Natalie Christian
PI |
Connor Morozumi
Postdoctoral Fellow I am a community ecologist interested in understanding mutualistic interactions in a changing world. My postdoctoral research will investigate how cover crops in soybean alter microbial community networks. Additionally, I will investigate how these interactions may be impacted by climate change by challenging plants with elevated CO2 and observing microbiome shifts. I will also be building synthetic networks of cover crops and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the lab. Before joining this lab group, I received my PhD in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution from Emory University in 2022 where I focused on how perturbations change plant-pollinator networks. Before that I completed a master’s degree from Oregon State University and undergraduate training at University of California, Santa Cruz. Visit Connor's website here! |
Allison Paolucci
PhD Candidate My research interests broadly focus on understanding how leaf endophytes influence plant secondary chemistry and physiology. During my PhD at UofL, I plan on taking a systems-based approach to investigate the effects of fungal endophytes in “chemically interesting” agricultural plants, such as cannabis. In 2020, I earned my master’s degree at Ohio University studying the effects of abiotic stressors on plant physiology and nutrient transport. Additionally, I am dedicated to promoting the involvement and success of underrepresented and underserved communities in science and research. |
Noelle Visser
PhD Candidate After receiving my master’s degree in medical mycology from the University of Manchester and investigating genetic variation in Candida albicans as a lab tech at the University of Michigan, I decided to revisit my initial introduction to research – fungal ecology. I’m interested in the various roles fungal foliar endophyte communities have in their host plants and how this may influence secondary metabolite production. Additionally, I will examine the anthosphere - the floral microbiome, investigating how fungal endophytes found in petals alter floral volatile composition profiles. I also want to bridge the subjects of history and science through organizations like botanical gardens. These institutes can serve as a source for cultivating environmental interest in the public as well as engage communities by providing access to hands-on educational programs, which are otherwise not readily available. |
Emma Throneburg
PhD Student
PhD Student
Christian lab alumni:
Kylea Garces (2020-2023)
Lucia Amani (2022-2023)
Hillary Payne (2020-2022)
Haley Sage (2020-2022)
Abigail Hazelwood (2021-2022)
Valeriya Kukharskaya (2021-2022)
Elizabeth Rogers (2021-2022)
Heba Qaissi (2021-2022)
Alexandra Matthews (2022)
Alexa Comissiong (2021)
Kylea Garces (2020-2023)
Lucia Amani (2022-2023)
Hillary Payne (2020-2022)
Haley Sage (2020-2022)
Abigail Hazelwood (2021-2022)
Valeriya Kukharskaya (2021-2022)
Elizabeth Rogers (2021-2022)
Heba Qaissi (2021-2022)
Alexandra Matthews (2022)
Alexa Comissiong (2021)