Joel Weadge

Joel Weadge

My Microbiology training (BSc and PhD) was done at the University of Guelph. Thereafter, my postdoctoral training was in Enzymology at the Carlsberg Laboratory (Copenhagen) and then in Molecular Structure and Function at the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto). I am now an Associate Professor in Biology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.

My research interests are in the production and modification of biofilm-relevant polysaccharides by bacteriaThrough my diverse research experiences, I have developed a multidisciplinary approach to tackling relevant research problems by employing biochemical, structural, microbiological and molecular biological techniques.

 

Role in Syst-OMICS

My role in the project is to profile the biofilm-forming capabilities of Salmonella isolates. Briefly, this encompasses exploring the importance of specific environmental factors that contribute to biofilm production of selected serovars. These results, combined with genetic information, will aim to determine relevant phenotypic groupings (e.g., curli/fimbriae, exopolysaccharides and other biochemical characteristics involved in biofilm production) related to adhesion and persistence on plant tissue surfaces. It is important to understand these phenotypic traits as many of these characteristics are associated with the surface receptors that bacteriophages use to target specific Salmonella serovars.