Zhang Lab @ Danforth
Postdocs
Erin Mattoon
Position:
Graduate Student, since April 2018 - July 2023
Postdoctoral Associate, since July 2023 - November 2023
Education:
Cornell University, BS in Biological Sciences, 2017
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Genomics Data Scientist at Bayer Crop Science, since Dec 2023
About: Erin received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Cornell University in May 2017. Her work there focused on the genetic aspects underlying meiotic recombination in maize. In the summer of 2015, she was an REU intern where she studied the genetic similarities between plant interactions with mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. She is now a first-year graduate student in the Plant and Microbial Biosciences program at Washington University. Erin rotated in the Zhang lab from Nov - Dec in 2017 and then decided to join the Zhang lab for her PhD in April 2018 to study algal heat responses. In her free time, Erin enjoys cooking, swimming, and exploring the local community.
Ningning Zhang
Education:
Ph.D. Molecular Biosciences, Arkansas State University
M.S. Biotechnology, Arkansas State University
B.S. Bioengineering, Qindao Agicultural University
Zhang lab former position:
Postdoctoral Associate, May 2017 - November 2021
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Research Scientist at Bayer
About: Ningning received her PhD in Molecular Biosciences in May of 2017 by dissecting the O-glycosylation process of plant cell wall structural glycoproteins and reengineering the plant cell wall for improved biomass processability. She started in the Zhang Lab as a postdoctoral research associate in the same month to study how photosynthetic organisms respond to their environment by using cutting-edge technologies. Specifically, Ningning is using the unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, as a model system to better understand how photosynthetic cells sense and respond to high temperatures. A genome-saturating, indexed, algal mutant library and a quantitative phenotyping tool are used to conduct high-throughput genetic screening for mutants with interesting phenotypes. In her free time Ningning likes to work with plants, especially cacti. She also likes staying active by running frequently and playing pingpong.
Huong Mai Nguyen
Education:
Yokohama City University, PhD, 2018
Zhang lab former position:
Postdoctoral Associate, November 2019 - July 2021
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Research scientist at S&W Seeds Company, Texas
About: Huong received her PhD in Life and Environmental science in March, 2018 from Yokohama City University, Japan. During her PhD, she studied on "Identification and functional analysis of novel chemical compounds enhancing plant abiotic stress responses" at Dr. Motoaki Seki's Lab, RIKEN Yokohama. She revealed several interesting chemicals and molecular mechanisms that enhance the tolerance of plant under high-salinity stress responses. In Zhang Lab, she will involve in a project that apply a novel combination of in silico and experimental approaches to predict and validate the structure and function of poorly-characterized and unannotated proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana, Setaria viridis and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In the free time, she likes playing with her children, cooking and exploring nearby.
Maureen Wirschell
Education:
University of Massachusetts Medical School, PhD, 2004
Zhang lab former position:
Research Associate, August 2020 - June 2021
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Faculty at Fontbonne College
About: I have been a scientist studying cell motility in algae for 20 years and I am excited to be using my expertise to address fundamental questions in plant heat stress responses. I live in Illinois with my husband, son, two dogs and two horses. When I am not at work, I enjoy riding my horses, reading and spending time with family.
Jooyeon Jeong
Education:
Hanyang University, Korea, PhD, 2018
Zhang lab former position:
Postdoctoral Associate, November 2018 - November 2019
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Postdoc at UIUC
About: Jooyeon received her PhD in Life science in August of 2018 from Hanyang University, South Korea. During her PhD, she studied on chloroplast signal recognition particle pathway proteins that involved in transport and assembly of light harvesting protein by using CRISPR-Cas9 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In Zhang Lab, she is now working on psychrophilic Chlamydomonas showing sustained cyclic electron flow (CEF) to understand the role and regulation of CEF. She'll also focus on the function of heat shock transcription factors in model Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by generating mutants and analyzing their phenotype. She likes to listen podcasts and sing. And she enjoys to visit Saint Louis Zoo!
Leila Pazouki
Education:
Estonian University of Life Sciences, PhD, 2017
Zhang lab former position:
Postdoctoral Associate, from April 2020 - April 2023
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Senior Research Scientist at Plastomics
About: Leila Pazouki received her PhD degree in Prof. Ülo Niinemets's group at the Estonian university of life sciences investigating emission, gene regulation and function of terpenoids in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium). She is currently working on photosynthesis apparatus and its related genes of psychrophilic and mesophilic green algea. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, spending time in nature and road tripping.
