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

Madhur Wyatt

Stephenville, Texas

Madhur Wyatt is currently pursuing her PhD. in Exercise and Nutrition Sciences. She is studying the effects of vitamin D supplementation on microbial composition, findings of which can be used to make associations with early-onset colorectal cancer risk. Diet-microbiome interactions and mechanisms of host-microbiome inflammation are additional areas of research that interest her. Prior to pursuing a PhD, she completed her MA in Science (Kinesiology) and Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

Julia Xu

San Diego, CA

Julia is a second-year graduate student who completed her undergraduate degree in Bioengineering at the California Institute of Technology. She is currently working on a project investigating the connection between diet, microbiome, and colon cancer.

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 and has just recently joined 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.

Undergraduate Students

Ella von Dohlen

Minneapolis, MN

Ella is a senior University Scholar studying Biology, Data Science, and Bioethics. She is interested in the relationship between genetic mutations and disease, and will be working on expanding her Bioinformatics skillset within the Greathouse lab. After graduation, she hopes to further her molecular biology studies and continue on to research in biomedical informatics.

Lauren Crowhurst

New Waverly, TX

Lauren is a senior Science Research Fellow on the pre-medical track. She is very interested in understanding how the microbiome influences human health, and is excited to work on research projects relating to its impact on colorectal cancer. She hopes to go on to medical school or enroll in an MD-PhD program to combine her interests in research and medicine.

Alea Brummel

Northport, NY

Alea is a senior University Scholar and Mathematics major and Biochemistry minor on the pre-medical track. She is very interested in bioinformatics and the microbiome as both have numerous applications to human health. She hopes to learn about these topics as well as learning how to code. In the future, she hopes to become a medical doctor or alternatively to do research in the biomedical field.

Trent Rothell

Frisco, TX

Trent is a senior Business Fellow majoring in finance and minoring in biochemistry and leadership in medicine. His interests are in both cellular biology and the factors that lead to carcinogenesis, and the Greathouse lab is an amazing opportunity to combine those interests by exploring the complexities of the microbiome. He is planning on getting an MBA in Healthcare and then going to medical school to become a physician.

Victoria Agbeibor

Williamsburg, VA

Victoria is a senior Business Fellow majoring in mathematics on the pre-medical track. She is interested in using mathematical and computational techniques to engage in research concerning human health and disease. She is very fascinated by how studying diet and the gut microbiome can aid in our understanding of colorectal cancer and lead to preventative tools and treatments. In the future, she hopes to pursue a research-oriented medical degree and become a physician.

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 junior 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 junior 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 junior 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 sophomore 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.