Alumni 2024
| Name | Duration | Research | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Maggie LI | Fall 2021-Spring 2024 |
Federal Work Study (FWS) student Flower color evolution |
| Celeste Willets | Spring 2022- Spring 2024 |
Virus Induced Gene Silencing Federal Work Study (FWS) student
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Isabella Riccardi | Fall 2023-Spring 2024 |
Virus Induced Gene Silencing
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Alumni 2022
| Name | Duration | Research | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Kiethlyn Manalo | Summer 2022-Fall 2022 |
Federal Work Study (FWS) student Inflorescence structure of Solanaceae |
| Areebah Ahmed. | Fall 2021- Fall 2022 | Flower color pattern in Convolvulaceae | |
|
Ivy Nassar | Summer 2022-Fall 2022 |
Virus Induced Gene Silencing Flower color evolution of Magnolia |
| Timothy Shahinian | Summer 2022-Fall 2022 |
Virus Induced Gene Silencing Flower color evolution in Basal angiosperm |
Alumni 2020
Ghadeer Bukhari
Ph.D. in Integrative Life Sciences
Background
- Ph.D Integrative Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University
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M.S. Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University
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B.S. Department of Science and Education, King Abdulaziz University
Research Interests
I am interested in the evolution of floral symmetry in pentapetalous angiosperms, and the role of developmental mechanism and pollinators in shaping the floral morphology. I am also interested in using next generation sequencing methods to discover candidate genes for control dorsal and ventral identity of zygomorphic flowers of Schizanthus (Solanaceae).
| Name | Duration | Research | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Angela Nguyen B.S. | 2018-2020 | Virus Induced Gene Silencing |
| Nicholas Waldrop, B.S. | 2019 | Virus Induced Gene Silencing | |
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Jercy Merza, B.S. | 2020 | Flower color evolution of Solanaceae |
| Logan Miller, B.S | 2020-2021 | Flower color evolution |
Formal Post-doctoral Fellow
Jingbo Zhang
Email: teawhale@gmail.com
Background
- Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University 2015-2019
- Visiting Student, Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University 2013-2015
- Ph.D., Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences 2010-2015
- M.S., Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences 2007-2010
- B.S., College of Life and Environmental Science, Minzu University of China 2003-2007
Research Interests
My current research focuses on evolutionary developmental genetics of flowers, specifically the floral symmetry evolution in Solanaceae and Malpighiaceae families. I am also interested in systematic and evolutionary botany, involving investigation of phylogenetic relationships using a range of experimental approaches, including evidences from molecular data and paleobotany.
Alumni 2018
| Name | Duration | Research | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Farahnoz Khojayori, M.S. | 2016-2018 | Floral symmetry genes elucidate the development and evolution of oil-bee pollinated flowers of Malpighiaceae and Krameriaceae |
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Kevin Pucci, B.S. | 2017-2018 | Who's the mother and father of Schizanthus wisetonensis? |
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Brigitte Gallagher, B.S. | 2018 | Cloning of Krameriaceae and Zygophyllaceae CYC2 |
Alumni 2017
| Name | Duration | Research | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Ao Gao, M.S. | 2015-2017 | Evolution of antagonistic relationships in proteins: a case study of RADIALIS- AND DIVARICATA-like genes. |
 |
Kenji Mizoguchi | 2016-2017 | CYC2-like gene evolution in Solanaceae |
| |
Noha Mudhaffar |
Fall 2015 Fall 2016 |
Standardization of sequence names using Python-Directed Project (BNFO 692) Differential gene expression analysises fo teh RNA-seq data-Directed Project (BNFO 692) |
Alumni 2016
| Name | Duration | Research | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Switu Patel, B.S. | Spring 2016 | Cloning of CYC2-like genes from Solanceous plants |
| |
Farahnoz Khojayori, B.S. |
Summer 2015 2015-2016 |
Construction of CYC2 vectors for VIGS in tomato and tobacco
Genetic mechanism underlying the reversal to radial floral symmetry in Brachylophon from zygomorphic flowered ancestor in Malpighiaceae |
Alumni 2014
| Name | Duration | Research | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sarah McClanahan, B.S. | 2014 |
Morphological innovation and niche opportunity explain the diversification of Solanaceae and Reconstruction of floral symmetry evolution and viral induced gene silencing (VIGS) in Solanaceous plants |
| |
Cameron Winn, B.S. | 2014 | Comparing the efficiency of different inoculation methods using Viral Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) to study gene functions in desert tobacco |
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Melissa Walker, B.S. | 2014 | CYC2-like genes and their role in flroal symmetry |
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Matthew Hurd, B.S. | 2014 | Virus induced gene silencing(VIGS) in tobacco |
Alumni 2013
| Name | Duration | Research | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Tiara Meredith, B.S. | 2013 | Morphological changes in the Solanaceae family as it realted to pollinators |
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Amanda Munden, B.S. | 2013 | DNA Extraction of species of Solanaceae |
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Susana Ayad, B.S. | 2013 | DNA Extraction of species of Solanaceae |