Hello there! I'm Diana, a fourth-year student completing my degree in Medical Sciences with a minor in Neuroscience and certificates in Human Physiology and Medical Humanities. I've been a member of the Adamo Lab since Winter 2022, assisting with various projects ranging from Tick Overwintering to Electroshock. For my honours project, I'm currently investigating if neuroinflammation is present in the nervous system of parasitized Manduca sexta, which would give us insight into how the parasitic wasp Cotesia congregata manipulates the immune system. I'm grateful for the opportunity to gain hands-on research experience and hope to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding behavioural changes in parasitized M. sexta.
Diana won a Rhodes Scholarship in the 2023 Competition. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI46N-4TUIc to hear about Diana's scholarship, and see video of the lab.
Diana Adamo
Hey everyone! I'm Bhreagh MacIntyre, a second-year student working towards my degree in Medical Science. I joined the lab in January 2024 through the Dalhousie Integrated Science Program. Through this opportunity, my partner and I worked on using a chill coma to temporarily rescue the suppressed feeding behavior in parasitized Tobacco Hornworms,Manduca sexta. My involvement in this lab has significantly opened my eyes to the world of research, showing me how exciting and rewarding it can be to explore new ideas and solve problems. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn from Dr. Shelley Adamo and the other knowledgeable members of the lab. Their guidance has been invaluable, and I look forward to continuing to grow and contribute here..
Bhreagh MacIntyre
Hello! My name is Brianna and I am a HUGE insect lover, so I jumped at the opportunity to help raise some Manduca sexta caterpillars in the Adamo lab. I am currently in my fourth year of biology, with the hopes of delving deeper into entomology in the future. I have done a lot of work with ticks and looking at the rates of bacteria and viruses that the population in Nova Scotia carry. Working with Manduca sexta has been such a privilege and I have learned so much about insect behaviour and patterns since starting here. Everyone I work with is so knowledgeable, so I am learning from them every single day!
Oh! And in case you are wondering, my favourite insects are beetles (but I cannot choose just one species!)
Brianna Fitzgerald
Hello! My name is Abirami Ilavajady. I am currently in my second year, majoring in Microbiology and Immunology and Biology. and I was drawn to the Adamo lab by the unique opportunity for an insight into insect immune systems and the pathogens that affect it. As of September 2023, I am a part of the Animal Care Team for the Manduca sexta caterpillars, and a volunteer for Oblique-Banded Leafroller research.
Abirami Ilavajady
Bhreagh at the Canadian Society of Zoologists Meeting, 2024
Hi! I'm Rose, and I'm a 3rd year neuroscience major working on getting the animal behaviour certificate. This year I'm completing an independent research project looking at the effects of climate change and increased global temperature on obliquebanded leafroller feeding behaviour. I've also done some animal care for the tobacco hornworms in the lab in the past, and I'm helping out with OBLR care while I work on my project.
Rose Kearney
Hi there! I'm May, a second-year co-op undergraduate student majoring in Biology with a special interest in invertebrates, birds, and conservation. As a research assistant in the lab, I work on determining the effects of different heat wave models on the pest caterpillar Choristoneura rosaceana, or the Oblique-Banded Leafroller. Before I came to the Adamo lab, I was part of a microbiology lab studying interbacterial inhibition and lateral gene transfer, and the effects of cultured soil bacteria on the growth of antibiotic-resistant ESKAPE pathogens. Academically, I am fascinated by species diversity and the effects of our changing climate on species distribution and ecology, which I explore in both my coursework and research. I'm a big fan of all things creepy-crawly, flying, and slimy! Outside of academics, I'm an avid forager, birdwatcher, figure skater and caregiver to two species of snails, a Mesodon thyroidus and a small colony of Family Oxychilidae.
May Engelhardt
My name is Aiden and I am in the 4th year of my BSc in biology. I am very interested in animal physiology and evolution, and was dumbfounded to learn of the life cycle and reproductive strategies of parasitic wasps in my entomology SEASIDE course. When a professor sent me a job listing from a lab working with these insects, I had to apply. I was brought on to care for the colonies over the holidays, and gladly accepted the offer to stay on the team for the winter term. I mainly work with Manduca sexta and Cotesia congregata colonies, but also help out with any ongoing research on Choristoneura rosaceana. In my free time, I love to play and referee hockey, fly-fish, and hike.
Aiden Moore
Hello there! My names Jasper, I'm in my second year of my undergraduate degree majoring in Biology. I've always had an interest in insects and jumped at the opportunity to join Dr. Adamo's lab and dip my toes into lab work.
Jasper Johnson
Hi! My name is Claire, and I am in my second year studying Environmental Science. I have been working in the lab since January 2024, with a DISP research project studying cold-shock therapy in parasitized Manduca sexta. I am currently volunteering for various stress and eating behaviour studies with PhD Candidate Dylan Miller. It has been wonderful working with the Adamo Lab this past year and I look forward to learning more about M. sexta and learning new biochemical techniques!
Claire Martin
Hi there! My name is Maggie, and I'm in my third year studying Biology and Earth Science. I was drawn to the Adamo lab for the opportunity to study the impacts of climate change on insects. I started out with the OBLR research team working with pesticide and heat wave resistance and I can't wait to see the new projects our lab takes on. It's been incredibly rewarding to work with such a great team who all have so much experience to share.
Maggie Sharpe
