Miguel I Uyaguari-Diaz
Summary
I belong to the Montubio people of Ecuador. I started my career as a marine biologist and over the courses of years I transitioned from Aquaculture, to Aquatic Toxicology, and then to Microbial Ecology. My current research interests can be summarized in the following lines:
The use of metagenomics and next generation sequencing enable to characterize microbial fractions and community structures. Because microbes are very sensitive to minor fluctuations, they can help us to predict changes in impacted or protected environments. In this context, one of my primary research interests is discovering and developing sensors of pollution as result of anthropogenic activities. We are also interested in developing temporal and spatial models to explain the relationship between anthropogenic activities, biotic and abiotic variables, and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (including mechanisms of resistance) from reservoirs (i.e. wastewater treatment plants, confined animal feeding operations) or non-point sources (i.e. urban and agricultural impacted watersheds) to the environment. We use a combination of laboratory approaches, field studies and dry work to collect, analyze and interpret data that will help us to prioritize decisions for risk mitigation in combination with community engagement. We are currently looking for motivated and dedicated students to join my new lab at the University of Manitoba.