People

Lab members & alumni

Highly qualified personnel trained in the lab at the University of Manitoba (2019–) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (2014–2019). Publication numbers refer to the publications list. Prospective students: see contact.

Principal investigator

• Principal Investigator
  R. Eric CollinsUniversity of Manitoba · Associate Professor · Canada Research Chair in Northern Aquatic Microbial Ecosystem ServicesMicrobial life in sea ice, the cryosphere and the coldest corners of the ocean: genomics, bioinformatics and community-based monitoring. Lab at the University of Alaska Fairbanks 2014–2019, University of Manitoba since 2019.Profile · Website · ORCID · Google Scholar · GitHub · Bluesky
  2014–

Graduate students

• PhD student
  Zakhar KazmirukUniversity of Manitoba · in progressArctic microbial biodiversity and oil biodegradation in Arctic waters.Publications: 43
  2022–
• MSc
  Thamali VidanageUniversity of Manitoba · completeCommunity-based monitoring of First Nations water.Publications: 33, 34, 35, 36, 37
  2023–2026
• MSc
  Rei ShibueUniversity of Manitoba · completeArctic archaeal genomics. Earlier an undergraduate researcher in the lab (2017).Publications: 40, 41, 42
  2023–2026
• MSc
  Kari GreenUniversity of Manitoba · completeArctic archaeal ecosystem services: metagenomic characterization of archaeal biogeography and cold adaptation in the western Arctic Ocean.Profile · Thesis · Publications: 38, 39
  2021–2023
• MSc
  Patricia S. Montalvo-RodriguezUniversity of Manitoba · completed elsewhereArctic metagenomics: how Arctic microbial communities and their ecosystem contributions change with environmental change.Profile
  2019–2023
• MSc
  Anais GentilhommeUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks · completePsychrophile genomics: genomic signatures of optimal growth temperature in the family Colwelliaceae.Thesis · Publications: 29
  2018–2021
• MSc (co-chair)
  Rachel LekanoffUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks · completeArctic algal diversity: diversity and community structure of eukaryotic phototrophs in the Bering and Chukchi seas. Now a PhD student in Fisheries at UAF.Profile · Thesis
  2016–2020

Postdoctoral fellows

• Postdoctoral Fellow
  Brandon T. HassettUniversity of Alaska FairbanksArctic marine fungi. Later a postdoctoral researcher at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and a National Geographic Explorer.Publications: 17, 22
  2017–2018
• Postdoctoral Fellow
  Anne-Lise DucluzeauUniversity of Alaska FairbanksCold adaptation of Arctic microbes; quinones and membrane fluidity; nanopore sequencing of sea-ice microbes.Profile · Publications: 17, 22
  2014–2017

Technicians

• Technician
  Jocelyn PlouffeUniversity of Manitoba
• Technician
  Miao YuUniversity of Manitoba

Undergraduate researchers

• Undergraduate
  Riley de Blonde
  2025
• Undergraduate
  Olivia Gies
  2025
• Undergraduate
  Grace Oliver
  2025
• Undergraduate
  Sophie Lakusta
  2025
• Undergraduate
  Harvey Wastasecoot
  2024
• Undergraduate
  Maria Garcia
  2024–2025
• Undergraduate
  Debosmitha Sen
  2024
• Undergraduate
  Poorvang Patel
  2024
• Undergraduate
  Aditya Gandhi
  2023
• Undergraduate
  Anna Shypilova
  2023
• Undergraduate
  Kallie Strong
  2022
• Undergraduate
  Jacob Janzen
  2021
• Undergraduate
  Elva House
  2018
• Undergraduate
  Madison Herron
  2017–2018
• Undergraduate
  Rei Shibue
  2017
• Undergraduate
  Jesse Klejka
  2015
• Undergraduate
  Kirsten Southerland
  2015
• Undergraduate
  Mattison Wade
  2015
• Undergraduate
  Quinn Demik
  2014