Staff Profile

Dr. Thomas Canam

Education & Training

Ph.D. in Forestry - The University of British Columbia 
B.S. (Hon.) in Biochemistry - Mount Allison University

Publications

Clark, K., Gallagher, M. J., Canam, T., and Meiners, S. J. (2024) Genetic relatedness can alter the strength of plant-soil interactions. American Journal of Botany. 111: e16289. DOI:10.1002/ajb2.16289 

Law, S., Flores-Moreno, H., Cheesman, A. W., Clement, R., Rosenfield, M., Yatsko, A., Cernusak, L. A., Dalling, J. W., Canam, T., Abo Iqsaysa, I., Duan, E. S., Allison, S. D., Eggleton, P., and Zanne, A. E. (2023) Wood traits explain microbial but not termite-driven decay in Australian tropical rainforest and savanna. Journal of Ecology. 111: 982-993.
DOI:10.1111/1365-2745.14090

Foster, B. S., Haile, B. B., Campnell, J. T., Canam, T., Gallagher, M. J., and Meiners, S. J. (2022) Plant performance responds to intraspecific variation in soil inocula from individual Solidago clones. Plant Ecology. 223: 201-212. 
DOI:10.1007/s11258-021-01198-2

Ferrer, A., Heath, K., Canam, T., Flores, H.D., and Dalling, J. (2020) Contribution of fungal and invertebrate communities to wood decay in tropical terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Ecology. 101: e03097. 
DOI:10.1002/ecy.3097

Johnson, D.B., Schideman, L.C., Canam, T., Hosen, J.D., and Hudson, R.J.M. (2020) Spatial and temporal differences in the composition and structure of bacterial assemblages in biofilms of a rotating algal-bacterial contactor system treating high-strength anaerobic digester filtrate. Bioresource Technology Reports. 10: 100413.
DOI:10.1016/j.biteb.2020.100413

Jones, J., Heath, K., Ferrer, A., Brown, S., Canam, T., and Dalling, J. (2019) Wood decomposition in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the tropics: contrasting biotic and abiotic processes. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 95: e1-13.
DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy223

Johnson, D.B., Schideman, L.C., Canam, T., and Hudson, R.J.M. (2018) Pilot-scale demonstration of efficient ammonia removal from a high-strength municipal wastewater treatment sidestream by algal-bacterial biofilms affixed to rotating contactors. Algal Research. 34: 143-153. 
DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2018.07.009

Kalinoski, R.M., Flores, H.D., Thapa, S., Tuegel, E.R., Bilek, M.A., Reyes-Mendez, E.Y., West, M.J., Dumonceaux, T.J., and Canam, T. (2017) Pretreatment of hardwood and Miscanthus with Trametes versicolor for bioenergy conversion and densification strategies. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. 183: 1401-1413. 
DOI: 10.1007/s12010-017-2507-3

Meiners, S.J., Phipps, K.K., Pendergast IV, T.H., Canam, T., and Carson, W.P. (2017) Soil microbial communities alter leaf chemistry and influence allelopathic potential among coexisting plant species. Oecologia. 183: 1155-1165.
DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3833-4

Tsai, A.Y.-L., Chan, K., Ho, C.Y., Canam, T., Capron, R., Master, E.R., and Bräutigam, K. (2017) Transgenic expression of fungal accessory hemicellulases in Arabidopsis thaliana triggers transcriptional patterns related to biotic stress and defense response. PLoS One. 1-22.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173094

Hladilek, H.D., Gaines, K.F., Novak, J.M., Collard, D.A., Johnson, D.B., and Canam, T. (2016) Microbial community structure of a freshwater system receiving wastewater effluent. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 188: 626.
DOI: 10.1007/s10661-016-5630-7

Heffron, K.T., Gaines, K.F., Novak, J.M., Canam, T., and Collard, D.A. (2016) 17β-estradiol influent and effluent concentrations in wastewater: demographic influences and the risk to environmental health. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 188: 288.
DOI: 10.1007/s10661-016-5292-5
 
Thapa, S., Johnson, D.J., Liu, P.P., and Canam, T. (2015) Algal biomass as a binding agent for the densification of Miscanthus. Waste and Biomass Valorization. 6: 91-95.
DOI: 10.1007/s12649-014-9326-3
 
Canam. T., Li, X., Holowachuk, J., Yu, M., Xia, J., Mandal, R., Krishnamurthy, R., Bouatra, S., Sinelnikov, I., Yu, B., Grenkow, L., Wishart, D.S., Steppuhn, H., Falk, K.C., Dumonceaux, T.J. and Gruber, M.Y. (2013) Differential metabolite profiles and salinity tolerance between two genetically-related brown-seeded and yellow-seeded Brassica carinata lines. Plant Science. 198: 17-26.
DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2012.09.011
 
Tsai, A.Y.-L., Canam, T., Gorzsás, A., Mellerowicz, E., Campbell, M.M., and Master, E.R. (2012) Constitutive expression of a fungal glucuronoyl esterase in Arabidopsis reveals altered cell wall composition and structure. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 10:1077-1087.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2012.00735.x
 
