Current
Lab members
PI: Jason Pienaar
I'm an evolutionary biologist. My undergraduate training was in molecular genetics and my PhD, with Dr Jaco M Greeff (UP, South Africa) in evolutionary genetics and game theory modeling using fig wasps as model organisms. My post doctoral training with Dr's Thomas Hansen (FSU), David Houle (FSU), Lauren McIntyre (UF), Marguerite Butler (UH Manoa) & Staffan Andersson (University of Gothenburg, Sweden) was primarily in phylogenetic comparative method development, with a stint in bioinformatics at UF. I am currently studying Tardigrades and their ability to withstand space-like conditions and continue to develop phylogenetic comparative methods for studying adaptation.
Post doc: Jesualdo Fuentes-Gonzalez
​I am interested in macroevolution, especially patterns linking morphology, life history, and behavior. Uraveling these patterns requires the use of quantitative tools that can put phenotypic traits in the context of their evolutionary history. I aim to gain a good understanding of these tools, and am currently delving into phylogenetic comparative methods that are grounded on selective processes.
PhD Student: Justin Rosario
My interests are in evolution, computational biology, and proteins; and I am currently familiarizing myself with the collection and identification of different bryophytes. I am a huge animal and dinosaur nerd and on my free time I enjoy playing video games and hanging out with my family, friends, and girlfriend.
PhD Student: Ana Perez-Sanchez
My interests are in evolution, behavior and tardigrades. I am currently working on a heterotardigrade genome, RNAseq experiments, and am very interested in tardigrade neurology.
PhD Student: Jessica Gonzalez
Pronouns: They/them/she/her
I am a post-baccalaureate researcher who uses an astrobiological approach to explore how the microbiome of tardigrades and its subsequent interactions may be involved in the molecular mechanisms of anhydrobiosis. Investigating how these organisms protect themselves against extreme environmental stressors may have implications in precision medicine, agriculture and long-term human presence in deep space. I hope to dedicate my life to the advancement of humankind in space. I love NASA, nature, extreme sports, travel, books, and my cats — Han and Chewie.
Former
Lab members
Dr. Adam Trautwig
Adam is a computational biologist interested in "omics" and big data. He was a post doc in the Pienaar lab during 2022 and has gone on to a bioinformatics data scientist position at Emory University.
Dr. Sogol Momeni
Sogol started her PhD in the Pienaar lab when it was still at the University of Alabama. She completed her PhD under the supervision of Dr. Lukasz Ciesla at UA, but still collaborated with us on Tardigrade biochemistry, the interactions between flavonoid/soft electrophiles and intrinsically disordered proteins. Sogol is now a microbiologist for the Washington department of health
MS: Caleb Turberville
Caleb completed his MS in the Pienaar lab (2021) working on phylogenetic comparative analyses of moss leaf shapes. He now works in a Forensics lab in Birmingham, Alabama, no doubt inspired by his favorite TV character Dexter
MS: Jacob Loeffelholz
Jake completed an MS degree in the Pienaar lab (2021) working on Tardigrade dispersal and fungal infections. He has since moved to Colorado. He does not trust alligators and figures there is no way they will get him in the Rockies.
