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​Daniela Palmer Droguett, PhD (she/her)
Office: ERB 428
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I am an evolutionary biologist, and I study the evolution and ecology of sexual biodiversity.

Previously, I was a postdoctoral fellow in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at Michigan State University. Before MSU, I was an NSF postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield.

You can find my CV here.
Feel free to email me at [email protected]. 

Emily A Shelby, PhD (she/her)
Postdoctoral researcher

I’m a developmental biologist interested in how organisms build themselves, ranging from the earliest decisions that pattern embryos to the mechanisms that generate striking visible biodiversity. I completed my Ph.D. at the University of Georgia where I studied the role of DNA methyltransferase 1 (dnmt1) in oogenesis and early embryogenesis in the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci.  Before that, I earned my master’s degree at Mississippi State University where I investigated the scale-level development of butterfly color patterns and how artificial diets can capture natural variation in these traits. Moving forward, my research will focus on the multifaceted mechanisms that underly sexual dimorphism in treehoppers.

Satabdi Mandal 
PhD student

I am broadly interested in sexual selection, evolution of traits, adaptation, and biodiversity. For my masters, at Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (Bangalore), I performed a study correlating activity to aggression during intrasexual competition in Psammophilus dorsalis lizards, trying to broadly recognize the co-evolution of traits. As a PhD student in the Palmer lab, I aspire to learn more about the evolution of sexual diversity in treehoppers, and what ecological factors might be contributing towards this diversity. I wish to apply this knowledge later in my career, to understand how the dynamic nature of sex chromosomes affects mating strategies in various taxa. 
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When not working, you can find me talking about queer and caste minorities in India, learning more about the history of the global south and collecting stories. 

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​Sukanya Samaddar 
PhD student
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I am interested in exploring the intersection of genetics, sexual selection, and evolution. I have a strong interest in understanding how genetic variation influences reproductive strategies and adaptation. After my masters, I worked at the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. I was broadly interested in animal behavior and life-history trait evolution. I studied the effect of predation on the early life stages of Aedes aegypti. During my PhD journey in the Palmer Lab, I will be working on the evolution of sex chromosomes in treehoppers. I am eager to learn about the evolutionary mechanisms that balance gene expression between sexes and the factors that contribute towards their diversity. I am eager to contribute to integrative research bridging molecular genetics and evolutionary biology.

Ivan Ramos
Undergraduate student

Layla Nguyen
Undergraduate student

(profiles coming soon)

Former lab members

Pablo Lopez - Lab technician
Saima Akhter - Rotation PhD student
Oscar Cardenas - Rotation PhD student
Chinonyerem Obiakonwa – Undergraduate student
Mary Kumah – Undergraduate student 
Nandi Zulu – Undergraduate student 

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