Karlen Enid Correa Vélez
MS, PhD (she/her)
I am a Puerto Rican and Latina Postdoctoral Research Fellow studying host–microbe interactions using a Vibrio–oyster model to understand how Vibrio bacteria adapt to changing environments and colonize new hosts. When I'm not in the lab, I enjoy scuba diving and discovering new beers! Cheers! 😊
MS, PhD (she/her)
I am a Puerto Rican and Latina Postdoctoral Research Fellow studying host–microbe interactions using a Vibrio–oyster model to understand how Vibrio bacteria adapt to changing environments and colonize new hosts. When I'm not in the lab, I enjoy scuba diving and discovering new beers! Cheers! 😊
Kayla Simanek
MS, PhD (she/they)
Kayla is studying the regulation of rugosity and hyper-biofilm forming subpopulations in Vibrio vulnificus. They are interested in the role of bacterial cell heterogeneity during infections
and how it contributes to bacterial evolution and adaptation.
MS, PhD (she/they)
Kayla is studying the regulation of rugosity and hyper-biofilm forming subpopulations in Vibrio vulnificus. They are interested in the role of bacterial cell heterogeneity during infections
and how it contributes to bacterial evolution and adaptation.
Research Associates
Patricia Forsythe
title/pronouns
info about patricia
Sara Palmer PhD (she/her)
I am an Assistant Scientist/lab manger in the van Kessel, Limoli, and Bisson labs. I am a Michigan State Alum where I received a BS in Microbiology. I attended University of Florida for Grad school, where I earned a PhD in Biomedical Research with a focus in Immunology and Microbiology. When not in the lab, I enjoy staying active and being outdoors. I also enjoy spending time with my family and pets.
I am an Assistant Scientist/lab manger in the van Kessel, Limoli, and Bisson labs. I am a Michigan State Alum where I received a BS in Microbiology. I attended University of Florida for Grad school, where I earned a PhD in Biomedical Research with a focus in Immunology and Microbiology. When not in the lab, I enjoy staying active and being outdoors. I also enjoy spending time with my family and pets.
Graduate Students
Chase Mullins (she/her)
I am a sixth-year Microbiology PhD student studying how Vibrio bacteria sense and respond to nutrient availability and bacterial population numbers. Outside of lab, I can be found running or hiking across Indiana!
Logan Geyman (he/him)
I’m a 5th year graduate student. My research focuses on determining the mechanism of action for quorum sensing inhibitors in the human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus. Outside the lab you can find me with my cats and a book, running, or playing pickle ball with my husband.
Zach Celentano, MS Biotechnology (he/him)
I work on the biochemistry of SmcR type proteins and their inhibitors in Vibrios using techniques such as X-ray crystallography, protein pulldowns, and structure-activity relationship assays. In my free time you can find me at the gym, hiking, or gardening!
Dante Nguyen (he/him/any pronouns)
I’m a second-year PhD student in the Microbiology program, interested in flagellar regulation and synthetic relationships in the QS system. You can always find me singing and dancing (loudly) :)
Marielle Jackson (she/her)
I am a second year biochemistry graduate student in the lab. I’m from Fishers, Indiana, and earned my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Purdue University. My research focuses on elucidating the structure of a native ligand to SmcR, a transcription factor that regulates quorum sensing in Vibrio vulnificus.
Victoria Lydick (she/her)
My research investigates coordinated virulence activities in the bacterial pathogen, Vibrio coralliilyticus, through live coral infections in our Coral Facility. Outside of lab, I’m singing karaoke, crafting, blasting music, and laughing with my husband.
Molly Kosiba (she/her)
I’m a Biotechnology M.S. student. My research focuses on developing and optimizing transposon mutant libraries across multiple Vibrio coralliilyticus strains to study the type VI secretion system. Outside of lab, I love going on walks, cooking new recipes, and watching scary movies.
Undergraduates
Alyssa Fuhrman (she/her)
I'm a senior studying Microbiology and Molecular Life Sciences. I'm working with Dr. Kayla Simanek. to study Vibrio vulnificus and factors that influence bacterial phenotypes, motility, and biofilm formation. Outside of lab, I like to read, bake, play with my dogs, and watch the campus squirrels.
