Anthony Siame, PhD

Professor of Biology; Chair, Department of Biology

Anthony Siame is an Associate Professor of Biology at Trinity Western University and is currently the Chair of Biology. He joined Trinity Western University in 2007 and has taught courses in Introductory Biology, Biochemistry, and Microbiology. Apart from teaching, Anthony has been researching the role of type III and type VI secretion systems in bacterial pathogenesis in collaboration with Dr. Leung. He has published more than 20 papers in scientific journals.

Anthony grew up in Zambia and holds a BSc and MSc in Chemistry from the University of Zambia. He completed his PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) in 1993. His research focused on isolating chemical compounds from sorghum root exudates that triggered germination of the parasitic weed, . He also analyzed defense compounds produced by sorghum in response to fungal infections. Upon completing his studies at Purdue University, he returned to Zambia and taught courses in Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry at the University of Zambia. He later moved to the University of Botswana and taught undergraduate courses in Cell Biology and Biochemistry and graduate courses in Applied Microbiology. He was actively involved in research and supervised graduate students working on mycotoxins in food and cyanotoxins in wastewater which resulted in several publications in scientific journals. After 12 years at the University of Botswana, he relocated to Canada and currently lives in Langley with his wife and three children.

  • PhD, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Purdue University; 1993)
  • MSc, Chemistry (University of Zambia; 1987)
  • BSc, Chemistry (University of Zambia; 1984)

Expertise

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research Interests: Mycotoxins (toxic substance produced by fungus) and Algal (related to algae) toxins

Recent Publications

  • Leung, K.Y., Siame, B.A., Tenkink, B. J., Noort, R. J., Mok, Y. K. 2012. - Virulence mechanisms of an emerging gastroenteritis pathogen. ; 14:26-34.
  • Motlalepula Mokgatlhe, T.M., Siame, B.A., Taylor, J.E. 2011. Fungi and mycotoxins associated with maize () and sorghum () in Botswana. , 5:26-32.
  • Leung, K.Y., Siame, B.A., Snowball, H., Mok, Y. K. 2010. Type VI secretion regulation: crosstalk and intracellular communication. , 14:9-15.
  • Siame, B.A, Nawa, I.N. 2008. Mycotoxin contamination in food commodities in Eastern and Southern Africa. In: Leslie JF, Bandyopadhyay R, Visconti A, (Eds) CABI Publishing, pp117-125.
  • Gnonlonfin, G. J. B. Hell, K, Fandohan, P, and Siame, B.A. 2008. Mycoflora and natural occurrence of aflatoxins and fumonisin B1 in cassava and yam chips from Benin, West Africa. 122:140-144.
  • Msagati, T. A. M., Siame, B.A., Shushu, D. D. 2006. Evaluation of methods for the isolation, detection and quantification of cyanobacterial hepatotoxins. , 78:382-397.
  • Grotewold, E., Chamberlin, M., Snook, M., Siame, B.A., Butler, L., Swenson, J., Maddock, S., St. Clair, G., and Bowen, B. 1998. Engineering secondary metabolism in maize cells by ectopic expression of transcription factors. , 10:721-740.
  • Siame, B.A., Weerasuriya, Y., Wood, K., Ejeta, G., Butler, L. G. 1993. Isolation of strigol, a germination stimulant for , from host plants. , 41:1486-1491.

  • BIOL 114 Principles of Biology II
  • BIOL 333 Introduction to Medical Microbiology
  • BIOL 334 Basic and Applied Microbiology
  • BIOL 384 Principles of Biochemistry
  • BIOL 386 Biosynthesis