Applications are welcomed from qualified individuals hoping to train in a challenging and highly collaborative environment. If interested in pursuing graduate studies in the Barreda Lab, contact me directly at dan.barreda@ualberta.ca and provide a statement of research interests, a list of courses and grades obtained, and an up-to-date curriculum vitae.

SUMMARY

Over the last 6 years, I have trained 46 highly qualified personnel (HQP) in my lab at the University of Alberta. Since then my track record includes 3 PDF, 6 Ph.D. students, 5 M.Sc. students, 26 undergraduate project students, 1 Research Assistant and 5 junior technicians. My trainees’ accomplishments are highlighted by 69 awards over this period (43 scholarships, 8 teaching awards, 12 travel awards, 6 presentation awards). The 10-year career total for my trainees is 107 awards.

My laboratory offers a newly renovated contiguous 2100 sq ft level-2 containment environment in the Department of Biological Sciences that houses state-of-the-art infrastructure. Notable examples include two flow cytometers (an imaging and a high throughput), dedicated Cell & Tissue Culture Suite, and Molecular Biology Room. There is also significant complementarity with supporting UAlberta core facilities (e.g. Rodent and Aquatic Animals; Microarray, Proteomics & Molecular Biology; Advanced Microscopy and Flow Cytometry; Digital Teaching Resources Lab). For students, significant time is allocated to the establishment of independent but complementary projects that place junior trainees in the best position to succeed and provide the flexibility to expand the scope of their research if interesting questions develop along the way. Trainees use complementary approaches in cell and molecular biology, animal models and cell culture techniques. In addition to research experience, training also focuses on critical skills in oral communication, preparation of scholarship packages, and the establishment of positive collaborative networks.

 

REPRESENTATIVE AWARDS TO BARREDA TRAINEES:

i) MAJOR AWARDS:
– The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship: This is the most prestigious award offered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and among the most sought-after award for doctoral students in Canada. Awardees must have demonstrated world-class attributes in research during their graduate studies, which need to be coupled to strong leadership skills. To date, two trainees from my laboratory have received this prestigious award (Havixbeck 2014; Rieger 2010).

– The Julie Payette Research Scholarship: This is the most prestigious award offered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) at the M.Sc. level. These scholarships are offered to the best candidates reviewed by the nine discipline-based Scholarships and Fellowships selection committees. To date, one trainee from my laboratory has received this prestigious award (Mahaffy 2011).

ii) SCHOLARSHIPS AND ASSISTANTSHIPS:
Graduate Students: University of Alberta President’s Doctoral Prize of Distinction (Havixbeck 2015, 2014; Rieger 2012, 2010); NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship (Rieger 2014); Fund for Innovation, Science and Technology (FINCyT) Peru, Doctoral Post-graduate Scholarship (More 2014); CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award (nominated – Rieger 2015); NSERC Post-graduate Scholarship – Master’s Program (Wong 2015; Trites 2014; Havixbeck 2013); NSERC Post-graduate Scholarship – Doctoral Program (declined – Havixbeck 2014; Rieger 2010); FGSR Dissertation Fellowship (Rieger 2013); Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship (nominated – Rieger 2013); Andrew Stewart Memorial Graduate Prize (Rieger 2013); Department of Biological Sciences Doctoral Recruitment Scholarship (Havixbeck 2014); Govt of Alberta Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship – Master’s (Trites 2015, 2013; Wong 2014; Havixbeck 2012; Lund 2010, 2011; Rieger 2009); Academic All-Canadian, University of Alberta (Trites 2014); AAAS Excellence in Science program (Rieger 2012); Alberta Advanced Education and Technology Graduate Scholarship (Lund 2010); Walter H Johns Graduate Scholarship (Trites 2014; Havixbeck 2013); Government of Alberta Jason Lang Scholarship (Wong 2014); Profiling Alberta Graduate Students Award (Rieger 2013); Dept. of Biological Sciences Graduate Teaching Assistantship (Wong 2014; Trites 2013; Havixbeck 2012; Rieger 2009; Lund 2009); Faculty of ALES, Food & Health Innovation Initiative Graduate Student Research Award (Ayres 2009, 2008); Dept. of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science Graduate Research Assistantship (Hamidu 2009, 2006; Ayres 2008); plus six others.

Undergraduate Students: NSERC UG Student Research Awards (Wong 2014, 2013; Trites 2013; Smith 2012, Havixbeck 2012; Elliot 2010).

PDFs: CONICYT PDF Fellowship (Torrealba 2016).

Visiting Students: Research Scholarship, Emerging Leaders of the Americas Program (Benavides 2012); JSPS Young Researcher Overseas Research Award, Kyushu University, Japan (Nagasawa 2012).

ii) TEACHING AWARDS: Dept. of Biological Sciences (DBS) Commendation for Teaching Excellence (Havixbeck, 2013; Lund 2010); Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Teaching Award (Rieger 2010); The Inter-departmental Science Students’ Society Instructor Appreciation Award with Outstanding Distinction (Wong 2015); ISSS Award of excellence in teaching (Havixbeck 2012); Dept. of Biological Sciences Commendation for Teaching Excellence (Lund 2010).

iii) COMMUNICATION AWARDS: Best Oral Presentation Award, North American Comparative Immunology and Pathology Workshop (Wong 2015; Havixbeck 2013; Rieger 2011); Second place, Murray Fallis Prize for Best Oral Presentation in Parasitism, Immunity, and Environment, Annual Meeting of the Canadian Society of Zoologists, Calgary, AB (Trites 2015); Second Best Oral Presentation Award, North American Comparative Immunology Workshop, Rochester, USA (Rieger 2012); ImmuNet top oral presentation – PhD student (Rieger 2010); Richard E. Peters second place PhD student presentation (Rieger 2010).

iv) TRAVEL AWARDS: North American Comparative Immunology Workshop Travel Award (Wong 2015; Havixbeck 2015, 2014; Rieger 2014, 2013, 2012); Department of Biological Sciences Travel Award (Rieger 2013; Lund 2012); Amnis Corporation Travel Award – (Rieger 2010); Profiling Alberta’s Graduate Students Award (Hamidu 2010); Dept. of AFNS Graduate Travel Award (Hamidu 2010, 2007).