BBS Faculty Considering Graduate Students

Listed below are faculty who are interested in accepting rotating graduate students during the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters. Please know that this is not an exhaustive list of graduate faculty and that there are additional faculty looking for students not recorded on the list below.  Applicants to the BBS program are strongly encouraged to contact faculty members prior to applying to the program, however, it is not required.  You can learn about the work of all the BBS faculty on the Research Areas page. Individuals admitted to the BBS PhD program are admitted to the 1^st year cohort and not a specific faculty member’s lab. Admitted students are required to complete three lab rotations during their first year before officially joining a lab. 

Adler, Carrie (Molecular Medicine) - Stem cell biology in planarian flatworms; organ regeneration; transcriptional and cell biological responses to tissue injuries; animal behavior 

Barrow, Joeva (Nutritional Sciences) The goal of the Barrow lab is to employ proteomic, genomic, and metabolomic techniques to investigate metabolic and bioenergetic pathways in order to identify novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of metabolic disorders. Our research interest centralizes around mitochondrial biology with a dual integrated focus.

Bloodgood, Jennifer (Public & Ecosystem Health) As both a wildlife veterinarian and biologist, I have a broad interest in free-ranging wildlife health and disease. I have particular interests in pathology, infectious disease, and the interface of human and wildlife health, and enjoy mentoring students and working in interdisciplinary teams to tackle real-world issues.

Brito, Ilana (Biomedical Engineering) - Pioneering experimental and computational methods to explore host-microbiome interactions as it pertains to autoimmune disease and cancer, specifically with respect to direct protein-mediated interactions; Probing host-microbiome systems to understand the triggers of horizontal gene transfer and antibiotic resistance.

Butcher, Jonathan (Biomedical Engineering) - Mechanobiology of development; developmental signaling reactivation in adult cardiovascular diseases; tissue engineering and regeneration

Caddy, Sarah (Microbiology & Immunology) - I am particularly interested in maternal antibodies, which are transferred from mother to infant in all mammalian species. It is amazing that these antibodies can be both protective against infection and yet inhibitory for vaccines at the same time. 

Cazer, Casey (Clinical Sciences) - Epidemiology of zoonotic diseases, evidence-based medicine, and One-Health; developing methods to improve antimicrobial resistance surveillance and track multidrug resistance

Cerione, Richard (Molecular Medicine) - Signal transduction growth factor receptors; protein structure; drug design and chemical biology; signaling cues that direct cell proliferation, differentiation and development

Cohen, Paula (Biomedical Sciences) Studies in our lab are focused on the regulation of meiosis in mammals, with special emphasis on how meiotic recombination is controlled.  We focus primarily on the role of various DNA repair pathways, most notably the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) family. Initially characterized by their function in repair of DNA, and their role in the etiology of human colorectal cancer, the MMR family is important for genome stability in a variety of organisms.

Crane, Brian (Chemistry & Chemical Biology) - Metalloenzyme structure and catalysis; protein electron transfer; nitric oxide enzymology; bacterial chemotaxis; circadian clock photo sensors

Das, Arunika (Biomedical Sciences) - Our research explores the epigenetic mechanisms of chromosome inheritance that preserve genome integrity in the female germline and embryo. We are investigating mechanisms by which specialized histones that direct chromosome segregation, evade age related decay in oocytes, and undergo epigenetic resetting in embryos to prevent errors. We combine cell biology techniques like fixed and live quantitative imaging with genetics, and biochemistry to interrogate how these special histones tackle various challenges in early development.

De Mestre, Mandi (Biomedical Sciences) - processes for a healthy pregnancy and delivery of a neonate, pathologies that compromise pregnancy. Improve diagnostics and treatments for pregnancy conditions, primarily in the mare

Diel, Diego (Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences) - Molecular and applied Virology - from virus-host interactions to rational vaccine development. 

