Research Team Members: Staff and Trainees
Dr. Linda Alrayes is a plant scientist with a strong background in molecular genetics, genomics, and plant in vitro propagation. She has a BSc in Microbiology, a Master’s degree in Biotechnology, and a PhD in Biological Sciences. Her experience includes working on the in vitro propagation of endangered plants, using medicinal plant extracts as pharmaceutical alternatives, and modifying plant traits through genetic engineering. She also has extensive experience in plant and yeast cloning.
Currently, she is a postdoctoral associate working on a research project that uses nanotechnology to enhance plant performance in the boreal ecozone. The main goal of her research is to develop new technologies that help seeds germinate better and increase plants’ tolerance to environmental stresses in boreal regions. This work supports effective forest reclamation and revegetation after resource mining, with the potential to significantly improve sustainable environmental practices.
Dr. Linda Alrayes is a plant scientist with a strong background in molecular genetics, genomics, and plant in vitro propagation. She has a BSc in Microbiology, a Master’s degree in Biotechnology, and a PhD in Biological Sciences. Her experience includes working on the in vitro propagation of endangered plants, using medicinal plant extracts as pharmaceutical alternatives, and modifying plant traits through genetic engineering. She also has extensive experience in plant and yeast cloning.
Currently, she is a postdoctoral associate working on a research project that uses nanotechnology to enhance plant performance in the boreal ecozone. The main goal of her research is to develop new technologies that help seeds germinate better and increase plants’ tolerance to environmental stresses in boreal regions. This work supports effective forest reclamation and revegetation after resource mining, with the potential to significantly improve sustainable environmental practices.
Grace Callahan is PhD candidate from Corner Brook, Newfoundland. She obtained my BSc (honours) in Environmental Science (biology stream) from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her PhD project focuses on using techniques in lipid bioinformatics as a guide for decision making in identifying marine-based bioactive lipids and their application in the innovation of novel marine-based cosmetic and nootropic products, as well as the validation of health promotive benefits in improving skin health and brain health.
Le Anh Minh Nguyen finished my bachelor and master degrees in Food science and technology in 2008 and 2011. She is a food scientist with many years of experience in the food industry and academia. She joined the Raymond Thomas Lipid Lab as a biology PhD student in 2021. Her project is focused on neuroprotective food based on red rice.
Moganatharsa Ganeshalingam holds a MSc in BEAS (Specialization: Human Breast Milk Lipidomics and Lipid Bioinformatics) from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada and a
BSc in Agriculture (Specialization: Food Chemistry) from the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Her PhD focuses on using metabolomics to identify functional compounds with potential anti-cancer properties from natural marine biomass and to develop pancreatic cancer therapeutics.
Olaide Ajibola’s research interests focus on fermentation technology, biochemical engineering, and industrial biotechnology. He has previously researched the production of probiotic coconut beverages using selected bacteria in a batch system. Currently, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Raymond Thomas, he is utilizing metabolomics to enhance the development of probiotic beverages, providing insights into green technologies and integrated bio-food products.
Additionally, he has experience in using beneficial microbes and enzymes for environmentally friendly technologies, including the biodegradation and bioconversion of lignocellulosic agricultural waste into value-added products, bioremediation of organopollutants, and the development of biocontrol agents and biofertilizers.
He aims to contribute to the establishment of integrated biorefineries for probiotic beverages in Canada, particularly in addressing challenges related to utilizing biorefinery byproducts for novel process streams.
Research Team: Staff and Trainees
Anita Fuambi is a master’s student in Biology, and her current research focuses on demonstrating the mechanisms by which a novel fermented nootropic beverage may confer neuroprotective benefits. She completed her Bachelor of Science with an Honors Specialization in Genetics at Western University. There, she gained research experience as both a USRI (Undergraduate Summer Research Internship) awardee and a fourth-year honors thesis student in Dr. Raymond Thomas’ lab. These experiences involved exploring the potential of nootropic ingredients for enhancing brain function and improving health outcomes, providing a strong foundation for her current graduate research in neuroprotection and functional food analysis.
Undergraduate Students
Jarvinia Rowe-Ibekwe’s master’s project aims at optimizing Amaranth nutritional value and performance within an agrivoltaic system. This research explores the potential for the co-production of energy and food, integrating renewable energy with sustainable agriculture.
