Chris Lane
Principal Investigator
Office: CBLS277
phone: (401) 874-2683
email: clane@uri.edu
Full CV
Google Scholar profile
Kristina X Terpis
Research Associate
University of Rhode Island
Office: CBLS 260
phone: (401)-874-9726
Email: kristina_terpis(at)uri.edu
Current Students
Marissa Mehlrose August 19, 2025 - PhD student
Email:mmehlrose@uri.edu
Marissa Mehlrose
PhD student
Email:mmehlrose@uri.edu
Gabby Kuba
PhD student
Email: gkuba@uri.edu
Christine Lim
PhD student
Email: christina.lim@uri.edu
Peace Uche
PhD student
Email: puche@uri.edu
Former Lab Members
Nic Blouin
Post doc
nblouin@mail.uri.edu
Full CV
Google Scholar Profile
Daniela Lopes Paim
Postdoctoral Researcher
University of Rhode Island
Office: CBLS 440
email: dpaim@uri.edu
Alyssa Rogers
Research Technician
Email: alyssa_rogers@my.uri.edu
Ian Misner
PhD 2012
Email: ianmisner@uri.edu
Computational Genomics Contractor, National Institute for Health
Ian’s focus is comparative nuclear genomics of oomycetes. Ian sequenced the genomes of the parasitic Achlya hypogyna and the free-living Thraustotheca clavata during his PhD. Ian’s project was a collaborative effort with Dr. Craig Bailey, at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.
Thea Popolizio
PhD 2015
Email: tpopolizio@uri.edu
Thea is expanding our understanding of Bermuda’s algal diversity, using a combination of DNA
sequencing of key samples and careful morphological investigations. Her project is being conducted in
collaboration with Dr. Craig Schneider, at Trinity College.
Eric Salomaki
PhD 2017
Email: eric_salomaki@uri.edu
Eric interested in evolution, symbioses, and co-evolution specifically between parasites and their hosts. Currently he is sequencing the genomes of the parasitic red alga Choreocolax polysiphoniae and its host Vertebrata lanosa, which both evolved from a shared recent common ancestor, to investigate the early genomic consequences of an organism adopting a parasitic life strategy.
Chris Paight
PhD 2018
Email: cpaight(at)uri.edu
Chris is using genomic tools to dissect the relationship between the apicomplexan, Nephromyces, its
bacterial symbiont and its host tunicate.
Lily Hancock
MSc 2010
Email: lhancock@mail.uri.edu
After working as a technician at the NYBG, Lily began a PhD at Brown University in 2012. Lilly used adelphoparasite and host mitochondial genomes to understand genome evolution in recentlyevolved parasites. Her comparative analyses addressed some of the genomic consequences of becoming a parasite.
Megan O’Brien
MS 2012
Email: obrienm@mail.uri.edu
Currently a Fullbright Fellow studying marine policy in Iceland
Megan used comparative mitochondrial genomics to examine a local red algal host/parasite pair, which are not directly related to one another. Her project shed light on genomic changes in parasites with multiple hosts.
Katelyn Wadland
MSc 2016
email: katelyn_dash@uri.edu
Katelyn is attempting to identify what appear to be a novel red algal family, using microscopy and genomic tools.
Danny Wolf
BSc 2016
Email:daniel_wolf@uri.edu
Tom Shamp
BSc student
Email: t.shamp14@gmail.com
Tom is assisting Thea with the Bermuda Seaweed project by extracting DNA, amplifying and sequencing PCR products from Bermuda red algal samples. Tom traveled to Bermuda in the summer of 2012 to collect and process samples for his project as part of an NSF supplement.
Taylor Clement
BSc student
Email:t.taylor_clement@my.uri.edu
Amy Boisvert
BSc student
Email:amy_boisvert@my.uri.edu
Amy tackled the green algae from the Bermuda Seaweed project during the 2012-2013 academic year by
extracting DNA, amplifying and sequencing PCR products from Bermuda samples.
Liz Sullivan
BSc student
Email: esullivan2@uri.edu
Liz is assisting Nic with the sequencing and assembly of the Gracilariopsis andersonii plastid genome project. Liz was a 2012 INBRE summer research fellow and is working in the lab for the 2012-2013 academic year, completing her project.
Jillian Freese
PhD student
Email: jillian.freese@gmail.com
Jillian is working on cellular aspects of parasitism in red algae, using both microscopy and genomic tools.
Erin Borbee
PhD student
Email: eborbee@uri.ed
Elaine Shen
PhD student
Email: elaineshen@uri.edu
Liz Hunter
Masters Student 2020
Email: lizhunter@my.uri.edu
Evelyn Spencer
Masters student 2021
Email: evelynspencer11(at)uri.edu