Personnel
Stephanie R. Shames, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
CURRENT MEMBERS
Tshegofatso Ngwaga, B.Sc.
Ph.D. Candidate
Grace Glavich
BS/MS Student
Carissa Hutchison, B.S.
Ph.D. Student
Jason Pasikowski, B.S.
Research Technologist I
Lenny Legionella
Lab Mascot/Muse
Connor Zentner
Undergraduate Researcher
PAST MEMBERS
Oscar Valenzuela, B.S. Undergraduate Researcher, Michigan State University (May 2023-May 2024). Oscar was our resident pull-down expert whose work focused on understanding the biochemical underpinnings of the LegC4-PA28alpha interaction. He recently graduated so keep an eye out for him if you want to recruit a graduate student! Good luck, Oscar, and keep in touch!
Meghana Atmakur., Undergraduate Researcher, Michigan State University (January 2023-December 2023). Meghana was the first undergraduate researcher to join the lab after moving to MSU! She successfully generated multiple constructs and tools to study effector-triggered immunity. Good luck and keep in touch, Meghana!
Ashley Joseph, Ph.D., Graduate Student, Division of Biology, Kansas State University (September 2018-November 2022). Ashley's thesis work focused on understanding the mechanism by which metaeffectors regulate their cognate effectors and their roles in L. pneumophila host-pathogen interactions. She is currently a postdoc at Wellesley College studying environmental microbes. Good luck, Ashley!
Deepika Chauhan, Ph.D, Postdoc Fellow, Division of Biology, Kansas State University (March 2019- April 2022). Deepika's work in the lab led to the novel discovery that the L. pneumophila metaeffector MesI promotes bacterial virulence by regulating the effector SidI intrabacterially! She is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Ganta lab at the University of Missouri. Good luck and stay in touch, Deepika!
Andrew Haskell, B.A., Medical Microbiology, Kansas State University. Undergraduate Researcher (Spring 2022) Class of 2022. Andrew was with us to earn BIOL698 research credit and in this short time helped with collecting data for a manuscript submission! In the future, Andrew plans to attend medical school. Good luck and keep in touch!
Lilly Mick, B.S., Microbiology, Kansas State University. Undergraduate Researcher (Summer 2021-Spring 2022) Class of 2022. During her time in the lab, Lilly help discern whether host protein targets of bacterial effectors localized to the Legionella-containing vacuole. Lilly plans to earn her PhD in Pharmacology & Toxicology. Keep in touch, Lilly!
Ben Hulsing, B.S., Microbiology, Kansas State University. Undergraduate Researcher (Fall 2018-Spring 2021) Class of 2021. Ben's research was focused on whether Legionella effectors that augment host immunity are able to restrict other bacterial pathogens. His work also contributed to defining the interaction between LegC4 and its host binding partners. Keep in touch, Ben!
Emily Gibson, B.S., Biology, Kansas State University. Undergradaute Researcher (Summer 2018-Spring 2021), Class of 2021. Emily's research involved understanding how Sorghum polyphenols and Legionella effectors influence Listeria monocytogenes intracellular replication. She is planning to attend P.A. school in the near future. Keep in touch, Emily!
Adrienne Pohl, B.S, Microbiology, Kansas State University. Undergraduate Researcher (Fall 2018-Fall 2020) Class of 2021. Adrienne's research involved understanding how effectors and metaeffectors interact with each other. She is an author on our Infection and Immunity paper on SidI and MesI. Adrienne is interested in pursuing her Ph.D. in neuroscience. Keep in touch, Adrienne!
Abigail Salberg, B.S., Biology, Kansas State University. Undergraduate Researcher (Spring, 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020) Class of 2021. Abigail's research has gotten us closer to understanding how the L. pneumophila effector LegC4 attenuates bacterial replication in cytokine-activated macrophages and she will be a co-author on an upcoming publication! Abigail is currently completing her senior year at KSU. Keep in touch!
Aubrey Gilchrist, B.S., Microbiology, Kansas State University. Undergraduate Researcher (May 2019-Dec 2019) Class of 2020. Aubrey's research revealed that sorghum bran polyphenols can restrict L. pneumophila intracellular replication in mouse macrophages! Her first-author paper has been published in FEMS Microbiology Letters!! She is now earning her Ph.D. at KUMC in the Bose Lab studying Staphylococcus aureus host-pathogen interactions. Keep in touch, Aubrey!
TJ Ball, B.S., Biology, Kansas State University. Undergraduate Researcher (Jan 2018-May 2019) Class of 2020. TJ's research involved defining molecular mechanisms of Legionella effectors function. He achieved a lot in the lab and his work has earned him authorship on a manuscript in preparation. He was the recipient of a College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Scholarship and plans to pursue medical school after graduation.
Alex Hydock, B.S., Biology, Kansas State University. Undergraduate Researcher (Oct 2017-Jan 2019) Class of 2020. Alex's research project involved investigating mechanisms of L. pneumophila effector-triggered immunity for which he earned authorship on the lab's first publication in the Journal of Bacteriology! He was the recipient of a College of Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Scholarship, a Kansas-INBRE Semester Scholar Award and a Most Promising Student award from the Division of Biology! Alex is currently in at KUMC earning his M.D. Keep in touch, Alex!
Shraddha Shrestha, M.S., Research Assistant (Dec 2017-April 2018). Shraddha was our first research assistant very helpful in getting us set up! She has moved on to an exciting position at a company in Wiley, Texas. Keep in touch, Shraddha!
Meghan Regher, B.S. Biology, Kansas State University (Spring 2018) Meghan was with us for one semester earning laboratory credit. She was a joy to have in the lab! Looking forward to seeing your future achievements, Meghan - Keep in touch!