معرفی
Dr. Brian Leander is a Full Professor in the Departments of Botany and Zoology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), affiliated with the Faculty of Science. He holds additional roles as a Hakai Research Affiliate and former Tula Investigator. His research focuses on microbial diversity, evolutionary biology, and protistology, with an emphasis on understanding the evolutionary histories of complex traits in marine organisms.
Education:
- PhD (2001) in Comparative Biology, University of Georgia
- MA & BSc (1996) in Comparative Zoology, California Polytechnic Humboldt University
- BSc (1993) in Engineering Science, California Polytechnic State University
Research Interests: Dr. Leander’s work integrates microscopy, molecular phylogenetics, and comparative biology to study protist diversity, symbiotic interactions, and the evolution of complex organelles. Key themes include reconstructing evolutionary histories of morphological innovations (e.g., ocelloids, nematocysts) and exploring microbial contributions to marine ecosystems. His lab investigates understudied lineages of marine microbes and their roles in ecological and evolutionary processes.
Recent Trends in Articles: Recent publications emphasize phylogenomic analyses of apicomplexan parasites, cryptic diversity in meiofaunal invertebrates, and the evolution of symbiotic relationships. Studies often combine morphological descriptions with molecular data to address unresolved questions in protist evolution.
Awards:
- NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship (2001-2003)
- Tula Investigator (2007-2017)
- Senior Fellow, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (2003-2017)
Advising & Labs: Leander supervises a dynamic lab group at UBC, training PhD and MSc students in protistology and molecular systematics. His team collaborates internationally, with fieldwork in the northeast Pacific and partnerships at institutions like Hokkaido University. Current projects include studies of gregarine parasites, marine meiofauna diversity, and the evolution of dinoflagellate organelles.
Lab Members: Active researchers include Postdoctoral Fellows Dr. Niels van Steenkiste and Dr. Eunji Park, and PhD candidates like Regine Manglicmot and Maia Palka. Former students have pursued academic and industry roles globally, including positions at Hokkaido University, Dalhousie University, and the BC Cancer Agency.
