Professor

Research Specialist - Lab Manager

Postdoctoral Researchers

Graduate Students

Researchers and Research Interns

Current Undergraduate Students

  • Ivy Raya
  • Abigail Wu
  • Maya Pham
  • Raymond Tung
  • Syed Danish Ammar Syed Azam Fouzi
  • Diana Guadalupe Vera Villagomez
  • Quentin Hall
  • Jasnoor kaur
  • Varun Gowrisanker
  • Ruiying Wang
  • Birdie Cutter Dillon
  • Emma Isaak
  • Ireland McQuillan
  • Julius Meyer
  • Ava Johnson
  • Quinn Kiesow
  • Owen Hilquist
  • Annelise Rasmussen
  • Dylan Thurnbauer
  • Heather Allena Stoll
  • Skyler Her
  • Emily Stone
  • Katya Sopkovich
  • Elizabeth Ewald
  • Yuhao Wang
  • Chenyu Jiang
  • Harper Toberman
  • Samantha Holton

Alumni

and Former Visiting Scientists and Professors:
  • Paulo Ivan Fernandes Júnior (September 2022 - March 2024), Scientific Researcher at Embrapa Semiárido, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Brazil
  • Oswaldo Valdés-López (September 2022 - December 2022), Professor at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico 

Former Postdoctoral Researchers:
  • Manish Tiwari (June 2022 - December 2025) - Now Ramanujan Fellow, Department of Genetics, Delhi University, India
    Burcu Alptekin (June 2020 - September 2025) - Now Assistant Professor at the University of Ohio
  • Biswajit Samal (September 2022 - August 2025) 
  • Rafael Espejel Vanado (July 2022 - July 2025) -  Now at the  International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
  • Kimberly Gibson (June 2023 - March 2024) - Now Postdoc at Inclusive Innovation for Climate Smart Agriculture
  • Nivedita (December 2022 - November 2023) - Now Postdoc at the University of Wisconsin-  Madison
  • Sanhita Chakraborty (July 2018 – August 2023) - Now Postdoc at Texas A&M University
  • Jennifer Wilker (March 2021 - present) - Now Lead Bean Breeder at the Latin America and the Caribbean Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT
  • Christina Arther (July 2020 - June 2022) - Now Scientist at the US Dairy Forage Research Center of ARS-USDA
  • Claire Benezech (September 2021 - March 2022) - Now a postdoctoral researcher in France
  • April MacIntyre (August 2020 - January 2022) - Now, Soil Microbiologist at Valent Biosciences
  • Thomas Irving (December 2017 - October 2021) - Now, Postdoc at the University of Cambridge, UK
  • Vânia C. Silva Pankievicz (March 2018 – March 2021) - Now, at the Federal University of Paraná, Brazil
  • Devanshi Khokhani (January 2018 – August 2020) - Now an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota
  • Lucas Gontijo Silva Maia (January 2018 – February 2020) - Now Postdoc at the Wisconsin Crop Innovation Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Ray Collier (August 2016 – November 2017) – Now Molecular Services Department Research Manager at the Wisconsin Crop Innovation Center
  • Kevin Garcia (January 2014 – September 2017) – Now an Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University
  • Matthew Crook (January 2012 – June 2017) – Now an Assistant Professor at Weber State University
  • Angel R. Del Valle-Echevarria (January 2015 – December 2015) – Now, a postdoc at the University of Hawaii.
  • Dhileepkumar Jayaraman (August 2013 – December 2014) – Now works at the SAS software company.
  • Pierre-Marc Delaux (November 2011 - November 2014) - Now a Senior Researcher (Directeur de Recherches, DR1) at Centre de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France.
  • Muthusubramanian Venkateshwaran (April 2010 – August 2013) - Now, a Professor at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville.
  • Oswaldo Valdés-López (November 2012 - July 2013) Now a Full Professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
  • Arijit Mukherjee (January 2008 – July 2012) - Now an Associate Professor at the University of Central Arkansas.
  • Désirée Den Os (January 2008 – April 2010) - Now, Lecturer in Molecular and Plant Biology at Hanzehogeschool Groningen / Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, Netherlands.
  • Kannan Iyyamperumal (September 2005 – September 2006) - Now working for Applied Biotech Industries Inc.

