Lab Members

POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS

Ankan Choudhury

Kolkata, India

Ankan earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Pharmacy from Jadavpur University, and his PhD at Baylor under the guidance of Dr. Chris Kearney. His current research involves 1) exploring key bacterial markers in the gut microbiomes of colon cancer patients and identifying key dietary indicators that are crucial in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome for such patients which will improve their response to chemotherapy/ immunotherapy and increase survivability, 2) understanding the role of indole and indole-derived metabolites in the biofilm formation procedure of key species of gut microbiome and their influence on turning the species into an opportunistic pathogen, and 3) exploring the role of nucleic acid load of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of pathogenic strains Bacteroides fragilis and determining the fate of such OMVs and their cargo upon entering host cells, using click-chemistry aided fluorophore tagging.

Graduate Students

Colin Scano

 Dracut, MA

Colin received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Providence College in 2019. Following graduation, he worked for a couple years on a novel gene therapy platform at a startup company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Biology at Baylor University in the Greathouse lab. He has always been fascinated by the intricate role the microbiome plays in disease progression and overall health and is excited to investigate that role further.

Grace Wilson

Waco, TX

Grace received her undergraduate degree in biology from Baylor University in 2024. Continuing her education at Baylor, she joined the Greathouse Lab in pursuit of her MA in Biology. Grace is interested in the connection between diet and the microbiome and their influence on disease progression and outcome.

Undergraduate Students

James Lotter

Dover, NH

James is a junior Science Research Fellow with a concentration in biochemistry and minor in nutrition. He became interested in the role of diet on health during a weight loss journey of over 100 lbs and became fascinated with the world of the microbiome in the process. This curiosity is satisfied through the Greathouse Lab, and he looks forward to learning more about the topic each day. Future plans include pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. to blend his interests of research and medicine with emphases on gastroenterology and nutrition.

Alli Barton

Missouri City, TX

Alli is a senior University Scholar with a concentration in Biology and minors in Medical Humanities and Spanish. Alli became interested in the Greathouse Lab and microbiome research after acting as a research participant in the Vitamin D Microbiome study. She hopes to learn more about probiotic development and cancer prevention through her work within the lab. After graduating from Baylor, Alli plans to attend grad school and become a physician assistant. .

Jessalyn Hawkins

Freeport, MI

Jessalyn is a senior University Scholars major with concentrations in biology and neuroscience. She is fascinated by the intricate relationship between the gut microbiome and colorectal cancer. She hopes to continue to learn about the process of scientific research. With aspirations of pursuing an MD/PhD program, Jessalyn aims to merge her passion for research with clinical practice to contribute significantly to the field of medicine.

Gregory Zaharas

Denver, CO

Gregory is a senior Cell and Molecular Biology major and history minor. Gregory’s future plans are to go to medical school.

Dana Azzouka

Amman, Jordan

Dana is a junior University Scholar with a secondary major in Biology on the pre-medical track. She previously conducted research on a method that prolongs the shelf life of fruits that are essential for human nutrition, which had an implication for food security during the COVID-19 pandemic. This stimulated her to take a step further and investigate the interplay between dietary factors and carcinogenesis. In her future endeavors, she intends to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. program to integrate her research pursuits with her medical aspirations.

Jeffrey Marsiglia

Jeffrey is a junior Health Science Studies major with a focus on pre-medical studies. His passion for microbiome research was sparked by his cousin’s work in the field, inspiring him to explore the intricate relationships within the gut microbiota. Through the Greathouse Lab, Jeffrey hopes to deepen his understanding of how these microbial interactions influence human health. In the future, Jeffrey plans to attend medical school, where he hopes to integrate his research interests with clinical practice.

Kaitlin Wilbur

Kaitlin is a junior biology major with a concentration in cell and molecular biology on the pre-med track. She has always been intrigued by the development of cancer, and specifically how diet can contribute to various cancers. She is excited to further her understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiome and how its environment can play a role in colorectal cancer. After graduation she plans to attend an MD program to fulfill her medical ambitions.

Emma Kenyon

Emma is a senior majoring in Biology, with minors in Biochemistry and Studio Arts. Her interest in how diet affects the gut began early, influenced by seeing chronic disease in her family. She previously worked on research studying how various drugs affect cancer in Zebrafish, which sparked her passion for lab work. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD.

Alumni

Ifeoma Ikedionwu

Alison Jung

Aadil Sheikh

Trent Rothell