Find Academic Supervisors

Sarah BordensteinView profile

Academic

• Symbiosis
• Microbiome
• Evolutionary Biology
• +7 more

Sarah Bordenstein is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Biology at Pennsylvania State University, leading the Bordenstein Lab. She is affiliated with the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the One Health Microbiome Center. Her research focuses on symbiotic interactions between animals, microbes, and viruses, with emphasis on Wolbachia endosymbionts and their bacteriophages. Key projects include the Discover the Microbes Within! The Wolbachia Project , an education initiative engaging students in microbiology research. Her work investigates evolutionary principles governing microbial symbiosis, microbiome variation, and phage genetics. Notable discoveries include identifying genes in Wolbachia phage WO that influence male killing and cytoplasmic incompatibility. She also pioneered the concept of phylosymbiosis, demonstrating host phylogeny correlates with microbiome composition. Bordenstein’s research spans bacteriology, genomics, and virology, applying interdisciplinary methods to understand symbiosis outcomes in health and evolution. She advocates for science education through inquiry-based projects, empowering students to participate in real-world research. No scientific awards are explicitly listed in the provided text. Her lab’s activities include studying microbial contributions to host speciation, human microbiome disparities, and translational strategies for disease control using symbionts.

• Symbiosis
• Entomology
• Insect Microbiome
• +4 more

Martha Hunter is a Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Arizona, where she conducts internationally recognized research on insect symbionts and their evolutionary, ecological, and physiological impacts. Her work focuses on bacterial endosymbionts such as Cardinium, Rickettsia, and Burkholderia, examining their roles in cytoplasmic incompatibility, host speciation, and pest dynamics across diverse insect systems including whiteflies, parasitoid wasps, and scale insects. Her research spans symbiosis, entomology, and evolutionary biology with emphasis on molecular mechanisms of reproductive manipulation. She investigates how symbionts like Cardinium influence host fitness, behavior, and evolution through genomic, transcriptomic, and ecological approaches. Key areas include symbiont transmission, host-symbiont coevolution, and the ecological consequences of symbiotic relationships in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Analysis of her 2020-2025 publications reveals consistent focus on symbiont genomics and cytoplasmic incompatibility mechanisms. Her work employs cutting-edge techniques to study Cardinium's role in host manipulation, symbiont biogeography, and evolutionary arms races, contributing to biological control strategies and fundamental symbiosis theory. Recent studies emphasize environmental symbiont acquisition constraints and sex-specific molecular interactions. No scientific awards were mentioned in the provided text. As a professor in the Entomology department, Dr. Hunter mentors graduate students in the Entomology & Insect Science program and maintains an active research laboratory (contact: (520) 626-4094). Her collaborative projects indicate involvement in federally funded research on symbiont genomics and pest management, though specific grants are not detailed in the text. She leads a research team focused on insect-microbe interactions, utilizing the University of Arizona's resources including the Insect Collection. Her work bridges laboratory and field studies to understand symbiont dynamics in agricultural systems, particularly in the Sonoran Desert region, with applications for sustainable pest management.

Rupinder KaurView profile

Academic

• Host-microbe interactions
• Wolbachia symbiosis
• Cytoplasmic incompatibility
• +3 more

Dr. Rupinder Kaur is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Pennsylvania State University, where she investigates host-microbe symbioses with a focus on Wolbachia -induced cytoplasmic incompatibility. Her research integrates molecular biology, genetics, and entomology to decipher mechanisms of reproductive manipulation in insects. Prior to Penn State, she held positions at Vanderbilt University (Research Assistant Professor and Postdoctoral Researcher) and Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (Postdoc). Her educational background includes a PhD in Neurobiology from the University of Vienna (2013-2017), an MSc in Biotechnology from Lovely Professional University (2008-2010), and a BSc in Biotechnology from Punjabi University (2005-2008). Research specializations span: Molecular mechanisms of cytoplasmic incompatibility Wolbachia -virus-host tripartite interactions Prophage protein functions in sperm development Evolutionary dynamics of insect-microbe symbioses Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on symbiont-mediated reproductive manipulation, with recent breakthroughs in characterizing Wolbachia cif proteins' roles in sperm DNA modification. Award highlights include: Travel Grant from International Symbiosis Society (2015) Wellcome Trust Genome Campus Bursary (2014) Visiting Studentship from Fondazione Edmund Mach (2014) At Penn State's Bordenstein Lab, she contributes to collaborative projects on phage WO dynamics and microbiome-driven speciation while mentoring students in molecular symbiosis research.