Sarah Stainbrook
Education:
Ph.D. Biological Engineering, Northwestern University
BS Cell and Molecular Biology, Ohio University in Athens
Zhang lab former position:
Research Associate, October 2018 - May 2019
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Postdoctoral researcher, Washington University in St. Louis
About: Her graduate work focuses on engineering the properties of the prototypical MAP Kinase pathway in yeast for use in biosensor diagnostics. In the Zhang lab, Sarah will use the grass Setaria viridis as a model organism for photosynthesis in C4 plants such as maize and sorghum. She will combine traditional genetic approaches with engineering techniques to improve the thermostability of C4 photosynthesis, making C4 plants more tolerant of high temperature stresses. In her free time, Sarah enjoys cooking, running, opera and knitting.
Graduate Students
Rachel Jouni
Education:
University of Florida, BS Biology
Washington University in St. Louis, PMB grad student
Zhang lab former position:
Rotation Graduate Student, March-April 2019
About: Rachel is from Florida and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Florida. During her time there she studied evolutionary genetics in Drosophila with a focus on host-virus interactions. In between undergrad and grad school she worked in a tomato breeding lab with a focus on how volatile compounds affect flavor in tomato. She is currently in the PMB PhD. program at Washington University in St. Louis, and her rotation in the Zhang lab focuses on studying the heat response in algae. In her free time she enjoys eating and exploring St. Louis.
Sarah Pardi
Sarah Pardi
Education:
Loyola Marymount University, BS in Biology, 2018
Washington University in St. Louis, PMB grad student
Zhang lab former position:
Rotation Graduate Student, January 2019 - May 2019
About: Sarah is from the Bay Area in California. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology (Cum Laude) from Loyola Marymount University in May 2018. There, her research focused on the synergistic affects of mixed populations of rhizobacteria on white sweet clover. In the summer of 2017, she was an REU intern at Harvard Forest where she studied the role of manganese in leaf litter decomposition along oxic-anoxic interfaces. She is now a first year graduate student in the Plant and Microbial Biosciences program at Washington University rotating in the Zhang lab, with an interest in gene regulation of algal heat response. Sarah is an Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) Scholar. In her free time, Sarah enjoys exploring new places, going on outdoor adventures, and playing tennis.
Joseph Adjei
Education:
PhD graduate student, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023
Remote Intern-Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 2022-2023
BS, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2017-2022
Zhang lab former position:
WUSTL rotation graduate student, August-October, 2023
About: Joseph received his BS degree in Biomedical Science in 2022 from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He studied antibiotics resistance in Neisseria gonorrhea and was also involved in novel antibiotics prospecting from bacterial growth media. He subsequently worked as a data analyst intern in the Burch Smith lab where he was involved in elucidating the effects of plant hormones on plasmodesmata permeability. Joseph is now a first year Plant and Microbial Biosciences student at the Washington University in St. Louis. In his spare time, he enjoys watching and playing soccer, visiting museums and watching documentaries.
Nushrat Rashid
Education:
Texas A&M University, BS in Biochemistry and Genetics, 2024
Position:
WUSTL rotation graduate student, August-October 2024
About: Nushrat received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Genetics from Texas A&M in May 2024. Summer of 2022, they did an internship researching Calcium transporter mutations in Arabidopsis thaliana and their effect on flood tolerance in the Hirschi lab. In undergrad, they were researching N-glycosylation in A. thaliana and its effect on salt stress response in the Koiwa lab. Nushrat is now a first year Plant and Microbial Biosciences student at Washington University in St. Louis. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, reading comics, and visiting museums.
Cooper Hostetler
Education:
McDaniel College, BS in Biology, 2020
Zhang lab former position:
Master Student, January 2021 - May 2022
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Marketing Specialist at Thermo Fisher Scientific
About: Cooper received his bachelor’s degree in biology from McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. As an undergrad, Cooper worked in his mentor’s lab researching zebrafish development before he developed a strong interest in plant biology and biotechnology. He then participated in the Danforth Center’s Summer REU program where he worked in Doug Allen’s lab on a project related to soybean metabolism. Cooper is interested in studying how plants sense and respond to environmental stresses. In his free time he enjoys reading, playing games, being outside, and golf.
Erin Mattoon
Position:
Graduate Student, since April 2018 - July 2023
Postdoctoral Associate, since July 2023 - November 2023
Education:
Cornell University, BS in Biological Sciences, 2017
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Genomics Data Scientist at Bayer Crop Science, since Dec 2023
About: Erin received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Cornell University in May 2017. Her work there focused on the genetic aspects underlying meiotic recombination in maize. In the summer of 2015, she was an REU intern where she studied the genetic similarities between plant interactions with mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria. She is now a first-year graduate student in the Plant and Microbial Biosciences program at Washington University. Erin rotated in the Zhang lab from Nov - Dec in 2017 and then decided to join the Zhang lab for her PhD in April 2018 to study algal heat responses. In her free time, Erin enjoys cooking, swimming, and exploring the local community.
