Research Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Rhea Amor Lumactud
My fascination with the unseen world began in the most unexpected playground – my family's farm in the Philippines. As a child, while I was ostensibly 'helping' (or perhaps more accurately, playing!) on the farm, I was fascinated by the mysteries beneath our feet. How could something invisible wield such power over plants' health or soil fertility? This curiosity led me to pursue a thesis in microbiology during my BSc, followed by nematology training in the Netherlands and Belgium. My academic journey eventually brought me to Canada, where I completed an MSc in Soil Ecology at the University of Manitoba and a PhD in Microbial Ecology/Environmental Microbiology at the University of Toronto as an NSERC CGS scholar.
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In my free time, I enjoy paddleboarding, riding my bicycle, dancing, and singing.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Md. Maniruzzaman Sikder, (McCain Postdoctoral Fellow, co-supervised by Dr. Derek Lynch)
Dr. Sikder has studied the interaction of Root-knot nematode-Meloidogyne graminicola and Oomycete-Pythium arrhenomanes on rice. His doctoral research aimed to assess the impact of plant secondary metabolites on root-associated soil nematode, bacterial, and fungal communities, providing insights for sustainable cropping practices. His research also involves studies of soil and plant microbiomes using the metabarcoding approach, offering potential solutions for soil health management. His research interest is in the morphological, morphometric, and molecular characterization of plant-parasitic nematodes, fungal, and bacteria pathogens and their eco-friendly, sustainable control measures. Dr. Sikder obtained his PhD in Agroecology from Aarhus University, Denmark and an MSc in Nematology from the University of Ghent, Belgium.
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Graduate students
Xavier Godin, PhD candidate, (co-supervised by Dr. Shawkat Ali of AAFC)
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From my youngest years, I developed a fascination with nature. Running across the forest floor and bearing witness to the bounties that could be provided to us always amazed me. I found it fascinating that life could seemingly sprout out of nowhere with such complexity and elegance. It was no surprise that I decided to pursue my undergraduate studies in agrology and my master’s in plant science, both at McGill.
Following my studies, I spent time in the private sector, which sparked my curiosity about soil. This interest only furthered my questions, which over time grew into a passion. Nowadays, I aim to reconcile these disciplines by shedding light on the interactions present between the soil microbiome and plants.
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In my spare time, I like to hang out close to the water; I enjoy sailing, surfing, snowboarding, and fishing, among other things.
Maria Coull, MSc candidate
Mitacs Accelerate Project: Evaluation of HumaTerra's compost-derived bioinoculants' impacts on agronomic yield and soil health of canola and wheat
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Luke MacLaughlin, MSc candidate, co-supervised by Dr. Mason MacDonald
Research Project: Isolation and evaluation of indigenous Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) ectomycorrhizal fungi for improving container-grown seedling performance.
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Sushanta Poudel, MSc candidate, co-supervised by Dr. Shawkat Ali of AAFC​
​Project: Sustainable approach in the detection and management of grapevine leafroll 1,3 and red blotch viruses
Jenna Hoyt, MSc candidate, co-supervised by Dr. Louis-Pierre Comeau of AAFC​
​Project: Soil compaction and greenhouse gas emissions under controlled traffic farming in potato fields
Undergraduate students
Noah Martin, BSc Honours, co-supervised by Dr. Erin Cameron of St. Mary's University​
​Project: The effect of Sable Island Horses on soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass
Lab Alumni
Graduate students
Shamsul Shipar, MSc student, co-supervised by Dr. Ivana Rajnovic under the Erasmus Mundus DANUBE Agrifood Joint Master program of the European Union
Project: Exploring the role of bacterial synthetic communities in Alfalfa plant resilience under drought stress​​
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Completed in Jul 2025​
Current role: PhD student at the Univ. of Zurich
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Undergraduate students
Taylar Austin
Current role: MSc student, AAFC/DAL
Honours student, co-supervised by Dr. Ghader Manafiazar
Project: Bacterial interaction patterns in the rhizosphere of red clover under biotic and abiotic stress
NSERC-USRA student, Summer 2024
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Beginning my undergrad in Bioveterinary Sciences, my passion for animals and their natural environment are what led to my interests in exploring the interactions and processes of living systems. More recently, these interests are what ultimately led to my academic transition towards exploring microbial interactions and the role they play in the functioning of plants and animals.
When I'm not in school, I enjoy hiking, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.
Saran Jayaselvam (co-supervised by Dr. Paul Manning)
Undergraduate research student
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Since childhood, my passion for growing plants inspired me to major in Plant Science at Dalhousie University after transferring from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. During my course of study, I gained interest in exploring more about insects and bugs that are causing issues with plant growth, leading me to pursue research in entomology (Dr. Manning), which intersects with microbiology (Dr. Lumactud). Beyond academics, I am a competitive badminton player, representing universities in both Canada and India.​​
Vaishnavi Jayachandran (co-supervised by Dr. Lord Abbey)
Sobey Agricultural Undergraduate Research Award student​​