I am a PhD candidate exploring the uncharted territories in the evolution of aging. We are working towards finding the evidence of epistatic interaction among mutations involved in aging under Mutation Accumulation theory. Using an improvised mutation accumulation protocol in D. melanogaster lab populations, we have analyzed the pattern of the age-specific fitness decline over many generations with increasing deleterious mutations. I'm also working with Prof. Troy Day to develop mathematical and computational models of MA theory to understand the patterns of accumulation of late-age deleterious mutations and their effect of aging. With this unique approach of both theoretical and empirical work, I've been able to not only gain insights into the role of epistasis in the evolution of aging but also look at the different effects of sexes, purging and recovery from mutation load on aging in near future! When I'm not working and napping, they love to do puzzles, games, watch bizarre movies/shows, and sometimes bouldering and baking :)

My thesis work focuses on the trade-offs in sexual selection, reproductive biology, and behavior in the face of life history selection. Most notably Accelerated males are severely sperm limited, producing half as much sperm than our much slower growing control males and in turn accelerated males perform underwhelmingly in subsequent matings due to their limited sperm stores.  I came to deeply appreciate questions surrounding sexual selection and evolutionary biology; though when I started as an undergraduate researcher, I never would have guessed how much I would enjoy working with insects! Apart from fly pushing, I have explored skills which range from dissection all the way to engineering an Ethoscope that can automate the observation of flies for multiple days. I owe much of my knowledge as a researcher to past grad students like Dr. Harshavardhan Thyagarajan and the welcoming and collaborative nature of the Chippindale Lab! Outside of research, I’ve developed a passion for photography and spend much of my free time exploring Ontario’s natural landscapes which are a different kind of grandeur to my home province of Alberta.

I’m a second year MSc student. I completed my honours thesis in the “SuperFly” lab working on the mutation accumulation project. I have continued this research in my Master's by investigating the role of epistasis in accumulated autosomal mutations. I’m researching how these accumulations interact and whether these effects differ between the sexes and with age. When I’m not playing fruit fly matchmaker in the lab, I enjoy reading, spinning, and hanging out with my polydactyl cat! 

I'm a first year MSc student.  I started out in the lab doing a summer research project/honours thesis on the impacts of diet and sociosexual exposure on sex differences in longevity and have since transitioned to looking at mitonuclear interactions. The mitochondrial and nuclear genomes must work together in order for OXPHOS (the main energy production process) to function properly, but their different modes of inheritance can lead them to accumulate mutations beneficial to opposite sexes. Using populations derived from our long-running experimental evolution lines, I'm intentionally mismatching genomes to look at how mitonuclear coevolution influences sex-specific fitness and ageing. When I'm not sorting flies, I love reading, baking, and trying out new crafty hobbies!

I am interested in the effects of sperm limitation on female mating behaviours. Specifically, the costs and benefits of polyandry that could arise from these conditions.

I am a fourth-year undergrad student majoring in biology and taking on an honours thesis project! I am interested in the transfer of genetic material between parent and offspring - more specifically, the maternal passage of mitochondrial DNA. To answer questions regarding potential coevolution between the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA to avoid sexually antagonistic traits, I am purposefully mis-matching the nucleus and mitochondria of slow and fast developing D. Melanogaster lines and measuring traits surrounding egg hatchment and larval development success. Outside of the lab, I am also part of the Concurrent Education program here at Queen's and am passionate about teaching, the outdoors, and scientific outreach! 

I am a fourth year undergraduate honours student with a passion for evolutionary genetics. My undergraduate thesis focuses on gene interactions (formally called epistasis) affecting the development time of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies). Studying these interactions are essential for uncovering how combinations of mutations shape development, ageing, reproductive isolation, and disease progression. I hope to pursue a Masters investigating how a gene deletion that produces wingless flies reveals life history trade offs. When I am not in the lab, I am tutoring, playing the piano, listening to music, and watching horror films.

I'm in my fourth year of Life Sciences currently doing a Research Mentorship in the Chippindale Lab with a focus on post-copulatory sexual selection and potential role reversals in populations selected for accelerated development time. Outside of the lab, I enjoys hiking, playing tennis and Pilates.