THE CASSIN SACKETT LAB
  • Home
  • Research
  • People
  • Publications
  • Scripts
  • Teaching & Outreach
  • STEM diversity
  • Blog
  • Photography
Lab Members
Vertical Divider
Imagen

Picture
Picture
Picture




​Loren Cassin Sackett, Assistant Professor
I am an evolutionary biologist whose research centers around the evolution of small populations and the influence of pathogens on evolution of their hosts. I currently focus on two main systems: avian malaria in Hawaiian honeycreepers and sylvatic plague in prairie dogs. I am working to characterize the genomic basis of resistance to avian malaria among Hawaiian honeycreepers. I also investigate the evolutionary effects of the introduced pathogen Yersinia pestis--the bacteria causing plague--on fragmented populations of black-tailed prairie dogs. 

You can find my CV on this page (or download a pdf here), check out my current projects here, and follow my adventures in science and travel on Instagram.





​Graduate Students:

​Gabrielle Atkinson: I am a PhD student studying Environmental and Evolutionary Biology; my research interests include using genetics/genomics to study how the introduction of a pathogen can affect the evolution of the host species and the dynamics of an ecosystem. I am specifically interested in avian diseases, and studied avian malaria in Hawaiian Honeycreepers under Dr. Sackett as an undergraduate at the University of South Florida, where I received my Bachelor's in Biomedical Sciences. In my free time I enjoy playing or watching soccer and eating pizza.

​Anna Jackson: I am a Master's student studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and am currently exploring the genetic structure of the Gunnison's prairie dog as it interacts with climate, geography, and disease (specifically sylvatic plague). I earned my Bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University where I studied the evolution of Caribbean iguanas, and I served in the Peace Corps post-graduation before joining the Cassin Sackett lab. You can find me running long distance around Lafayette or alligator-observing on campus!




Please see current opportunities for graduate students here, and drop me a line if you are interested in joining the lab!

Prospective Graduate Students:
I am accepting new graduate students with the right fit. Masters' students may come into the lab to work on existing projects, but I expect PhD students to design their own dissertations (preferably working in one of my existing systems, but I can be convinced otherwise with a good project). I am eager to mentor students with interests in evolution, conservation, wildlife infectious disease, and related topics.
About you: You are highly motivated, hard-working and curious. You have experience in--or the desire to learn--genetic, genomic and bioinformatic techniques to understand evolution. You are tolerant of and willing to work respectfully with diverse groups of people.
​
Undergraduate Students:
Vertical Divider

Alex LaFleur is a first year undergraduate student from central Louisiana. He is interested in genetics and molecular biology.

Lab alumni:
​Sydni Joubran, M.S., now a research assistant at the New Iberia Research Center


Erin Arnold, former lab manager, now a biologist at the California Condor Recovery Program 

Undergraduates:
Jeanette Calarco, now a PhD student at the University of South Florida
Rebecca Harripersaud
​Chadwick Kaufman
Jeanette Miller, now a PhD student at Vanderbilt University
Brenden Scott, now a research assistant at San Diego Zoo




Collaborators:
Our lab is fortunate enough to collaborate with exceptional scientists in academia, nonprofits, management agencies, and education outreach.


​Joe Busch (Northern Arizona University)
Susette Castañeda Rico 
(Smithsonian Institution)
Center for Conservation Genomics (Smithsonian Institution)

Cali Crampton & Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project
Andrew Crawford (Universidad de los Andes, Colombia)
​Ana Davidson (Colorado State University)

Rebecca Dikow 
(Smithsonian Institution)
Nina Fefferman (University of Tennessee)
Rob Fleischer (Smithsonian National Zoo)

Dina Fonseca (Rutgers University)
Jeff Foster (University of New Hampshire)
​Marm Kilpatrick (UC Santa Cruz)

Nic Kooyers (University of Louisiana)
Andy Martin (University of Colorado)
Hanna Mounce & Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project

Eben Paxton (U.S. Geological Survey)
Kristina Paxton (University of Hawaii, Hilo)
Katie Richgels (USGS National Wildlife Health Center)

​Tonie Rocke (USGS National Wildlife Health Center)
Amy Seglund (Colorado Parks & Wildlife)
Kevin Shoemaker (University of Nevada, Reno)

Mirian Tsuchiya (Smithsonian Institution)
​Dave Wagner (Northern Arizona University)


Vertical Divider
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Research
  • People
  • Publications
  • Scripts
  • Teaching & Outreach
  • STEM diversity
  • Blog
  • Photography