Tanya Dahms

Research Areas:

Antifungals, Cellulomics, Correlative Microscopy, Fungi and Cancer, Xenobiotics

Professional qualifications:

BSc (Waterloo), PhD (Ottawa), Postdoctoral Studies (Purdue, NRC).

Teaching:

Introductory Biochemistry, Metabolism, Biochemistry of Medicinal Plants, Introductory Microscopy, Advanced Microscopy and Imaging, Microscopy into Medicine

Research:

The Dahms group pioneered techniques to study live fungal cells by atomic force microscopy (AFM), which we applied to study pathogenic (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis) and mutualistic (Rhizobium leguminosarum) bacteria, and opportunistic fungal pathogens (A. nidulans, Candida spp.). An overarching theme of our recent research examines cellular responses to external stimuli having intended (antifungals) and unintended (herbicides) impacts. In the context of whole cells as external stimuli, we are studying the susceptibility of cancerous cells to fungal infections, and the role of fungi in cancer development. Studying the dynamic behavior and processes of living cells, cellulomics, in response to such stimuli is possible using our novel high-content correlative microscopy assays, in which an atomic force microscope probes cell surface remodeling and cell integrity while a laser scanning confocal microscope offers a window into the cell interior. The lab uses a battery of microscopy techniques including atomic force, fluorescence, laser scanning confocal, transmission, and scanning electron microscopy, along with our novel correlative microscopy assays to complement biochemical and microbiological approaches.

We are grateful for current support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), MITACS, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), and the University of Regina, along with all the agencies that have funded us in the past.

Recent publications (Students in bold, *corresponding author):

Scientific Peer-Reviewed

Dahms T. E. S.*, Bhat S (2023) Correlative microscopy-based live cellulomic assays: assessing the impact of xenobiotics on the environment and humans. Imaging and Microscopy 25: 29. https://analyticalscience.wiley.com/content/article-do/correlative-microscopy-based-live-cellulomic-assays

Acuna E., Ndlovu E., Molaeitabari A., Shahina Z.*, Dahms T. E. S.* (2023) Carvacrol-Induced Vacuole Dysfunction and Morphological Consequences in Nakaseomyces glabratus and Candida albicans. Microorganisms 2023, 11, 2915. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11122915

Shahina Z., Molaeitabari A., Sultana T.*, Dahms T. E. S.* (2023) Cinnamon leaf and clove essential oils are potent inhibitors of Candida albicans virulence traits. Microorganisms Special Issue: Candida spp. and Their Virulence. 10(10):1989. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/10/1989

Ndlovu E., Malpartida L., Sultana T., Dahms T. E. S.*, Dague E. * (2023) Host cell geometry and cytoskeletal organization governs Candida‑host cell interactions at the nanoscale. ACS Materials and Interfaces. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsami.3c09870 Epub ahead of print.

Shahina Z., and Dahms T.E.S.* (2023) A simple and reproducible stereomicroscopic method to assess fungal biofilms: application to antifungal susceptibility testing. Bio protocol. 3:e4713. https://en.bio-protocol.org/en/bpdetail?id=4713&type=0&source=PMC

Shahina Z., Yennamalli M. R.*, and. Dahms T.E.S.* (2023) Key essential oil components delocalize Candida albicans Kar3p and impact microtubule structure. Microbiological Research 272, 127373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2023.127373

Shahina Z., Ndlovu E., Persaud O., Sultana T., Dahms T.E.S.* (2022). Candida albicans Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Dependent Lethality and ROS-Independent Hyphal and Biofilm Inhibition by Eugenol and Citral. Microbiol Spectr;10:e0318322. https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.03183-22

Shahina Z., Al Homsi R., Price J.D.W., Whiteway M., Sultana T., Dahms T.E.S.* (2022). Rosemary essential oil and its components 1,8-cineole and α-pinene induce ROS-dependent lethality and ROS-independent virulence inhibition in Candida albicans. PLoS One;17:e0277097. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0277097

Shahina Z., Molaeitabari A., Sultana T., Dahms T.E.S.* (2022). Cinnamon Leaf and Clove Essential Oils Are Potent Inhibitors of Candida albicans Virulence Traits. Microorganisms; 10: 1989. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10101989

Bhat S. V., Price J. D. W., Dahms T. E. S.* (2021) AFM-based correlative microscopy illuminates human pathogens. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 11:655501. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.655501/full