Former Graduate Students:​​​
  • Cristobal Carrera Carriel (Ph.D. completed in August 2024, co-advised with Nancy Keller, Genetics Doctoral Training program, UW-Madison) - Now postdoc at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
  • Garrett Larsen (M.S. completed in June 2024, co-advised with Jyostna Mura, Plant Breeding, Plant Genetics program, UW-Madison) - Now at the Ocean Spray company.
  • Zachary Keyser (Ph.D. completed in May 2021, Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, UW-Madison) - Now Postdoctoral Research Scientist at Corteva Agriscience.
  • Shivangi Vayla (M.S completed in May 2020, Bacteriology, UW-Madison) - Now a Molecular Biologist at the Texas Health and Human Services.
  • Anthony Bortolazzo (Ph.D. completed in March 2020, Genetics Doctoral Training program, UW-Madison) - Now Senior Research Associate at Joint Genome Institute, CA.
  • Tomás Rush (Ph.D. completed in August 2019, Plant Pathology, UW-Madison). Now an Associate Staff Scientist in the Biosciences Division at the DOE Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL)
  • Lindsay Chamberlain (M.S. completed in August 2019, Agronomy, co-advised with Shawn Conley, UW-Madison)
  • Michelle Keller-Pearson (Ph.D. completed in August 2019, co-advised with Dr. Erin Silva, Cellular and Molecular Biology, UW-Madison). Now Life Sciences Instructor at Spokane Falls Community College
  • Marian Lund-Bolton (Ph.D. completed in May 2019, Plant Pathology, co-advised with Shawn Conley, UW-Madison). Now Plant Pathologist at Eurofins BioDiagnostics Inc..
  • Taylor Wahlig (Ph.D. completed in May 2019 with Dr. Charles Kaspar, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, UW-Madison). Now a CPEP Clinical Microbiology Fellow at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
  • Shane Bernard (M.S. completed in December 2018, Cellular and Molecular Biology, UW-Madison). Now a Scientist at PPD.
  • Kevin Cope (Ph.D. completed in September 2018, Cellular and Molecular Biology, UW-Madison). Now a postdoc at the DOE Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
  • David Marburger (Ph.D. completed in February 2016, co-advised with Dr. Shawn Conley, Agronomy, UW-Madison). Now Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University
  • Audrey Wiley-Kalil (Ph.D. completed in May 2015) (Plant Pathology, UW-Madison). Now a USDA Plant Pathologist at Williston Research Extension Center.
  • Kari Forshey (M.S. completed in June 2012, Genetics, UW-Madison). Now Academic Editor at American Journal Experts. 
  • Dhileepkumar Jayaraman (Ph.D. completed in May 2011) (Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, UW-Madison). Now, at the SAS software company. 
  • Li Huey Yeun (Ph.D. completed in May 2011) (Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics, UW-Madison).
  • Branden Furseth (M.S. completed in January 2011, co-advised with Dr. Shawn Conley) (Agronomy, UW-Madison). Now at Dow AgroSciences.
  • Muthusubramanian Venkateshwaran (Ph.D. completed in March 2010) (Plant Pathology, UW-Madison). Now Professor at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville.
  • Géraldine Lougnon (Ph.D. completed in May 2007, University of Paris XI, France). Now project director AMOA at Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.
  • Elsa Messinese (Ph.D. completed in May 2007, University of Toulouse, France). Now a biology teacher at Cours Esquirol Novétude Santé, Toulouse, France. 


​Former Staff Members:
  • Caelin Smith (September 2024 - August 2025)
  • Bren Myers (November 2022 - August 2024), now a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire
  • Shannon Dohr (January 2024 - August 2024), now a graduate student at Washington University
  • Lucas Crawford (January 2023 - February 2024), now a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Caitlin McLimans (May 2021 - April 2024)
  • Lauren King (June 2023 - December 2023)
  • Fletcher Robbins (May 2022 - May 2023), now a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Hayley Hirsch (May 2121 - May 2023), now a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Bjorn H. Karlsson (January 2021 - December 2022), now retired
  • Valentina Infante (February 2019 - September 2021), now a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Sophia Ward (August 2021 - August 2022), now a research specialist at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
  • Isabel Dello (August 2020 - July 2021), now a graduate student at Cornell University
  • Sarika Marathe (September 2021 - May 2022), now a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
  • Shivangi Vayla (July 2020 - July 2021), now a molecular biologist at Texas Health and Human Services
  • Bailey Kleven (May 2018 - March 2020), now a graduate student at Michigan State University
  • Danielle Graham (August 2015 - January 2016), now a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist at USDA 
  • Shanmugam Rajasekar​ (July 2013 - October 2016)
  • Coralie Barthelemy-Delaux​ (March 2013 - September 2013)
  • Maegen Howes-Podoll​ (December 2008 - December 2010), now Quality Coordinator at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory
  • Michael J. Donath (June 2008- September 2008), now an Engineering Technician at Illumina
  • Najia Zaman (February 2006 - May 2007), now a high/middle school biology teacher at the Granada Islamic School, CA
  • Nicole J. Burns (November 2004 - December 2005), now Scientist, Lab Medicine - Variant Analyst at the Children's Hospital Colorado​​

