Christopher Weisener, University of Windsor

Research

Biogeochemical cycling Biogeochemistry Bioindicators Contaminant stress Genomics /transcriptomics Geomicrobiology Nutrients Redox gradients

Latest papers

Microbial community and functional shifts across agricultural and urban landscapes within a Lake Erie watershed.
Journal of environmental management · 2025 · senior author
Nutrient variability and sediment contribution along a mixed land-use within Sturgeon Creek- Lake Erie watershed.
Journal of environmental management · 2023 · senior author
Investigating sources and sinks of N2O expression from freshwater microbial communities in urban watershed sediments.
Chemosphere · 2017 · first author

All 5 publications

Latest funding

Ecosystem level assessment of the fate and effects of quaternary ammonium compounds in fresh waters
NSERC · 2023 · Co-investigator
$172,763
Integrating the Concept of Traditional Storytelling in Exploring the Nexus of Arctic Environmental Change, Landscape Transformation and Evolution of Novel Antibiotics and Resistance
SSHRC · 2022 · Co-investigator
$124,600
Geomicrobial response to environmental stress-functional implications of identifying thresholds in anthropogenic gradients
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$90,000

All 21 grants and awards

5 publications.

01

Microbial community and functional shifts across agricultural and urban landscapes within a Lake Erie watershed.

Chen YT, Reid T, Weisener C

Journal of environmental management2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123683 PMID: 39667337

02

Nutrient variability and sediment contribution along a mixed land-use within Sturgeon Creek- Lake Erie watershed.

Chen YT, Mundle SOC, Reid T, Weisener C

Journal of environmental management2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119139 PMID: 37748294

03

Investigating sources and sinks of N2O expression from freshwater microbial communities in urban watershed sediments.

Weisener C, Lee J, Chaganti SR, Reid T, Falk N, Drouillard K

Chemosphere2017First author

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.09.036 PMID: 28934707

04

Investigating the Microbial Degradation Potential in Oil Sands Fluid Fine Tailings Using Gamma Irradiation: A Metagenomic Perspective.

VanMensel D, Chaganti SR, Boudens R, Reid T, Ciborowski J, Weisener C

Microbial ecology2017Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-0953-7 PMID: 28246922

05

Bioreactor studies predict whole microbial population dynamics in oil sands tailings ponds.

Chi Fru E, Chen M, Walshe G, Penner T, Weisener C

Applied microbiology and biotechnology2013Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s00253-012-4137-6 PMID: 22615052

Ecosystem level assessment of the fate and effects of quaternary ammonium compounds in fresh waters

Co-investigatorNSERC2023Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Kidd, Karen KA

$172,763

Integrating the Concept of Traditional Storytelling in Exploring the Nexus of Arctic Environmental Change, Landscape Transformation and Evolution of Novel Antibiotics and Resistance

Co-investigatorSSHRC2022New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration

Principal investigators: Nwaishi, Felix

Keywords: Arctic environment; Climate change; Permafrost thaw; Antimicrobial resistance; Metagenomics; Bioinformatics; Environmental DNA (eDNA); Antibiotics; Indigenous Studies; Traditional Storytelling

$124,600

Geomicrobial response to environmental stress-functional implications of identifying thresholds in anthropogenic gradients

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Weisener, Christopher

Keywords: geomicrobiology; biogeochemistry; redox gradients; nutrients; sediment interface; genomics /transcriptomics; water pollution; contaminant stress; bioindicators; biogeochemical cycling

$90,000

Evaluating the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in the urban water cycle_x000d_ _x000d_

Co-investigatorNSERC2020Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: McKay, Robert

$50,000

Application of targeted transcriptomics for determining early nutrient sediment retention capacity (NSRC)_x000d_ _x000d_

Principal investigatorNSERC2018Strategic Projects - Group

Principal investigators: Weisener, Christopher

$622,200

Nutrient Auto-Analyzer System to Assess Great Lakes Health

Co-investigatorNSERC2017Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Haffner, Gordon

$75,466

Investigating biogeochemical controlled redox gradients in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

Principal investigatorNSERC2016Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Weisener, Christopher

$240,000

Genomic assays for evaluating the efficacy of BioCords used in a full-scale waste water treatment plant in Dundalk County

Principal investigatorNSERC2016Engage Plus Grants Program

Principal investigators: Weisener, Christopher

$12,500

Great Lakes Recreational Water Security: Microbial community characterization, source tracking and remediation through meta-genomics

Co-investigatorNSERC2015Strategic Projects - Group

Principal investigators: Heath, Daniel

$509,500

Shallow draft vessel for nearshore research in the Great Lakes

Co-investigatorNSERC2014Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Fisk, Aaron

$110,564

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

Ken Drouillard

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research

1 shared papers, latest 2017

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2022

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Biogeochemical cycling Dear Professor Weisener, 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 "Microbial community and functional shifts across agricultural and urban landscapes within a Lake Erie watershed." (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 "Geomicrobial response to environmental stress-functional implications of identifying thresholds in anthropogenic gradients" (2022), 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]