Stephen Pollo

Biography

Stephen joined the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary as a PhD student in January 2019, working under the supervision of Dr. James Wasmuth in the Department of Ecosystem and Public Health. Stephen has a MSc in Microbiology and Biotechnology from the University of Alberta as well as a BSc Honours in Molecular Genetics and a BHSc in Bioinformatics.

Stephen’s current project is studying the host-parasite dynamic between the parasitic nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus and its mouse host. Stephen will be investigating gene expression in H. polygyrus throughout its lifecycle to describe its developmental processes and responses to its host’s immune attack.

Publications

Pollo, S. M. J., Reiling, S. J., Wit, J., Workentine, M. L., Guy, R. A., Batoff, G. W., Yee, J., Dixon, B. R., and Wasmuth, J. D. 2020. Benchmarking hybrid assemblies of Giardia and prediction of widespread intra-isolate structural variation. Parasites Vectors 13: 108. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-3968-8

Nesbø, C. L., Charchuk, R., Pollo, S. M. J., Budwill, K., Kublanov, I., Haverkamp, T. H. A., and Foght, J. 2018. Genomic analysis of the mesophilic Thermotogae genus Mesotoga reveals phylogeographic structure and genomic determinants of its distinct metabolism. Environmental Microbiology. 21(1): 456-470. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.14477

Pollo, S. M. J., Adebusuyi, A. A., Straub, T. J., Foght, J. M., Zhaxybayeva, O., and Nesbø, C. L. 2017. Genomic insights into temperature-dependent transcriptional responses of Kosmotoga olearia, a deep-biosphere bacterium that can grow from 20 ºC to 79ºC. Extremophiles. 21(6): 963-979. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-017-0956-9

Pollo, S. M. J., Charchuk, R., and Nesbø, C. L. 2016. Draft genome sequences of Kosmotoga sp. DU53 and Kosmotoga arenicorallina S304. Genome Announc. 4(3): e00570-16. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00570-16

Pollo, S. M. J., Zhaxybayeva, O., and Nesbø, C. L. 2015. Insights into thermoadaptation and the evolution of mesophily from the bacterial phylum Thermotogae. Can. J. Microbiol. 61(9): 655-670. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjm-2015-0073

Awards

Postgraduate Scholarship-Doctoral PGS-D, NSERC May 2019 – April 2022

Eyes High Doctoral Recruitment Scholarship, University of Calgary May 2019 – April 2023

University of Calgary Undergraduate Merit Award, University of Calgary September 2017

Bill Paranchych Graduate Fund in Microbiology, University of Alberta May 2014

Profiling Alberta’s Graduate Students Award, University of Alberta May 2014

GSA Professional Development Award, University of Alberta May 2014

Student Travel Award, American Society for Microbiology May 2014

Graduate Student Scholarship, Alberta Advanced Education February 2014

Walter H Johns Graduate Fellowship, University of Alberta September 2013

Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship CGS-M, NSERC September 2013 – August 2014

Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship, Government of the Province of Alberta Declined (September 2013)

Graduate Student Teaching Assistantship, University of Alberta Declined (September 2013)

Letter of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching, University of Alberta September 2012 – April 2013

Graduate Student Teaching Assistantship, University of Alberta September 2012 – April 2013

Jason Lang Scholarship, University of Alberta December 2009, 2010, 2011