Kristina Kshatriya receives Peter Rennie Memorial Award

Congratulations to Kristina Kshatriya of the Bohlmann lab for being awarded the Peter Rennie Memorial Award from the UBC Faculty of Forestry. The Peter Rennie Memorial Awards are awarded to graduate students researching the environmental aspects of forest soils and trees. The awards are made on the recommendation of the Faculty of Forestry in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Congratulations Kristina for receiving this award!

Kristina’s research focuses on the identification of genes involved in the biosynthesis of α-thujone, a monoterpene that is associated with herbivore deterrence in western redcedar. Western redcedar is a highly valued conifer species native to the west coast of North America. However, herbivore feeding, specifically browsing by deer and elk, is a major problem for reforestation. Discovering mechanisms of resistance will support efforts to produce seedlings that have desired resistance attributes for reforestation, which in turn will help to preserve old growth western redcedar forests.