Laura A. Onyango, PhD

• Provost Research Award (Trinity Western University; 2020)
• Travel Award (Trinity Western University; 2023)
• Research Fellow (John Templeton Foundation and The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust; 2021)

Awards & Honors

• Internal Research Award, Trinity Western University (2020)

Recent Publications

• Onyango, L. A. and Liang, J*. (May 2024). Current Research on the Use of Manuka Honey as a Non-antibiotic Alternative against Staphylococcus spp. and their Small Colony Variant Phenotypes. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 14-2024 https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2024.1380289
• Liang, J.*, Adeleye, M.*, and Onyango, L. A. (Oct 2023). Combinatorial Efficacy of Manuka Honey and Antibiotics in the In Vitro Control of Staphylococci and Their Small Colony Variants Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 13-2023 https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1219984
• Onyango, L. A. and Alreshidi, M. M. (Oct 2018). Adaptive Metabolism in Staphylococci: Survival and Persistence in Environmental and Clinical Settings. J Pathog 2018: 1092632 https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/1092632
• Onyango, L.A., Quinn, C*., Tng, K. H., Wood, J. G. and Leslie, G. A Study of Failure Events in Drinking Water Systems As a Basis for Comparison and Evaluation of the Efficacy of Potable Reuse Schemes. Environ Health Insights, 2015. 9 (Suppl 3): p. 11-8. http://doi.org/10.4137/EHI.S31749
• Snodgrass, S.J., Ashby, S. E., Onyango, L. A., Russell, T., and Rivett, D.A., Electronic practical skills assessments in the health professions: A review. Internet journal of allied health sciences and practice, 2014. 12(1): p. 1-10. http://doi.org/10.46743/1540-580X/2014.1471
• Onyango, L.A., Dunstan, R.H, Roberts, T.K, Macdonald, M.M, Gottfries, J. Phenotypic Variants of Staphylococci and Their Underlying Population Distribution Following Exposure to Stress. PLoS ONE, 2013. 8(10): p. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0077614
• Onyango, L.A., Dunstan, R.H., Gottfries, J, Von Eiff, C., and Roberts, T.K. Effect of low temperature on growth and ultra-structure of Staphylococcus spp. PLoS ONE, 2012. 7: p. 1-10. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0029031
• Onyango, L.A., R.H. Dunstan, and T.K. Roberts. Filterability of staphylococcal species through membrane filters following application of stressors. BMC Research Notes, 2010. 3: p. 152-156. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-3-152
• Onyango, L. A., R.H. Dunstan, and T.K. Roberts. Small colony variants of staphylococci: Pathogenesis and evolutionary significance in causing and sustaining problematic human infections. Journal of Nutrition and Environmental Medicine, 2008. 17: p. 56-75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13590840801887272
  