I'm a senior studying Microbiology and Molecular Life Sciences. I'm working with Dr. Kayla Simanek. to study Vibrio vulnificus and factors that influence bacterial phenotypes, motility, and biofilm formation. Outside of lab, I like to read, bake, play with my dogs, and watch the campus squirrels.
Lindie Feldman
Info about Lindie
Info about Lindie
info about new undergrad
Lab Alumni
Graduate Student AlumniRyan Chaparian (2015-2020), Jost Strnat (2016-2019), Jane Newman (2017-2021), Alyssa Ball (2017-2021), Blake Petersen (2017-2022), Payel Paul (2019-2025), David Ferguson (2021-2022), Emra Klempic (2021-2022), Zach Celentano (2021-2022), Tanmaya Rasal (2021-2025), Finley Andrew (2022-2023), Zeus Elumba (2022)
Research Associate AlumniJimmy Healy (2014-2016), Chelsea Simpson (2017-2024), Evan Schneider (2018-2019), Victoria Lydick (2019-2026), Zach Celentano (2022-2023)
Undergraduate and Post-Bacc AlumniChristine Hustmyer (2014-2018), Lydia Joyner (2016-2017), Kaitlin Mann (2017-2018), Meghan Russell (2018-2021), Cole McCutcheon (2014-2016), Stephen Olney (2014-2016), Alyssa Harvey (2016), Jordan Bjortomt (2016-2017), Andrew Wilson (2016-2017), Caitlin Kamplain (2017-2019), Ying-Po Yang (Albert) (2018-2020), Michael Liu (2019-2021), Emma Wiesler (2019), Aimee Lee (2019), Logan Geyman (2019-2022), Madeline Tanner (2021-2023), Mackenzie Quist (2021-2022), Mekenzi Hazen (2021), Jeffrey Ulman (2022-2025), Lydia Hermann (2022-2024), Elizabeth Baker (2022-2023), Nicky Ivan (2022-2025), Daniel Musapatika (2023-2025), Cameron Little (2023-2024), Parnasi Bandyopadhyay (2023-2026), Abigail Padgett (2024-2025), Lydia Lukich (2024-2025), Zoe Swanson (2024-2025), Rowan Hesting (2024-2025), Aidan Ball (2025-2026), Cora Thompson (2025-2026), Zion Bluestein (2026)
High School AlumniChloe Zumbrun (2018-2019), Katy Rusche (2020-2021), Caimen Wigington (2025)
Research Associate AlumniJimmy Healy (2014-2016), Chelsea Simpson (2017-2024), Evan Schneider (2018-2019), Victoria Lydick (2019-2026), Zach Celentano (2022-2023)
Undergraduate and Post-Bacc AlumniChristine Hustmyer (2014-2018), Lydia Joyner (2016-2017), Kaitlin Mann (2017-2018), Meghan Russell (2018-2021), Cole McCutcheon (2014-2016), Stephen Olney (2014-2016), Alyssa Harvey (2016), Jordan Bjortomt (2016-2017), Andrew Wilson (2016-2017), Caitlin Kamplain (2017-2019), Ying-Po Yang (Albert) (2018-2020), Michael Liu (2019-2021), Emma Wiesler (2019), Aimee Lee (2019), Logan Geyman (2019-2022), Madeline Tanner (2021-2023), Mackenzie Quist (2021-2022), Mekenzi Hazen (2021), Jeffrey Ulman (2022-2025), Lydia Hermann (2022-2024), Elizabeth Baker (2022-2023), Nicky Ivan (2022-2025), Daniel Musapatika (2023-2025), Cameron Little (2023-2024), Parnasi Bandyopadhyay (2023-2026), Abigail Padgett (2024-2025), Lydia Lukich (2024-2025), Zoe Swanson (2024-2025), Rowan Hesting (2024-2025), Aidan Ball (2025-2026), Cora Thompson (2025-2026), Zion Bluestein (2026)
High School AlumniChloe Zumbrun (2018-2019), Katy Rusche (2020-2021), Caimen Wigington (2025)