Ecology of the insect microbiome
PEOPLE
ALUMNI
ADRIANA BAILEY
Undergraduate research assistant (Summer 2022-Spring 2024)
Adriana graduated with a BS in both Biology and Microbiology. She worked on a project investigating symbiotic pesticide degradation in the bug-Caballeronia symbiosis, and conducted her final research project on symbiotic pesticide detoxification by the Colorado potato beetle's gut microbiome. Adriana will start as a PhD student at UT Dallas in Fall 2024.
KAISY MARTINEZ
Undergraduate research assistant & LSAMP student (Summer 2021-Fall 2024)
Kaisy is majoring in Biology. She joined the Ravenscraft lab in the Summer of 2021 as an LSAMP student from Tarrant Community College, continued as a student employee, and eventually transferred to UTA. She worked on lethality experiments seeking to clarify why Leptoglossus phyllopus’ necessary symbiont, Caballeronia, isn’t vertically transmitted from generation to generation, assisted with bug rearing and colony maintenance, and conducted an independent research project on the comparative genomics of Caballeronia symbionts. Kaisy is currently wrapping up her genomics project with us while also conducting research in Esther Betran's lab.
JON ADAMSON
Lab technician (Spring 2020-Fall 2022)
Jon graduated magna cum laude from UTA in the Fall of 2019 with a major in Microbiology and a minor in Biochemistry. He had previous professional experience in plant health care and integrated pest management in ornamental flowers, shrubs, and tress. He joined as a lab tech in late Summer 2020 and became enthralled by the interplay between insect pests, their microbial symbionts, and the plants the pests eat. He did a little bit of everything, from raising plants to sequencing microbiome samples. Jon is currently applying his skills in microbial ecology as a wastewater operator in Denver, CO.
JEREMY WILSON
Undergraduate research assistant (Summer 2022-Fall 2022)
Jeremy majored in Microbiology and assisted with research on the gut microbiome of the grasshoppers Schistocerca americana and Schistocerca lineata.
LILLIAN STORM
Honors thesis project (joined fall 2022)
Lillian majored in Microbiology and earned the Uteach certification. She conducted her honor's senior thesis in Ravenscraft lab, comparing different methods for introducing Caballeronia into Leptoglossus’ environment to find the method with the highest efficacy. Her first-author manuscript was published in BIOS. She is currently teaching high school biology.
LEILANI LILLY
Undergraduate research assistant & LSAMP student (Spring 2020-Fall 2021)
Leilani majored in Microbiology and worked on several projects in the lab, including an experiment comparing the fitness outcomes of different Caballeronia strains for bugs, and a comparative summary of similarities and differences between the bug-Caballeronia and legume-Rhizobium symbioses. Leilani is currently a research associate at SRFC Bio.
ARSHYA TEHRANI
Undergraduate research assistant (Spring 2020-Spring 2021)
Arshya earned a double Major in Microbiology and Biology. He worked on projects including calculation of the growth speed of the lab's Caballeronia isolates at different temperatures and an experiment comparing the fitness outcomes of different Caballeronia strains. He is now a PhD student in Boll Lab studying antimicrobial resistance.
SAMANTHA MARTINEZ
Undergraduate research assistant & UROP student (Summer 2022 - Summer2023)
Sam majored in Microbiology and assisted with an experiment examining how association with leaf-footed bugs helps (or harms) the fitness of Caballeronia bacteria.
SHAIKH ULLAHANSARI
Undergraduate research assistant (Spring 2020-Fall 2020)
Shaikh majored in Biochemistry. During his time in Ravenscraft Lab he researched the differences in benefits conferred to hosts by different strains of Caballeronia and also managed to overcome his fear of bugs! Shaikh was admitted to the Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP) and plans to go to medical school.