Health and environmental concerns in agrifood research:
Concerns regarding the use of synthetic chemical pesticides include the cumulative negative effects of these compounds in food and the noxious effects of their accumulation in the environment. Furthermore, the well documented appearance of microbial strains evolving resistance to various chemical compounds has caused the loss of efficacy of many pesticides presently in use. As older toxic synthetic chemicals are banned or essentially lose all efficacy because of resistance development, it is imperative to develop reliable alternatives as expeditiously as possible to replace these synthetic pesticides in order (i) to avoid increased crop and food loss and (ii) to neutralize the effects of these compounds over a sustained length of time. In this context, our research program includes the discovery, mode of action and use of alternative methods to synthetic chemicals with reduced risks to health and the environment.
Research projects
Our laboratory tackles many multidisciplinary hypotheses in the study of mode of action of antimicrobial and bioactive compounds.
Main research axis: Antimicrobial compounds with novel modes of action
1. Use of membrane-targeting antimicrobials as alternatives to synthetic chemicals for control of plant and foodborne microorganisms
Pre- and post-harvest (spoilage) plant disease causes an estimated 25-50% loss worldwide of various food crops. Our research group is actively working on identifying the precise mode of action of antimicrobial compounds that target biological membranes in microorganisms. Antimicrobials that target biological membranes have been reported to reduce or eliminate potential resistance in pathogens because of their generalized effect on the integrity of the microbial cell membrane.
2. Discovery of novel antimicrobial products and methodologies
Our research group actively identifies novel antimicrobials isolated from plants or microorganisms as well as developing new methodologies for the use of these products to protect plants and food from microbial disease or spoilage.
All research projects focus on interdisciplinary studies of novel antimicrobial or other bioactive compounds:
Techniques and methodologies routinely use to study antimicrobial activity include:
- Basic microbiology
- Various biological assays
- Extraction, purification and identification of novel compounds
- Bio-analytical chemistry
- Bio-physical chemistry
- Fluorescence and other advanced microscopy techniques
- Membrane and lipid biochemistry
- Molecular biology and genomics
Positions available for undergraduate and graduate students:
Qualified students interested in research in microbiology, bio-analytical chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and genomics, food science, agricultural sciences and health sciences are encouraged to inquire about available projects or apply directly to Tyler Avis by email (tyler.avis@carleton.ca).