Disclaimer – This information is correct to the best of my knowledge. (Alumni: Please send me updated information!)
Lab Members:
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Heather Anderson (Undergraduate student): I’m majoring in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology. I’m most interested in studying the interactions between plants and insects, particularly the pollination system. This interest has led to working with honey bees as I’ve spent two summers working in honey bee health around the province! I’m excited to be working in the Rueppell lab as I hope to continue exploring the fascinating world of bees. |
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Rassol Bahreini (Senior researcher): I have been a honey bee researcher for over 30 years . I have received my MSc and PhD in Entomology from the University of Ahvaz (Iran, 1993) and the University of Manitoba (Canada, 2015), respectively. In my previous positions, as Apiculture Research Scientist in the Animal Science Research Institute-Iran, and Alberta Agricultural and Forestry-Canada, I carried out many studies of honey bee biology, control of parasites and pathogens, integrated pest management, and studies of Varroacides. In addition to teaching graduate and undergraduate students, my extension activities encouraged beekeepers to adopt new and improved methods of honey bee IPM to manage pests and diseases, using a variety of methods. My recent projects were focused on new miticides and antibiotics to assist producers in solving challenges related to honey bee parasites and diseases. At the University of Alberta, I will continue my research on the development of new miticides and antibiotics for control Varroa mites and Nosema disease. |
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Bogdan Cojocaru-Marian (Undergraduate student): I am a fourth-year undergraduate student here at the University of Alberta, pursuing a bachelor of arts with a major in psychology. I have always had an admiration for bees, not just because of their important roles in ecosystems, but also due to their eusocial behaviour. I am excited to be working in Dr. Rueppell’s lab this summer, and am hoping to expand my limited knowledge of honeybees in doing so. |
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Kayla De Jong (Undergraduate student): I am a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science with a major in conservation biology. I have been fascinated by the natural world since I was young, and I am especially interested in insects and other arthropods. I am excited to spend the summer researching and learning about honey bee queen behaviour and I also look forward to learning more about beekeeping and honey bees in general. |
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Jacob Herman (PhD student): I earned my Bachelors degree in Entomology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where I worked with Dr. Gene Robinson on various components of honey bee neuroethology and evolution. After this, I attained my Master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior under the supervision of Dr. Ulrich Mueller. My thesis focused on studying the ecology and population dynamics of Apis florea, the Dwarf Asian Honey Bee, and involved the collection of natural colonies spanning all of India. I have joined the Rueppell lab in hope of continuing my work on Asian Honey Bees, and better understanding the ecology and genetic architecture driving complex adaptations to stress and life history across Apis. I have transitioned from UNCG to the UofA. |
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Jennifer Hofmeyr (Research technician): I have always been passionate about wildlife, and animals in general and knew that I wanted a career working with animals. I started my studies in the veterinary technology field which opened doors for me in the wildlife industry. I obtained my vet tech degree at the Tswhane University of Technology, South Africa, my BSc honours degree in African Vertebrate Biodiversity at Rhodes University, South Africa, and I am now busy finalising my MSc (Molecular biology) degree, with the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa- Investigating the diversity of the lion population in the Kruger National Park. In the mean time I have also obtained my Biotechnology diploma through St. Lawrence College in Kingston, ON, Canada. The largest part of my career was spent managing veterinary laboratories, biobanks and facilitating and implementing veterinary focused research. I have been fortunate enough to work with a diverse number of species ranging from the big five to the endangered riverine rabbit and now I am excited to be entering the world of bees as a research assistant in Dr. Rueppell’s lab. |
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Chenoa Kaufman (Undergraduate student): I am an undergraduate student in the Honors Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology program at the University of Alberta . I am passionate about human and animal genetics and am thrilled to be working in the Rueppell Lab! I hope to dive into lab work and learn lots about honey bees, especially about how to keep bees and how bees respond genetically to stressors in their environments. Outside of science, I also enjoy volunteering with the U of A Rotaract Club, spending time in the sun, and playing dodgeball! |
