Tanya Dahms

Research Areas:

Cellular Response to Xenobiotics, Physical Biochemistry. Microscopy, Microbiology.

Professional qualifications:

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

Introductory Biochemistry, Metabolism, Biochemistry of Medicinal Plants, Introductory Microscopy, Advanced Microscopy and Imaging.

The Dahms group currently studies microbial responses to external stimuli, including mechanisms associated with carbohydrate remodeling. We pioneered techniques to study the surface ultrastructure and physical properties associated with polarized and non-polarized growth in whole, live cells of moss (Physcomitrella patens) and fungi (Aspergillus nidulans) by atomic force microscopy (AFM). More recently we have been exploring invasion mechanisms for pathogenic (Escherichia coli, Pantoea stewartii, Neisseria gonorrhoeae) and symbiotic (Rhizobium leguminosarum) bacteria, and opportunistic fungal/yeast pathogens (A. nidulans, Candida albicans and krusei). We use a battery of microscopy techniques including AFM, fluorescence, laser scanning confocal (two-photon), transmission and scanning electron microscopy, to complement biochemical approaches. Of special interest to the group is how the microbial cell surface responds directly to external stimuli (calcium, copper, 2,4-D herbicide, antifungal agents) and how it is remodeled during growth, differentiation, and biofilm formation in wild type and genetically engineered microbes.

This research is currently supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the University of Regina. Past and current funding agencies are listed below.

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

Scientific Peer-Reviewed

Dahms, T. E. S., Findlay, C., Johns, R., Bechtel, H., Martin, M., Kaminskyj, S. J. K., Gough, K.* (2019). Synchrotron infrared nano-spectroscopy shows altered cell wall chemistry of Aspergillus nidulans galactofuranose deficient mutants. The Analyst. 144:928-934. (IF 3.9)

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. (IF 4.3)

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.

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 (IF 4.1)

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. (IF 4.1)

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. (IF 13.2)

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. (IF 2.5)

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. (IF 3.2)

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. (IF 3.2)

Gottinger, A. M., Bhat, S. V., McMartin, D. W. and Dahms, T.E. S.* (2013) Fluorescent Microspheres as Surrogates to Assess (Oo)Cyst Removal Efficacy from a Modified Slow Sand BioFiltration Water Treatment System. J. Wat. Supp: Res. Tech. – AQUA, 62.3; doi: 10.2166/aqua.2013.104. (IF 1)

Jun, A. D., Signo, K., Yost, C. M. and Dahms, T.E. S.* (2011) Atomic force microscopy of a ctpA mutant in Rhizobium leguminosarum reveals surface property defects linking ctpA function to biofilm formation. Microbiol. 157, 3049–3058. (IF 2.3)

Paul, B. C., El-Ganiny, A., Abbas, M., Kaminskyj, S. and Dahms, T. E. S* (2011) The role of galactofuranose in the organization of Aspergillus nidulans hyphal wall surfaces. Eukaryotic Cell 10, 646–653. (IF 3.6)

Pedagogical Peer-Reviewed

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.

Dahms, T. E. S.*, McMartin, D. W.* and Petry, R. A.* (2010) RCE Saskatchewan: The Canadian prairies create synergy for urban and rural education for sustainable development (ESD). Journal of Education for Sustainable Development. 4, 117-130. (invited)

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 [NSERC, CFI] (8230 downloads)

Invited Book Chapters

Shahina Z., Bhat S. V., Ndlovu E., Sultana T., Körnig A., Dague É. and Dahms, T. E. S.* (in press) Cellulomics of live yeast by advanced and correlative microscopy. In Laboratory Protocols in Fungal Biology, Ed. V. Gupta, Springer, NY, USA. [NSERC, CFI]

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.

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) (1016 downloads)

Paul, B. C., Ma, H., Snook, L. A. and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2013) High spatial resolution surface imaging and analysis of fungal cells using AFM and force spectroscopy. In Laboratory Protocols in Fungal Biology, Ed. V. Gupta, Springer, NY, USA, pp 151-160. [NSERC, CFI]

Bhat, S., Jun, D., Paul, B. C. and Dahms, T. E. S.* (2012) Viscoelasticity in biological systems: A special focus on microbes. In Viscoelasticity – From Theory to Biological Applications. Ed J. de Vicente, InTech Open Science. [NSERC, CFI]