the porter lab
Interested in joining the lab? Research positions are available! The Porter Lab is currently recruiting both graduate and undergraduate researchers. Teaching assistantships are available for graduate students, and course credit is available for undergraduate students.
CURRENT MEMBERS:
GRADUATE STUDENTS
(a.
ZACHARY ELSER I am a masters student and my graduate research involves the analysis of an immune gene in Amblyomma americanum (the lone star tick). Upon the completion of my M.S., I aspire to further my education by obtaining a Ph.D. in the field of molecular biology. JACQUELYN MAY
Jacquelyn is a masters student at Stephen F. Austin studying biology with plans to pursue a PhD in genetics. Her research involves silencing of TRAF and microscopy of hemolymph in Amblyomma ammericanum. |
Jacklyn Thompson
Jacklyn's thesis research involves resolving the full open reading frame sequence of an unknown antimicrobial peptide in Latrodectus geometricus, Lg-defensin. She will then silence Lg-defensin using RNAi and functionally analyze its role in immune response towards gram-positive bacteria. She aspires to pursue a PhD in immunology.
Jacklyn's thesis research involves resolving the full open reading frame sequence of an unknown antimicrobial peptide in Latrodectus geometricus, Lg-defensin. She will then silence Lg-defensin using RNAi and functionally analyze its role in immune response towards gram-positive bacteria. She aspires to pursue a PhD in immunology.
Angel David Nunez Correa
Angel's thesis research involves the recombinant protein expression of the δ-latroinsectotoxin, a putative insect-specific toxin in Latrodectus geometricus (Brown widow). He aspires to increase his experience by working in industry doing molecular work..
Angel's thesis research involves the recombinant protein expression of the δ-latroinsectotoxin, a putative insect-specific toxin in Latrodectus geometricus (Brown widow). He aspires to increase his experience by working in industry doing molecular work..
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
BAILEY VOGEL
I am sophomore at SFASU. After graduating, I am going to pursue veterinary medicine. Currently, I am researching the expression patterns of immune genes in lone star ticks. GLORIA ROMERO
I am an undergraduate student at SFASU and I started in the lab in Fall of 2019.. After graduating, I am going to pursue drug design research. Currently, I am researching the expression of immune genes in lone star ticks and will be starting RNAi this semester. SYLVIA SCHEPPS
Sylvia is biology major investigating the expression patterns of an immune gene in the lone star tick. Sylvia is interested in attending graduate school after finishing her Bachelor's degree. DARRIAN FRAUSTO
Darrian is a junior biology major in the cellular/molecular track and is working on the sequencing of venom toxin genes of brown widow spiders. ANTONIO SAINZ
Antonio is a senior biology major in the cellular/molecular track and started in the lab in Fall of 2019. He is working on recombinant protein expression of widow spider venom toxins. ANNA SCHEURING
Anna started in the lab in Fall of 2019. She is a senior biology major analyzing expression patterns of an immune gene and will be starting RNAi this semester. MICHAEL STANFORD
Michael is a senior biology major in the cellular/molecular track and started shadowing lab work in the Fall of 2019. He will be starting his own project validating putative immune genes in ticks this Spring. |
FORMER MEMBERS
SHELBY GLYNN
Graduated December 2017 and is enrolled in a PA program. I have thoroughly enjoyed spending my spare time performing undergraduate research and have treasured the time spent learning molecular laboratory techniques and practices such as DNA sequencing, PCR, and AGE, as well as acquiring a much greater knowledge of a variety of tick species. |
HUNTER MARTIN
Graduated December 2017. Currently a student in the Physician's Assistant program at LSU Health Shreveport. During my research, I have enjoyed learning a variety of lab techniques, including AGE, PCR, DNA and RNA extraction. I am interested in learning more about DNA sequencing and discovering genes involved in diseases. |
Former Members
SAMANTHA BROUGHTON (SMITH) Sam graduated in December of 2018. Sam worked for 2 & 1/2 years on a research project studying local populations of the brown and black widow spiders. Sam was successful in obtaining grant money for her research through the Louisiana Mosquito Control Association and presented her work at numerous conferences and symposia at local, state, national, and even international venues. She is currently working as a High School Biology teacher and lives with her husband and cats in Virginia
|
BAYLEIGH PIATT Bayleigh graduated in May of 2019 after three semesters in the lab. Through her research, she established preliminary data on the expression profile of a tick immune gene in gram negative and gram positive infections. Her poster presenting her research at the Entomological Society of America meeting in Vancouver, Canada in November of 2019 won first place. Bayleigh now works for a dermatology office in Lake Charles and is planning to attend medical
|
DAVID MARQUISDave graduated in May of 2019 with a dual major in Biology and Applied Microbiology . He plans on attending medical school, preferably in an M.D./ PhD program. His former research was on artificially stimulating tick questing behavior in order to trap them for study. He also worked with lab partners differentiating black and brown widow cytochrome oxidase subunit I and latrotoxin genes using PCR and DNA sequencing.
|
ARIYANNA BONTONI am currently a junior at Northwestern State University and my major is biology with a concentration in biomedical science. My research involves the recombinant protein expression of venom toxins from brown and black widows.
|
EMILY BENCOSME CUEVASGraduated May 2018. Currently a Ph.D. student in the lab of Dr. Albert Mulenga at Texas A&M University. My (former) project involves investigating tick immune system molecules, specifically immune cell receptors.
|
REBECCA HODNETT I am a 2017 graduate of the B.S. in Biology program at Northwestern State University, working on an M.S. at L.A. Tech and aspiring to eventually earn a Ph.D. in pursuit of a career in academia. My (former) research consists of investigating the roles of immune related proteins in the cellular and molecular responses of the A. americanum immune system through mRNA silencing.
|