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Kaitlin Kinahan (Undergraduate student): I am a third year undergraduate student here at the University of Alberta. I have always loved spending time outdoors backpacking, camping, and hiking, and as a child a favorite hobby of mine was to collect insects and amphibians! I am excited to be a member of the lab and am eager to learn more about honey bees and beekeeping! |
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Nick Krys (Undergraduate student): Currently a second year student in Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology with honours program, I hope to eventually obtain my PhD and pursue a career as a professor in genetics. Though I admire all aspects of science, I gravitate towards genetics because I am fascinated with inheritance. I am super excited to work in Dr. Rueppell’s lab where I can tackle molecular-based research on honey bees. Besides my passion for science, my other passions involve trying to get out of the house as often as possible, whether it be for hiking, camping or just going off and about outdoors. |
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Robert Xinzhi Lu (MSc student): Having completed my bachelor’s of science degree here at the University of Alberta, I have returned to my alma mater to conduct my master’s of science in the Rueppell lab. A parasitologist by interest, my research focuses on the host-parasite interactions between the western honeybee (Apis mellifera), and the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. Specifically, I am looking at aspects impacting the health of the host, such that we may be able to better combat infections of varroa in commercial beehives. My primary research project is split between the Rueppell Lab here at the UofA, and the Beaverlodge Apicultural Research Farm, under tutelage of Dr. Steve Pernal, and aims to test the efficacy and toxicology of a newly developed miticide. When not in the lab, I particularly enjoy spending time fishing or on my charcoal drawings. |
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Demi Meier (Research Assistant): After completing my bachelor’s in animal health science at the University of Alberta (2022), I now have the exciting opportunity to join the Rueppell team and assist Dr. Bahreini’s research on Varroa mites. Throughout my academic career I spent my spare time volunteering at the local zoo and animal rehabilitation center, and I assisted my dog’s vet. Before joining this team, I was part of an environmental engineering lab where the focus was water and the impact we have on the resource. Just like my pervious experiences, the honeybee research is adding to my passion for animals and nature. |
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Thais Pimenta Ferreira (Research Assistant): I received my Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Prince Edward Island in 2022. My studies focused on zoology and wildlife conservation, both of which have always been topics I am passionate about. In the past I have worked with fish and marine invertebrates for the UPEI Science Department. I have also been a teaching assistant for biology and physics labs. Currently, I am working with Dr Rassol Bahreini with his work on pesticides to control the spread of varroa mites on honeybee populations. |
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Olav Rueppell (Group Leader, Mentor, and PI): For a summary of my interests and contributions, please see my CV.
Office: CW-468A Bio Science Building |
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Dawit Shibiru (Undergraduate): I am an undergraduate student in the first year of my bachelor of science with a major in biology. I enjoy being outdoors and have always been interested in the natural world. My main interests include conservation, molecular biology, and zoology. I am a recipient of the 2022 Donald W. Clarke Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Award. This summer I am looking forward to researching oxidative stress levels within queenright and queenless honey bee colonies, and learning more about honey bees as a whole. |
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Tianna Tanasichuck (Undergraduate): My name is Tianna Tanasichuk and I am going into my third year here at the University of Alberta in sciences with a specialization in mathematics. This summer I have the opportunity of working with Professor Rueppell on a research project on the body sizes of bees and their growth. I am able to do this summer program thanks to the I-STEAM program which provides summer research internships for indigenous students, and I hope to continue my research after the summer program has finished. Some fun facts about me is that I am Metis from Region 2 and I am from a small town North-East of Edmonton. In my spare time I sing and play the guitar, and spend time with sisters of my sorority Alpha Gamma Delta here on campus. |
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Yosef Hamba Tola (Postdoc): I am a NRC Postdoctoral Research Scholar hosted in the Tarpy Lab at North Carolina State University, working with Dr. David Tarpy, Dr. Olav Rueppell and Dr. Micheline Strand. I received my B.Sc. in Biology (Dire Dawa University, Ethiopia, 2011); M.