Meet the team

I obtained my Ph.D. in Molecular Plant Pathology from the University of Exeter, UK, under the supervision of Nick Talbot, before undertaking postdoctoral training in Sam Reck-Peterson’s group at Harvard Medical School. I joined the University of Arkansas as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant pathology in July 2016, where my research focus is on the cell biology of plant and human pathogenic fungi

Email: me021@uark.edu

Audra is a Fayetteville, Arkansas native with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, and a Master of Science in Plant Pathology – both from the University of Arkansas. She has studied several disciplines including plant molecular biology, virology, and currently fungal cell biology.  When not in the lab, she can be found hiking, biking, canoeing, or riding horses in the many natural areas around the region.

Email: amh011@uark.edu 

Kathryn is originally from Texas, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of North Texas in Denton, graduating summa cum laude in 2013. She moved to Fayetteville in 2014 and earned a Master of Science in Food Science at the University of Arkansas, studying the effects of storage conditions on rice quality and functionality, advised by Dr. Terry Siebenmorgen. After graduating in 2016, she transferred to the Department of Plant Pathology for her PhD as a Distinguished Doctoral Fellow, where she continues to specialize in rice research, co-advised by Dr. Ken Korth and Dr. Martin Egan. She studies the pathogenicity of the rice blast fungus and is exploring resistance mechanisms using CRISPR gene-editing technology. Post PhD she plans to pursue a career in research and development in the agricultural biotechnology industry. Outside the lab she enjoys cooking and baking, practicing yoga, binge-watching TV shows on Netflix with her husband Nathan, and napping with her calico cat Adair.

Email: knhaydon@uark.edu

Baronger is pursuing his Ph.D. through the Cell and Molecular Biology program with the guidance of Dr. Martin Egan. He is investigating the methods by which spores of Aspergillus fumigatus circumvent lung human defenses, establishing an infection that can ultimately end in aspergillosis, a potentially fatal disease. He did his undergraduate work at Ouachita Baptist University. There he obtained a B.S. in biology, and—being drawn by its irresistible attractions—he also acquired a B.A. in English. His prior research with Dr. Steven Barger of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences investigated rat microglia to determine their roll in the presentation of Alzheimer’s disease. He has also dabbled with soil bacteria in an effort to find novel antibiotic producers. Baronger would like to thank the CEMB program for the generous Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship that has facilitated his investigations here at UofA.

Rinalda Proko is from Tirana, Albania and earned her masters degree in molecular biology at the University of Tirana. She worked for 3 years as a molecular biologist at the Institute of Public Health in the Control of Infectious Diseases Department in Albania. There she focused on monitoring viral diseases and biosafety risk assessment. Her spare time is devoted to outdoor activities such as hiking and climbing.  

Austin Sharpe is an undergraduate biology student working on a project for his honor’s thesis. He is studying the model filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans.    

Zoe Ching is an undergraduate with an interest in conservation ecology. She is studying the model filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans    

Nawaraj Dulal completed his Masters Thesis entitled: 

Dissecting the Cellular Control of Septin Organization in a Global Cereal Killer

Ayanna completed an Adair/Bollenbacher summer internship, and worked on the antifungal mechanisms of silver nanoparticles against rice blast disease.

Email: astrose@uark.edu

Fernanda completed the Adair/Bollenbacher summer internship and scholarship for summer 2017 and worked the the role of the microtubule cytoskeleton in appressorium morphogenesis.