Brian Leander


  • Full Professor (2013-present)
  • Associate Professor (2008-2013)
  • Assistant Professor (2003-2008)

  • Hakai Res. Affiliate (2018-present)
  • Quadra Island & Calvert Island, BC

  • Tula Investigator (2007-2017)
  • Centre for Diversity & Evolution

  • Fellow/Senior Fellow (2003-2017)
  • Canadian Inst. for Adv. Research

  • NSF Postdoc Fellow (2001-2003)
  • Program in Microbial Biology
  • University of British Columbia

  • PhD - University of Georgia, Athens
  • Comparative Biology (1997-2001)

  • MA & BSc - Cal Poly Humboldt University
  • Comparative Zoology (1993-1996)

  • BSc - Cal Poly State University, SLO
  • Engineering Science (1993)

Current Lab Members



Dr. NIELS VAN STEENKISTE
Research Associate, Botany/Zoology

Research Project: Diversity, evolution & molecular systematics of marine meiofauna (Rhabdocoela)

Education: Hakai PDF (2014-2021), University of British Columbia; NSERC PDF (2012-2014), Pacific Biological Station, Canada; PhD (2011) Hasselt Univ.; MSc (2007) Univ. Liege; BSc (2003) Ghent Univ., Belgium.




Dr. EUNJI PARK
Postdoctoral Fellow, Botany/Zoology

Research Project: Diversity & evolutionary history of marine gregarine parasites (Apicomplexa) and their hyperparasites (Metchnikovellida)

Education: PhD (2021) Zoology, University of Otago, New Zealand; MSc (2011) EcoScience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea; BSc (2009) Life Sciences, Ewha Womans University, South Korea.




REGINE MANGLICMOT
PhD student, Zoology
(Personal webpage)

Research Project: Species discovery, evolution & molecular systematics of marine meiofauna (Acoelomorpha, Rhabdocoela)

Education: MSc (2019) Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; BSc with Honours, Double Major (2017) Ecology & Evolutionary Biology - Human Biology, University of Toronto.




WILLIAM MACIEJOWSKI
MSc student, Botany

Research Project: Evolution & transcriptomics of symbiontid euglenozoans

Education: BSc (2022) Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, First Class Honors (2020-2021); Undergraduate Researcher & NSERC-USRA (2021-2022) in Comparative Protistology, Dacks Lab, University of Alberta.




CORMAC TOLER-SCOTT
MSc student, Zoology

Research Project: Species discovery of pycnogonids (sea spiders) and their symbionts; SCUBA

Education: BSc (2021) Biology, University of Washington; Research Scientist/Marine Technician (2018-2023), University of Washington.




MAIA PALKA
MSc student, Botany

Research Project: Comparative ultrastructure of marine meiofaunal flagellates & their symbionts; scanning & transmission electron microscopy

Education: BSc (2023) Applied Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Former Lab Members



Dr. LIZ COONEY
PhD (2017-2022), Botany, UBC
Co-supervised with Patrick Keeling

Research Project: Evolution of dinoflagellates using single-cell transcriptomics

Education: MSc (2016) Western Washington University; BSc (2010) University of Oregon.




DANJA CURRIE-OLSEN
MSc (2021-2023) student, Zoology

Research Project: Novel cytoskeletal traits in the myzozoan parasites (Platyproteum vivax) of peanut worms (Sipuncula); confocal laser scanning microscopy

Education: BSc with Honours (2021) Marine Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.




Dr. MARIA HERRANZ
Postdoctoral Fellow, Botany/Zoology
(Herranz Lab webpage)

Research Project: Diversity, evolution & functional morphology of marine meiofauna (kinorhynchs)

Education: PhD (2014) Cum laude, MSc (2009) and BSc (2007) in Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.




ELIZABETH HERBERT
MSc (2017-2019) Zoology, UBC

Research Project: Diversity of thraustochytrids/labyrinthulids associated with sea star wasting disease.

Education: BSc (2017) Biology, University of British Columbia.




INDIA STEPHENSON
MSc (2016-2018) Zoology, UBC

Research Project: Kleptoplasty in marine rhabdocoels.

Education: BSc (2015) Biology, University of Oxford.

Current Position: Assistant Editor, Scientific Reports.




PHIL ANGEL
MSc (2017-2019) Zoology, UBC

Research Project: Evolution of haplozoon parasites (Dinoflagellata) in marine invertebrates.

Education: BSc (2017) Biology, University of Ottawa.




Dr. NAOJI YUBUKI
Research Associate, Botany/Zoology
Postdoctoral Fellow, Botany/Zoology

Research Project: Evolutionary morphology and molecular phylogeny of marine predatory flagellates

Current Position: TEM Technician (2021 - present) BioImaging Facility, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; PDF (2017-2021) University of Paris SUD, France.




Dr. ELENA ZAIKOVA
Postdoctoral Fellow, Botany/Zoology
Co-supervised with (Steven Hallam)

Research Project: Metagenomic analysis of extrusive episymbionts on euglenozoan hosts

Current Position: Bioinformatics Scientist, The Aparicio Lab, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada.




Dr. GREG GAVELIS
PhD (2011-2015) Zoology, UBC
Postdoctoral Fellow, Zoology (2016)

Research Project: Evolution of complex organelles in dinoflagellates

Current Position: Research Scientist (2020-present), Bigelow Lab - Single Cell Genomics Center, Maine.




