Nonno Hasegawa

Research Group: Prof. David Armitage

• Collected 500+ Darlingtonia californica plant samples, Metriocnemus edwardsi larvae and Sarraceniopus darlingtoniae mites from 50+ sites, extracted DNA from all samples, and sequenced ~200 plant samples (ddRADSeq) and all arthropod samples (COI amplicon).
• Analyzing sequencing data for population genetics and landscape ecology.
• Was invited for a poster presentation at the Tohoku University - OIST 3^rd joint workshop on biodiveristy 2022.

Research Group: Prof. Alexander (Sasha) Mikheyev

• Created an RNA library of 200+ global Varroa mite collection to unravel honeybee viruses’ history as a biogeographical map, and found that contrary to previous reports, Deformed wing virus A originates in Asia, not Europe (see Hasegawa et al. 2023, below).
• Developed a novel method for Varroa mite storage conditions for field working and beekeeping collaborators (see Hasegawa et al. 2021, below).
• Developed a novel method for single Varroa mite DNA & RNA extraction for next generation sequencing (see Hasegawa et al. 2021, below).

Research Group: Prof. Paola Laurino

• Investigated substrate promiscuities in human methionine S-adenosyl synthase using directed evolution.
• Optimized protocols involved in studying hMAT2A syntehsis and extraction, as well as SAM analog feeding assays.

Research Group: Prof. Allan Rod Merrill

• Hired full time for 8 months under the Natural Sciences and Enginrring Research Council of Canada grant shared between Prof. Merrill and Prof. Ernesto Guzman-Novoa (School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph), partly working towards BSc thesis titled “Efficacy of plant tinctures against Paenibacillus larvae, a causative agent of American foulbrood in Apis mellifera”.
• Extended 4 months as a thesis student (unpaid), designed and conducted in vitro rearing of honey bee larvae to test for antimicrobial effects of natural plant tinctures against P. larvae. Screened >50 tinctures and found several plant derived tinctures that mitigate P. larvae growth on agarose media with low minimum inhibitory concentrations.
• Successfully met criteria, submitted thesis, and defended an oral exam for BSc thesis.
• Supervised summer research student and aided in lab managaement & bee rearing as a part time lab assistant for the final 4 months of the total of 16 month period with this research group.

Research Group: Prof. Leonard Foster

• Led a side project alongside a postdoctoral-fellow on mhoney bee sample preservation methods for downstream proteomics analysis.
• Processed over 1200 samples (dissection, protein extraction, quantification, digestion, and methyl labelling).
• Supervised and instructured summer intern students to work on above project.
• Demonstrated applications of high throughput technology (mass spectrometry) at the BC tech summit 2017.