People
Meet our team and learn about current projects and interests!
Dr. Heather Bracken Grissom
Florida International University-Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-353
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
305 919-4190 (Phone)
Evolution, decapod phylogenetics, biodiversity, conservation, biogeography, ecology, taxonomy and systematics
Carlos Varela
PhD Candidate
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Taxonomy and systematics of marine and freshwater peracarid and decapod crustaceans
Lauren Ballou
PhD Candidate
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Phylogenetics, Biogeography, Evolution, Anchialine Cave Crustaceans
Zach Nickell
PhD Student
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-250N
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Phylogenetics, Decapods, Evolution, Ecology, Conservation
Dr. Danielle DeLeo
Postdoctoral Associate
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-250F
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Transcriptomics, deep sea biology, molecular ecology, marine invertebrates, conservation & the evolution of bioluminescence
Robert Tomasetti
PhD Candidate
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-250N
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Connectivity, biodiversity, phylogenetics, biogeography
Pedro Peres
Visiting PhD Candidate
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Evolutionary biology, Molecular Ecology, Phylogeography, Population genetics/genomics, Marine Ecology
Charles Golightly
MS Student
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Deep ocean exploration and research, conservation, genetics/genomics
Stormie Collins
Lab Manager
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Phylogenetics, taxonomy, systematics, bioluminescence, conservation, and adaptive camouflage
Lys Isma
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Genetics in public health, epidemiology, microbiology
Joe Brennan
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Coral-Algal symbiosis, thermal stress physiological response, genetic adaptation, conservation
Harrison Mancke
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Jade Uhalt
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Florida International University-
Biscayne Bay Campus
3000 NE 151 Street, MSB-330
North Miami, Florida 33181, USA
Phylogenetics, evolution, ecology, conservation, biodiversity, marine invertebrates
Visual and Sensory Ecology, Phylogenetics, Physiology, Deep-Sea Ecology, Evolutionary Adaptations
Previous Lab Members
Dr. Lorian Schweikert
Former Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow
Now Assistant Professor at
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Dr. Robert Ditter
Former PhD Student
Now pursuing a Postdoctoral
position at the University of California, Davis.
Dr. Laura Timm
Former PhD Student
Now pursuing a Postdoctoral position at the University of Colorado in Denver, Colorado.
Dr. Jorge Luis Pérez-Moreno
Former PhD Student
Anchita Sanan
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Vanessa Moreno
Former Research Assistant
Alexis Snyder
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Stacie Schulman
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Alyssa Morgan
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Sheilla Robles
Former Volunteer - Biscayne Bay Monitoring
Shaina Lear
Former Research Technician
Julian Martínez
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Nicole Odzer
Former High School Research Assistant
Nicole Perez
Former Research Assistant
Chris Rizzie
Former Research Assistant
Joan Glenny
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Katrina Abel
Former Research Assistant
Blake Wilkins
Former Research Technician
Jonathan Harms
Former Research Assistant
Lauren Ramos
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Adriana Suarez
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Ahmed Alnahhas
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Juliet Wong
Former Lab Manager/ Research Technician
Barbara Moahamed
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Carmen Ekert
Former Undergraduate Research Assistant
Dr. Hernán Vázquez-Miranda
Postdoctoral Associate