Assistant Professor
sarah.buddenborg [at] mcgill.ca (Email) | Parasitology Building P-109
鈥淗umans, animals, and the environment are intrinsically linked. Through a One Health framework and the use of advanced 鈥檕mics technologies, we can tackle critical challenges in parasite control, including drug resistance, food security, and mitigating the effects of climate change.鈥�
Professor聽Buddenborg is currently recruiting highly motivated graduate students. If interested, please send your CV to sarah.buddenborg [at] mcgill.ca.
Degrees
- B.Sc. (Michigan State University, USA)
- Ph.D. (University of New Mexico, USA)
- PostDoc聽(Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK)
Short Bio
Sarah is a molecular parasitologist interested in using cutting-edge genomics tools to understand the developmental biology of parasitic worms that infect humans and animals.
She earned her B.Sc. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Michigan State University (USA) and later obtained a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of New Mexico (USA) in Professor Sam Loker's lab studying the transcriptomics of field-derived Schistosoma mansoni and its intermediate host snail, Biomphalaria spp.
She continued her work on Schistosoma mansoni as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wellcome Sanger Institute (UK) in Dr Matthew Berriman鈥檚 group, publishing the chromosome-scale genome and transcriptome of S. mansoni and a comprehensive stage- and sex-specific transcriptome data set.
As a Senior Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Steve Doyle's lab at the Wellcome Sanger Institute (UK), Sarah developed single nuclei and spatial transcriptomics tools for helminths to study the developmental biology of the veterinary parasite Haemonchus contortus.
Sarah joined 91丝瓜视频's Institute of Parasitology in January 2026 as an Assistant Professor in One Health.
Research Interests
Nematodes are the most abundant animals on Earth, with at least one-third of all humans infected with a nematode, as well as countless animals and plants. Despite this, we know very little about the molecular mechanisms underpinning their key biological processes, such as sexual differentiation and reproduction.
My research focuses on developing and utilising transformative large-scale multiomic techniques to understand the stage- and sex-specific genomics and transcriptomics of parasitic worms.
Current Research
Single cell transcriptomic atlas of the model helminth, Haemonchus contortus: Single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) is a revolutionary technology that enables the identification of cell types, cellular pathways, and molecular targets relevant to the development, growth, and spread of parasitic worms. We are completing a comprehensive scRNA-seq data set for the model nematode Haemonchus contortus encompassing major life cycle stages to characterize the biological processes underpinning key life history traits like sexual differentiation. In parallel, we are using spatial transcriptomics to validate and localize significant gene expression discovered in the scRNA-seq.