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (PAUSTI-JKUAT, joint degree, Kenya, 2014) and Ph.D. in Genetics (University of Pretoria, South Africa, 2021).I am interested in investigating the degree to which the beneficial bacteria in the honey bee system are linked to colony health. I plan to use this information to identify bacteria with a “probiotic” beneficial effect on bee immunity against major honey bee pathogens and environmental stressors thus identifying a promising tool for bee health improvement. Prior to starting my postdoctoral research, I served as a research assistant in Animal Health Theme (Jun. 2021 – Feb. 2022) and PhD research fellow in Environmental Health Theme (Jun. 2017-Sep. 2021) at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Kenya. My previous work contributed to uncovering hidden diversity and host-specific microbiomes of bees from sub-Saharan-African regions, and revealing an important and unexplored universe of bacterial symbionts, and pathogens associated with black soldier fly and tick species. I also worked on indigenous rhizobia for inoculum production in Ethiopia and Kenya, when I was a research fellow at the Africa-ai-Japan Project-JICA (Dec. 2014-Jun. 2017) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture-IITA (Jan. 2013-Nov. 2014) in Kenya. In parallel, during my research fellowship sponsored by Asia Africa Science Platform Program (AASPP) in Okayama University, IPSR in Japan (2015), I developed the first bacterial chemotaxis fishing method used to screen and enriched environmental chemotactic bacteria using a glass capillary. For more on information on my work, please check my GoogleScholar. |
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Gursimran Toor (MSc student): After having finished my Bachelor’s of Science with a specialization in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Alberta, I knew that I wanted to further pursue academia. My education during my undergraduate degree served to increase my interest in molecular biology and genetics as a whole — the focus of my graduate work. I’m currently working on genomics studies focused on elucidating the relationship between stress tolerance and the transition of honey bees between worker castes on the molecular level. Outside of the lab, I am an amateur gardener, and an avid sports fan. |
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Alexander Walton (Postdoc): I have been studying the biology of social insects for over a decade, beginning with my undergraduate work on Temnothorax ant collective behavior and bumblebee task specialization at The University of Arizona (under the guidance of Professor Anna Dornhaus). After graduating, I worked as a laboratory assistant to Dr. Vanessa Corby-Harris and Dr. Kirk Anderson at the USDA-ARS Carl Hayden Honey Bee Research Lab, where Apis mellifera left its indelible mark on me and I decided I wanted to study honey bees for the rest of my life. I completed my PhD in Professor Amy Toth’s Lab at Iowa State University, where I used honey bees and paper wasps (Polistes fuscatus) to examine the role of nutrition in the regulation of individual variation in social behavior. My dissertation is entitled “Individuality in the Hive: Behavioral variation and its proximal causes in insect societies.” I continued to research paper wasps during my postdoc (co-advises by Professor Toth at Iowa State University and Michael Sheehan at Cornell University), where I worked to develop functional genomics tools for the study of Polistes fuscatus. I am broadly interested in the causes and consequences of behavioral variation in social groups, and the evolution and maintenance of cooperation. Visit my GoogleScholar. |
Past Graduate Lab Members:
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Prashant Waiker: “Recombination rate and genome evolution in social insects” (PhD: 2017 – 2022). |
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Kaira Wagoner: “An Investigation of the Relationships Between Common Stressors, Brood-Signaling, Hygienic Behavior, and Selective Breeding in the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)” (PhD: 2011-2015), then postdoc (2015 – 2021). Now working as a researcher at UNCG and co-founder or Optera. |
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Esmaeil Amiri: “Honey bee virus studies” and many other topics (postdoc: 2015 – 2021), now Assistant Research/Extension Professor at Mississippi State University |
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Phoebe Snyder: “The impact of honey bee (Apis mellifera) group size on hygienic behavior performance” (MSc: 2018-2020), now working in the honey bee industry and co-founder of Optera. |
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Carlos Vega Melendez: “Effects of early developmental stress in Apis mellifera” (PhD: 2013 – 2019), moved to USDA , and now working in the bioinformatic industry. |
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Shilpi Bhatia: “Genetic architecture of honey bee virus susceptibility” (PhD incomplete: 2017 – 2019) |
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Anissa Kennedy: “Increased Stress Resistance in Socially Manipulated Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Workers” (MSc: 2016 – 2018), then PhD student in Mainz, Germany. |
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Taylor Reams: “Examining the Factors Influencing Varroa destructor Host Selection of Apis mellifera Larvae” (MSc: 2016 – 2018), now PhD student at Texas A&M. |
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Hongmei Li-Byarlay: “Genomic studies of stress resistance in honey bees” (NCSU-affiliated postdoc: 2014 – 2017), now Assistant Professor at Central State University |
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Bertrand Fouks: “Genomic studies of recombination and aging in honey bees” (2014 – 2015), now postdoc at the University of Munster, Germany. |
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Wendy Zuluaga Smith: “Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus in Apis mellifera queens: Impact on colony role, transmission routes, and immune priming” (MSc: 2014 – 2016), now working at LabCorp. |
