Team Members

I am a PhD student from the Department of Biology at Dalhousie University. My PhD research focuses on the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) aquaculture industry in PEI, and discovering markers that are related to environmental and mechanical stressors (temperature, salinity, hypoxia, ocean acidification, food availability, tunicate fouling/removal) using the transcriptomic response of mussels, both in a laboratory setting and field. In 2017, I completed my MSc degree from Dalhousie University where my research focused on the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) aquaculture industry, discovering genetic markers (SNPs) correlated to growth, feed efficiency and stress resiliency using a RAD-seq approach. Ultimately my research interests are focused within the shellfish aquaculture industry, and using a genomic approach to both improve genetic stock through selection in a hatchery setting and also understanding physiological mechanisms involved in stress response and resiliency in the face of climate change.
Stephanie Hall
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​Hello, I am Sam. I am one of Dr. Clark’s Masters students. After I graduated high school I went to Dalhousie’s Halifax campus and completed a Bachelor of Science (Major in Biology). I then transferred to the Truro campus in 2014 for the Pre-Vet program and decided to stay longer to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Major in Animal Science). My initial intention was to become a veterinarian but I had a change of heart and wanted to gain more research experience. I am currently working on constructing phylogenies based on decapod immune proteins and will be performing behaviour, physiology and parasitology studies on the Atlantic Rock Crab, Cancer irroratus.
 
Interests: I have always been curious about animals and their way of life, ever since a very young age. If you asked me what my favourite animals are I would probably say cats but reptiles come in at a close second (including birds). I would love to own a bearded dragon someday. I enjoy watching anime, sci-fi, and fantasy shows and movies. My favourite movie is The Dark Knight. 
Sam Stevens
Emily Blacklock
I graduated with a BSc in Marine Biology with honours from Dalhousie University, where much of my research was focused on lobster. I am currently a MSc student working several projects including allorecognition in crustaceans and multispectral imaging. My allorecognition research involves primary haemocyte cell cultures from a variety of crustaceans to determine their response to a variety of endogenous and exogenous molecules. I am also examining the possibility of utilizing different wavelengths of light to identify variations in individual crustaceans, such as the present of shell disease or pathogens. This work is combining microelectronic sensors and microcontrollers compatible with Arduino and Raspberry Pi platforms. Finally, I am completing an RNA sequencing project examining the effects of potential prophylactic treatments for viral pathogens of shrimp.
In 2019, I graduated with a BSc in Bioveterinary Science with honours from Dalhousie University, where my honours project involved quantifying the behavioural effects of environmental enrichment rotation in farmed mink (Neovison vison). I am currently a MSc student focused on determining if infection by the acanthocephalan Profilicollis botulus changes the behaviour of the green crab (Carcinus maenas) in order to make it more vulnerable to one of its predators, the eider duck (Somateria mollissima). I will also be doing a project on comparative crustacean immunology to determine which antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are present in a variety of crab species native to the coasts of Nova Scotia. The goal of this project is to find out which species have which AMPs and to potentially test these molecules in a laboratory setting to determine which pathogens they are most effective against. My research interests include anything related to animal behaviour and animal welfare.
​Isabelle Renault
​Shannon Kelley
I am a third year bioveterinary science student and I will be assisting with research in the lab as a summer student. I am continuing previous research on Atlantic deep-sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) populations in the Northumberland Strait. This work involves a combination of genes expression analysis through RNA-seq and RT-qPCR and microbiomics. My field work consists of sampling several crustacean species from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, maintaining these animals in our custom holding facilities and performing weekly health assessments (cellular and biochemical). I am also involved with routine necropsy and tissue sampling for histology, electron microscopy and microbiology.
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I am a fourth year Bioveterinary science Honours student at Dalhousie University. I am examining histocompatability and allorecognition in several crabs present in Atlantic Canadian waters. We are currently completing in vivo experiments and performing biochemical, histopathological and cytological analysis. The goal of my experiment is to determine the extent intra-species ​histocompatibility.
​Sin Yee Lee
​Ève Godin
​I am a fourth year Bioveterinary Science Honours student at Dalhousie University, Agricultural Campus. My research focus on cellular immunity of Homarus americanus and I am looking at temperature induce alterations in haemocyte culture viability as well as working on establishing a phagocytosis assay. The goal of my project is to determine if temperature will induce changes to H.americanus phagocyte activity.