McGill University
Ph.D. candidate
Supervisor: Andrew Gonzalez
Virginie Millien
Start: 2012-09-01
End: 2016-05-01
Personal page

Project

Integrated landscape genetics of the Lyme disease vector (Ixodes scapularis) and its host (Peromyscus leucopus) in southern Québec
The primary objective of my proposed research is to investigate similarity in spatial genetic variation between the white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in southern Québec. The goal is to identify and quantify interactions between ticks and mice, and to correlate spatial genetic patterns to landscape variables.

Publications

1- Characterization of 14 microsatellite loci developed for Dermacentor albipictus and cross-species amplification in D. andersoni and D. variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae)
Leo, S. S. T., C. S. Davis, F. A. H. Sperling
2011 Conservation Genetics Resources

2- Genetically separate populations of the ocean-skater Halobates sericeus (Heteroptera: Gerridae) have been maintained since the late Pleistocene
LEO, SARAH S. T., LANNA CHENG, FELIX A. H. SPERLING
2012 Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

3- Deep Mitochondrial DNA Lineage Divergences Within Alberta Populations of Dermacentor albipictus (Acari: Ixodidae) Do Not Indicate Distinct Species
Leo, Sarah S. T., Margo J. Pybus, Felix A. H. Sperling
2010 Journal of Medical Entomology