​Former Undergraduate Students, High School Students, Visiting Students:
  • ​Zan Abbas
  • Madeleine Afonso
  • Samuel Albiero
  • Veronica Albrecht
  • Paula Albright
  • Mushtaq Ali
  • Madilyn Anders
  • Christopher J. Anderson
  • Harleen Arora
  • Nada Arthur
  • Hannah Asher
  • Paula April Atsaves
  • Marcus Babcock
  • Norisha Badhwar
  • Laura D. Bagley
  • Isabella Ballard
  • Martha Elizabeth Row Barta
  • Kelsey M. Baubie
  • Ian J. Begeman
  • Anika Benske
  • Beth Berger
  • Addison Hanna Berglund
  • Shreya Berlia
  • Laurie Besinet
  • Dana Billing
  • Brianna Bixler
  • Madeline Blum
  • Joshua Kankam Boadu
  • Isabel Bowman
  • Mallori Boyd
  • Thiago Braga
  • Dhruv Amit Brahmbhatt
  • Sara M Colom Brana
  • Thomas W. Bryan
  • Adric Bulkes
  • Kristin R. Bush
  • Jamie Butler
  • Guesline Cadet
  • Colby A. Cantu
  • Swayam Chakraborty
  • Crystal Chan
  • Amber Chasteen
  • Yuxi Cheng
  • Nikolas Christoffel
  • Dina Elisa Cianca
  • Kaylee Cloghessy
  • Spencer Coffee
  • Marissa Cortopassi
  • Katelyn Cowdrey
  • Ronald Crandall
  • Lucas Joseph Crawford
  • Audrey Dalgarno
  • Mark Daniel
  • Ryan J. Dashek
  • Benjamin Victor Davre
  • Arnaud Desbiez-Piat
  • Angad Dhariwal
  • Mariam Diaby
  • Krysberly Dinges
  • Jenna Dorshorst
  • Jade Duncan
  • Liv Duncan
  • Grace Durand
  • Brett East
  • Zachary Erickson
  • Bryan Ernsting
  • Juan C. Fabela
  • Walker Fanning
  • Stuart Benjamin Fass
  • Misti D. Finton
  • Gary Flores
  • Ember Foreman
  • Syed Danish Ammar Syed Azam Fouzi
  • Alisa Fox
  • Kristi Freibergs
  • Madigan Freng
  • Maia Fries
  • Emmeline Fung
  • Alexandre Galea
  • Shimeng Gao
  • Paige Garot
  • Breahna C. Giles
  • Kaia Gray
  • Adam T. Greenwood
  • David S. Gronwall
  • Steven Gruber
  • Matt Guyader
  • Patrick Halbach
  • Emily Halter-Lindquist
  • Isaac L. Hanson
  • Vanessa Hass
  • Tyra Haugen
  • Xu He
  • Lukas Heins
  • Brian Hibler
  • Hayley Hirsch
  • Dan Holmes
  • Trevor Holten
  • Brianna Holubets
  • Jennifer M. Homer
  • Brooke Hooper
  • Mark Valentin Horton
  • Alison Hotvedt
  • Annie Huang
  • Ariff Dziqri bin Ismadi
  • Annabelle Iverson
  • Kenneth Delwyn Jackson
  • Hailey Jaschob
  • Mark Jasinski
  • Alyssa Joachim
  • Brian Joers
  • Brooke Lynn Johannes
  • Ava Johnson
  • Avery Johnson
  • Daniel J Jones
  • Langston Jones
  • Younji Jung
  • Aniketh Kancherla
  • Katherine Keller
  • Elias Immanuel Kemna
  • Nabah Khondaker
  • Quinlan Kiefer
  • I Seul Kim
  • Jong Hwan (Greg) Kim
  • Sam Kim
  • Zoe Klein
  • Allison Klingelhofer
  • Eric Klingensmith
  • Nicolette Klucas
  • Brandy Koehler
  • Wesley Kohls
  • Andi Koslowski
  • Tenzin Kunga
  • Keeley C. Kuru
  • Jeffrey Kusiak
  • John Lawrence Nicholson Kwan
  • Trenton Laack
  • Gregory C. Laffen
  • Rachelle Laffen
  • Claire Maryann LaFleur
  • Erica Coretta Lange
  • Daniel Corbier de Lara
  • Joseph Lara
  • Brent Larsen
  • Kelsey Larsen
  • Matthew Laton
