Dr. Mehrdad Hajibabaei

Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Mehrdad Hajibabaei. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Mehrdad Hajibabaei is a professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Guelph, where he is also based at the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario. His academic journey began with a B.Sc. from Tehran in 1994, followed by a Ph.D. from the University of Ottawa in 2003, focusing on molecular evolution and seed plant phylogeny. His postdoctoral research delved into the development and application of DNA barcoding, aiming to establish a global, DNA-based species identification system, particularly in the biodiverse regions of tropical Lepidoptera in Costa Rica. Hajibabaei has worked on creating high-throughput workflows for barcoding archival specimens, reinforcing his position as a leading researcher in molecular biodiversity. He serves as the Associate Director at the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding and is actively involved in theoretical work relating to bioinformatics and technology development in biodiversity analysis. His research interests include Environmental Barcoding, molecular biosystematics, and developing rapid identification systems for ecological specimens, alongside teaching courses in evolutionary biology.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Director

— Present

Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding • Guelph, ON

Courses

Methods in Evolutionary Biology

Requirements for University of Guelph

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:21
Reading
Required:21
Writing
Required:21
Speaking
Required:21
Total
Required:89
Prerequisites
Honours baccalaureate degree in a relevant field or DVM degree Identify a potential faculty advisor
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Two academic reference assessments
  • Statement of interest
  • English language proficiency test results (if applicable)
Specialization Notes

Department of Clinical Studies. Offers MSc by thesis (2 years) and MSc by coursework (1 year).