Dr. MONA HOPPENRATH
Postdoctoral Fellow, Zoology & Botany
(Hoppenrath Lab webpage)

Research Project: Biodiversity and phylogeny of dinoflagellates

Current Position: Research Scientist (2008-present), DZMB, Germany.




Dr. SONJA RUECKERT
Postdoctoral Fellow, Zoology
(Rueckert Lab webpage)

Research Project: Ecology and evolution of marine gregarine apicomplexans and metazoan parasites of fish.

Current Position: Senior Lecturer (2012-present), Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland, UK.




Dr. HEATHER ESSON
PhD (2005-2009) Botany, UBC

Research Project: Evolution and development of euglenozoans

Current Position: Research Scientist - Laboratory of Evolutionary Protistology, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.




Dr. CHITCHAI CHANTANGSI
PhD (2006-2009) Zoology, UBC
(Chantangsi Lab webpage)

Research Project: Diversity and molecular phylogeny of marine cercozoans

Current Position: Assistant Professor (2009-present), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.




Dr. REBECCA RUNDELL
Postdoctoral Fellow, Zoology
(Rundell Lab webpage)

Research Project: Evolution, biodiversity, and conservation of marine invertebrates

Current Position: Assistant Professor, State University of New York, Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, USA.




Dr. THIERRY J. HEGER
Postdoctoral Fellow, Zoology
(Heger Lab webpage)

Research Project: Biodiversity, ecology, and evolutionary history of testate amoebae

Current Position: Assistant Professor (2017 - present), University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland.




Dr. SUSANA BREGLIA
PhD (2012) Zoology, UBC

Research Project: Evolution of phagotrophic euglenids and their symbionts

Current Position: Research Associate (2016-present), PDF (2012-2016), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.




Dr. AIKA YAMAGUCHI
Postdoctoral Fellow, Zoology (2008-2011)

Research Project: Biodiversity and phylogeny of marine dinoflagellates

Current Position: Research Fellow (2011-present), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.




Dr. KEVIN WAKEMAN
PhD (2010 - 2013) Zoology, UBC
(Wakeman Lab webpage)

Research Project: Diversity and evolutionary history of marine gregarine apicomplexans

Current Position: Assistant Professor (2016-present), Hokkaido University, Integrated Science Program, Japan.




DAVIS IRITANI
MSc (2015-2017) Zoology, UBC

Research Project: Diversity of gregarine parasites in marine invertebrates.

Current Position: PhD student (2017 - 2021), Hokkaido University, Integrated Science Program, Japan.




SARAH SPARMANN
MSc (2010 - 2012) Zoology, UBC
Lab Manager/Technician (2012 - 2014)

Research Project: Molecular systematics of jellyfish and dinoflagellates

Current Position: Research Technician, Department of Evolutionary and Integrative Ecology, The Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany.




ROYA ESHRAGH
MSc (2011-2013) Zoology, UBC

Biodiversity Alumni Spotlight

Research Project: Molecular systematics of dicyemid parasites of Pacific cephalopods




Dr. SHEHRE-BANOO MALIK
Postdoctoral Fellow, Zoology

Co-supervised with Claudio Slamovitz, Dalhousie University

Research Project: Evolutionary genomics of apicomplexan parasites.




JANE YANGEL
Undergraduate Research Student
Zoology (2016-2018)

Publication: Herranz, M., Yangel, E. and Leander, B.S. 2017. Descriptions of two mud dragon species (Kinorhyncha, Echinoderidae) from the northeastern Pacific Ocean: Echinoderes hakaiensis sp. nov. and E. pennaki, Higgins 1960. Marine Biodiversity. (23 pages)




REBECCA FIORITO
Honours Undergraduate Student
Zoology (2014-2016)

Publication: FioRito, R., Leander, C.A. and Leander, B.S. 2016. Characterization of three novel isolates of Labyrinthulomycota associated with sea star wasting syndrome. Marine Biology. 163:170-180.




SHANE LLOYD
NSERC USRA Undergraduate Student
Zoology (2004)

Publication: Leander, B.S., Lloyd, S.A.J., Marshall, W. and Landers, S.C. 2006. Phylogeny of marine gregarines (Apicomplexa) - Pterospora, Lithocystis and Lankesteria - and the origin(s) of coelomic parasitsm. Protist 157:45-60.




PETRA VILLETTE
NSERC USRA Undergraduate Student
Zoology (2010)

Publication: Rueckert, S., Villette, P. and Leander, B.S. 2011. Species boundaries in gregarine apicomplexans: A case study comparison of morphometric and molecular variability in Lecudina cf. tuzetae. J. Euk. Microbiol. 58:275-283.




Dr. SHIHO HAYAKAWA
Research Associate, Botany
Co-supervised with Patrick Keeling
(2011-2014)

Research Project: Organelle evolution in marine dinoflagellates (warnowiids)




Other NSERC-USRA, BIOL 448 & 449 Undergraduate Students

  • Sam Huang (Summer 2011)
  • Catalin Voiniciuc (2008-2010)
  • Sam Sivertz (2007-2008)
  • Nav Kanwal (2005-2006)
  • Allen Larocque (Spring 2006)
  • Elena Zaikova (Summer 2006)
  • Kevin Wong (Summer 2005)
Field Work


Departments of Zoology and Botany
University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Email: bleander(at)mail.ubc.ca
Tel: 604 822 2474
Mobius Designs