Hey everyone! I'm Bhreagh MacIntyre, a second-year student working towards my degree in Medical Science. I joined the lab in January 2024 through the Dalhousie Integrated Science Program. Through this opportunity, my partner and I worked on using a chill coma to temporarily rescue the suppressed feeding behavior in parasitized Tobacco Hornworms,Manduca sexta. My involvement in this lab has significantly opened my eyes to the world of research, showing me how exciting and rewarding it can be to explore new ideas and solve problems. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to learn from Dr. Shelley Adamo and the other knowledgeable members of the lab. Their guidance has been invaluable, and I look forward to continuing to grow and contribute here...
Bhreagh MacIntyre
Hi! I'm Keira, a first-year student here at Dalhousie to pursue a degree in Medical Sciences. Currently, I'm in the Dalhousie Integrated Science Program (DISP) which is how I got the opportunity to be part of the Adamo Lab. I'm very excited to be involved in this lab, and to learn more about the world of research through our work on how heat waves effect the fecundity of obliquebanded leafroller caterpillars (Choristoneura rosaceana). I know my time in this lab will be a great learning experience, and I am grateful for the chance to learn from all my fellow lab members!
Keira Bigrigg
Bhreagh at the Canadian Society of Zoologists Meeting, 2024
Hi! I'm Rose, and I'm a 3rd year neuroscience major working on getting the animal behaviour certificate. This year I'm completing an independent research project looking at the effects of climate change and increased global temperature on obliquebanded leafroller feeding behaviour. I've also done some animal care for the tobacco hornworms in the lab in the past, and I'm helping out with OBLR care while I work on my project.
Rose Kearney
Hi there! I’m May, a third-year Biology student and the current Lab Manager. I’ve been a lab member since September 2024, working on using C. rosaceana for heat wave and pesticide effect modelling, and M. sexta for physiological stress and diet and its effects on life history and fecundity. In summer of 2025, I was awarded an NSERC USRA to do work on M. sexta and C. rosaceana. I also had the opportunity to study insects on Sable Island in fall of 2025 through the ‘Inspired by Sable Island’ award! Previously, I worked on interbacterial inhibition and development of soil bacterial antibiotics.
Outside of the lab, I spend my time hiking, knitting, foraging, doing photography, and
training in aerial circus!
Feel free to chat with me about undergraduate research: MEngelhardt@dal.ca
May Engelhardt
My Hi! My name is Maia Baxter, and I am a third-year undergraduate student at Dalhousie University pursuing a double major in Marine Biology and Psychology. I joined the Adamo Lab as a volunteer with a strong interest in animal behaviour, stress physiology, and how environmental change influences behaviour and survival. I currently assist with research involving the oblique-banded leafroller (Choristoneura rosaceana) and enjoy gaining hands-on lab experience. My broader academic interests lie at the intersection of behaviour, physiology, and ecology, particularly how environmental stressors affect animals at both physiological and behavioural levels. Being part of the Adamo Lab will be an invaluable introduction to experimental research, and I’m grateful to learn from such a supportive and knowledgeable group. Outside the lab, I enjoy scuba diving, playing cards, and watching medical dramas.
Maia Baxter
Hello there! My names Jasper, I'm in my second year of my undergraduate degree majoring in Biology. I've always had an interest in insects and jumped at the opportunity to join Dr. Adamo's lab and dip my toes into lab work.
Jasper Johnson
Hi! My name is Claire, and I am in my second year studying Environmental Science. I have been working in the lab since January 2024, with a DISP research project studying cold-shock therapy in parasitized Manduca sexta. I am currently volunteering for various stress and eating behaviour studies with PhD Candidate Dylan Miller. It has been wonderful working with the Adamo Lab this past year and I look forward to learning more about M. sexta and learning new biochemical techniques!
Claire Martin
Hi there! My name is Maggie, and I'm in my third year studying Biology and Earth Science. I was drawn to the Adamo lab for the opportunity to study the impacts of climate change on insects. I started out with the OBLR research team working with pesticide and heat wave resistance and I can't wait to see the new projects our lab takes on. It's been incredibly rewarding to work with such a great team who all have so much experience to share.
Maggie Sharpe
Hi! I’m Maya, a third-year Bachelor of Medical Sciences student from Ontario with a strong interest in physiology and anatomy, particularly neurophysiology and cardiology. I joined the Adamo Lab in the summer of 2025 as a research student and have really enjoyed working alongside Shelley and the rest of the lab team, gaining valuable skills and discovering how fun and rewarding research can be. I’m fascinated by how the body works, and my long-term goal is to attend medical school and pursue a career where I can make a positive impact on people’s lives. Outside of academics, I enjoy staying active, reading, cooking, spending time with friends and family, travelling, and exploring the outdoors. I’m also very involved in my community through volunteering, and a fun fact about me is that I’m a certified rescue scuba diver.
Maya Richmond
Jessie Moores
Hello! My name is Jessie Moores and I am a second-year Neuroscience student here at Dalhousie. I was interested in joining Adamo Lab after discovering a passion for animal behavior over this past summer working at a large animal vet clinic. Though the creatures are smaller, my interests in stress, nociception and immunology are still fulfilled in the lab. I am currently assisting in a heatwave pesticide study with the species oblique-banded leafroller(oblr). I am excited to explore the world of research in the lab with these awesome folks!
