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
PhD candidate, 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.




SIVANNA TRAINER
PhD student, Zoology

Research Project: Convergent evolution of peristaltic motility in marine gregarines using confocal, SEM/TEM/FIB-SEM and molecular phylogenetics.

Education: MSc (2024) Marine Science, Stony Brook University, New York; BA (2022) Environmental & Ocean Sciences, University of San Diego.




GABRIELLE MARTINEZ
Undergraduate Researcher

Publication: Martinez, G., Leander, B.S. and Park, E. In prep. Morphology and molecular phylogeny of endosymbiotic ciliates (Peritricha, Mobilida) of marine invertebrates with descriptions of Urceolaria clepsydra sp. nov. and Urceolaria bratalia sp. nov. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology.

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