Principal Investigator
Dr Steven M Short
I earned my Combined Honours BSc in Biology and Oceanography at the University of British Columbia in 1995. I obtained my PhD from UBC in 2002. After that, I worked at the Ocean Sciences Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz as a postdoctoral researcher. In 2004 I started my independent research program as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Denver. In 2007, I joined the Department of Biology at the University of Toronto Mississauga an Associate Professor and the Department Chair. I am appointed as graduate faculty in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, a tri-campus graduate unit at the University of Toronto, and the Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences at University of Toronto Scarborough. At UTM, I teach undergraduate classes in Microbial Ecology and Virology and supervise undergraduate and graduate research students.
Research Staff
Dr. Ichiro Inamoto, PhD.
Lab Manager, Isolation, purification, and transmission electron microscopy of Chrysochromulina parva viruses.
Dr. Christine Palermo, PhD.
Genomic analysis and bioinformatics of uncharcterized algal viruses infecting Chrysochromulina parva.
Graduate Students
Karolina Szlapa
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, PhD student.
Undergraduate Research Students
Daphne Arguelles
BIO481Y, Biology Research Project. Monitoring the weekly dynamics of algal viruses in two distinct freshwater environments in Ontario, Canada.
University of Toronto Excellence Award, Summer 2022. Development and validation of multiplex TaqMan assays to quantify algal viruses in mixed cultures.
BIO399Y, Research Opportunities Program: Purifying and characterizing viruses and virophages that coinfect the alga Chrysochromulina parva.
Simran Rakhra
BIO481Y, Biology Research Project. The diversity of prymnesiophyte algae (haptophyta) in Lake Ontario and a nearby urban pond.
Gurshan Bajaj
BIO399Y, Research Opportunities Program. Purifying and characterizing viruses co-infecting the alga Chrysochromulina parva through end-point dilutions and quantitative PCR.
Short Lab Alumni
Graduate Students
Dr. Christine Palermo, PhD 2022
Thesis: Diversity, Relative Abundance, and Functional Potential of Viral and Bacterial Communities. University of Toronto Scarborough, Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences.
Dr. Dylan Shea, PhD 2021
Thesis: The Influence of Aquaculture on Marine Microbiota and Pathogen Communities in a British Columbia Coastal Ecosystem. Co-supervised with Prof. Martin Krkosek, University of Toronto, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Dr. Samantha Cheung, PhD 2021
Thesis: Application of Molecular Tools to Determine the Effects of Key Growth Factors on Cultivated Algal Biofilm Communities. Co-supervisor with D. Grant Allen, University of Toronto, Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry.
Rose Mastin Wood, MSc 2021
Thesis: Examination of Infection Dynamics within a Viral Consortium Infecting the Haptophyte Alga Chrysochromulina parva. University of Toronto, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Alex Paquette, MSc 2017
Thesis: Understanding the Microbial Community of a Microalgal Biofilm from a Photobioreactor. Co-supervisor with George Espie, University of Toronto, Department of Cell and Systems Biology.
Dr. Michael Staniewski, PhD 2017
Thesis: Grazer and Virus-Mediated Mortality of Freshwater Phytoplankton. University of Toronto, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Dr. Andrew Long, PhD 2017
Thesis: The Persistence of Algal Viruses in Freshwater Environments. University of Toronto, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Lindsey Ogston, MSc 2015
Thesis: The Prevalence of Fish Viruses Associated with Aquaculture Enclosures in B.C. Coastal Waters. Co-supervisor with Martin Krkosek, University of Toronto, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Robin Rozon, MSc 2012
Thesis: Algal virus dynamics and ecology in the Bay of Quinte, Canada. University of Toronto, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Oksana Rusanova, MSc 2010
Thesis: Seasonal Abundance of Chlorella Viruses in Two Contrasting Freshwater Environments of Ontario, Canada. University of Toronto, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Claire Olsofka, MSc 2008
Thesis: A Quantitative Molecular Technique for Studying Competition among Strains of Micromonas Pusilla. University of Denver, Department of Biological Sciences.