  • Eve Lazarski
  • Philip Le
  • Michael Lee
  • Sarah Lee
  • Alyssa M Lentine
  • Katelyn A. Levene
  • Adam B. Levin
  • Owen Lilleleht
  • Jenna Litscher
  • Holiday (Yang) Liu
  • Hannah Lucas
  • Cali Jayne Lunowa
  • Nathalie Ly
  • Nilroth Ly
  • Cristina Macias
  • Axel Ramirez Madera
  • Maxime Magne
  • Esha Iyer Mahalingam
  • Joanna Maki
  • Mathilde Malbreil
  • Kayla Martens
  • Chelsea J. Martin
  • Dana Martins
  • HannahRose Mayer
  • Patrick Mayer
  • Will McDonald
  • Ian McIntire
  • Isaac McKeon
  • Caitlin McLimans
  • Mitchell T. Meagher
  • Jenna Mehre
  • Robert Mettelman
  • Syd Midgorden
  • Sabrina Miller
  • Caroline Mitchell
  • Andrew Samuel Molodchenko
  • Alyssa Morrow
  • Ally Murray
  • Sunita Nadendla
  • Owen Nation
  • Derek Nedveck
  • Joshua Lawrence Nemser-Sherhob
  • Lina Nguyen
  • Nguyen Nguyen
  • Molly O'Neill
  • Alexis Oliver
  • Paxton Paine
  • Jason Pan
  • Anthony Joseph Panciocco
  • Minsu Park
  • Soyoung Park
  • Luke Parrella
  • Keshav Parthasarathy
  • Kahaan Patel
  • Leah Patullo
  • Kaley Pederson
  • Lincoln Peppard
  • Kevin Perthel
  • Annika Peterson
  • Owen Petrich
  • Victoria Cvetelinova Petrinski
  • Maya Pham
  • Samuel Pierre-Louis
  • Kristine Pineda
  • Jaime Quackenbush
  • Daniel Ramberg
  • Will Ranger
  • Ivy Raya
  • Leila Reder
  • Gunnar Reichenberger
  • Benjamin S. Reimer
  • McKenna Riley
  • Kriti Rishi
  • John Rivera
  • Delmarie Riviera
  • Mohammed Al Riyami
  • Kourtnei Robinson
  • Miguel Rosas
  • Bella Fae Rupnick
  • Emma Saksa
  • Fadima Samboal
  • Chiara Sanders
  • Charles-Etienne Sauvé
  • Nathaniel Schleif
  • Kimberly Schnell
  • Steven C. Scholzen
  • Emily Schroeder
  • Julia Dorothy Schultz
  • Brett Schwartz
  • Lauren A. Schwartzburg
  • Anna Schwenn
  • Greta Schwiesow
  • Delaney Grace Seffrood
  • Brittany Seidl
  • Walter Selver
  • Alhaji Sesay
  • Jonathan Edward Setzke
  • Ajay Shah
  • Kwangdeok Shin
  • Sara Siddiqui
  • Carl Simmons
  • Arlen Slaymaker
  • Abigail L. Smith
  • Brendan Smith
  • Caelin Smith
  • Katherine Stanek
  • Maxwell Steeples
  • Edward Joseph Steigerwald
  • Justin Patrick Stensloff
  • Tyler James Stichart
  • Emily Stone
  • Chongzhi Sun
  • Vaishnav Sunkireddy
  • Andrew Svendsen
  • Erin Sweeney
  • Bee Tan
  • Maizah Tariq
  • Erica Taylor
  • Pich Tea
  • John Wilson Terlap
  • Rachel Thompson
  • Dylan Thurnbauer
  • Harper Toberman
  • Tian Tran
  • Raymond Tung
  • Nikki Uelmen
  • Nandhitha Vankatesh
  • Matthew Vanwychen
  • Kelly Verhaalen
  • Connie V. Vo
  • Sheradin Vorpahl
  • Audrey Wachter
  • Adam Waite
  • Morgan Walcheck
  • Adrian Wallner
  • Ben Wang
  • Bin Wang
  • Ruiying Wang
  • Yunqian (Tristan) Wang
  • Mitchel S Wanta
  • Andrew J. Wiederhold
  • Mary Sefton Wilkinson
  • Luke Willems
  • Ryan Williams
  • Abigail Wu
  • Mingda Wu
  • Chen Yang
  • Dean Hoon Yun
  • Chester J Zara
  • Mark Zimmermann
  • Damien Zingaro
  • Ashley Zlotocha