leila helou

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research,
University of Windsor,
Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
ph. (519) 253-3000 ext. 4739
Fax (519) 971-3616
email: Leila

Supervisor(s): 
Dr. Dan Heath

Hometown:    
Sydney, Australia

Education:
University of Windsor, B.Sc
Honours Biology with thesis                                                                                                

Research Title:                                                                                                             
MHC-mediated mate choice in jack and hooknose Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Research Summary:                                                                           
My study will use Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, as a model system to analyze MHC-mediated mate choice. Looking at sperm competition as a potential mechanism of mate choice, I will test whether specific MHC genotypes could influence fertilization success of sperm from jack and hooknose male Chinook salmon. Additionally, I will be analyzing base pair substitutions commonly found in MHC sequences, and determining whether these mutations are expressed in somatic cells or simply artefacts generated through PCR, cloning, or sequencing processes.