Delco, Michelle (Clinical Sciences) Dr. Delco's research aims to understand how joint injury leads to arthritis in horses and humans. Specifically, she is investigating mitochondria, the energy-producing centers of the cell, as a link between cartilage trauma and osteoarthritis. The goal of her research is to develop new strategies to improve healing and prevent irreversible joint disease and chronic pain in equine and human athletes who suffer orthopedic injuries.

DeLisa, Matthew (Chemical and Biomedical Engineering) The DeLisa laboratory is working to address this need by bridging fundamental biological and chemical concepts with new tools for interrogating and manipulating biological machinery directly in living cells. A major goal of the DeLisa group is to engineer the protein machinery of simple bacteria for solving complex problems in biology and medicine.

Doerr, Tobias - (Microbiology) - We study how bacteria build and maintain a healthy cell envelope and resist killing by antibiotics

Dongre, Anushka (Biomedical Sciences)- Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition as a driver of resistance to anti-tumor immunity

Donnelly, Callum  (Clinical Sciences) - Theriogenology

Evans, Jacquelyn (Biomedical Sciences)- hereditary diseases in dogs to identify genetic variants contributing to disease development 

Fiorella, Kathryn (Public & Ecosystem Health) - Planetary Health/One Health, fisheries, livelihoods, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, environmental change

Fowell, Deborah (Microbiology & Immunology) - Spatiotemporal regulation of T cell immunity at tissues sites of infection and inflammation.

Gamble, Amandine (Public & Ecosystem Health) - I investigate what drives hosts’ contributions to pathogen dynamics across biological scales, from host-pathogen molecular interactions to host species interactions. To do so, I combine theoretical, observational, and experimental approaches, and consider various study systems in the lab and in the field, including emerging bat-borne viruses and their hosts, and bacterial pathogens of endangered seabirds. I collaborate with stakeholders to translate scientific outputs into sustainable, targeted solutions against pathogen threats, with the focus on ecological interventions.

Gilbert, Martin (Public & Ecosystem Health) - I am interested in pursuing health-related research that has direct relevance to the conservation of wildlife, particularly carnivores and scavengers. This includes approaches to understand how endangered species are impacted at a population level by infectious disease (such as canine distemper virus in free-ranging Amur tigers), as well non-infectious agents (such as the pharmaceutical diclofenac in Asian vultures).

Goodman, Laura (Public & Ecosystem Health) Population and clinical studies; Pathogen discovery and surveillance, with focus areas on tick-borne disease and antimicrobial resistance; exploring the underlying mechanisms of infectious disease emergence and identifying biomarkers to detect and prevent emerging threats to humans and animals

Han, Chun (Microbiology &  Genetics)- neurobiology of sensory systems- studies the mechanisms of dendrite morphogenesis and neurodegeneration using Drosophila sensory neurons as a model system

Hollopeter, Gunther (Molecular Medicine) - Endocytic mechanisms in multicellular systems. We use C. Elegans to study cellular machines 

Hu, Fenghua (Molecular Biology & Genetics) - Molecular and cellular mechanisms of neurodegeneration; Protein homeostasis; Lysosome biology

Ichikawa, Saki (Molecular Medicine) My group integrates chemical biology, organic chemistry, and chemical proteomics to explore the intricacies of protein modifications and their impacts on biological systems.

Ivanek, Renata (Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences) - Epidemiology and ecology of infectious and foodborne diseases; mathematical modeling; spatial epidemiology; risk assessment; public health

Jiang, Shaoyi (Biomedical Engineering) - (1) low-immunogenic and targeted mRNA/lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for cancer and autoimmune disease vaccines and gene editing; (b) endogenous virus-like extracellular vesicles for the treatment of neuro diseases and cancer, (c) biomaterials for cell therapy, iPSC-derived cell products, and cancer organoids.

Johnson, Elizabeth (Nutritional Sciences) Her work focuses on understanding how metabolite production by the gut microbiome influences host phenotypes as well as how the lipid content of host diets affects the establishment of the microbiome. 

