Kristopher Kieft
kieft@wisc.edu
Ph.D Candidate, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (2017-present)
B.S., Biology, Central Michigan University (2017)
Research Interests – Bacteriophages are often overlooked as contributing members of an ecosystem. I am interested in using sequencing data to explore ecological and biogeochemical services of phages in nature and the human gut. I am also interested in the development of bioinformatic methods to expand the set of tools available for investigating phages.
Patricia Tran
ptran5@wisc.edu
Ph.D Candidate, Freshwater and Marine Sciences Program (2018-present)
B.S., Environmental Sciences, McGill University, 2016
M.S., Biology, Concordia University, 2018
Graduate certificate in Bioinformatics, McGill University, 2016
Research Interests – My research explores the metabolism and ecology of microbes in anoxic zones of freshwater lakes, such as seasonally oxygen-depleted bottom waters (hypolimnions) of Lake Mendota (Madison, WI), and the permanently anoxic deep waters of Lake Tanganyika (Tanzania). Additionally, my work aims to bridge the gap between the data-rich research fields of genomics and aquatic modeling, by leveraging genomic information from -omics datasets (metagenomics, metatranscriptomics) to inform lake quality water models.
Elise Cowley
ecowley@wisc.edu
MD/PhD Candidate, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (2020-present), Entering Class of 2017
NIH-CIBM Predoctoral Fellow
B.S., Chemistry and Bioresource Research, Oregon State University
Research Interests – I am interested in how microbial ecology can impact human health and the flipside – how human health can impact microbial ecology. I am currently working on projects related to the bacterial sulfur cycle in the human gut, specifically as it relates to colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
Marguerite Langwig
langwig@wisc.edu
Ph.D Candidate, Freshwater and Marine Sciences Program (2021-present)
B.S., Biopsychology, Wagner College
M.S., Marine Science, The University of Texas at Austin
Research Interests: I am interested in using omics methods (mainly metagenomics) to understand the vast microbial diversity that exists in the world. I have a special love for marine environments, especially hydrothermal vents and the deep sea. I am excited about the novel insights omics techniques are providing about microbial ecology and hope to continue adding to our understanding in my PhD.
Katherine Klier
kklier@wisc.edu
Ph.D Candidate, Freshwater and Marine Sciences Program (2021-present)
B.S., Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan
Research Interests: My research interests include investigating the ecological function of microbes and viruses in marine and freshwater ecosystems. I am interested in using bioinformatics and laboratory-based methods to better understand microbial processes and interactions that occur in various environments.
Cody Martin
ccmartin6@wisc.edu
Ph.D Candidate, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, (2021-Present)
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
B.S. Biochemistry and Genetics, Texas A&M University, 2021
Research Interests: I am interested in using omics data to understand the role bacteriophages play in shaping microbial ecology and community functions like community metabolism. Additionally, I am interested in creating bioinformatic tools to help advance the study of phage impacts on microbial ecology and function.
ORCID: 0000-0001-7610-9537
Etan Dieppa Colón
edieppa@wisc.edu
Ph.D Candidate, Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, (2021-Present)
B.S., Microbiology, University of Puerto Rico-Humacao, 2020
Research Interests: I’m interested in the ecological, evolutionary, and biogeochemical processes that shape and occur in microbial communities. I am mainly interested in studying microbial communities from an environmental perspective.
Jacob Hotvedt
M.S. Microbiology Program (2020-present)
B.S., Microbiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison