Advertised Honours Projects for 2025鈥�26
Lists of Honours Projects:
Project Supervisors: Dr. Ram贸n Filgueira & Dr. Eric Ignatz
Project Title: Navigating MSX: Assessing parasitic infection in oysters across Maritime provinces
Project Description: We aim to improve our understanding of the relationship between Haplosporidiun nelsoni [causative agent of Multinucleate Sphere Unknown X (MSX) disease] and the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica). H. nelsoni can cause significant (>90%) mortality among severely affected oyster populations within months of exposure. With the detection of H. nelsoni in Cape Breton 2002, PEI and New Brunswick in 2024, with further spread possible along the North shore of Nova Scotia, the long-term viability of oyster fishing and farming in the Maritimes is greatly threatened.
To address this, we are looking for a student to help assess non-infected and infected oysters located in PEI and the Bras d鈥橭r Lake from the beginning of May until the end of August 2025. While the position(s) will be based in Halifax, travel will be required to assist in monitoring and sampling oysters monthly. The student(s) will gain valuable experience in tissue sampling, environmental monitoring, molecular lab techniques and data analysis. The ideal candidate(s) will extend this project into their Honour鈥檚 thesis by enrolling in BIOL/MARI 4901 & 4902 in the 2025/2026 academic year.
Interested students should email their CV and academic transcripts, along with a short explanation of why they are interested in the position to Ram贸n Filgueira (ramon.filgueira@dal.ca) and Eric Ignatz (eric.ignatz@dal.ca).
Project Supervisors: Dr. Erin Bertrand
Project Title: Examining protein allocation patterns in arctic diatoms
Project Description: Proteins make up a large proportion of biomass in all organisms including phytoplankton. We can examine protein allocation to different core functions (photosynthesis, growth, nutrient acquisition etc) in order to help us understand how phytoplankton respond to their environment. We have the ability to measure these protein allocation patterns in field and in lab cultures, and we require additional information about how phytoplankton, grown in carefully controlled conditions, change how they allocate their protein resources. The successful student will work with the Bertrand Lab to cultivate key arctic phytoplankton strains and investigate how they allocate their protein resources under different conditions.
The student will gain valuable experience in phytoplankton cultivation, protein extractions, and protein expression data analysis. The ideal candidate will extend this project into their Honour鈥檚 thesis by enrolling in BIOL/MARI 4901 & 4902 in the 2025/2026 academic year. Interested students should email their CV and academic transcripts, along with a short explanation of why they are interested in the position to Erin Bertrand (erin.bertrand@dal.ca).