Kawate, Toshi (Molecular Medicine) - Structures and mechanisms of membrane proteins that regulate extracellular signaling

Kim, Jongmin (Biomedical Sciences) - Gene silencing in germ cells. How is chromatin modified to block inappropriate transcription? We use fly and mouse genetics to understand evolutionarily conserved epigenetic mechanisms in spermatogenesis. 

Kimaura, Satoshi  (Microbiology & Immunology) Kimura lab focuses on translation mechanisms in bacterial pathogens.

Kwan, Alex (Biomedical Engineering)- neuroscience, drug impact on neural circuits, systems neuroscience approaches to measure the impact of psychiatric drugs on neural circuits in mice

Lammerding, Jan (Biomedical Engineering) - Cellular biomechanics; mechanotransduction; cell migration; muscular dystrophy and cancer cell biology

Lau, Colleen (Microbiology & Immunology) - Our research aims to leverage the unique ability of NK cells to acquire adaptive features in order to explore immune memory in the context of classic antigen-dependent and more unconventional antigen-independent memory responses. We combine multi-omic approaches with genetic mouse model systems to interrogate in vivo, in vitro, and in silico how different signals integrate to generate an immune memory program.

Lazzaro, Brian (Ecology & Evolutionary Biology) I am interested in the evolutionary genetics of insect-pathogen interactions. I am especially interested in identifying genetic and environmental factors that contribute to infection outcomes, focusing on both host and microbe factors that shape the kinetics of infection. 

Lee, Esak (Biomedical Engineering) - Organ-on-a-chip, Tissue engineering, Lymphatics, Cancer, Immunoengineering

Lee, Siu Sylvia (Molecular Biology and Genetics) Research in the Lee lab aims to elucidate the molecular basis of aging and age-dependent pathologies.

Lewis, Karl (Biomedical Engineering) - we interrogate how the acute sensing mechanisms in musculoskeletal cells relate to tissue level changes in healthy and disease states

Lujan, Marla (Nutritional Sciences) - Nutritional regulation of fertility; endocrinology and metabolism; polycystic ovary syndrome; ultrasonography

Mann, Sabine (Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences) - Metabolic diseases and insulin signaling; nutrition; epidemiology; metabolic and nutritional immunology

Markenscoff- Papadimitriou, Eirene (Molecular Biology & Genetics) - gene-regulatory mechanisms that generate diversity during brain development; probe function of human genetic variants linked to autism

McArt, Jessica (Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences) - Epidemiology of periparturient diseases in dairy cattle; disease economics; on-farm methods for accurate disease diagnosis

McGeachy, Mandy (Microbiology & Immunology) - Th17 cell differentiation: unique signaling pathways and mechanisms, Th17 interactions with lymph node stromal cells, and consequences for adaptive immunity

Mitchell, Katharyn (Clinical Sciences) - Large Animal Internal Medicine

Nishimura, Nozomi (Biomedical Engineering) - vasculature, immune, inflammatory systems and cells native to a tissue interact in disease states 

Nwosu, Zeribe (Molecular Biology and Genetics) The Nwosu lab focuses on cancer metabolism and therapy. The goal of the lab is to identify and study novel mechanisms through which cancer cells acquire/use nutrients and to explore strategies for disrupting such processes for cancer therapy. 

Peters, Joseph (Microbiology) - We are generally interested in genomic stability and chromosome evolution, especially how these are impacted by mobile DNA elements.  We have a special interest in molecular mechanisms mobile elements capable of moving between positions in the genome called transposons use to limit damage to the host and maximize the process of horizontal transfer. 