Thomas MiedanerView profile

Professor

• Plant Breeding
• Resistance Genetics
• Genomic Selection
• +3 more

Thomas Miedaner is a Professor at the State Seed Breeding Institute of the University of Hohenheim, Germany. Since 1988, he has led the Rye & Biotic Stress Working Group, focusing on resistance genetics in cereals and maize. Academic Milestones : 2005 appointment as extraordinary professor, 1998 Habilitation in plant breeding Research Focus : Fusarium diseases, rust resistance, genomic selection, hybrid breeding systems, and cereal stress tolerance His career spans over 35 years with significant contributions to plant breeding and resistance genetics . Key research areas include: Molecular mapping of rust resistance genes Genomic selection in rye breeding Human-mediated plant/pathogen migration Fusarium-ergot interactions Hybrid rye breeding optimization Population genetics of cereal diseases Publications show a strong emphasis on genomic approaches for disease resistance and breeding methodology across multiple cereal crops. His work bridges classical breeding with modern genomic tools to address agricultural challenges. Key projects include: FusStalk: Fusarium stalk rot resistance in maize RoggenPop: Winter rye genomic selection for organic farming Hybrid rye breeding frameworks

Rupinder KaurView profile

Research Professor

• Symbiosis
• Microbiology
• Genetics
• +3 more

Rupinder Kaur is an Assistant Research Professor in the Bordenstein Lab within the Department of Biology at Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of Wolbachia endosymbionts in insects, particularly their impact on reproduction, symbiosis, and host biology. She investigates interactions between Wolbachia, host organisms like Drosophila melanogaster and Aedes aegypti, and environmental factors such as temperature and gut microbiome dynamics. Her work spans topics including cytoplasmic incompatibility, symbiont-mediated phenotypes, and genomic adaptations in invasive species. Recent studies highlight Wolbachia’s role in modifying sperm development, gut-germline axis interactions, and thermal preferences of hosts. These findings contribute to strategies for controlling insect pests and understanding symbiotic relationships. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided texts. She advises no listed students but collaborates in lab environments like the Bordenstein Lab, contributing to genomic and molecular analyses of symbiotic systems.

Seth BordensteinView profile

Professor

• Microbiome Sciences
• Symbiosis
• Evolutionary Biology
• +6 more

Seth Bordenstein is a Professor of Biology and Entomology, and the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Endowed Chair in Microbiome Sciences at Pennsylvania State University. He directs the One Health Microbiome Center, a large interdisciplinary initiative with 500+ members. His research focuses on microbiome diversity, symbiosis, and Wolbachia's role in arthropod biology, including mechanisms of cytoplasmic incompatibility and male-killing genes. Bordenstein also leads the global Discover the Microbes Within! educational program, fostering student engagement in microbiology research. His research interests bridge microbiology and macrobiology, emphasizing holobiont biology and the microbiome's impact on human, animal, and environmental health. Key contributions include identifying Wolbachia genes like cifA/B and wmk , and coining the term 'phylosymbiosis' to describe microbiome-host evolutionary relationships. Awards include the 2022 Huck Endowed Chair, 2020 Genetics Society of America Education Award, and Clarivate's Highly Cited Researcher designation. His work integrates lab research with outreach, aiming to address global health challenges through microbiome science. Labs/Teams: Bordenstein Lab, One Health Microbiome Center Affiliations: Departments of Biology and Entomology, HHMI Education Programs

• Endosymbiont Research
• Insect-Microbe Interactions
• Cytoplasmic Incompatibility
• +4 more

Matthew Rice Doremus serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Entomology within the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His research program investigates heritable microbial symbionts in arthropods, with particular emphasis on reproductive manipulators like Cardinium and Wolbachia . Dr. Doremus' research centers on endosymbiont-host evolutionary dynamics , specializing in cytoplasmic incompatibility mechanisms, symbiont-mediated sex ratio distortion, and multi-symbiont interaction networks in arthropod systems. His fingerprint analysis reveals dominant expertise in Symbiont Biology (100%), Cardinium research (75%), Cytoplasmic Incompatibility (59%), Aphid systems (43%), and Parasitoid Wasp associations (38%). Current projects examine how coinfecting symbionts collaborate in reproductive manipulation, evolutionary arms races between butterflies and bacteria, and physiological adaptations of widespread endosymbionts in invertebrate hosts. Recent publications demonstrate strong trends in molecular mechanisms of symbiont-induced phenotypes across diverse arthropod taxa, with increasing focus on transcriptomic and genomic approaches to understand host-symbiont coevolution. His 2025 review in FEMS Microbiology Reviews synthesizes Cardinium's ecological impact across invertebrate systems. Dr. Doremus actively collaborates with leading researchers including M. S. Hunter, S. Schmitz-Esser, and C. M. Stouthamer on projects spanning insect symbiosis, reproductive biology, and microbial ecology. His laboratory utilizes integrated approaches combining molecular biology, genomics, and experimental evolution to dissect symbiont-host interactions.

