Previous Lab Members

Lab Members (previous)

Masters student: Noelle Schlenk (2021-2023) 
Noelle carried out excellent bioinformatic work in the Hileman lab to confirm proper assembly of one of our newest genomes, Penstemon kunthii, by linking the physical assembly to a genetic map derived from a cross between P. kunthii and P. amphorellae. She also putatively identified centromeres based upon DNA sequence characteristics. She is now a bioinformatics technician at Stanford University.

Technician: Kaylee Livingston (2020-2022)
In the Hileman lab, Kaylee contributed to dissecting the roles of flower symmetry genes in Mimulus lewisii, and our quantitative genetic work on Penstemon. She is considering graduate school in plant genetics as a next step.

Masters student: Taryn Dunivant (2018-2021) 
In the Hileman Lab, Taryn determined the function of CYCLOIDEA paralogs in Mimulus lewisii through both gene expression and functional (RNAi) studies. She was instrumental in brining M. lewisii stable transformation to the Hileman lab. She is now a Ph.D. student in Botany & Plant Sciences at U.C. Riverside.

Postdoc: Dr. Carolyn Wessinger (2014-2020) 
In the Hileman Lab, Carrie was instrumental in developing Penstemon as a model system. She determined macroevolutionary patterns associated with pollination syndrome transition in the context of a newly established phylogeny and she discovered the genetic architecture of trait transitions between bee- and hummingbird-adapted species. Carrie is now an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina. Here's a link to Carrie at USC.

Ph.D. student: Aniket Sengupta (2012-2019)
In the Hileman, Aniket demonstrated that the flower symmetry program likely functions as an integrated module in fruit development. And that it is from this ancestral function that the program was recruited for its role in establishing bilateral flower symmetry. Aniket is now a postdoc at St. John's University with Dr. Dianella Haworth. Here is a link to Aniket's website

Postdoc: Dr. Vibhuti Singh (2018)
In the Hileman's lab, Vibhuti investigated the role CYCLOIDEA in Mimulus lewisii. She was instrumental in establishing M. lewisii stable transformation protocols in the lab.

Ph.D. Student: Jack Colicchio: (2011-2016)
In the Hileman lab, and in collaboration with John Kelly, Jack determined how gene expression and DNA methylation is altered by variation in parental environment. He additionally demonstrated through field experiments that plastic responses to variation in parental environment can have important fitness consequences. Jack is now a postdoc at UC Berkeley with Dr. Ben Blackman.

Postdoc: Dr. Jill Preston (2007-2012)
In the Hileman lab, Jill determined patterns of conservation and diversification in both floral and flowering time developmental networks. Jill is now an associate professor at the University of Vermont.

Technician: Rebecca Orozco (2011-2012)
 In the Hileman lab, Rebecca worked on evolution in the flowering time pathway.  After leaving the lab, Rebecca completed her Master's in Library Science in Minnesota.

Master’s Student: Jacob Landis (2009-2011)
In the Hileman lab, Jacob investigated the developmental genetics of floral organ identity and petal cell shape in close relatives of snapdragon. He went on to receive his PhD working with Dr. Pam Soltis at The University of Florida, and is now a postdoc in the Koenig Lab at UC Riverside.

Technician: Laryssa Barnett (2006-2010)
Laryssa joined the Hileman lab as an undergraduate researcher her Senior year at KU, and stayed on as a technician in the lab for three years. Laryssa contributed significantly to many projects in the lab, primarily determining the genetic basis for epigenetic inheritance of trichome density in Mimulus and developing VIGS for Plantaginaceae species, Laryssa received her PhD working with Dr. John Willis at Duke University.

Technician: Matthew Kost (2005-2008)
Matthew joined the lab as an undergraduate, his Senior year at KU, and stayed on in the lab as a technician for two years. Matthews work in the lab was instrumental towards our goals of isolating symmetry genes from various non-model species, and in applying VIGS technology to various non-model species. Matthew received his PhD working with Dr. Kristin Mercer at Ohio State University.

Post-baccelaureate student (PREP program at KU): Ciera Martinez (2008-2009)
Ciera joined the lab after finishing her Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Northeastern Illinois University. She participated in the PREP program at KU and her main research focus was determining how the symmetry developmental network is functioning in Plantago. Ciera received her PhD working with Dr. Neelima Sinha at UC Davis, and is now a postdoc in the UC Berkeley Institute for Data Science.