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Brett McKinnonView profile

Research Fellow

• Cell Biology
• Genetics
• Reproductive Biology
• +4 more

Dr Brett McKinnon is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland. His research focuses on understanding the cellular and genetic mechanisms underlying endometriosis and related reproductive disorders. He completed his PhD in 2008 at UQ and pursued postdoctoral training at the University of Bern, Switzerland, investigating endometriosis, ovarian cancer, and inflammatory pathways. Since returning to Australia in 2016, he has led projects such as the Endometriosis Research Queensland Study (ERQS), integrating genetic and clinical data to improve diagnostics and treatments. His work includes developing patient-derived organoid models and spatial transcriptomics to study disease mechanisms. Dr McKinnon collaborates with the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and is actively involved in translational research, aiming to translate findings into clinical applications. Education: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Queensland (2008) Bachelor (Honours) of Physiology, University of Queensland Research Interests: Dr McKinnon’s research emphasizes the role of individual cells and genetic architecture in disease initiation, particularly in endometriosis. He investigates inflammatory and metabolic components of reproductive tissues, develops in vitro models for disease modeling, and explores the interaction between genetics and environment. His work highlights the importance of cellular differentiation, microenvironmental changes, and hormonal influences in disease progression. Grants & Funding: Current grants include projects on organoid-based precision medicine (Endometriosis Australia), hormonal influences on inflammation (NIH), and stem cell maturation mapping (NHMRC). Past funding supported projects on environmental risk factors and organoid sphere generation. Labs & Collaborations: He leads studies within the Genomics of Reproductive Disorders laboratory and collaborates with the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. His lab focuses on spatial transcriptomics, histopathological analysis, and computational modeling to advance endometriosis research.

• Temperate Forest
• Climate Change
• Forest Management
• +5 more

Susanne Suvanto is a Research Fellow at the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research (BIFoR), part of the University of Birmingham's School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences. Her research focuses on the intersection of forest management, climate change, and ecosystem dynamics, with particular emphasis on European temperate forests. Her research interests span temperate forest ecosystems, climate change impacts, forest management practices, tree mortality patterns, harvest rate analysis, and carbon mitigation potential. Dr. Suvanto investigates how forest management interacts with climate change to affect forest health and carbon cycling, with a geographic focus on European forests. Her work combines large-scale data analysis with ecological modeling to understand complex forest dynamics across spatial and temporal scales. Analysis of her recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a consistent focus on understanding how climate change interacts with forest management practices, particularly in European contexts. Her research employs multi-dimensional approaches to examine water stress strategies, carbon mitigation potential, and the relationship between harvest rates and forest mortality. The work demonstrates increasing sophistication in modeling forest disturbance patterns and harvesting regimes across continental scales. Dr. Suvanto served as Co-Investigator on the EU-funded 'Forest management-mortality interactions - quantification of management effects on tree mortality and implications for carbon cycling' (ForMMI) project from November 2020 to October 2022, working alongside Principal Investigator T. Pugh. This collaborative project examined how forest management practices affect tree mortality and carbon cycling in temperate forests.