  Conference Presentations:
• Navjot Kaur*, Nikiben Patel*, Preet Jaswal*, Tarandeep Kaur* and Laura A. Onyango. (March 2024). Disaster Microbiology: Unveiling Microbial Impacts on Health and Ecosystem, presented at the Trinity Western University Planetary Health Conference, Langley, BC
• Benjamin Chung*, Rahul Baidya*, Tracy Chepkemoi* and Laura A. Onyango. (March 2024). Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure (MIGI): A Novel Paradigm for Urban Health and Ecosystem Restoration, presented at the Planetary Health Conference, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC
• Chengzhe He* and Laura A. Onyango. (March 2024). Microbial Source Tracking of Pest Bird Faecal Contamination in Dairy Farm Settings, presented at the Planetary Health Conference, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC
• Benjamin Chung* and Laura A. Onyango. (March 2024). SigB: A Potential Therapeutic Target against Staphylococcal Small Colony Variants (SCVs), presented at the Planetary Health Conference, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC
• Harrison Goeldner*, Laura A. Onyango, and Shane Durbach. (November 2023). Antibacterial properties of carbonized ZnO templates for applications in polymers, presented at the Murdock College Science Research Conference, 2023, (Vancouver, WA, USA)
  Winner - best poster in Microbiology
• Micaela Horngren-Rhodes*, Shane Durbach, and Laura A. Onyango. (November 2023). Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide hexagonal microparticles, presented at the Murdock College Science Research Conference, 2023, (Vancouver, WA, USA)
• Laura A. Onyango. (October 2023). A Sweet Solution to a Superbug Problem, presented at Trinity Western University CREATE Conference, TWU, Langley, BC, Canada
• Micaela Horngren-Rhodes*, Harrison Goeldner*, Laura A. Onyango and Shane Durbach. (October 2023). Comparative Assessment of Amino Acids for the Synthesis of Zinc Based Compounds and their Antibacterial Efficacy, presented at Trinity Western University CREATE Conference, TWU, Langley, BC, Canada
• Harrison Goeldner, Micaela Horngren-Rhodes, Shane Durbach and Laura A. Onyango. (October 2023). Antibacterial Efficacy of Zinc Based Microparticles Against Biofilm Forming Bacteria, presented at the TWU CREATE Conference, TWU, Langley, BC, Canada
• Harrison Goeldner*, Laura A. Onyango, and Shane Durbach. (June 2023). The Antibacterial Efficacy of Carbonized Zinc Oxide Microparticles Against Biofilm Bacteria, presented at the American Society for Microbiology
• Laura A. Onyango and Jiawei Liang* (June 2023). The Efficacy of Manuka Honey in Restoring Antibiotic Susceptibility in Staphylococci and Their Small Colony Variants, presented at the American Society for Microbiology
• Nicolas Tessman*, Jadiel Louw*, Laura A. Onyango, and Karen Steensma. (November 2022). Seasonal water quality parameters in an agricultural watershed in BC, Canada, presented at the Murdock College Science Research Conference 2022 (Vancouver, Washington, US)
• Harrison Goeldner*, Laura A. Onyango, and Shane Durbach. (November 2022). Antibacterial properties of carbonized zinc oxide templates for applications in polymers, presented at the Murdock College Science Research Conference 2022 (Vancouver, Washington, US)
• Nicolas Tessman*, Laura A. Onyango, and Karen Steensma. (August 2022). Impacts of dairy farm adoption of beneficial management practises (BMPs) on water quality parameters in BC watersheds, presented at the Trinity Western University CREATE Conference (Online)
• Jiawei Liang* and Laura A. Onyango. (April 2021). Effects of reactive oxygen species and Manuka Honey on Staphylococcus spp. and their small colony variant phenotypes, presented at the Trinity Western University CREATE Conference (Online)
• Laura A. Onyango. (April 2020). Waster-based epidemiology (WBE): Using municipal wastewater as a rapid tool in the detection of COVID-19 infections in a community, presented at the Trinity Western University Research and Creativity Symposium (Online)
• Mowa Adeleye* and Laura A. Onyango. (November 2019). Staphylococci and their small colony variants: Antibiotic profiles and efficacy of Manuka Honey, presented at the Murdock College Science Research Conference, Vancouver, Washington, USA
• Jiawei Liang* and Laura A. Onyango. (November 2019). Metabolomic profiles of Staphylococci and Their Small Colony Variants Under Osmotic Stress by Use of the MALDI-TOF MS Technique, presented at the Murdock College Science Research Conference, Vancouver, Washington, USA
• Mowa Adeleye* and Laura A. Onyango. (April 2019). Combinatorial Effects of Antibiotics and Manuka Honey on Staphylococci and their small colony variants, presented at the Trinity Western University Undergraduate Research Conference, Langley, BC, Canada
• Jiawei Liang* and Laura A. Onyango. (April 2019). Effect of oxidative stress on staphylococci and small colony variants, presented at the Trinity Western University Undergraduate Research Conference, Langley, BC, Canada
• Jiawei Liang* and Laura A. Onyango. (March 2019). Response of Staphylococcus spp to oxidative stress as host defence mechanism and the effect of reactive oxygen species on bacterial survival strategy- small colony variants, presented at the 14th annual IKBSAS Undergraduate Research Conference, UBC Okanagan, BC, Canada
• Mowa Adeleye* and Laura A. Onyango. (March 2019). Staphylococcal Susceptibility to Manuka Honey, presented at the 14th annual IKBSAS Undergraduate Research Conference, UBC Okanagan, BC, Canada

Affiliations & Memberships

• Canadian Society of Microbiologists
• American Society of Microbiologists
• Black Microbiologists Association
• Canadian Black Scientists Network