People

Alex Samano
Graduate Student
asamano@tamu.edu   Profile  

Alex is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biology. She is originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she completed her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Computer Science at UNC Chapel Hill. While at UNC, she became interested in evolutionary biology and joined Dr. Chris Willett’s lab studying hybrid breakdown in West Coast copepods.

In the Chakraborty lab, she is currently working on identifying structural variation in geographically diverse Drosophila melanogaster genomes with the goal of understanding how genomic variation affects evolution and complex traits. Her other research interests include genome assembly and bioinformatics software.

Trevor Millar
Graduate Student
tdmillar@tamu.edu  

Trevor is a Ph.D. student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics and Genomics at Texas A&M, originally from Lehi, Utah. His academic journey began with degrees in Biology and Bioinformatics from Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. During his time at UVU, Trevor focused on researching the phylogenomics of mayflies (Ephemeroptera), utilizing targeted capture sequencing techniques under the guidance of Dr. Heath Ogden.

In the Chakraborty lab, Trevor is involved in research concerning the Drosophila melanogaster pangenome. His academic interests extend to genome assembly methodologies and bioinformatics software development. Trevor is enthusiastic about contributing to our understanding of the role of genome structure in functional variation and evolution.

Ryan Stephens
Research Assistant
Ryan.stephens@tamu.edu  

Ryan is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. degree with a double – major in Forensic and Investigative Science and Entomology. He is also pursuing a minor in Bioinformatics. Ryan’s interest in research started as a summer research technician for AgriLife Extension Service in Corpus Christi around integrated pest management in agriculture. During this experience, he suddenly found an interest in genetics and molecular biology. Ryan’s research experience includes using Virus – Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) to manipulate cotton – herbivore interactions and investigating differences in heat shock protein expression in forensically relevant flies.

In the Chakraborty lab, Ryan is a Research Assistant for ongoing lab projects including the development of CRISPR strategies in Drosophila.

Esha Maknojia
Undergraduate Student
eshamaknojia@tamu.edu  

Esha is an undergraduate student working towards obtaining her B.S. degree in Biology. She is interested in studying the molecular basis of phenotypic variation and adaptation. In the Chakraborty lab, Esha focuses on learning more about the toxin-resistance genes found in Drosophila melanogaster. She is currently working to identify the new mutations underlying unique toxin-resistance phenotypes in D. melanogaster.

Alisha Turner
Undergraduate Student
aturner22@tamu.edu  

Alisha Turner is an undergraduate student biology major. She is interested in diversifying her research experience and learning new research techniques. In the Chakraborty Lab, Alisha wants to find the research method in genetics and genomics she feels most passionate about and apply that to a future experiment involving Drosophila.

Kamali Umasankar
Undergraduate Student
kamali0107@tamu.edu  

Kamali Umasankar is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Public Health. Kamali is interested in genetic variation and gene expression, and their role in evolution. In the Chakraborty Lab, Kamali aims to learn more about the relationship between genomic variation and evolutionary processes in Drosophila.