Hauke ReuterView profile

Associate Professor

• Theoretical Ecology
• Ecosystem Research
• Ecological Modelling
• +5 more

PD Dr. Hauke Reuter serves as Work Group Leader for Spatial Ecology and Interactions at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Bremen, Germany, within Programme Area 4 – Ecosystem Co-Design towards a sustainable Anthropocene. Holding a habilitation in Ecology since 2007, he leads research on complex marine ecosystems with emphasis on theoretical approaches and modeling. His academic credentials include: Diploma in Biology (MSc) from University of Kiel (1994) PhD in Ecology from University of Bremen (2000) Habilitation in Ecology from University of Bremen (2007) Reuter's research integrates theoretical ecology with practical conservation challenges, focusing on trophic interactions, food web structure, and biodiversity dynamics in marine systems. His work employs individual-based models and cellular automata to examine cross-scale ecological processes, particularly in coral reefs and seagrass ecosystems. Current investigations address phase shifts in tropical marine habitats under climate change and anthropogenic pressures, with field sites across Southeast Asia and East Africa. This approach bridges fundamental ecological theory with sustainable resource management applications. Analysis of his recent publications reveals strong thematic concentration on marine ecosystem resilience, particularly examining nutrient enrichment effects, species invasions, and socio-ecological dimensions of coastal management. His work demonstrates consistent methodological innovation in ecological modeling while maintaining applied relevance for conservation policy in tropical regions. Reuter contributes to academic training through the International Studies in Aquatic Tropical Ecology (ISATEC) program, teaching courses in ecological modeling, spatial-temporal processes, and specialized topics including biodiversity assessment and environmental risk analysis. His research portfolio includes significant projects such as GeneRisk, SIGMEA, and GenEERA, reflecting interdisciplinary collaboration across ecological, social, and computational domains. As leader of the Spatial Ecology and Interactions working group, he directs integrated research combining field observations with advanced simulation techniques to address Anthropocene challenges in marine ecosystems. The group maintains active field programs in Indonesia, Tanzania, and the Mediterranean, focusing on human-environment interactions in vulnerable coastal zones.

• Vegetation Ecology
• Ecological Modelling
• Grassland Biodiversity
• +3 more

Dr. Franziska Taubert leads the Grassland Modelling working group at the Department of Ecological Modelling, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, Germany. Her research integrates vegetation ecology, ecological modeling, and Digital Twin technologies, focusing on grassland biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem functions. She developed the GRASSMIND model for simulating plant growth in managed grasslands. Research Interests: Her work investigates biodiversity emergence in grasslands, plant trait-environment relationships, and vegetation pattern analysis using field data and remote sensing. Methodologically, she specializes in process-based modeling and Digital Twin applications for environmental systems. Key Projects: EU-Horizon BioDT: Developing a Digital Twin for grassland biodiversity (WP6 Leader) LandTrans: Leading vegetation modeling team (GRASSMIND/FORMIND) PhD College LISA: Modeling socio-ecological impacts of grasslands iDiv Flexpool: Remote sensing of grassland diversity (Co-PI) Her recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on ecological modeling (43%), biodiversity (29%), and Digital Twin applications (21%), with grassland ecosystems being the dominant focus (86%).

Carolyn WessingerView profile

Assistant Professor

• Evolutionary Genetics
• Plant Biology
• Pollination Syndromes
• +9 more

Carolyn Wessinger is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina in the Department of Biological Sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on the genetic mechanisms underlying trait variation and evolution in plants, particularly in the genus Penstemon , using population genomics, QTL mapping, and phylogenetic modeling. She explores topics such as convergent evolution, hybridization, and the maintenance of floral adaptations in the face of gene flow. B.S., Biology – Brown University Ph.D., Biology – Duke University (advised by Mark Rausher) Postdoctoral Research – University of Kansas (collaborating with Lena Hileman and John Kelly) Her work investigates how complex adaptations arise and persist during plant radiations, with an emphasis on transitions between bee and hummingbird pollination syndromes. Recent studies examine the role of introgression in adaptive trait evolution, the genetic architecture of floral traits, and the ecological consequences of pollination shifts. Publications highlight macroevolutionary patterns, genomic divergence, and pigment dynamics in hybrid zones. The lab has trained numerous students and postdocs, including NSF-funded researchers, and emphasizes diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism in scientific training. Collaborations extend to institutions like the University of Kansas and University of Oregon. Future research directions include expanding comparative studies across multiple Penstemon clades and integrating ecological modeling with genomic data.