• Ubiquitin System
• Proteasome Assembly
• SUMO Modification
• +5 more

Mark Hochstrasser is the Eugene Higgins Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale School of Medicine, with joint appointments in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale Cancer Center, and Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program. He joined Yale in 2000 after completing his B.A. at Rutgers University, Ph.D. at UCSF, and postdoctoral research at MIT. His research focuses on fundamental regulatory systems in eukaryotic cells, particularly the ubiquitin system and related modification pathways. Major research areas include: Mechanisms of targeted protein degradation via ubiquitin-proteasome pathways Function and dynamics of SUMO and other ubiquitin-like protein modifications Proteasome assembly and regulation Molecular mechanisms of endosymbiotic bacteria (Wolbachia, Orientia) that manipulate host cells Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on protein modification systems, with recent work emphasizing proteasome biophysics, cellular aging pathways, and host-pathogen interactions involving bacterial deubiquitinating enzymes. Earlier work established foundations in ubiquitin ligase mechanisms and SUMO protease functions. Honors include: Young Investigator Award from Cancer Research Foundation Searle Scholar and Fletcher Scholar distinctions Elected Fellow of American Academy of Arts & Sciences Elected Fellow of AAAS Elected Fellow of Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering He leads the Hochstrasser Lab, directing research on ubiquitin system mechanisms using yeast and other model systems. The lab maintains collaborations across Yale departments and has contributed to understanding fundamental cellular processes with medical relevance.

Jeremy MarshallView profile

Associate Professor

• Evolutionary Biology
• Behavioral Ecology
• Genomics
• +3 more

Dr. Jeremy Marshall is an Associate Professor & Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Entomology at Kansas State University (KSU). He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (2000) and has held academic positions at KSU since 2006. His research focuses on evolutionary biology, behavioral ecology, and the genetic basis of adaptive phenotypes in insects, particularly the Allonemobius cricket species complex. Key topics include speciation mechanisms, postmating reproductive isolation, and environmental clines in traits like body size and diapause. Marshall’s work combines genomic, proteomic, and field studies to explore how genetic variation underpins adaptation and speciation. His lab uses advanced techniques like 2D-DIGE and RNA interference to identify proteins involved in reproductive isolation. He also investigates environmental influences on genetic traits, such as thermal tolerance and diapause plasticity. Notable contributions include sequencing efforts for cricket genomes and linking allele function to environmental fitness. Marshall teaches courses in entomology, behavioral ecology, and genetics at KSU. He actively mentors undergraduate and graduate students, fostering research projects in evolutionary biology and ecology. His lab facilities include molecular genetics labs, cricket breeding setups, and proteomics equipment. Collaborations with institutions worldwide highlight his role in advancing entomological research. His research has been funded by NSF grants, and his publications span journals like *Nature*, *PLoS One*, and *Genetics*. Marshall’s outreach includes curriculum development and undergraduate research programs, emphasizing hands-on learning and scientific communication.

John BeckmannView profile

Associate Professor

• Medical-Veterinary Entomology
• Biotechnology
• Wolbachia Symbiosis
• +2 more

John Beckmann is an Associate Professor in Entomology & Plant Pathology at Auburn University's College of Agriculture. His research integrates molecular biology, evolutionary algorithms, and biotechnology to study Wolbachia symbiosis, cytoplasmic incompatibility, and vector-borne diseases. Key innovations include AI-driven biotech tools and bite-blocking textiles for mosquito control. Dr. Beckmann leads NSF CAREER-funded projects on pathogen effector origins and incompatibility mechanisms. Publications span high-impact journals, with recent work on metagenomics, insecticide screening, and gene transfer. He mentors students in entomology and biotechnology, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to solve agricultural and medical challenges.

