Naureen Aslam

naslam@sycamores.indstate.edu

Elizabeth Beilke    

ebeilke@sycamores.indstate.edu

Alexis Bender

alexis.bender@sycamores.indstate.edu

I am a Master's Thesis student studying microbiology. My research is both microbial and ecologically based as I am studying the microbiome of the Indiana bat and it's relation to White Nose Syndrome, a heavily invasive fungus declining bat populations. After obtaining my Master's, I am looking forward to pursuing work within the field of environmental microbiology or possible PhD programs. 

Peyton Blount

pblount@sycamores.indstate.edu

I received my BS in molecular/cellular biology from the University of North Florida. I am currently an MS student in the labs of Dr. Hugo Gante (evolutionary biology) and Dr. Kris Schwab (developmental biology). My thesis is primarily focused on generating fish reporter lines through Tol2-mediated transgenesis and CRISPR-Cas9 knock-outs.

Nykara Brown

nbrown26@sycamores.indstate.edu

I am a second year Master's Biology student under research advisor Dr. Catherine Steding. My current research focuses on cancer biology, evaluating the influence long term in vitro conditions practiced in tissue culture can have on breast cancer cells. I currently teach several Bio 101 labs.

Keeley Cleghorn

kcleghorn2@sycamores.indstate.edu

My research is involved in understanding the mechanisms of acquired and maintenance of chemoresistance in a breast cancer cell line. I am particularly interested in the role microtubules play and major pathways involved in chemoresistance.

Tazin Fahmi

tfahmi@sycamores.indstate.edu

Sabrina Faozia

sfaozia@sycamores.indstate.edu

   I am currently a PhD student under the advisement of Dr. Kyu Hong Cho. I am studying the role of cyclic di-adenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) and potassium (K⁺) transport in SpeB biogenesis in Streptococcus pyogenes. SpeB, one of the major virulence factors of S. pyogenes is controlled by second messenger molecules c-di-AMP. Besides, potassium (K⁺) plays a vital role in bacterial metabolism and physiology. The aim of this study is to understand how K⁺ transporters are involved in SpeB biogenesis. 

AJ Farmer 

afarmer12@sycamores.indstate.edu

I am currently a second year PhD student in Physiology under Dr. Kristopher Schwab. My general research as a part of Dr. Schwab's lab is studying the epigenetic and genetic regulation of heart development in both mammals and Drosophila Melanogaster.

Andrew Kump 

akump@sycamores.indstate.edu  

I am a Ph.D. student in the lab of Dr. Shaad M. Ahmad. I am researching aspects of cardiogenesis using Drosophila melanogaster as the model organism. My primary research interests are the genetic/molecular pathways involved in cardiac progenitor cell specification, cardiac progenitor cell division, and cytokinesis.

Sarah Moore

smoore90@sycamores.indstate.edu

I am pursuing my MS in Dr. Rusty Gonser’s lab, working on the White-Throated Sparrow Project, a long-term monitoring study of a population in the Adirondacks of upstate New York. The project focuses specifically on the unique reproductive ecology, behavior, and genetics of this polymorphic species. I am also examining the effect of habitat on nesting success at several spatial scales. 

Niladri Mondal

nmondal@sycamores.indstate.edu

 I received my Bachelor’s from Midnapore College in 2017 and Master’s from Vidyasagar University in 2019 with a major in Zoology from India. I joined the Dept. of Biology as a PhD student in Fall 2019 under the supervision of Dr. Hugo Gante. My current research involves using fishes as models to look at different aspects of body size evolution.

Danielle Muse

dmuse@sycamores.indstate.edu

Manoj Panta

mpanta@sycamores.indstate.edu

I am a PhD student in the lab of Dr. Shaad Ahmad. I am currently studying cardiac cell positioning and heart lumen formation, specification and differentiation of cardiac cell subtypes, and cardiovascular physiology. I am also a student member of The Center for Genomic Advocacy.

Sarah Worthington

sworthington1@sycamores.indstate.edu