Leslie S. Babonis - Principal Investigator
Pronouns: she/her
PhD - University of Florida, 2011
Former mayor; sorta famous.
Sarah Arnold, PhD student (she/her)
Sarah is interested in studying the role of stem cells and cell fate decisions in development and regeneration in Anthozoans, with a focus on cnidocytes in these contexts.
Kennedy Bolstad, PhD student (she/her)
Kennedy is broadly interested in the evolution of photosensitive cells, gene duplication, and the roles that these play during development. Her background is primarily in flatfish development, but she is eager to examine these questions in a cnidarian model during her PhD.
Emily Setton, PhD (she/her)
Postdoctoral Associate
Emily's research focuses on identifying the unique genetic program for appendage regionalization in cnidarians, and examining the relationship between appendage regionalization and an advantageous placement of traits.
Ana Hoffman Sole (she/her)
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Ana is interested in all things marine invertebrate! She is fascinated by evolution but still exploring what biology has to offer.
Rowan Lopez (he/him)
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Cornell Rawlings Research Scholar
Rowan is interested in the mechanisms that drive cnidocyte development in anemones and jellies. He is also interested in the evolution of kleptocnidy and gaining a genetic and physiological understanding on how organisms interact in their unique predator-prey relationship.
Visiting Scholar 2021-2022
Contact: Department of Biological Sciences
University of Washington, Bothell
Email: mds56@uw.edu
Postdoctoral Associate 2021-2022
Contact: Department of Biology
Westchester University
Email: MRamalho@wcupa.edu