Emily Davenport
Education:
Bowling Green State University, BS, MS
Zhang lab former position:
Rotation Graduate Student, July 2018 - September 2018
About: Emily is from NW Ohio on the Lake Erie shores. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with her BS and MS. Her Master's project was a diel study of gene regulation of an in-situ cyanobacterial harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie. After her Master's, she took a job with UM in Ann Arbor at the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab where she helped introduce the first freshwater Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) into western Lake Erie in an effort to monitor microcystins in Lake Erie. She is now a first year at WashU rotating through the Zhang Lab, with an interest in using bioinformatics to study cell responses and gene regulations. In her spare time I enjoy any outdoor activity, cooking, camping, painting, and karaoke.
Lab Technicians
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11 lab technicians have been trained in the Zhang lab since the start of the lab in Oct 2016
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7 of 10 former lab technicians went on to graduate school after the training in the Zhang lab
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All 10 former lab technicians have publications/manuscripts resulting from their work in the lab
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2 former lab technicians, Cheyenne Anderson and Will McHargue, were awardees of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
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2 former lab technicians, Cheyenne Anderson and Grace Milburn, had 1st author papers resulting from their work in the lab
Dominique Pham
Position:
Lab technician from August 2023 - May 2025
Education:
University of Richmond, BS in Biology 2023
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
PhD graduate student at University of Connecticut, since August 2025
About: Dom received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Richmond in May 2023. During her time at UR, she researched germination and morphological plasticity in the newly established invasive species, wavyleaf basketgrass in the Wu lab. In the summer of 2022, she was an REU student at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, examining sex-expression in the dioecious alpine species, Valeriana edulis. In her free time, Dom enjoys hiking, reading, indoor gardening, and learning new hobbies.
Grace Milburn
Education:
Humboldt State University, BS in Botany, 2020
Zhang lab former position:
Lab Technician, October 2020-December 2023
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Botanical Preparatorat California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, since Jan 2024
About: Grace received her B.S. in Botany from Humboldt State University in May of 2020. During her time there, she was a supplementary instructor for genetics and worked in a lab on bee identification. In the summer of 2019, she was an REU intern at the American Museum of Natural History where she did research on bee diversity in New York City green spaces. Since graduating, she has worked at UC Davis in Neal William's lab on research concerning plant-pollinator interactions. In her free time, Grace enjoys camping, hiking, and film photography.
Eileen Kosola
Education:
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, BS in Plant and Microbial Biology, 2022
Zhang lab former position:
Lab Technician, July 2022 - September 2023
About: Eileen received her bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in May 2022. As an undergraduate, she was involved in a circadian clock lab, and measured phenotypic and genotypic changes in plant growth under cold stress. Combined with a summer job and later an REU internship at the Danforth center, these experiences helped her discover a strong interest in how the environment impacts plant growth. In her spare time, Eileen enjoys reading, drawing, and watching anime.
Cheyenne Anderson
Education:
Missouri Baptist University, BS in Biology, 2018, Biochemistry & Chemistry Minor
Zhang lab former position:
Laboratory Technician, September 2018 - August 2021
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
WUSTL DBBS graduate student, since 08/2021
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awardee
William H. Danforth Plant Sciences Fellowship Awardee
About: Cheyenne received her B.S. in Biology from Missouri Baptist University in May 2018. During her time there she was involved in a research team to develop a protocol to preserve long-term viability of the microalgal species, Chlorella protothecoides. Additionally, she served as a laboratory teaching assistant for genetics, general chemistry, and anatomy labs. In her free time, Cheyenne enjoys being active outdoors, playing tennis, travelling, and thrift shopping.
Will McHargue
Education:
University of Missouri, Columbia
BS in Biological Engineering, 2016
Mathematics and Spanish Minor
Zhang lab former position:
Laboratory Technician, Laboratory Manager, November 2016 - August 2020
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
WUSTL DBBS graduate student, since 08/2020
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awardee
William H. Danforth Plant Sciences Fellowship Awardee
About: Will received his bachelor's degree in biological engineering (emphasizing in biomedical engineering and biophotonics) from the University of Missouri, Columbia. During his time there, he was involved with several research teams including computational ecologists, herpetologists, and R&D engineering companies. In all of these positions, much of his work focused on computational data analysis and automated data collection pipelines. In the summer of 2015, Will participated in the Danforth Center's Summer REU Program where he worked in Doug Allen's Lab investigation carbon fixation pathways in soybeans using isotopic labeling and mass spectrometry technologies. Will started in the Zhang Lab in November of 2016 and will be working as a lab manager and lab technician while frequently focusing on bioinformatics pipelines and data analysis. Will enjoys running, swimming, and climbing. He additionally enjoys music and tinkering with electronics.
