Susan Bjornson, Ph.D.
susan.bjornson@smu.ca
B.Sc., (Hons.) University of Guelph
Ph.D., University of Alberta
Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Saint Mary's University
Profile
As an invertebrate pathologist, my research program focuses on pathogens that cause chronic disease in beneficial insects and arthropods that are used for biological pest control. I am particularly interested in microsporidian pathogens, having studied them in predatory mites, lady beetles and lacewings. Recently classified as fungi, microsporidia are spore-forming pathogens that often cause sub-lethal effects and reduce host fitness.
Current and past research projects include the ultrastructure and pathology of entomopathogenic microsporidia, host-pathogen and host-parasitoid-pathogen interactions, host specificity of microsporidia, the effects of microsporidia on host fitness, and epizootiology of insect diseases.
This page last modified Sunday, 06-Mar-2011 16:59:00 AST