Eric M. RodriguezView profile

Associate Professor

• Psychology of Religion
• LGBTQ Issues
• Identity Conflict and Integration
• +12 more

Eric M. Rodriguez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Science at the School of Arts & Sciences, City University of New York (CUNY) - New York City College of Technology. His academic work bridges psychology, religion, and identity, with a focus on LGBTQ individuals of faith. He is actively involved in research, teaching, and mentoring undergraduate students. Education: Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate Center, 2006 M.Phil. in Social/Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate Center, 2003 M.A. in Psychology, CUNY Graduate Center, 1998 B.A. in Psychology (Anthropology Minor), Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1993 (Magna Cum Laude) His research interests include the psychology of religion, identity conflict and integration, positive psychology, personality psychology, and social psychology, particularly as they relate to LGBTQ people of faith. He explores how individuals reconcile religious beliefs with sexual and gender identities, emphasizing resilience, growth, and social justice. His recent publications focus on LGBTQ Muslims, transgender religious resilience, identity integration, and stress-related growth. The articles reflect a strong interdisciplinary approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods, with recurring themes in intersectionality, spirituality, mental health, and identity development across diverse religious and cultural contexts. He has not received any explicitly mentioned scientific awards. Dr. Rodriguez mentors numerous undergraduate students at City Tech, many of whom have co-authored presentations and publications with him. He is actively involved in grant-like research initiatives such as the LGBTQ Muslim Experience Study and the Identity Integration Measure Project, though specific external funding sources are not listed. His future research plans include expanding survey studies, developing psychometric tools, and exploring links between personality traits and faith-based identity integration. He leads and participates in research teams including the LGBTQ People of Faith Working Group and collaborates with students and colleagues such as Christopher Etengoff and F. Kurniawan on international projects related to LGBTQ mental health in Muslim communities.

György BarabasView profile

Associate Professor

• Theoretical Ecology
• Ecological Modeling
• Community Dynamics
• +7 more

György Barabas is an Associate Professor (Docent) at Linköping University, affiliated with the Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM) within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. His research is centered in the Division of Biology, where he conducts theoretical and computational studies in ecology and environmental modeling. Research Interests: His work focuses on theoretical ecology , particularly species coexistence, community dynamics, food web structure, and the impacts of climate change and habitat loss on biodiversity. He employs mathematical, statistical, and computational models to analyze complex ecological systems and large datasets. The recent publications indicate a strong trend in mechanistic and trait-based modeling of ecological communities, integrating individual variation and transient dynamics. His work spans both pure ecological theory and interdisciplinary applications, including ethical aspects of environmental policy. Articles appear in top-tier journals such as American Naturalist , Ecology Letters , and PLOS ONE , reflecting a broad impact across ecology and evolutionary biology. Scientific Awards: No awards mentioned in the provided text. Advising and Grants: No information available regarding students, advising, or research grants. There is no mention of funded projects or mentorship roles in the current data. Labs and Research Teams: Research is conducted within the Division of Biology at IFM, focusing on integrative ecological modeling. While no specific lab name is provided, the work is collaborative and involves interdisciplinary modeling efforts at Linköping University.

Alessandro CasaView profile

Associate Professor

• Mixture Models
• Modal Clustering
• Graphical Models
• +5 more

Alessandro Casa is an Associate Professor of Statistics at the Faculty of Economics and Management, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (Italy). His research focuses on developing statistical methodologies for high-dimensional and complex data, including latent variable models, density-based clustering, and applications in spectroscopy. He holds a PhD in Statistics from the University of Padova (2016-2020), preceded by master's and bachelor's degrees in Statistical Sciences and Statistics, Economics, and Finance, both from the University of Padova. Education: PhD in Statistics, University of Padova (2016-2020) Master Degree in Statistical Sciences, University of Padova (2014-2016) Bachelor Degree in Statistics, Economics, and Finance, University of Padova (2011-2014) Research Interests: Mixture models, modal clustering, graphical models, variable selection, latent variable modeling, high-dimensional data inference, computational statistics, and chemometrics. His work often addresses challenges in spectroscopic data analysis and applications in agriculture and physics. Teaching: Statistical Methods for Business Analysis (MSc programs) Research Methods and Experimental Design (Tourism Management) Statistics for Tourism, Sport, and Event Management (BSc) Professional Experience: Associate Professor (2024–Present), Free University of Bozen-Bolzano Senior Assistant Professor (2024), University of Bergamo Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2019–2021), University College Dublin Labs/Teams: Collaborations with Vistamilk SFI Research Centre and Insight SFI Research Center during his postdoctoral tenure. Active in model-based clustering research communities, contributing to conferences and workshops globally.

