Michaels Lab
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Todd P. Michael, PhD

Principal Investigator

Todd loves sequencing and analyzing plant genomes. At the Salk his group is part of the Harnessing Plant Initiative (HPI) that aims to develop crop plants that sequester more carbon via extensive root systems containing recalcitrant carbon polymers to fight climate change. Before joining the Salk, Todd directed genome centers at Monsanto, Abbott Laboratories, Rutgers University and the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), where his group sequenced thousands of plant, animal and microbial genomes. He received his PhD on the plant circadian clock from Dartmouth College in the lab of Rob McClung, BA from the University of Virginia where he worked in Michael Timko’s lab, and conducted Postdoctoral research in the lab of Joanne Chory at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
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        BENFICA XAVIER FERNANDO

        BIOINFORMATICS ANALYST

        Benfica earned her Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Southern California, where she focused on developing software applications for genomic data analysis. As a Software Developer, she is interested in utilizing her full-stack web development, data analysis, and cloud computing experience to work on bioinformatics pipeline. She has joined the Michael Lab as part of the Harnessing Plants Initiative (HPI), where she works on managing large-scale multi-modal data generated by the HPI. Her current focus is on developing standardized, automated, and reproducible infrastructure for data management. As part of this effort, she contributes to Bloom, a centralized data repository and web app designed to ensure data integrity and accessibility.

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              Nolan Hartwick

              Bioinformatics Analyst

              Nolan is a bioinformatics scientist advancing de novo plant genome assembly and annotation methods for the Michael group. Creating a high quality chromosome scale genomes is an important first step for working with non-model organisms. Before joining the Michael group, he completed a BS at UCSD in bioinformatics where he worked to develop plasmid identification and assembly methods for the SPAdes genome assembler.
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                    Ryan Lynch, PhD

                    Postdoctoral Fellow

                    Ryan is a plant biologist focused on utilizing genomic data to understand and improve crop species with the Michael group. His current projects focus on dormancy, stress tolerance and carbon storage traits. Prior to joining Salk, he worked as a plant breeder and technology developer, primarily focused on the re-emerging hemp industry. Ryan completed his PhD at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he worked with a variety of plant and microbial species.
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                          Emily Murray

                          GRADUATE STUDENT, SIO

                          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.