Alastair Simpson, Dalhousie University

Research

Read how they describe their research on their Dalhousie University profile.

Cell biology Evolution Microbiology

Latest papers

The fluid dynamics and functional diversity of the flagella of free-living flagellates.
Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences · 2025 · senior author
Ploeotids Represent Much of the Phylogenetic Diversity of Euglenids.
Protist · 2019 · senior author
EukRef: Phylogenetic curation of ribosomal RNA to enhance understanding of eukaryotic diversity and distribution.
PLoS biology · 2018

All 3 publications

Latest funding

Camera for Transmission Electron Microscope
NSERC · 2024 · Principal investigator
$150,000
Using free-living protozoan biodiversity to resolve deep eukaryote evolution
NSERC · 2019 · Principal investigator
$330,000
Genomic, proteomic and microbiomic approaches to understanding the biology and pathogenesis of anaerobic protozoa
CIHR · 2018 · Co-investigator
$1,374,947

All 13 grants and awards

3 publications.

01

The fluid dynamics and functional diversity of the flagella of free-living flagellates.

Kiørboe T, Suzuki S, Simpson A

Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2024.0269 PMID: 40931648

02

Ploeotids Represent Much of the Phylogenetic Diversity of Euglenids.

Lax G, Lee WJ, Eglit Y, Simpson A

Protist2019Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.protis.2019.03.001 PMID: 31102975

03

EukRef: Phylogenetic curation of ribosomal RNA to enhance understanding of eukaryotic diversity and distribution.

Del Campo J, Kolisko M, Boscaro V, Santoferrara LF, Nenarokov S, Massana R, Guillou L, Simpson A, Berney C, de Vargas C, Brown MW, Keeling PJ, Wegener Parfrey L

PLoS biology2018

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2005849 PMID: 30222734

Camera for Transmission Electron Microscope

Principal investigatorNSERC2024Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Simpson, Alastair

Keywords: Collagen; Cytoskeleton; Electron Microscopy; Microbial Eukaryotes; Nanoparticles; Nutrient Stress; Organelles; Plant Development; Ultrastructure

$150,000

Using free-living protozoan biodiversity to resolve deep eukaryote evolution

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Simpson, Alastair

Keywords: Cytoskeleton; Early eukaryote evolution; Extremophiles; Phylogenetics; Phylogenomics; Protists; Protozoa

$330,000

Genomic, proteomic and microbiomic approaches to understanding the biology and pathogenesis of anaerobic protozoa

Co-investigatorCIHR2018Foundation Grant

Principal investigators: Roger, Andrew J

Keywords: Anaerobiosis; Genome; Host Effector; Lateral Gene Transfer; Localization Of Organelle Proteins By Isotope Tagging; Microbiome; Organelle Function And Evolution; Proteomics; Protozoan Parasites; Transfection

$1,374,947

Multi-user High Performance Refrigerated Centrifuge

Co-investigatorNSERC2016Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Stone, Sophia

$58,576

Anaerobic eukaryotic microbes and the human microbiome: a genomic and metagenomic study

Co-investigatorCIHR2015Operating Grant

Principal investigators: Roger, Andrew J

Keywords: Anaerobiosis; Eukaryotic Microbial Parasites; Human Microbiome; Immunolocalization; Lateral Gene Transfer; Multicellularity; Next Generation Dna Sequencing; Organelle Function And Evolution; Proteomics; Transcriptomics

$724,966

Linking microscopy-based identities to molecular identities for problem- or problematic protozoa.

Principal investigatorNSERC2014Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Simpson, Alastair

$135,000

An in-house high-throughput DNA sequencing instrument.

Co-investigatorNSERC2013Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Slamovits, Claudio

$147,455

Eukaryotic organelles, parasites and multicellularity: comparative genomic and proteomic approaches.

Co-investigatorCIHR2013Operating Grant - PA: Regional Partnership Program - Nova Scotia

Principal investigators: Roger, Andrew J

Keywords: Evolution Of Eukaryote Cells; Genomic Survey; Immunolocalization; Lateral Gene Transfer; Multicellularity; Next Generation Dna Sequencing; Organelle Function; Proteomics; Protozoan Parasites; Transcriptomics

$247,678

Equipment for scanning electron microscope

Co-investigatorNSERC2012Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Meinertzhagen, Ian

$75,140

Microbial eukaryote diversity and evolution in extraordinary environments

Principal investigatorNSERC2009Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Simpson, Alastair

$170,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Laura Wegener Parfrey

Department of Botany

1 shared papers, latest 2018

Write to this professor

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Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2024

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Cell biology Dear Professor Simpson, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "The fluid dynamics and functional diversity of the flagella of free-living flagellates." (2025), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Camera for Transmission Electron Microscope" (2024), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]