Lab Members
Principal Investigator
Prof. Cynthia Silveira, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
University of Miami
+1 305 284 8142
cynthiasilveira@miami.edu
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Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
University of Miami
+1 305 284 8142
cynthiasilveira@miami.edu
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PhD Students
Natascha Varona
Natascha graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UC Davis, where she studied microbial consortia that contribute to coral health. She developed new approaches to cultivating diverse bacterial species from corals. In addition to doing research, Natascha uses her artistic talents to raise awareness for ocean health. At the University of Miami, Natascha was awarded a Maytag Fellowship for her research on coral microbiomes.
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Natascha graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UC Davis, where she studied microbial consortia that contribute to coral health. She developed new approaches to cultivating diverse bacterial species from corals. In addition to doing research, Natascha uses her artistic talents to raise awareness for ocean health. At the University of Miami, Natascha was awarded a Maytag Fellowship for her research on coral microbiomes.
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Alexandra Stiffler
Allie graduated with a B.S in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology as well as Genetics from Purdue University, where she studied protein interactions within a unique class of enzymes and their contribution to the virulence of the stomach pathogen H. pylori. She was the first to categorize a protein from this family in H. pylori with dual enzymatic function. As an undergrad, she was awarded the Goldwater Fellowship, a national research-based fellowship for accomplished undergraduate researchers. Her achievements secured her a Dean Fellowship from the University of Miami.
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Allie graduated with a B.S in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology as well as Genetics from Purdue University, where she studied protein interactions within a unique class of enzymes and their contribution to the virulence of the stomach pathogen H. pylori. She was the first to categorize a protein from this family in H. pylori with dual enzymatic function. As an undergrad, she was awarded the Goldwater Fellowship, a national research-based fellowship for accomplished undergraduate researchers. Her achievements secured her a Dean Fellowship from the University of Miami.
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Bailey Wallace
Bailey completed her B.S. in Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies at UW-Madison. Since graduating, her work has focused on coral reef ecology and restoration with Mote Marine Laboratory as well as STEM outreach and education. Bailey is an avid scuba diver and is passionate about ocean conservation. Her work on marine science granted a her a Holmes Fellowship from the University of Miami.
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Bailey completed her B.S. in Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies at UW-Madison. Since graduating, her work has focused on coral reef ecology and restoration with Mote Marine Laboratory as well as STEM outreach and education. Bailey is an avid scuba diver and is passionate about ocean conservation. Her work on marine science granted a her a Holmes Fellowship from the University of Miami.
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Undergraduates
Anna Golikova
Orissa Symmonett
Ashley Zagame
Alumni
Poppy Hesketh-Best
Poppy was a postdoc in the lab in 2022. Shas a B.Sc. in Microbiology and Biochemistry from the University of Scheffield, an M.Sc. in Marine Biology, and a Ph.D. in Biology and Marine Sciences from the University of Plymouth. Poppy has a broad microbiology background, from in vivo infection studies using the wax moth larvae to long-read metagenomic sequencing and bioinformatics. She is interested in species interactions in complex marine microbial communities.
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Poppy was a postdoc in the lab in 2022. Shas a B.Sc. in Microbiology and Biochemistry from the University of Scheffield, an M.Sc. in Marine Biology, and a Ph.D. in Biology and Marine Sciences from the University of Plymouth. Poppy has a broad microbiology background, from in vivo infection studies using the wax moth larvae to long-read metagenomic sequencing and bioinformatics. She is interested in species interactions in complex marine microbial communities.
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Sofia Garcia
Sofia was a Biology undergraduate in the lab and is now a Ph.D. student at Dartmouth. Her research focuses on the biofilm formation.
Sofia was a Biology undergraduate in the lab and is now a Ph.D. student at Dartmouth. Her research focuses on the biofilm formation.
Undergraduates
Coryn Ferguson
Jacques Calixte
Jialin Wu
Grabriela Denny
Research Assistant
Kathryn Forcone
Coryn Ferguson
Jacques Calixte
Jialin Wu
Grabriela Denny
Research Assistant
Kathryn Forcone