Cady Bailey
Education:
Duke University, BS in Biology, 2021
Zhang lab former position:
Lab Technician, October 2021 - August 2023
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Graduate student at Saint Louis University since August 2023
About: Cady received her B.S. in Biology from Duke University in May of 2021. During her time at Duke, she researched the bioacoustics assessment of oyster reef biodiversity and the impact of C. celata boring sponges on oyster reef biodiversity. She has since spent a season working with the NC State University Sweet Potato and Cucurbit Cultural Management Program. In her free time, she loves to dance, write, bake, and crochet.
Celine Xia
Education:
M.S. Auburn University, Dec 2019
B.S. Huazhong Agricultural University, July 2017
Zhang lab former position:
Laboratory Technician, January 2020 - March 2022
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
WUSTL DBBS graduate student, since 08/2022
About: Celine received her master’s degree in from Auburn University in 2019. Her research was improving Romaine lettuce growth in the greenhouse hydroponic systems. With high temperature and humidity in summer time, lettuce grew too fast in the greenhouse hydroponics systems, which caused calcium ion deficiency in the young growing tips. Physiological disorders like tipburn and bolting happened and damaged the lettuce marketable value. To mitigate tipburn and bolting, Celine increased the horizontal air flow speed in the DWC system and decreased root-zone solution temperature in NFT system to slow down growth rate to help calcium efficiently translocated to young leaves. At Zhang’s lab, Celine will work as a lab technician to start a hydroponics system in the greenhouse of Danforth plant science center. Celine likes travel, sports and music.
Eric Becker
Education:
University of Missouri, Columbia, BS in Biological Engineering, 2019
Zhang lab former position:
Laboratory Technician, September 2019 - September 2020
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Associate Scientist at Pfizer
About: Eric is from the greater St. Louis area and received his bachelor's degree in biological engineering from the University of Missouri, Columbia in 2019. During his time there, Eric was a research assistant in a soybean genomics lab focused on the molecular genetics of plant stress tolerance and the application of genomic technologies for crop improvement. He was also a member of a biomedical research team contributing in the R&D for new and innovative medical devices. In his free time, Eric enjoys spending time in the outdoors, working out, reading, and exploring new places.
James Eckhardt
Education:
Gustavus Adolphus College, BA, 2017
Zhang lab former position:
Laboratory Technician, January 2018 - July 2018
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Graduate Student at UC-Riverside, since 08/2018
About: James received his bachelor’s degree in Biology (emphasizing in plant biology) from Gustavus Adolphus College in December 2017. While at Gustavus, James conducted research on plant ecology emphasizing statistical modeling and will continue using mass spectrometry to study plant proteomics. During the summer of 2017, he worked in the Zhang lab to optimize the use of environmental photobioreactors to better understand the effects of heat stress on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. James sails, mountain bikes, camps and climbs mountains in his free time. He is hoping to summit his 30th mountain by summer’s end.
Kylee Hillman
Education:
Florida State University, BS in Biological Sciences, 2022
Zhang lab former position:
Lab Technician, August 2022 - July 2024
Position after the training in the Zhang lab:
Graduate student at UC-Berkeley, since Aug 2024
About: Kylee received her B.S. degree in Biological Sciences from Florida State University in May 2022. During her time there, she was a Teaching Assistant for non-majors Biology Lab and researched evolutionary dynamics in chorus frogs. In the summer of 2021, she was an REU student at Utah State University in the Zhan Lab where she researched curcumin biosynthesis. In her free time she enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with friends and family.
Part Time Lab Assistants
Zachary Weber
Education:
University of Missouri-St. Louis, BS in Biology, 2018
Zhang lab former position:
Laboratory Assistant, February 2019 - December 2019
About: Zachary is from Southern Illinois. He graduated from the University of Missouri - St. Louis in December of 2018 with his BS in Biology. At his time there he also was a member of the Pierre Laclede Honors College. During his time there he helped gather information for a guide to spotting Lepidoptera in Missouri that feed on oak trees. Additionally, he also studied the variations between wild type and different mutant c. elegans. In his free time, Zachary writes movie reviews for the Brain Stew, a student/alumni publication of Pierre Laclede Honors College. He also likes to watch movies, be outdoors, travel, and find new restaurants.