lab - June 2002