Hannah Reynolds

Hannah Reynolds is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Western Connecticut State University. Her research focuses on fungal evolution and ecology, particularly the genomic mechanisms driving pathogen adaptation and environmental resilience. She teaches courses in microbiology, soil ecology, and senior research.

Her research interests span:

• Fungal genomic responses to environmental stressors
• Evolution of hallucinogenic mushroom gene clusters
• Nitrate assimilation shifts in White-nose Syndrome pathogen
• Soil fungal communities under anthropogenic impacts

Recent publication trends highlight interdisciplinary work combining field studies, genomic analysis, and computational modeling to understand fungal pathogenesis and ecological adaptation.

Student Opportunities: She supervises research projects for WCSU's M.S. in Integrated Biodiversity, including fieldwork for White-nose Syndrome monitoring and local fungal biodiversity surveys.