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Katelyn Miller: “Construction and Fine-Scale Analysis of a High-Density, Genome-Wide Linkage Map to Examine Meiotic Recombination in the Honey Bee, Apis mellifera” (MSc: 2012 – 2014), now postdoc at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. |
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Ming Huang: “Genetics of oxidative stress resistance in honey bees” (NCSU-affiliated postdoc: 2012 – 2014), now working at Eurofins. |
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Kurt Langberg: “Testing the Effects of Oxidative Stress on Genomic Recombination in the Honey Bee, Apis mellifera.” (MSc: 2012 – 2014), now working at the University of Virginia. |
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Humberto Freire Boncristiani: “Functional genomics of IAPV infection in honey bees” (Postdoc: 2011 – 2013), now working at the University of Florida. |
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Ryan Kuster: “Expression Levels of Immune-genes in Developing Workers of Apis mellifera in Response to Reproductive Timing and Infestation Level by the Parasitic Mite Varroa destructor.” (MSc: 2010 – 2012), undergraduate (2009), now working at the University of Tennessee. |
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Mike Simone-Finstroem: “Honey bee stress and aging” (NCSU-affiliated postdoc: 2011 – 2012), now working at the USDA ARS Honey Bee Lab in Baton Rouge. |
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Cordelia Forkpah (Sackey-Mensah): “The Effect of Xenobiotics on the Honeybee Adult Intestinal Stem Cell Proliferation.” (MSc: 2009 – 2012), now working at the University of Rochester. |
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Laura Tucker (Willard): “Development and Analysis of Primary Cultures from the Midgut of the Honey Bee, Apis mellifera.” (MSc: 2008 – 2012), DVM in Minnesota. |
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Emily McLean (Meznar): “Genomic Synteny and Comparison of Recombination between A. mellifera (the European Honey Bee) and A. florea (the Red Dwarf Honey Bee).” (MSc: 2007 – 2009), now Assistant Professor at Emory University. |
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Allie Graham: “The Genetic Architecture of Reproductive Differences in Workers of Africanized and European Honey Bees, Apis mellifera.” (MSc: 2007 – 2009), now postdoctoral researcher at the University of Utah. |
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Kristen Ward: “A Study of Cellular Proliferation and Apoptosis in Short- and Long-lived Honey Bees, Apis mellifera. ” (MSc: 2004 – 2006), Physician at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. |
Past Undergraduate Lab Members:
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Jocelyn Chui (2023)
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Cleo Randall (2021-2022)
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| Akanksha Yeola (2021-2022)
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Jaymie Martin (2021)
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Hunter Haeberle (2022)
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Luke Nelson (2022)
Graduate School (Univ. of Alberta) |
| Bethany Carswell (2019-2021)
Veterinary School (University of Illinois) |
Asia Brannon (2018-2020)
Medical School (UNC Chapel-Hill) |
Cristian Hernandez (2019 – 2020)
Health Care Professional |
Jackson Keever (2020)
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| Anh Pham (2019 – 2020)
Dental School (University of Detroit) |
Emily Jordon (2019)
Medical School (University of West Virginia) |
Shaun Pitts (2019 – 2020)
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Sarah Krug (2018 – 2019)
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| Tatiana Molina-Morales (2018 – 2019)
Medical School (Colombia) |
Kali Cox (2018 – 2019)
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Matthew Hill (2019)
Graduate School (NC A&T University) |
Spencer Moore (2019)
Graduate School (University of Colorado at Boulder) |
| Maya Brody (2019)
Industry |
Kevin Le (2017-2018)
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Kimberlyn Eversman (2018)
Graduate School (University of Tennesee Knoxville) |
Mohamad Omar Ani (2018)
Medical School (University of Pennsylvania) |
| Katherine Barrs (2018)
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Zea Robinson (2018)
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Max McCall (2017 – 2018)
Medical School (University of Central Florida) |
Saman Baral (2017 – 2018, Honors Thesis)
Graduate School (NCSU) |
| Eden Simmons (2018)
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Foray Keita (2017 – 2018)
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Mustafa Noori (2016 – 2017)
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Samyra Blackeney (2017)
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Erin Estes (2017)
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Christopher Reid (2017)
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Mark Rothermund (2017)
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Franco Abad (2017)
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Antron Spooner (2017)
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Talia Heckman (2016)
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Timothy Delory (2016)
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Karen Funderburk (2016 – 2017)
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Katherina Santiago (2016)
