Hudson M. Wentzell

Hudson M. Wentzell

PhD Student
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Graduate Program in Genome Biology & Bioinformatics
University of Toronto
25 Harbord St., Toronto, ON M5S 3G5

Email: hudson.wentzell@mail.utoronto.ca

Current Research

Inferring patterns of selection and investigating molecular evolutionary changes in cetacean visual proteins using computational methods of comparative sequence analysis

Education

  • PhD, University of Toronto (Sep. 2025–present)
    • Direct-entry PhD in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    • Enrolled in the Collaborative Specialization in Genome Biology and Bioinformatics
  • HBSc, University of Toronto (Sep. 2021–Jun. 2025)
    • Genome Biology major, Fundamental Genetics and its Applications major
    • Graduated with high distinction, 4.00/4.00 cGPA

Awards

  • EEB Graduate Program Award (Nov. 2025)
  • EEB Graduate Program Award (Sep. 2025)
  • Faculty of Arts and Science Top Doctoral Award (Sep. 2025)
  • NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s (Sep. 2025)
  • Oak House Award (Sep. 2025)
  • Trinity College Provost’s Scholar Award (Jun. 2025)
  • Corey A. Goldman Prize for Best Research Poster in EEB (Apr. 2025)
  • Trinity College 6T5 Scholarship (Jan. 2025)
  • Human Biology Excellence Award (Dec. 2024)
  • NLCA Scholarship (Dec. 2024)
  • B. Arthur Bensley Scholarship in Life Sciences (Nov. 2024)
  • CLRA NL Educational Scholarship (Nov. 2024)
  • RISE Germany Research Internship (May 2024)
  • Human Biology Excellence Award (Feb. 2024)
  • Trinity College 6T5 Scholarship (Nov. 2023)
  • F. M. Hill Scholarship in Biology (Oct. 2023)
  • NLCA Scholarship (Dec. 2022)
  • Trinity College 6T3 Scholarship (Nov. 2022)
  • CECA General Studies Scholarship (Aug. 2022)
  • UHEW Human Rights Scholastic Award (Jul. 2022)
  • NL Centenary of Responsible Government Scholarship (Dec. 2021)
  • NL Education Foundation Scholarship (Sep. 2021)
  • PSAC National Award Scholarship (Sep. 2021)
  • University of Toronto Scholars Award (Sep. 2021)

Teaching Assistantships

  • Sep.–Nov. 2025: EEB460H1/EEB1460H: Molecular Evolution and Genomics (joint undergraduate and graduate course)

Previous Research

  • Sep. 2024–Apr. 2025: Advanced undergraduate research project (EEB498Y1) on the molecular evolution of cetacean phototransduction and visual cycle proteins
  • May–Aug. 2024: RISE Germany research internship in the genome biology of rye (Secale cereale) at the Julius-Kühn-Institut (Groß Lüsewitz, MV, Germany), funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Presentations

  • Wentzell, H.M., Xie, T., & Chang, B.S.W. (2025). Molecular evolution of cetacean phototransduction and visual cycle genes. University of Toronto Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Undergraduate Research Fair, Toronto, ON, Canada [poster].
  • Wentzell, H.M., Xie, T., & Chang, B.S.W. (2025). Molecular evolution of cetacean visual genes. Trinity College Undergraduate Research Conference, Toronto, ON, Canada [oral presentation].
  • Wentzell, H.M. & Hackauf, B. (2024). The private genome of rye. RISE Germany Conference, Heidelberg, BW, Germany [oral presentation].