Mahsa Mohammadi

Starting Year: 2022

Fan Huang

Starting Year: 2022

Program Specialization:

Integrated Plant Biology

Dinelka Thilakarathne

Starting Year: 2022

David Obe

Starting Year: 2022

Rasel Ahmed

Starting Year: 2022

Program Specialization:

Microbial Interactions

Jensina Davis

Starting Year: 2022

Program Specialization:

Integrated Plant Biology

Michael Richter

Starting Year: 2019

Program Specialization:

Integrated Plant Biology

2019 Ph.D. in Complex Biosystems (Plant-Integrative Biology) at UNL

2015-2019 Undergraduate Degree in Biotechnology at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany

Hometown: Lodersleben, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Fun fact: I love ducks and love eating bread.

Ema Graham

Starting Year: 2018

Program Specialization:

Microbial Interactions

Zhikai Yang

Starting Year: 2018

Program Specialization:

Systems Analysis

I am Zhikai Yang, a grad student majoring in quantitative genetics and my research is utilizing multi-omics data to predict phenotype of corn and give a hint of the underlying molecular mechanism that contribute to the phenotype.

Carlos Riera-Ruiz

Starting Year: 2021

Michael Tross

Twitter

Starting Year: 2019

Program Specialization:

Integrated Plant Biology

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. James Schnable

Research Description:

Employing computational tools, algorithms and deep learning methods for high throughput plant phenotyping.
Utilize statistical algorithms to perform quantitative genetics tasks on maize and sorghum populations.

He hails from the small town of Sandy Point, located on the small island of St.Kitts within the Caribbean region.

Bridget Tripp

Starting Year: 2015

Program Specialization:

Systems Analysis

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr.Hasan H. Otu

Research Description:

Under the mentorship of Hasan H. Otu (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering), she applies probabilistic graphical models and statistical bioinformatics to the integration of heterogeneous biological data, and the elucidation of molecular mechanisms of disease.

When not pursuing her research, she enjoys cuddling her two dogs and cat, and keeping active through cycling, running, barre, and yoga.

Ashley Stengel

Streaming Science podcast

Starting Year: 2015

Program Specialization:

Microbial Interactions

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. Rhae Drijber and Dr. Joshua Herr

Research Description:

Ashley’s research applies bioinformatics tools to investigate the ecology of soil microbes in maize agroecosystems.

Ashley joined the CBIO program in Fall 2015 as part of the first cohort.

Yu Shi

Starting Year:

Program Specialization:

Systems Analysis

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. Chi Zhang

Amanda Quattrone

Starting Year: 2017

Program Specialization:

Microbial Interactions

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. Sabrina Russo

Research Description:

I have always been interested in plants and how they interact with their environment. Microbial interactions with the plant system are an extension of this. I am fascinated by the metabolic diversity in microbes, and their physiological mechanisms for survival. Similarly, secondary metabolisms in plants, and mechanisms such as exudation for recruitment of microbes pique my scientific curiosity.

My personal interests also lie in plants. I keep several indoor plants and maximize my patio space with potted plants in the summer. My current favorites are ivies, herbs, and a succulent or two. I also enjoy working with ceramics, playing music, and dancing when I get the chance.

Michael Morikone

Starting Year: 2017

Program Specialization:

Systems Analysis

Hugh McCullough

Starting Year: 2018

Program Specialization:

Microbial Interactions

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. Auchtung

Research Description:

He is a member of the Auchtung Laboratory and is working with simplified bacterial communities and bioreactors to investigate how starvation and nutrient rescue shape community structure over time.

In his undergraduate studies he became interested in the gut microbiome largely due to its complexity and the growing implications it has with health. Following his undergraduate studies, he came to the University of Nebraska - Lincoln to pursue a PhD in the Complex Biosystems program in the Nebraska Food for Health Center.

Dianna Morris

Starting Year: 2015

Program Specialization:

Systems Analysis

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. Rajib Saha

Research Description:

My research explores the use of non-model bacteria for bioproduction of industrially important chemicals using both systems and synthetic biology approaches. My hope is to further the pursuit of environmentally responsible and sustainable sources for materials typically created from petroleum.

When I’m not in the lab, I’m usually enjoying my favorite aspect of Lincoln; the amazing bike trail system!

Fangyi Li

Starting Year: 2019

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. Rebecca Roston and Dr. James Schnable

Research Description:

Currently, my research focuses on the association between the specific phenotype and cold tolerance in sorghum, for example, the association between a type of lipid and cold tolerance. The research relies on computational biology.

Armando Lerma Fuentes

Starting Year: 2020

Program Specialization:

Microbial Interactions

Nate Korth

More about Nate

Starting Year: 2017

Program Specialization:

Microbial Interactions

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. Andrew Benson

Research Description:

Characterizing associations of naturally occurring components in food crops and the human gut microbiome. Utilizing genetic variation and manipulation in grains to assess their effects on the human gut microbiome and further use those responses as a breeding trait for crops. Providing tools to the agriculture sector to improve nutritional aspects of crops which will aid in the long term prevention of microbiome associated diseases in the new movement of food for health.

Aimee Kessell

Starting Year: 2017

Program Specialization:

Systems Analysis

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. Hyun-Seob Song

Research Description:

Currently working with Dr. Song in Biological Systems Engineering, where she works on constraint-based modeling through linear programming on microbial communities in the soil and gut.

I am originally from St. Lucia, and when I am not researching I am usually finding a new tea to drink or in the kitchen baking and possibly missing the beach.

Sarah Johnson

CV

Starting Year:

Program Specialization:

Integrated Plant Biology

Research Description:

My current focus is a project initiated by Dr. David Hyten and Dr. Tom Clemente of UNL investigating the processes controlling meiotic crossover (CO). Increasing the sheer number of meiotic crossovers or altering meitotic crossover "hotspots" could unlock genetic diversity which will have many breeding applications. Genes have been identified in Arabidopsis mutants to alter CO. Orthologs of these genes have been chosen in soybean to be a target for RNA interference using transgenic technology via agrobacterium. Another, yet related, project of mine is to explore alternative high-throughput sequencing techniques to decrease labor and increase cost efficiency.

Background

Hongyu Jin

Starting Year: 2019

Program Specialization:

Integrated Plant Biology

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. James Schnable

Research Description:

I am interested in utilizing and optimizing high throughput phenotyping and genomics tools to reveal biology questions of crops.

Alison Neujahr

Starting Year: 2020

Program Specialization:

Microbial Interactions

Katherine LaTourrette

Starting Year: 2018

Program Specialization:

Integrated Plant Biology

Laboratory Association(s):

Dr. Hernan Garcia-Ruiz

Research Description:

I study the evolution and genetic variation of plant viruses using a combination of computational and laboratory approaches. We hope to better understand how host and vector selection pressures affect the co-evolution of viruses. This research will inform resistance breeding and the creation of viral diagnostic tests.

Katherine graduated from Oberlin College in 2018 with a BA in Biology and a minor in Environmental Studies. At Oberlin, she worked in a C. elegan laboratory studying myosin mutations and was involved in several tutoring programs. She became interested in the field of plant pathology during a summer undergraduate research experience at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with her future PhD advisor, Dr. Garcia-Ruiz. During the summer, Katherine participated in a project using CRISPR to try and knock out a series of linked genes thought to be important for plant immunity.