Eric TurkheimerView profile

Professor

• Behavior Genetics
• Quantitative Psychology
• Genetics of Intelligence
• +7 more

Eric Turkheimer is the Hugh Scott Hamilton Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, affiliated with the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts & Sciences. His work bridges empirical research, quantitative methods, and philosophical inquiry in psychology. Institution: University of Virginia School: College of Arts & Sciences Department: Department of Psychology Academic Rank: Professor Email: ent3c@virginia.edu Twitter: @ent3c His research centers on the genetics of complex behavior, especially how genes and environments interact to shape intelligence, personality, and family dynamics. He is particularly interested in sibling differences, parenting, marriage, and divorce, and he develops innovative methods for assessing personality while controlling for self-esteem bias. His philosophical work examines the implications of behavior genetics for human agency and free will. The most recent articles reflect a sustained focus on polygenic scores, heritability, gene-environment interactions (e.g., the Scarr-Rowe effect), and the philosophical foundations of behavioral genetics. His publications span topics from technical statistical methods to broader social and ethical implications, indicating a deeply interdisciplinary approach that integrates psychology, genetics, and social science. While no specific awards are listed in the provided texts, his leadership of a research lab, editorial contributions, and public scholarship through his blog Gloomy Prospect and online presence underscore his influence in the field. He actively mentors graduate students, seeking those with strong quantitative and writing skills interested in genetics, intelligence, personality, and philosophy of science. He teaches courses on the Nature-Nurture debate and Experimental Psychopathology. His lab, the Turkheimer Lab, conducts empirical and theoretical research on behavior development.

Carol Garzon LopezView profile

Assistant Professor

• Spatial ecology
• Remote Sensing
• Biodiversity conservation
• +6 more

C.X. (Carol) Garzon Lopez is an Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Campus Fryslân, University of Groningen. She leads research on spatial ecology, biodiversity monitoring, and knowledge infrastructures, focusing on Latin America and tropical ecosystems. As director of Verde Elemental, she promotes ecological knowledge dissemination in Spanish. Her work bridges ecology with social factors influencing biodiversity understanding. Research Themes: Multi-scale biodiversity analysis using remote sensing (UAV, satellite) Impact of knowledge infrastructures on ecological science Spatial biases in species distribution modeling Páramo ecosystems resilience to climate change Recent Work Trends: Recent articles emphasize spatial bias mitigation in ecological modeling, Latin American biodiversity monitoring challenges, and urban biodiversity assessment methods. Her work integrates drone technology with traditional ecological methods to improve conservation strategies. Labs/Initiatives: Oversees Verde Elemental, a platform advancing Latin American ecological research visibility. Active in developing transdisciplinary frameworks for sustainable knowledge systems.

• Ecology
• Disturbance Ecology
• Fire Ecology
• +3 more

Mali Hubert serves as Assistant Professor of Biology and Chair of Natural Sciences at Tennessee Wesleyan University, leading departmental operations while maintaining active research and teaching responsibilities in biological sciences. Her research centers on ecological responses to anthropogenic disturbances, particularly the dual pressures of urbanization and wildfire. She investigates plant community dynamics across natural-wildland-urban gradients, with extensive fieldwork in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Her interdisciplinary approach bridges ecosystem science and environmental education, examining both vegetation responses (including mycorrhizal fungi systems) and human dimensions like undergraduate attitudes toward disturbances. This work reveals critical insights into biodiversity loss, disturbance synergies, and conservation challenges in anthropogenically altered landscapes. Analysis of her 2019-2024 publications shows consistent methodological focus on gradient studies and disturbance interactions. Key trends include quantifying fire severity-urbanization synergies on plant communities, documenting disrupted biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships, and developing educational interventions to shift student perceptions of wildfires. Her work uniquely integrates biophysical ecology with social science metrics to address complex environmental challenges.

