Award for the best student research given as oral presentation during the annual conference in the area of parasitism, immunity and environment.
Terms of Reference
Objectives
The Murray Fallis Prize is a $300 prize awarded for an outstanding student presentation at the annual meeting. It is funded through the Murray Fallis Fund of the Zoological Education Trust.
Eligibility
The individual must be a student (i.e. registered in an undergraduate or graduate degree program) at the time the abstract is submitted.
The student should indicate at the time they submit their abstract that they want to be considered for a Parasitism, Immunity and Environment (PIE) Section Student Award, although the judges may at their discretion decide to evaluate all presentations they identify dealing with PIE topics.
The student must present an oral paper at the Annual Meeting describing research conducted on any aspect of PIE.
Under some circumstances, poster presentations may also be considered.
Presentations of what are, essentially, research proposals will not be eligible for awards.
Selection of Prize Recipients
Presentations are evaluated and ranked by a panel of judges (judging criteria are indicated below).
The Murray Fallis Prize is normally awarded for the top-ranked oral presentation. The judges may at their discretion elect to include poster presentations in the competition, depending on the number of presentations submitted to a particular annual meeting.
Under some circumstances, other prizes may be available, and awarded either to the second ranked oral presentation or top-ranked poster presentation at the discretion of Parasitology Section Council. Regardless, the Fallis Prize shall be considered the top award of the Section.
The decision of the judges is final.
Judging Criteria
Judges will evaluate the scientific content, originality and quality of the research being presented, as follows:
Was the written abstract comprehensive and did it reflect the actual presentation?
Did the topic of the presentation have scientific merit and was it placed in perspective, with clearly outlined objectives?
Was the methodology appropriate for the objectives, and was it explained appropriately for oral or poster presentation?
Were the results clearly presented and were they relevant to the stated objectives?
Were the results interpreted and discussed in a manner appropriate to oral or poster presentation, and were the discussion and conclusions relevant to the stated objectives?
Was the student able to respond reasonably to questions?
Judges will also evaluate the quality of the presentation itself. For oral presentations, the organization, clarity, quality of visual aids, professionalism, time limit, pace and audibility will be considered. For poster presentations, organization, clarity, visual impact and professionalism will be considered.
Awardees
2023 – Chenhua Li, University of Calgary. A transcriptomic- and metabolomic-level investigation of ant brains infected with the larvae of the iconic manipulator Dicrocoelium dendriticum.
2022 – Jacob Hambrook, University of Alberta. Functional characterization of an anti-inflammatory metalloprotease during Schistosoma mansoni cercaria penetration.
2021 – Brooke McPhail, University of Alberta. Identifying schistosome community structure using qPCR
2019 – Demi K. Gagnon, University of Manitoba. The one that got away: Using integrative taxonomy to explore speciation in Quinqueserialis (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda) parasites.
2018 –
2017 –
2016 – Sabrina M. Inkpen, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Characterization and expression studies of Interferon Regulatory Factor genes in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).
2015 – Michelle Gordy, University of Alberta; Bradley Van Paridon, University of Lethbridge.
2014 – Shawna Semple, University of Waterloo.
2013 – Jessica Willis, University of Prince Edward Island.
2012 – Laura Ferguson, Acadia University.
2011 – Tanya Copley, McGill University. New method for detecting Nosema ceranae and N. apis in European honeybees.
2010 – Aaron Frennette, University of New Brunswick. Employing molecular diagnostics to investigate Loma morhua infections in Atlantic cod.
2009 – Angela-Rose Lapierre, Concordia University. Molecular characterization and evolutionary relationships of some North American species of Diorchis (Cestoda) based on partial nucleotide sequences of SSU-rDNA.
2008 – Linda Paetow, Concordia University. The fungal pathogen Batrachotrychium dendrobatidis may pose a threat to the survivorship of amphibian larvae infected with other parasites. Runner up- Richelle Monaghan, University of Waterloo. Comparing staining methods to elucidate microsporidia in a persistently infected piscine cell line.
2007 – Lorie A. Whitcombe, McGill University. IFNgamma mediates protection against intracellular signalling alterations during infection with Leishmania.
2006 – Kayla C. King, Concordia University. Helminth parasite communities of leopard frogs (Rana pipiens) inhabiting ponds polluted by agricultural activities.
2005 – Pat Madrid, Institute of Parasitology. Interaction of L. donovani PEX14 with the glycosomal membrane.
2004 – Mark D. Fast, Dalhousie University. Immunomodulatory compounds in the secretions of the salmon louse.
2003 – Jeffrey K. L. Eng, Institute of Parasitology. Can the genetic polymorphism in the ß-tubulin (isotype I) gene of Onchocerca volvulus be used as a marker to identify sub-optimal response to ivermectin?
2002 – Alex C. Chin, University of Calgary. Induction of enterocyte apoptosis by Giardia lamblia causes barrier dysfunction in duodenal epithelial monolayers.
2001 – Stacey A. Santi, Laurentian University. Sinus damage by Skrjabingylus nasicola (Nematoda) and its effect on braincase capacity in the American mink (Mustela vison).
2000 – Sean Forrester, Institute of Parasitology. Glutamate modulates ivermectin binding to a glutamate-gated chloride channel subunit from Haemonchus contortus.
1999 – Bernadette Ardelli, University of Guelph. Energy metabolism and isozyme patterns between pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains of Cryptobia salmositica.
1998 – Ramon Carreno, University of Guelph. Isosporoid coccidia: phylogenetic analysis and classification of species possessing Stieda bodies.
1997 – Sean G. Forrester, Lakehead University. Overwinter survivorship of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis first-stage larvae.
1996 – Michael Levy, Concordia University. Digenean fauna of ring-billed gulls collected along the St. Lawrence River.
1995 – Emmanuelle Bergeron, Université Laval. Biology of Otostrongylus circumlitus, a lungworm or ringed seals in Eastern Arctic Canada.
1994 – Bernadette Ardelli, University of Guelph. Pathogenicity and protective immunity in Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salvelinus fontinalis infected with Cryptobia salmositica.