Nick Allsing completed his master’s degree at San Diego State University, using both experimental and metagenomic techniques to study the microbes and viruses found in the Tijuana River. He is now a bioinformatics analyst in the Michael Lab, focusing on genome assembly for a variety of plant species. Outside of the lab, you would most likely find him on a hike, at a Padres baseball game, or binging a new favorite TV show.

Heidi earned her PhD in the labs of David Kingsley and Gill Bejerano at Stanford University, using computational and functional genomics approaches to understand the sequence basis of vertebrate traits. She is interested in similar research themes but now applied to plant biology – with the aim of supporting socially equitable greenhouse gas drawdown and climate change mitigation. Outside of the lab, you can usually find Heidi throwing at the ceramics studio, attempting a DIY project, playing soccer, or learning to surf at the beach.

Neil Hauser recently graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, with an emphasis in biochemistry. During his undergraduate studies, he engaged in research experiences in both a structural biochemistry lab and an exercise and nutritional science lab. His involvement in a study investigating the impact of almond consumption on overall health and immune function sparked Neil’s keen interest in plant-related research. This enthusiasm dovetailed seamlessly with Neil’s personal research in plant biology, fueled by his frustration and struggle with maintaining houseplants. These experiences eventually led him to discover HPI and Todd Michael’s lab. Now, Neil contributes to the genotyping team, focusing on introducing genetic modifications into plants to enhance root length and increase suberin content.

Jenni Kao is an undergraduate at UC Riverside studying Plant Biology with an emphasis on plant genetics and biotechnology. Her research projects consisted of utilizing bioinformatics to investigate the grape phylloxera aphid gene evolution and the effects of climate change on the Arctostaphylos species distribution in California. Kao spends her free time painting, gardening, and spending time with her cats and dog.

Justine Kitony is a postdoctoral fellow from Kenya. Before joining Salk, he worked as a scientist at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). Kitony earned his PhD in Agricultural Science from Nagoya University in Japan, where he developed and analyzed rice nested association mapping populations (aus-NAM). Kitony is working on identifying genetic signatures for improving crop productivity utilizing high-quality genomic sequences and phenotype data from Michael’s group. Currently, Kitony is constructing a sorghum pan-genome for genetic analysis of agronomic traits. Kitony’s research, in a nutshell, aims to provide genomic resources to be used in modern plant breeding programs while also expanding our understanding of plant biology in the face of the world’s growing population and changing climate.

Emily Murray graduated from UC San Diego with a BS in Microbiology. She conducted her undergraduate research investigating the microbiota-gut-brain axis, specifically, microbiota and metabolites associated with aging, longevity, and Alzheimer’s disease. She joined the Michael lab in 2022 as a research assistant, working on plant nucleic acid extractions and library preparations, including HMW DNA for long-read sequencing technologies. Outside of the lab, Murray enjoys surfing, gardening, and hiking with her family, friends, and wiener dog.

Lillian joined the Michael lab as a postdoctoral fellow in 2022. She is a recipient of the NSF PRFB “Plant Genome Postdoctoral Research Fellowship” to study the regulation of metabolic pathways in the glandular trichomes of hemp (Cannabis sativa) flowers. Lillian received her PhD from Oregon State University in July 2022. Her PhD research focused on genomic data science of hop (Humulus lupulus), which is a close relative of hemp. Lillian received a USDA-NIFA Predoctoral Fellowship (2020-2022) to study time-course gene expression of hop flowers and the chromosome-resolved genome assembly of hop. Outside of research, Lillian enjoys coffee and contemplation, spending time at the beach and in the woods, roller skating, and collecting books about the cultivation and history of hop and hemp.

Rachel Rattner-Norris completed her PhD at UC Riverside in Dr. Mikeal Roose’s lab, investigating the relationship between gene expression and fruit quality during fruit development in grafted citrus trees. After her PhD, she completed a postdoc with the USDA in Dr. Raymond Yokomi’s lab where she assembled and annotated new strains of Spiroplasma citri, the causal agent of citrus stubborn disease. During her time there, she also helped develop a fast, effective, field-deployable assay for early detection of Huanglongbing (HLB) in citrus. Rattner-Norris joined the Michael lab in 2022 and is contributing to genome engineering projects within HPI. In her free time, Rachel enjoys playing roller derby and playing her trombone.