Aida Gomez-RoblesView profile

Associate Professor

• Paleoanthropology
• Human Evolution
• Evolutionary Biology
• +7 more

Aida Gomez-Robles is an Associate Professor in Paleoanthropology at the University College London (UCL) Department of Anthropology , with affiliations at UCL’s Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment (GEE) and the Natural History Museum’s Life Sciences Department . She holds a BSc in Biology (2004) and a PhD in Biological Anthropology (2010) from the University of Granada, Spain. Postdoctoral Fellow, Konrad Lorenz Institute (2011–2012) Postdoctoral Fellow, George Washington University (2012–2017) UCL-Excellence Research Fellow, UCL GEE (2017) Lecturer in Palaeoanthropology, UCL Department of Anthropology (2018–present) Her research focuses on human evolution , with emphasis on dental evolution , brain plasticity , and comparative anatomy . She employs geometric morphometrics and population genomics to analyze hominin fossils and explore the interplay between genetic and anatomical variation. Recent studies examine brain endocast accuracy , Neanderthal origins , and cranial asymmetry in primates . She teaches Palaeoanthropology modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including hands-on fossil analysis and critical evaluation of evolutionary claims. Collaborations with UCL’s GEE and the Natural History Museum highlight her interdisciplinary approach to studying hominin evolutionary transitions , such as brain size increases and locomotion adaptations .

Claudia Solis-LemusView profile

Assistant Professor

• Statistical Phylogenomics
• Microbiome Analysis
• Network Modeling
• +5 more

Claudia Solis-Lemus is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with dual appointments in the Department of Plant Pathology within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. Her work bridges statistical methodology development with biological applications, focusing on creating computationally efficient models that maintain biological interpretability and theoretical guarantees. Dr. Solis-Lemus earned her PhD in Statistics and MA in Mathematics, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her academic journey has positioned her at the intersection of statistics, computational biology, and evolutionary genomics. Her research program centers on three interconnected areas: statistical phylogenomics, microbiome analysis, and the application of deep learning in biological contexts. In statistical phylogenomics, she develops novel methods to reconstruct phylogenetic networks that can account for reticulate evolutionary processes like hybridization and horizontal gene transfer. Her work in microbiome analysis focuses on creating statistical frameworks to model microbial communities as networks and use these networks to predict host phenotypes. In deep learning applications, she addresses challenges in applying neural networks to biomedical data by developing methods with statistical guarantees and improved interpretability. Analysis of Dr. Solis-Lemus's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on developing computationally efficient methods for analyzing complex biological networks. Her work spans from theoretical advances in phylogenetic network inference to practical software implementations for microbiome analysis. A notable trend is her focus on creating methods that balance statistical rigor with computational tractability, particularly for large-scale biological datasets. Her research increasingly integrates machine learning approaches with traditional statistical methods to address challenges in evolutionary biology and microbiome research. Dr. Solis-Lemus has received significant recognition through competitive grants including: NSF CAREER Award (DEB 2144367) for "Towards Scalable and Robust Inference of Phylogenetic Networks" USDA Individual Hatch grant for "Enhanced interaction and network statistical models for microbiome data" DOE Computational Tool Development award for "Harnessing the power of big omics data" USDA-NIFA hatch project 1023699 for "Novel interaction and network statistical models for microbiome data" NSF IntBIO Collaborative Research DEB Award 2316269 USDA NIFA award for "Unraveling The Microbial Mechanisms That Mediate Disease Resurgence In Plants" Dr. Solis-Lemus actively mentors a diverse research group including postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, MS students, and undergraduates. Her lab is supported by multiple grants totaling millions of dollars, enabling research that spans from theoretical statistics to practical applications in agriculture and medicine. She has successfully secured funding from NSF, DOE, USDA, and industry partners, demonstrating the broad relevance of her work across multiple domains. The Solis-Lemus Lab operates as an interdisciplinary team bringing together statisticians, biologists, computer scientists, and domain experts. The lab maintains strong collaborations with researchers across UW-Madison and nationally, particularly in plant pathology, microbiology, and evolutionary biology. They develop open-source software tools that are widely used in the scientific community, including PhyloNetworks for phylogenetic network analysis and CMiNet for microbiome network construction.