Jun D., Idem U., Dahms T. E. S.* (2020) Altered Envelope Structure and Nanomechanical Properties of a C-Terminal Protease A-Deficient Rhizobium leguminosarum. Microorganisms 8:1421. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/9/1421

Bhat, S. V., Sultana, T., Körnig, A., McGrath, S. G. K., Shahina, Z. and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2018). Correlative atomic force microscopy quantitative imaging-laser scanning confocal microscopy quantifies the impact of stressors on live cells in real-time. Scientific Reports. 8:8305. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-26433-1

Shahina, Z., El-Ganiny, A. M., Minion, J., Whiteway, M., Sultana, T., and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2018). Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark essential oil induces cell wall remodelling and spindle defects in Candida albicans. Fungal Biology and Biotechnology. 5:3. https://fungalbiolbiotech.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40694-018-0046-5

Bhat, S. V., Kamencic, B., Shahina, Z., Körnig, A. and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2018) Exposure to sub-lethal 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid arrests cell division and alters cell surface properties in Escherichia coli. Frontiers in Microbiology. 9:44. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.00044/full

Jun, A. D., Minic, Z., Bhat, S. V., Vanderlinde, E. M., Yost, C. Y., Babu, M., and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2018). Metabolic adaptation of C-terminal protease A-deficient R. leguminosarum in response to loss of nutrient transport. Frontiers in Microbiology 8:2617. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2017.02617/full

Zeilinger S., Gupta V. K., Dahms T. E. S., Silva R. N., Singh H. B., Upadhyay R. S., Gomes E. V., Tsui C. K., Nayak S. C. (2016) Friends or foes? Emerging insights from fungal interactions with plants. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 40:182-207. https://ourspace.uregina.ca/items/55de5f12-0ea8-4df4-b689-8dd251923df9

Dahms, T. E. S. and Bhat, S. V. (2016). Microscopy and "omics" high-content assays to evaluate the impact of environmental contaminants and other xenobiotics. Microscopy and Analysis. 30 (2): 9-15. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318402646_Microscopy_and_omics_high-content_assays_to_evaluate_the_impact_of_environmental_contaminants_and_other_xenobiotics

Bhat, S. V., Booth, S. C., Vantomme, E. A. N., Afroj, S., Yost, C. K. and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2015) Oxidative stress and metabolic perturbations in Escherichia coli exposed to sublethal levels of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Chemosphere 135:453-61. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653514014635?via%3Dihub

Bhat S. V., Booth S. C., McGrath S. G. K. and Dahms T. E. S.* (2015) Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841 adapts to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid with “auxin-like” morphological changes, cell envelope remodeling and upregulation of central metabolic pathways. PLoS ONE 10(4): e0123813. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0123813

Pedagogical Peer-Reviewed

Dahms, T. E. S.*, McMartin, D.W.*, and Petry, R. A.* (2017) Overcoming Traditional Boundaries in Advancing Education for Sustainable Development. In Handbook of Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development in Higher Education, World Sustainability Series, Springer, NY, USA, pp 111-124.

Alkholy S. O., Gendron F., Dahms T. E. S. and Pontes-Ferreira M.* (2017) Convergence of Indigenous and Western Science Impacts University Student's Interest in STEM. Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal 10(1):1-13

Alkholy S. O., Gendron F., Dahms T. E. S. and Pontes-Ferreira M.* (2015) Assessing the impact of Western Science and Indigenous Science educators in an online STEM course. Ubiquitous Learning: An International Journal 7, 41-51.

Invited Books

Czymmek, K. J. and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2015) Advanced Microscopy in Mycology. Springer, NY, USA. ISBN 978-3-319-22437-4 http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319224367

Invited Book Chapters

Shahina Z., Bhat S. V., Ndlovu E., Sultana T., Körnig A., Dague É. and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2022) Cellulomics of live yeast by advanced and correlative microscopy. In Laboratory Protocols in Fungal Biology, Ed. V. Gupta, Springer, NY, USA. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-83749-5

Czymmek, K. J.* and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2015) Future Directions: Advanced Mycological Microscopy. In Advanced Microscopy in Mycology. Eds. Czymmek, K. J. and Dahms, T. E. S., Springer, NY, USA, pp 143-162. [NSERC, CFI] (2017 Contract for Arabic Translation)