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Lab PI since Nov 2016
Associate Professor, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology Curator, University of Minnesota Herbarium (MIN) Google Scholar 
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Ph.D. student (Jun 2019 – present)
Alex is interested in combining plant phylogenomics and biochemistry with ethnobotany. She is using stress experiments to explore the evolution of Tyr- and Phe-derived metabolites across Caryophyllales. She also leads several ethnobotanical projects. A blog post featuring Alex
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Ph.D. student (Aug 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 using transcriptome analysis, hyperspectral imaging, and micro-CT scan. Google Scholar
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Postdoc (Aug 2021 – present)
Brett is working on linking hyperspectral imaging with plant genotype and stress response as part of the NSF-funded spectral biology project. He is co-advised by Jeannine Cavender-Bares.
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Addison Gensch
Undergraduate student (Sep 2023 – present) Addison works with Alex on Caryophyllales plant care and stress experiments
Diego F. Paredes Burneo
Visiting Ph.D. student (May 2023 – present, around from time to time)
Diego is visiting from the Lagomarsino Lab at Louisiana State University. He works on systematics of Brachyotum (Melastomataceae).
Diego is visiting from the Lagomarsino Lab at Louisiana State University. He works on systematics of Brachyotum (Melastomataceae).
Lab Openings
Postdoc
*Update Fall 2023: currently all funded postdoc positions are filled. However, Ya is happy to work with perspective postdocs with applying for fellowships such as the NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) Deadline: November each year
In addition, check out this comprehensive list for postdoc fellowships.
Graduate Students
*Update Fall 2023: the lab is actively recruiting 1–2 graduate students to start Fall 2024!
We seek students who are passionate about plant systematics and 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!
*Update Fall 2023: currently all funded postdoc positions are filled. However, Ya is happy to work with perspective postdocs with applying for fellowships such as the NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) Deadline: November each year
In addition, check out this comprehensive list for postdoc fellowships.
Graduate Students
*Update Fall 2023: the lab is actively recruiting 1–2 graduate students to start Fall 2024!
We seek students who are passionate about plant systematics and 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
Postdocs
Graduate Students
Lab managers
Undergraduate students
Visitors
- 10/2017–3/2021 Diego Morales-Briones worked on detecting hybridization and polyploidy from transcriptome and Hyb-Seq datasets. He played a key role in mentoring students, establishing lab protocols, and teaching workshops. Diego is now a postdoctoral associate with Prof. Gudrun Kadereit. Google Scholar Diego's website
- 5/2017–4/2019 Lingyun Chen 陈凌云 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
Graduate Students
- Ph.D. 8/2017–5/2023 and postdoc 6–9 2023 Rebekah Mohn worked on phylogenomics and chromosome evolution of Drosera (Droseraceae). She is now a postdoctoral associate with Andrew Hipp. Google Scholar
- 7/2021–1/2023 Ben Cooper (M.S.) Ben took courses on data science and built reproducible Python pipelines for analyzing Hyb-Seq data in Caryophyllaceae. Ben is now pursuing a career in data science. Ben's website LinkedIn
Lab managers
- 12/2020–6/2022 Zachary Radford established our stress experiments for the NSF-funded Caryophyllales metabolite project; he also trained students and managed the lab. He is now a Ph.D. student at the Wessinger Lab, University of South Carolina.
- 3/2017–8/2018 Eileen Yinyin Huang set up the new lab, generated RNA-seq data, and trained several lab members. She is now a PharmD student at the University of Minnesota. LinkedIn ResearchGate
Undergraduate students
- 6–9/2023 Kyle Duval worked with Aaron on using hyperspectral imaging of herbarium specimens to predict functional traits.
- 6–8/2023 Sophie Naylor (Colgate University, USDA REEU) used DNA barcoding to identify Hmong herbs. Sophie was co-advised by Natalie Hoidal and Alex Crum.
- 1–5/2023 Muna Mohamed worked on knotweed stress experiments with Alex Crum.
- 1–5/2023 Nicholas De La Rosa worked on Drosera DNA extraction and plastome analyses with Aaron Lee and Rebekah Mohn.
- 1/2022–5/2023 Annika Smeenk worked on stress experiments and the Hmong herbs project with Alex Crum.
- 6–8/2022 Adiel J. Andino Acevedo (University of Puerto Rico at Utuado, USDA REEU) used DNA barcoding to identify Hmong herbs. Adiel was co-advised by Natalie Hoidal and Alex Crum.
- 5–9/2021 Erin Boehme worked with Rebekah Mohn and Aaron Lee on character evolution in Drosera.
- 4–7/2019 Ailin Wang helped with stress experiments for her directed study project.
Visitors
- 11–12/2021 Marian Schubert (visiting scholar) Marian visited from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. He worked on developing a proposal on macroevolution of cold tolerance and vernalization in grass. Google Scholar
- 9/2019–9/2020 Nan Lin 林楠 (visiting Ph.D. student) Nan visited from Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She was awarded a China Scholarship Council fellowship to learn phylogenomic methods. ResearchGate
- 10–11/2018: Delphine Tefarikis (visiting Ph.D. student) Delphine visited from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. She worked with Diego on reticulate evolution and C2 photosynthesis in Salsola (Amaranthaceae). ResearchGate
July 2023 lab trip to Craters of the Moon, ID after the Botany conference: Rebekah, Ya, Alex, and Aaron
Lab group pic Sep 2021: Ya, Aaron, Erin, Rebekah, Zack, Ben, and Alex
Lab group pic Dec 2019: Diego, Rebekah, Alex, Nan, and Ya.
Lab group pic Oct 2017 (mising Yinyin): Rebekah, Ya, Diego, Zacky (honorary member from the Weiblen Lab), and Chen.