Gordon and Carol Treweek Assistant Professor, William H. Hurt Scholar

Engineering and Applied Science

Affiliated Faculty- Biology and Biological Engineering (BBE)

Foster and Coco Stanback Postdoctoral Fellow

Ph.D. Microbiology, University of California Berkeley

Sunnyjoy aims to investigate bacterial ecophysiology and evolution by integrating single-cell imaging techniques with metagenomics and metabolomics. For her PhD, she studied the ecophysiology of microalgae in the lab of Dr. Sabeeha Merchant. Sunnyjoy investigated how diurnal cycles and light stress influence algal gene expression and the way microalgae interact with heterotrophic bacteria using multiomics and stable isotope probing. Before her PhD, she engineered Clostridia for consolidated bioprocessing of lignocellulosic biomass at the National Laboratory of the Rockies. As an undergraduate, she researched algal treatment of municipal wastewater and dairy manure effluent. She is an aspiring yogi and pickle baller.

Foster and Coco Stanback Postdoctoral Fellow

co-advised by Alex Sessions

Ph.D. Geology, University of Colorado Boulder
B.A. Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley

During his doctoral work, Tristan developed and deployed novel stable isotope probing (SIP) approaches in order to study the dynamics of microbial activity and carbon cycling in soil, permafrost, and deep subsurface environments. As a postdoc, Tristan is keen to continue studying how microbial activity contributes to soil carbon dynamics and how ’omics and SIP methodologies can be coupled. Before his PhD, Tristan worked in Britt Koskella’s plant microbiology lab and the NASA Aerobiology lab. Outside of the lab, you can find Tristan outdoors, playing DnD, or having a blast with his two cats

Graduate Student (Biology)

B.S. Computational and Applied Mathematics and Statistics, The College of William and Mary (Virginia)

Grace’s research interests span from developmental biology to ecological microbiology, but her unifying focus is to utilize an integrative systems approach to answer complex biological questions.Outside of work, she enjoys roller-skating and finding any excuse to talk about her three lovely pets.

Graduate Student (Chemical Engineering)

BS. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering with a minor in Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology

During her time at Georgia Tech, Zahra studied atmospheric chemistry and low-cost particulate matter sensors under the direction of Dr. Sally Ng. After graduating, she worked at an Atlanta-based solid-state lithium battery company. Now in graduate school, she is interested in exploring the changing dynamics of soil microbial community carbon storage capacities due to climate change. In her free time, Zahra enjoys biking, gardening, thrifting, and crafting.

Graduate Student (Biological Engineering)

B.S. Biological Engineering with a minor in Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sal is interested in how microbial communities form and communicate. He wants to focus on the plant microbiome in hopes of more sustainable agricultural practices. In the past he worked in the Chisholm Lab at MIT studying Prochlorococcus, a marine cyanobacteria. His hobbies include rock climbing, hiking, gardening and cooking.

Graduate Student (Biology)-MD/PhD Candidate

B.A. Global Public Health with a minor in Biology, University of Virginia

Sarah’s research interests center on understanding and utilizing microbial community dynamics to improve human health, and is particularly interested utilizing microbial ecological techniques to identify pathogens and profile their antimicrobial resistance patterns. Sarah is also interested in the skin microbiome. She enjoys crocheting, urban gardening, and spending time with her two cats.

Rotating Graduate Student (Chemical Engineering)

Emma Khorunzhy is a first-year PhD student studying Chemical Engineering with interests in plant-soil interactions and microbial systems. During her undergraduate studies, her research focused on exploring new approaches to biosecurity testing in small-scale mesocosms, efficient nanofertilizer delivery in agriculture, and algal cultivation and transformation.

Rotating Graduate Student (Biology)

B.S. Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University

In undergrad, Eli studied the elk gut microbiome and its role in migratory behavior for his thesis under the supervision of Tyler Kartzinel and Bethan Littleford-Colquehoun. During school and after graduating, he also spent the past four years working as a seasonal wildland firefighter and fire effects monitor for the US Forest Service (Cibola NF, NM) and National Park Service (Yosemite NP, CA). Rotating with the Karthikeyan group, he hopes to pursue research at the intersection of microbial, soil, and fire ecology.

Rotating Graduate Student (Biology)

B.S Genomic Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico.

His undergraduate research through the SURF program focused on rhizosphere microbial genetic regulation of secondary metabolite production. As a PhD student, he studies plant health and development in the context of environmental sustainability and how microbes influence these processes. During his rotation in the Karthikeyan group he is testing novel protocols to visualize microbial communities across environments.

Divan Mejia Gonzalez (EAS) 2024-2025

Madison Tongco (GPS) 2025-Present

Nora Oshima (MC 131-24)