People
Principal Investigator
Igor Schneider
Principal Investigator
Ph.D., University of Iowa, USA
email: igors@lsu.edu
My interests span limb and fin EvoDevo and the evolution of regeneration. What excites me most is the chance to study development across many different species and, through that comparison, gain a deeper understanding of how complex processes, like regeneration, have evolved.
Outside the lab, I enjoy playing soccer, picking up my guitar, and maintaining a love–hate relationship with running.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Josane Sousa
Ph.D., University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
I am a biologist with a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology. My work has focused on understanding the molecular pathways involved in the alterations of cell identity and plasticity in the contexts of pre-malignant and malignant lesions and tissue regeneration. Currently I am interested in studying the molecular circuitry of cell signaling pathways and the gene regulatory network activated during complex structure regeneration. For this, I am working on the characterization of fin regeneration in highly regenerative fish species such as the axolotl, the West African lungfish and the Senegal bichir.
Ph.D. Candidates
Gabriela Lima
M.S., Universidade Federal do Para, Brazil
I have always been fascinated by evolution, development, and regeneration of the vertebrate appendages. I have a master’s degree in Genetics and Molecular Biology. I am currently interested in understanding the evolution of molecular mechanisms of regeneration in vertebrates, using the Senegal bichir as my study organism.
Cloe Flanagan
I am studying heart regeneration in the fish species Polypterus senegalus. I’m interested in the conservation of genomic regions present in organisms with regenerative abilities but lost in organisms without regenerative abilities.
Rutuparna Joshi
I am a development enthusiast interested in understanding how organs restore their
structure and function after injury. My research explores the evolutionary mechanisms
and molecular cues that underlie regenerative processes.
Apart from research, I enjoy music, swimming, and meditation.
Post-bacc scholars
Madison Adams
I previously contributed to axolotl conservation by developing 3D-printed devices for sperm cryopreservation. Currently, as a post-baccalaureate researcher, I study the genetic and molecular basis of fin regeneration in Senegal bichir and lungfish, focusing on the role of duplicated myoglobin genes expressed in skin to explore a potential oxygen-dependent mechanism supporting regeneration.
Undergraduate Researchers
Cyrus Bronson
I am an undergraduate student majoring in Biochemistry with a passion for understanding molecular mechanisms, like the mTOR pathway, and how its control of growth and metabolism shapes regeneration across species, especially within zebrafish, axolotl, and Polypterus. I’m fascinated by how biochemical precision: every reaction, every regulatory switch- contributes to complex biological outcomes. My focus combines molecular evolution and regenerative biology to explore how ancient pathways continue to influence modern life.
Garrison Boehl
I am currently working on a bioinformatics project that is focused on defining upstream signals that regulate mTOR tissue regeneration pathways in highly regenerative species, particularly Polypeterus senegalus, zebrafish, and axolotls. I am using single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing datasets from regenerating appendages to better understand how these complex tissues are capable of regenerating following amputation.
Alana Williams
I am an undergraduate student majoring in Animal Science with an interest in genetics. I am currently involved in research examining cardiac regeneration in Polypterus senegalus. I am particularly interested in understanding the biological mechanisms that contribute to this species’ remarkable regenerative abilities, especially those involved in tissue and organ repair.
Michaela Tsanova
I am an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Microbiology and a minor in chemistry. I have always been interested in biology and fascinated with understanding all of the unseen molecular mechanisms and pathways as they could be beneficial both in medical improvement as well as the pursuit of knowledge. I am currently interested in gene regulation and cell signaling pathways, such as mTOR, that occur during regeneration. The main organism of study is the Senegal bichir.
Icyss Sargeant
I have been looking into the role of macrophages in Polypterus fin regeneration. This is being done through inhibiting mTOR signaling, which has been shown to reduce macrophage recruitment to wound sites. We are currently looking into different targets of macrophage markers.
Leah Bartholomew
I am a Microbiology major currently wrapping up my undergraduate thesis. My work examines the differences between the immune systems of axolotls, zebrafish, and the Senegalese bichir to determine their roles in regeneration. Currently utilizing RNA sequencing data sets to accomplish this! I have a great interest in how systems impact systems, particularly how molecules (DNA, RNA, signaling molecules, etc.) contribute to the final form of a macroorganism and the specific interactions said organism has with others (hence, the immune system is my favorite!).
Past members
Hannah Schof
Miles Casey-Flores
Zamira Andrews