Undergraduate Research Students
Deryk Vu, HBSc 2021
TEM Visualization of Algal Viruses Purified by Gradient Ultracentrifugation (BIO481 2020/2021)
Isolating and studying components of a complex virus-host system (NSERC USRA 2020)
Understanding the nature of virophages, viruses that parasitize other viruses (BIO399 2019/2020)
Cynthia Ton, HBSc 2019
Research Assistant, Maintenance and growth of Chrysochromulina parva and its viruses.
Ajandan Nandakumar, HBSc 2020
Using the Rhodopsin Gene as a Novel Molecular Target for Effective Quantification of C. parva, an Important Phytoplankton (BIO481 2019/2020)
Examining the Dynamics of a Complex Virus-Host System (NSERC USRA 2019)
Evaluating the Distribution of Algae Infecting DNA Viruses in Coastal British Columbia (BIO399 2018/2019)
Jenna Black, HBSc 2019
Understanding the Complexity of a Novel Virophage-Virus-Host System (BIO481 2018/2019)
Understanding the Complexity of a Novel Virophage-Virus-Host System (NSERC USRA 2018)
A Complex Community of Viruses and Virophages Infects the Alga C. parva (BIO399 2017/2018)
Ammar Hafeez, HBSc 2018
Fine-Scale Temporal Dynamics of a Novel Algal Virus-Host System (BIO481 2017/2018)
Fine-Scale Temporal Dynamics of a Novel Algal Virus-Host System (NSERC USRA 2017)
Nikhil George, HBSc 2017
Spatial-Temporal Analyses of Algal Virus Genotypes in Hamilton Harbour (BIO481 2016/2017)
Spatial-Temporal Analyses of Algal Virus Diversity and Abundance Throughout Hamilton Harbour (BIO399 2015/2016)
Yuri Chaban, HBSc 2016
Investigating Host-Virus Interactions Between the Freshwater Algae Chrysochromulina parva and its Virus, CpV-BQ1, Using a Modified Dilution Assay (BIO481 2015/2016)
Clonal Variation of Viruses that Infect the Freshwater Haptophyte Chrysochromulina parva (NSERC USRA 2015)
Investigating the Diversity of Algae-Infecting Chloroviruses and the Effect of Nutrient Treatment on Primary Productivity in KSR Experimental Ponds (BIO399 2014/2015)
Amna Alam, HBSc 2015
Biogeography of Freshwater Algal Virus Communities: An Analysis of the Diversity in Lake Ontario, Lake Kinneret, and Lake Taihu (BIO481 2014/2015)
Samia Mirza, HBSc 2014
Isolation and Characterization of Viruses Infecting the Freshwater Algae Chrysochromulina parva (BIO481 2013/2014)
Virus Parasitism of Chrysochromulina parva, a Globally Important Freshwater Phytoplankton (NSERC USRA 2013)
Molecular Analysis of Phytoplankton and Their Viruses (BIO399 2012/2013).
Ankita Virdi, HBSc 2013
The Biodiversity of Algal Viruses in the Great Lakes (BIO481 2012/2013)
Cultivation and Molecular Characterization of Freshwater Phytoplankton (NSERC USRA 2012)
Rawana Hayour, BSc 2012
Which Marker Gene is Better to Study Phytoplankton Diversity and Taxonomic Resolution: psbA or 18S rDNA? (BIO481 2011/2012)
Michael Lagowski, HBSc 2012
Phylogenetic Analysis of the DNA Polymerase (polB) Gene Reveals Phycodnaviridae Diversity Within and Among the Great Lakes (BIO481 2011/2012)
Saba Haroon, HBSc 2012
Molecular Identification of Phytoplankton Isolated from Ontario Freshwaters (BIO399 2010/2011)
Michael Staniewski, HBSc 2010
Modified Dilution Method to Estimate Grazing and Virus-Induced Mortality of Phytoplankton in the UTM Storm Water Management Pond (BIO481 2009/2010)
Natasha Musrap, HBSc 2010
Seasonal Abundances of Chlorella Species in Ontario Freshwater Environments (BIO481 2009/2010)
Molecular Analysis of Freshwater Microorganisms (BIO399 2008/2009)
Oksana Rusanova, HBSc 2009
Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Lake Ontario Phycodnavirus Communities (BIO481 2008/2009)