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Assistant professor, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology
Curator, University of Minnesota Herbarium (MIN) Google Scholar My collaborative network on experts@Minnesota 
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Ph.D. candidate (August 2017 – present)
Rebekah is working on phylogenomics and chromosome evolution of the sundews (Drosera, Droseraceae). Google Scholar
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Ph.D. student (June 2019 – present)
Alex is interested in combining plant phylogenomics and biochemistry with ethnobotany. Currently she is working on evolution of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway in the Caryophyllales.
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Ph.D. student (August 2020 – present)
Aaron is interested in using computational tools to study plant evolution. Currently he is exploring the evolution of abiotic stress tolerance in the Caryophyllales.
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Lab manager (December 2020 – present)
Zack is interested in dispersal, adaptation, and evolution of plants. He is working on plant growth and stress experiments as part of the NSF-funded Caryophyllales metabolite project; he also manages the lab. |
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Undergraduate student (May 2021 – present)
Erin is working on character evolution in Drosera. |
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Ph.D. student (July 2021 – present)
Ben is interested in studying whole genome duplication and the affects of transitioning to carbon concentrating mechanisms of photosynthesis (C4 and CAM) on genome size and structure in the Caryophyllales. Ben's website |
Lab Openings
Postdoc: Ya is happy to assist perspective postdocs with applying for fellowships such as:
NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) Deadline: November each year
University of Minnesota Grand Challenges in Biology Postdoctoral Program Deadline: February each year
In addition, check out this comprehensive list for postdoc fellowships.
Graduate Students
Students in the lab are expected to be independent and develop their own dissertation projects on topics related to plant evolution. Ya is affiliated with these two graduate programs:
Plant and Microbial Biological Graduate Program Application deadline: December 1 each year
Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Graduate Program Application deadline: December 1 each year
Internal funds are available for herbarium curatorial assistantship, summer/academic year fellowships, and research awards. Please contact Ya to discuss your interests.
In addition, Ya is happy to assist perspective graduate students with applying for external fellowships such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Deadline: October each year.
Also see general info on applying for graduate school by Casey Dunn
A detailed guide on how to apply for graduate school by current UMN graduate students
Undergraduate students: the lab has many opportunities for motivated undergraduate students, including, but not limited to field collections, basic molecular lab techniques, phylogenetic analyses, and programing projects. Please contact Ya with your CV and a brief description of your interests to discuss potential projects!
NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) Deadline: November each year
University of Minnesota Grand Challenges in Biology Postdoctoral Program Deadline: February each year
In addition, check out this comprehensive list for postdoc fellowships.
Graduate Students
Students in the lab are expected to be independent and develop their own dissertation projects on topics related to plant evolution. Ya is affiliated with these two graduate programs:
Plant and Microbial Biological Graduate Program Application deadline: December 1 each year
Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Graduate Program Application deadline: December 1 each year
Internal funds are available for herbarium curatorial assistantship, summer/academic year fellowships, and research awards. Please contact Ya to discuss your interests.
In addition, Ya is happy to assist perspective graduate students with applying for external fellowships such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Deadline: October each year.
Also see general info on applying for graduate school by Casey Dunn
A detailed guide on how to apply for graduate school by current UMN graduate students
Undergraduate students: the lab has many opportunities for motivated undergraduate students, including, but not limited to field collections, basic molecular lab techniques, phylogenetic analyses, and programing projects. Please contact Ya with your CV and a brief description of your interests to discuss potential projects!
Lab Alumni
Diego Morales-Briones (Postdoc Oct 2017 – Mar 2021) Diego was one of the founding members of the lab. He carried out innovative work on detecting hybridization and polyploidy from transcriptome and Hyb-Seq datasets. He also played an essential role in the lab in mentoring many lab members, updating lab protocols and analysis pipelines, and co-teaching phylogenomics workshops. Diego is starting as a postdoctoral associate in the group of Prof. Dr. Gudrun Kadereit at the Munich Botanical Garden, Germany. Google Scholar Diego's website
Nan Lin 林楠 (visiting Ph.D. student Sep 2019–Sep 2020) Nan visited from Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She was awarded a China Scholarship Council fellowship to visit the lab and learn phylogenomic methods. ResearchGate
Ailin Wang (undergrad Apr–Jul 2019) Ailin helped with stress experiments for her directed study project.
Lingyun Chen 陈凌云 (postdoc May 2017–Apr 2019) Chen worked on gene expression analyses in non-model species. He is now a faculty member at the China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China. Google Scholar ResearchGate
Yinyin Huang (lab manager Mar 2017–Aug 2018) Yinyin helped with setting up the new lab, kept the lab running, generated RNA-seq data for the lab, and trained several lab members. She is now a PharmD student at the University of Minnesota. LinkedIn ResearchGate
Nan Lin 林楠 (visiting Ph.D. student Sep 2019–Sep 2020) Nan visited from Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She was awarded a China Scholarship Council fellowship to visit the lab and learn phylogenomic methods. ResearchGate
Ailin Wang (undergrad Apr–Jul 2019) Ailin helped with stress experiments for her directed study project.
Lingyun Chen 陈凌云 (postdoc May 2017–Apr 2019) Chen worked on gene expression analyses in non-model species. He is now a faculty member at the China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China. Google Scholar ResearchGate
Yinyin Huang (lab manager Mar 2017–Aug 2018) Yinyin helped with setting up the new lab, kept the lab running, generated RNA-seq data for the lab, and trained several lab members. She is now a PharmD student at the University of Minnesota. LinkedIn ResearchGate
The Yang Lab Dec 2019: Diego, Rebekah, Alex, Nan, and Ya.
The Yang Lab Oct 2017 (mising Yinyin): Rebekah, Ya, Diego, Zacky (honorary member from the Weiblen Lab), and Chen.