Dapeng ZhangmView profile

Associate Professor

• Bioinformatics
• Genomics
• Evolutionary Theory
• +3 more

Dapeng Zhangm, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Biology Department at Saint Louis University's College of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on using bioinformatics, genomics, evolutionary theory, and machine learning to address biological and health-related questions. Key areas include molecular mechanisms of biological conflicts (host-pathogen interactions, genetic conflicts), diversification of biomolecules, antibiotic resistance, protein domain classification, and development of novel bioinformatics methods. Education: Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Ottawa Research Interests: Dr. Zhangm's work spans computational biology and microbiology. He investigates polymorphic toxin systems, DNA modification systems, and bacterial anti-phage mechanisms. Notable projects include analyzing genomic underpinnings of Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility and machine learning-based approaches to predict antibiotic resistance. His lab also develops specialized databases for bioinformatics applications. Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes genomic analysis of microbial pathogens, structural biology of novel proteins, and evolutionary mechanisms of viral and bacterial systems. Over 30 peer-reviewed articles since 2008 reflect expertise in prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomics, with frequent collaborations in structural biology and computational genomics. Labs/Teams: Active in Dr. Zhang's lab at SLU, with research details available at his lab webpage .

Steve PerlmanView profile

Professor

• Evolution
• Entomology
• Symbiosis
• +2 more

Dr. Steve Perlman is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Victoria. His research focuses on the evolution and ecology of insect-microbe interactions, including defensive symbionts, parasites, pathogens, and selfish genetic elements. He teaches courses in entomology, evolution, molecular evolution, and research communication. Evolution Entomology Symbiosis Host-parasite interactions Selfish genetic elements Recent publications highlight his work on bacterial symbionts like Wolbachia and Spiroplasma, their genome evolution, toxin-mediated host protection, and genetic conflicts in Drosophila. The Perlman Lab investigates cryptic infections in insects, emphasizing their ecological and evolutionary impacts. No scientific awards or student advisories are listed in the provided text.

• Epigenetics
• Chromatin Biology
• Molecular Biology
• +7 more

Robert E. Kingston serves as Chief Academic Officer at Massachusetts General Hospital , affiliated with Harvard Medical School and the Department of Molecular Biology . His research focuses on epigenetic regulation , chromatin remodeling , and transcriptional control mechanisms . Key research themes include Polycomb group proteins, non-coding RNA interactions, and histone variant dynamics. His work bridges developmental biology and cancer epigenetics , particularly in leukemia aggressiveness and stem cell fate. Publication Trends : Recent studies explore chromatin condensate formation , nuclear autophagy , and genomic accessibility changes . 2025 work highlights inflammation regulation , while 2024 articles focus on clonal evolution in cancer and nucleosome compaction .

• Genomics
• Evolutionary Biology
• Entomology
• +4 more

Daniel Bruzzese is a Research Fellow at Yale School of Public Health , focusing on genomics, evolutionary biology, and microbiology of insect endosymbionts. His work addresses vector-borne diseases and host-pathogen interactions. Current research explores Wolbachia and Spiroplasma dynamics in tsetse and fruit flies. Key themes include ecological speciation, genomic surveillance of pathogens, and insect-microbe co-evolution. Email: daniel.bruzzese@yale.edu His publications examine comparative genomics, endosymbiont-driven resistance mechanisms, and evolutionary adaptations in disease vectors. No scientific awards or student advisement details are publicly listed.

Rebecca HealdView profile

Professor

• Cell Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Molecular Biology
• +3 more

Summary Rebecca Heald is the Flora Lamson Hewlett Chair and Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on cell division and size control mechanisms using Xenopus models. Key areas include spindle assembly, chromosome segregation, and organelle scaling across species and developmental stages. Her interdisciplinary work combines cytoplasmic extracts, synthetic cell systems, and comparative genomics to address fundamental biological questions. Research interests span Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis systems to study interspecies scaling and developmental scaling during embryogenesis. Current projects investigate spindle architecture regulation, metabolic rate scaling, and the molecular basis of genomic instability. Collaborations with institutions like Stanford and MIT enhance her lab’s interdisciplinary approach. Recent lab members include postdocs and graduate students exploring topics like Kleiber’s law, neuron development, and centromere stability. The lab emphasizes training future scientists, with alumni in academic and industry roles. Publications highlight discoveries in spindle dynamics, chromosome scaling, and hybrid inviability mechanisms. The lab’s work has implications for cancer pathology and evolutionary biology.