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Sherry Browne (2016)
MRes in Biomedical Science and Translational Medicine |
Sara Rubio-Correa (2015 – 2017)
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Heeral Lakhani (2015 – 2016)
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Greg Seddon (2015 – 2016)
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Chelsea MaLyn Lawhorn (2015), left
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Rachel Schomaker (2015), right
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Tinaye Mutetwa (2015 – 2017, Honors thesis)
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Samantha McPherson (2015)
Graduate School (NCSU) |
Basema Khan (2014)
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Ashley LaVere (2014)
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Quinton Irby (2014 – 2015)
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Eli Thompson (2014)
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Jasmine Everett (2014)
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Daniel Smith (2013 – 2015), left
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Juan Collazo (2013 – 2015), right
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Babak Yousefi (2013 – 2016, Honors thesis)
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Caitlin Ross (2012 – 2014)
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Tiffany Fowler (2012 – 2016)
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Matthew Phillips (2012 – 2015)
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Francisco Belinchon (2012 – 2013)
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Kayla Jackson (2012)
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Candice Harrison (2011)
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Bobbee Vannasane (2011 – 2013)
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Dominick DeFelice (2011 – 2014, Honors thesis)
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Tara McCray (2011)
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Stephen Meier (2010)
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Dawit Adnew (2009)
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Luke Dixon (2009 – 2012)
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Ellen Lonon (2009)
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Michelle McQuage (2009)
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Nicholas Arvanitis (2009)
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Danielle Lucas (2009 – 2010)
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Stephen Brown (2009)
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Nathan Ross (2008)
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Ashley Hayes (2008 – 2009)
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Matthew Whilhelm (2007)
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Kaitlin Clinnin (2007 – 2008)
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Javier Luzon (2007 – 2008)
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Miranda Hayworth (2007 – 2008)
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Robert Gove (2007)
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Megan Leagon (2007)
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Nels Johnson (2007)
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Lauren Groves (2006 – 2007)
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Michael Munday (2006 – 2009, Honor thesis)
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Jennifer Coleman (2006 – 2008, Honor thesis)
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Megan Wallrichs (2006 – 2008, Honor thesis)
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Kari Fine (2005 – 2006)
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Dominique Buehler (2005 – 2006)
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Anny Pena (2005 – 2006)
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Akuabata Kerns (2005 – 2006)
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Preston Gardner (2005 – 2006)
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Caroline Mulcrone (2005)
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Robyn Douglas (2004)
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Oumar Seck (2003 – 2005)
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Rex Kirkman (2003 – 2004)
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Medical School (Howard University)
Graduate School (Utah State University)
Graduate School (Arizona State University)
Graduate School (UNC-Chapel-Hill)
Industry
Graduate School (NCSU)
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Graduate School (University of Georgia)
Industry
Dental School (UNC Chapel-Hill)
Graduate School (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)
High School Teacher
Graduate School (University of Delaware)
Graduate School (University of Glasgow)
Medical School (UNC Chapel-Hill)
Graduate School (University of Illinois at Chicago)
High Point University
Graduate School (NCSU)
High School Teacher
Graduate School (UNC-Wilmington)
Graduate School (University of Connecticut)
National Institutes of Health
MD-PhD Program (Georgia)
Graduate School (University of Maryland)
Graduate School (Virginia Tech)
Medical School (Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine)
Veterinary Technician
Research Technician (UNC Chapel-Hill)
Graduate School (Delaware State)
Vet-MD School (University of Georgia)
Graduate School (Switzerland)
Medical School (West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine)
Pharmacy School (Ohio)
High School Teacher
Industry