Plowright, Raina (Public & Ecosystem Health) Dr. Raina Plowright’s research program develops the science of pandemic prevention through transdisciplinary leadership, innovation, and translation. Her work advances a One Health approach by bridging the best available science in disease dynamics with effective public health practice and meaningful policy. Her systematic and interdisciplinary approach focuses on four areas of inquiry: Transmission of pathogens between species, Links between land-use change and pathogen spillover, Dynamics and drivers of viral pathogens in reservoir host populations, and Implementation of science for the protection of ecosystem and human health.

Rudd, Brian (Microbiology & Immunology) - Towards a better understanding of the development and function of the adaptive immune system

Sardana, Richa (Molecular Medicine) - We study how membrane protein trafficking and quality control mechanisms surveil the membrane proteome, and how their dysregulation results in human disease.

Schang, Luis (Microbiology & Immunology) - Role of cellular protein, lipids, and glycans play in viral infection

Schuler, Krysten (Public & Ecosystem Health) - Infectious and parasitic diseases of free-ranging terrestrial wildlife,
Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance and response, Disease risk assessment, Geographic epidemiology, Wildlife health database integration, and Wildlife health education

Sethupathy, Praveen (Biomedical Sciences) - Functional genomics; gene regulation; molecular genetics; gastrointestinal physiology; stem cell biology; metabolic disease

Simmons Jr, Glenn (Biomedical Sciences) - We utilize molecular biology and high throughput screening approaches to investigate fundamental questions about the biology of cancer cells in the pursuit of lessening the overall cancer burden

Smolka, Marcus (Molecular Biology & Genetics) - Cell signaling and genome maintenance; DNA replication stress; Phosphoproteomics

Song, Jeongmin (Microbiology & Immunology) - Typhoid toxin, Salmonella Typhi, Bacterial AB toxins, Vaccines, Antibodies, Typhoid fever, Chronic/persistent infection

Tumbar, Tudorita (Molecular Biology & Genetics) - Elucidating the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms implicated in cell fate choice and stem cell activity within tissues.

VanderVen, Brian (Microbiology & Immunology) understanding the host and bacterial systems that Mtb (causative agent of Tuberculosis) relies on to maintain persistent infections in mammals

Wang, Meng (Nutritional Sciences) I am a hematology physician scientist fascinated by how nutrition and metabolism can cause DNA damage in our body, how this can affect ageing and cancer, and motivated to translate this knowledge to novel therapy. 

Weiss, Robert (Biomedical Sciences) - Molecular mechanisms for the maintenance of genomic stability; cellular responses to DNA damage; mouse models of human cancer

White, Andrew (Biomedical Sciences) - Cancer biology; stem cell biology; biochemistry and cell biology

Whittaker, Gary (Microbiology and Immunology & Public and Ecosystem Health) - The structure and function of viral envelope proteins—how genomic mutations lead to changes in the envelope proteins and control viral pathogenesis in influenza viruses and coronaviruses—SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and feline coronaviruses; novel vaccines and diagnostic test development.

Wiedmann, Martin (Food Science) - Infection/agent; molecular pathogenesis of food-borne and zoonotic bacterial diseases; ecology and evolution of bacterial antimicrobial resistance

Wolfner, Mariana (Molecular Biology & Genetics) - Genetic, molecular, developmental, and evolutionary studies of seminal proteins' functions in fertility, and of mechanisms of egg activation and initiation of embryogenesis; investigate conserved phenomena in reproductive biology, using primarily the Drosophila model system

Xu, Chris (Applied and Engineering Physics) Research of the Xu Group has two main thrusts: biomedical imaging and fiber optics. We are exploring new concepts and techniques for in vivo imaging deep into scattering biological specimens, such as mouse brain. We are developing new medical endoscopes for non-invasive real-time diagnostics of tissues without any exogenous contrast agent. We are developing novel optical fibers and fiber-based devices for biomedical imaging and optical communications.

Yu, Haiyuan (Computational Biology)  Quantitative and experimental systems biology, Statistical genetics
Comparative genomics, Machine learning, Molecular evolution, Disease prognosis analysis