Folks who have finished up their projects in the Toxopeus lab!
Yunyi Yang, Mitacs Globalink Intern 2025 (July – Sep 2025), Molecular and cell biology of freeze tolerance
- After the Toxopeus lab, Yunyi returned to China to complete her BSc Agronomy at Northwest A&F University
Amber Gough, BSc Honours Biology 2025, Post-graduate Research Technician (Summer 2025), Honours Student (Fall 2024/Winter 2025), Undergraduate Research Assistant (Summer 2023, 2024), Volunteer (Fall 2023/Winter 2024), overwintering biology of ticks + RNA extraction guru, catalase gene expression in crickets, and jumping worm cold tolerance
- Honours thesis available here
- After the Toxopeus lab, Amber worked with Drs. Tammy Rodela and Russell Wyeth on heat tolerance of oysters
Bree Stewart, BSc Biology, Undergraduate Research Assistant (Summer 2024), molecular and cell biology of freeze-tolerant crickets, and a course project on jumping worm cold tolerance
- After the Toxopeus lab, Bree worked as a technician in the StFX Animal Care Facility
Maranda van Oirschot, BSc Biology 2024, Undergraduate Research Assistant (Summer 2021 – Fall 2023), Post-BSc Research Assistant (Winter 2024 – Summer 2024), effect of cold and freezing on the cytoskeleton of freeze-tolerant crickets, heat shock protein expression in freeze-tolerant crickets, overwintering biology of ticks, spruce budworm diapause
- After the Toxopeus lab, Maranda went on to work as a technician with Russell Wyeth, and journeyed west to the University of Calgary in January to do a MSc with Jackie Lebenzon
Luke Burton, MSc Biology 2024 (Sep 2022 – Aug 2024), overwintering physiology of winter-active bugs in ice-covered ponds (co-supervised with Dr. Tammy Rodela)
- MSc thesis available here
- After the Toxopeus lab, Luke landed a job as a research technician with the Nova Scotia Salmon Association
Anuradha Joshi, Mitacs Globalink Intern 2024 (June – Aug 2024), RNAi of supervillin – a regulator of the actin cytoskeleton in crickets
- After the Toxopeus lab, Anuradha went on to complete her Masters project for her M.Tech (integrated biotechnology) degree at the D Y Patil Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Institute in India
Victoria Adams, BSc (Hons) Biology 2024, Volunteer, Summer Research Student, Honours Student, and Directed Study Student (May 2021 – Apr 2024), gene expression of heat shock proteins and catalase in freeze-tolerant crickets, and a course project on jumping worm cold tolerance
- BSc Honours thesis available here
- After the Toxopeus lab, Victoria was accepted into the Medicine program at the University of Limerick in Ireland
Brooklyn Vestby, BSc (Hons) Biology 2025, Summer Research Student and Honours Student (May 2023 – Apr 2024), Supervillin location and abundance in freeze-tolerant cricket tissues
Sarah Rokosh, MSc Biology 2024, Graduate student (Sep 2021 – Sep 2023), RNAi of catalase in freeze-tolerant crickets
- MSc thesis available here
- After the Toxopeus lab, Sarah worked full time doing science outreach with XOceans
Katelyn Lemay, BSc Human Kinetics 2023, Directed Study Student and Post-Undergraduate Summer Research Student (Jan – Aug 2023), cold tolerance and genetic ID of Rhagoletis spp.
- After the Toxopeus lab, Katelyn worked as a Kinesiologist, and was then accepted into the Accelerated Nursing Program at Dalhousie
Grace Kaiser, BSc (Hons) Biology 2023, Honours Student (May 2022 – Apr 2023), catalase expression during acclimation of freeze-tolerant crickets
- BSc Honours thesis available here
- After the Toxopeus lab, Grace joined the lab of Dr. Jen Perry at StFX as a summer research assistant
Erik Bily, BSc Biology 2024, (co-supervised by Dr. Arkadiy Reunov) Directed Study Student (Jan – Apr 2023), electron microscopy of cricket gametogenesis
Lily McIntyre, BSc Biology 2023, Volunteer, Summer Research Student, and Directed Study Student (Sep 2021 – Apr 2023), immunocytochemistry of Hsp70 in freeze-tolerant crickets
- After the Toxopeus lab, Lily was accepted into Physiotherapy at Queen’s University
Annika Nobbe, BSc Biology 2023, Summer Research Student and Directed Study Student (Aug – Dec 2022), proteins that interact with the actin cytoskeleton in freeze-tolerant crickets
- After the Toxopeus lab, Annika was accepted into the Dentistry program at Dalhousie University
Brynn Webber, BASc Health 2024, Summer Research Student (May – Aug 2022), cryoprotectants in freeze-tolerant crickets
- After the Toxopeus lab, Brynn completed an Honours thesis in Health with Dr. Kara Thompson at StFX
Jay Turnsek, BSc (Hons) Computer Science 2024, (co-supervised with Dr. James Hughes, StFX computer science) Summer Research Student (May – Aug 2021, 2022), classifying CRISPR sequences using machine learning
- After the Hughes/Toxopeus lab, Jay went on to find a position (in his field!) as a Database Developer
Robyn Walter, BSc Chemistry 2022, Directed Study Student and Volunteer (Sep 2021 – Apr 2022), catalase activity during acclimation of freeze-tolerant crickets
- After the Toxopeus lab, Robyn was accepted into the Pharmacy Program at Dalhousie University
Mackenzie Moore, BASc Health 2022, Volunteer and Directed Study Student (Sep 2021 – Apr 2022), genetics of overwintering apple maggot flies
- After the Toxopeus lab, Mackenzie was accepted into the Masters in Global Health Systems program at Western University, and then into Medicine at Dalhousie University
Paige Brown, BSc Psychology 2022, Volunteer and Directed Study Student (Sep 2021 – Apr 2022), genetics of overwintering apple maggot flies
Trinity McIntyre, BSc Biology 2022, Volunteer, Summer Research Assistant, and Directed Student Student (Feb 2021 – Apr 2022), cold tolerance of apple maggot flies and their parasitoid wasps
- After the Toxopeus lab, Trinity was accepted into the MBA Corporate Residency program at Dalhousie University
The Toxopeus Lab 