Unda, F., Canam, T., Preston, L., and Mansfield, S.D. (2012) Isolation and characterization of hybrid poplar galactinol synthases. Journal of Experimental Botany 63: 2059-2069.
DOI: 10.1093/jxb/err411
 
Ramirez-Bribiesca, J.E., Wang Y., Long J., Canam T., Town J.R., Tsang, A., Dumonceaux T.J., and McAllister, T.A. (2011) Chemical characterization and in vitro fermentation of Brassica straw treated with the aerobic fungus Trametes versicolor. Canadian Journal of Animal Science. 91: 695-702.
DOI:10.4141/CJAS2011-067
 
Canam, T., Town, J.R., Tsang, A., McAllister, T.A., and Dumonceaux, T.J. (2011) Biological pretreatment with a cellobiose dehydrogenase-deficient strain of Trametes versicolor enhances the biofuel potential of canola straw. Bioresource Technology. 102: 10020-10027.
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2011.08.045

MacDonald, J., Doering, M., Canam, T., Gong, Y., Guttman, D., Campbell, M.M., and Master, E.R. (2011) Transcriptomic responses of the softwood-degrading white-rot fungus Phanerochaete carnosa during growth on coniferous and deciduous wood. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 77: 3211-3218.
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.02490-10
 
Adapa, P.K., Tabil, L.G., Schoenau, G.J., Canam T., and Dumonceaux. T.J. (2011) Quantitative analysis of lignocellulosic components of non-treated and steam exploded barley, canola, oat and wheat straw using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology B. 1:177-188.
http://www.davidpublishing.com/show.html?544
 
Park, J.-Y., Canam, T., Kang, K.-Y., Unda, F., and Mansfield, S.D. (2009) Sucrose phosphate synthase expression influences poplar phenology. Tree Physiology. 29: 937-946.
DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpp028
 
Park, J.-Y., Canam, T., Kang, K.-Y., Ellis, D.D., and Mansfield, S.D. (2008) Over-expression of an Arabidopsis family A sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) gene alters plant growth and fibre development. Transgenic Research. 17: 181-192.
DOI: 10.1007/s11248-007-9090-2
 
Canam, T., Unda, F., and Mansfield, S.D. (2008) Heterologous expression and functional characterization of two cell-wall invertases from hybrid poplar. Planta. 228 (6): 1011-1019.
DOI: 10.1007/s00425-008-0801-6
 
Canam, T., Mak, S.W.Y., and Mansfield, S.D. (2008) Spatial and temporal expression profiling of cell-wall invertase genes in hybrid poplar. Tree Physiology. 28: 1059-1067.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18450570
 
Coleman, H.D., Canam, T., Kang, K.-Y., Ellis, D.D., and Mansfield, S.D. (2007) Over-expression of UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase in hybrid poplar affects carbon allocation. The Journal of Experimental Botany. 58: 4257-4268.
DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erm287
 
Canam, T., Park, J.-Y., Yu, K.Y., Campbell, M.M., Ellis, D.D., and Mansfield, S.D. (2006) Varied growth, biomass and cellulose content in tobacco expressing yeast-derived invertases. Planta. 224: 1315-1327.
DOI: 10.1007/s00425-006-0313-1
 
Editorials and Commentaries
 
Canam, T., Dumonceaux, T.J., Record, E., and Li, Y.B. (2013) White Rot Fungi: The key to sustainable biofuel production? Biofuels. 4:247-250.
DOI:10.4155/bfs.13.6
 
Canam, T., and Campbell, M.M. (2009) Genes and nitrogen fuel wood formation. New Phytologist. 182: 783-785.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.02856.x
 
Book Chapters
 
Canam, T., Town, T., Iroba, K., Tabil, L., and Dumonceaux, T.J. (2013) “Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass using microorganisms: Approaches, advantages, and limitations” in Sustainable Degradation of Lignocellulose Biomass – Techniques, Applications and Commercialization. Eds. Chandel, A.K. and da Silva, S.S. InTech publishing, ISBN: 978-953-51-1119-1.
DOI: 10.5772/55088

Frequently Taught Courses

BIO 1150 - Biology Forum

BIO 1500 - General Biology I
BIO 3120 - Molecular and Cellular Biology
BIO 5333 - Bioenergy and Bioresources

BIO 5450 - Cell and Molecular Physiology

Research & Creative Interests

My research focuses on using plants for bioenergy and bioproduct applications. One aspect of my research involves using biotechnology to tailor plant traits for specific applications, such as bioethanol production.

I am also interested in using bacteria and fungi as pretreatment agents of agricultural residues destined for biomass-to-bioenergy processes, such as gasification. At EIU, my research will complement the numerous green energy initiatives on campus, including the Renewable Energy Center (http://www.eiu.edu/fpm/erec.php) and the Center for Clean Energy Research and Education (http://castle.eiu.edu/energy/).