• Genetic epidemiology
• Statistical genetics
• Lipid genetics
• +6 more

May E. Montasser, PhD, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Based in Baltimore, she has been on the faculty since 2012, bringing over a decade of expertise in genetic epidemiology and statistical genetics to bear on complex human disease. Dr. Montasser earned her PhD at the Human Genetic Center, University of Texas School of Public Health, followed by two post-doctoral fellowships—first at the same institution and then at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. Research Interests: Genetic epidemiology of lipids and cardiometabolic traits Statistical methods for genome-wide, whole-exome and whole-genome association studies Pharmacogenetics of antidiabetic and antiplatelet therapies Epigenome-wide association studies (lipids, blood pressure, diabetes) Multi-ethnic and founder-population genetics (Amish, TOPMed, CHARGE) Her work spans large consortia such as the NHLBI TOPMed Program, CHARGE, and multiple international collaborations. Notable discoveries include novel lipid-associated loci on chromosomes 5 and 9, and the functional characterization of a cardioprotective missense variant in B4GALT1 . Scientific Awards & Honors: No specific awards are listed in the provided text. Collaborations & Funding: NHLBI Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) program CHARGE consortium epigenomics working group Amish Research Clinic longitudinal studies Multiple R01-level and consortium grants for genomic and pharmacogenomic research Laboratory & Teams: Dr. Montasser works within the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Nutrition and maintains active collaborations with the Program for Personalized and Genomic Medicine and the Institute for Clinical & Translational Research at the University of Maryland. She mentors trainees through consortium projects and contributes to institutional cores in statistical genetics and high-performance computing.

Konrad TalbotView profile

Associate Professor

• Alzheimer's Disease Research
• Parkinson's Disease Research
• Brain Insulin Resistance
• +5 more

Konrad Talbot, PhD is an Associate Professor at Loma Linda University School of Medicine with dual appointments in both the Pharmacology Division and Pathology Division. His research spans neuroscience, neuropharmacology, and the intersection of metabolic disorders with neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Talbot's primary research interests focus on brain insulin resistance in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. His extensive work has explored the therapeutic potential of incretin receptor agonists (such as GLP-1 analogs) for treating Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. He has made significant contributions to understanding how these diabetes medications cross the blood-brain barrier and potentially ameliorate cognitive decline associated with insulin resistance in the brain. Another major research focus has been on schizophrenia pathophysiology, particularly investigating the role of dysbindin-1 in synaptic function and how its disruption leads to cognitive deficits characteristic of schizophrenia. His work has connected molecular abnormalities in dysbindin-1 with NMDA receptor hypofunction and working memory impairments. Analysis of Dr. Talbot's recent publications (2022-2024) reveals a consistent trajectory in two main research streams: neurodegenerative diseases with emphasis on brain insulin resistance and incretin-based therapeutics, and schizophrenia research focusing on dysbindin-1 and synaptic protein networks. His work shows progression from basic molecular mechanisms toward potential clinical applications, with increasing emphasis on detailed pharmacokinetic studies of incretin receptor agonists in the brain. Dr. Talbot's research has been published in high-impact journals including Nature Medicine, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Alzheimer's and Dementia, and Molecular Psychiatry. His work bridges basic neuroscience with translational applications, particularly in repurposing diabetes medications for neurodegenerative conditions.