People
Consider joining us in the Division of Biology! Check for available Open Positions, and feel free to contact me.
Principal Investigator
Andrew G. Hope
Read about my current research projects and collaborations. Also follow links to my K-State Division of Biology webpage, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate pages.
Post-doctoral Associate
Dr. Fraser Combe arrived at K-State in early March 2019
Fraser is a conservation biologist and molecular ecologist, interested in understanding ecological and evolutionary processes that generate and maintain diversity within and among species. The focus of his research is using genomic methods to investigate species limits, units of conservation, hybridization dynamics and adaptive gradients among shrews of the Genus Sorex. Fraser is primarily concerned with how these patterns and processes are relevant for conservation and management. Check him out on Researchgate, and Google Scholar!
Graduate Students
Molly Jones (MS program) joined our Lab in Spring semester 2020 from Purdue, just in time for an extended campus shutdown and national pandemic response... But, Molly is busy with her Thesis research investigating the genomic consequences and dynamics of hybridization between Sorex cinereus and S. ugyunak (masked and barren-ground shrews) in northern Alaska, along the ecotone between boreal forest and Arctic tundra.
Tommy Herrera (BS/MS program)
Tommy joined the lab in Summer 2019. Tommy has been an active field crew member over mutliple field seasons collecting mammal and parasite specimens from Manitoba, Kansas, Texas, South Daota and Minnesota! Tommy has been awarded a research grant through the K-State Developing Scholars Program and is also a McNairs Scholar. Tommy progressed to an MS program in Fall 2021 and his thesis focuses on the comparatiuve phylogeographic history of Great Plains mammals using both genetic data and ecological niche modeling. Photo: Tommy sampling small mammals on Konza Priaire, Summer 2019.
Undergraduate Students
Morgan Skinner (BS)
Morgan joned the lab early in 2022 and hails from eastern Kansas. Morgan is interested in large mammals, particularly marine mammals, but given we're in Kansas, Morgan's current focus is on deer genetics and chronic wasting disease!
TJ Hafliger (BS)
TJ is Kansas born and bred from the vicinity of Trego, KS. He joined the lab in 2021 and is interested in working with wildlife disease. He is currently becoming an expert preparator of small mammal museum specimens in addition to helping with our ongoing genetic analyses of Kansas deer for chronic wasting disease susceptibility.
Kaitlyn Headlee (BS)
Kaitlyn joined our lab in Fall 2021 as part of the Developing Scholars Program. She is working on a study of the rangewide phylogeographic history of northern bog-lemmings associated with a conservation genetics initiative for Synaptomys borealis sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildilfe Service, Alaska region.
Abbreviated list of Current Collaborators
Joseph A. Cook - Professor and Curator of Mammals at the University of New Mexico and Museum of Southwestern Biology - Home Page
Molecular ecology of small mammals, diversification of South American small mammals, North Pacific Coast endemism, and host parasite co-evolution across the Holarctic.
Vasyl V. Tkach - Professor of Parasitology at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks - Home Page
Biodiversity, evolutionary history, and natural history of helminth parasites.
Kayce C. Bell - Curator of Mammals at the Natural History Museum of L.A. County - Home Page
Host-parasite co-evolution, chipmunks, all things mammal.
John R. Demboski - Department Chair and Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science - Home Page
Evoultionary ecology of western North American mammals.
Sandra L. Talbot - Research Wildlife Geneticist at the U.S.G.S. Alaska Science Center - Home Page
Molecular ecology and conservation of Arctic flora and fauna.
Stephen E. Greiman - Assistant Professor of Parasitology at Georgia Southern University - Home Page
Parasitic flatworm diversity, evolution, and distribution; metagenomics of helminths and their symbiotic bacteria.
F. Agustin Jimenez - Associate Professor of Parasitology at Southern Illinois University - Home Page
Historical biogeography and co-evolution of mammalian parasitic nematodes.
Chris Conroy - Staff Curator of Mammals, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, UC, Berkeley.
Phylogeography of Sorex trowbridgii and phylogenomics of Sorex.
Past Lab Members
Sarah D. Mueller (Undergraduate - K-State Research Experience for Undergraduates Program - 2016)
Project - Sorex hoyi phylogeography: "Are there three species of pygmy shrews?" Resulting Publication.
Sabrina (Bia) F. Gragg (Undergraduate - B.Sc. 2018)
Project - Small mammal stable isotope analysis: "Isotopic trophic niche dynamics of small mammal communities reveal spatiotemporal complexity across an experimental prairie woodland mosaic." Resulting Publication.
Kailey R. Meacham (Undergraduate - B.Sc. 2021)
Project - Great Plains mammalian phylogeography, emphasis on ecto-parasites
Mary E. Schmidt (Undergraduate - B.Sc. 2021)
Project - Great Plains mammalian phylogeography, broad emphasis
Litsa T.P. Wooten (Undergraduate - B.Sc. 2021)
Project - Great Plains mammalian phylogeography, emphasis on Manitoba and Kansas small mammal sequencing. Photo: Litsa braving the mosquitos to pick wild blueberries in Manitoba in 2019.
Ben J. Wiens (Masters - M.S. 2021) - Now in a doctoral program at KU in the Colella Lab
Thesis - "A multi-locus perspecitve reveals connections between island biogeography and evolutionary history of an endangered shrew (Sorex pribilofensis)." Website. Thesis. Photo: Ben and kangaroo rat at Cimarron National Grassland, Summer 2020.
Tommy M. Galfano (Masters - M.S. 2021) - Now in a doctoral program at Western Ontario in the Coltman Lab
Thesis - "A conservation and taxonomic assessment of the least shrew (Cryptotis parvus) complex through rangewide phylogeographic analysis and population genomics." Thesis. Photo: Tommy certifies our campsite at Rio Grande-Bentsen State Park in southern Texas in March 2020.
Jacob Grimes (Undergraduate - B.Sc. 2026)
Jacob joined our lab in Fall 2021 as a freshman associated with the "Exploring Scientific Research" CATS program. He was working on a study of the rangewide phylogeographic history of northern bog-lemmings associated with a conservation genetics initiative for Synaptomys borealis sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildilfe Service, Alaska region. He's taking a break from research to settle into his degree and explore options, but he may be back! To be continued....
