Laurel R. Yohe, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics
College of Computing and Informatics
University of North Carolina Charlotte

Email: lyohe1[at]charlotte[dot]edu

Alisa Hutagalung

Alisa Hutagalung is a dedicated Graduate Student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, pursuing her Masters in Bioinformatics and Genomics. Currently engaged in cutting-edge research at Dr. Yohe's lab, she focuses on the Evo-devo bat turbinal and olfactory morphological study of Phyllostomidae Bats. With over 2 years of experience in segmenting complex morphologies in bat nasal cavities, Alisa is proficient in VG Studio software and data analysis using R and RStudio. An adept presenter, she has represented UNC Charlotte at esteemed research conferences, including the "19th International Bat Research Conference (IBRC) & North American Society for Bat Research (NASBR)." Alisa is also a Digital Marketing/Web Publisher Intern at Dassault Systèmes, skillfully contributing to web architecture and content management. She also has a strong passion for microscopies, anatomical morphologies, human health, plants, and website architecture.

Jacob Huemmer

Jacob is a graduate student at the University of North Carolina Charlotte, currently pursuing a Masters in Bioinformatics. Jacob got his Bachelor of Biology (conc. cell/molecular) degree from Appalachian State University, where he assisted with research focused on fruit fly genome annotation and assembly. This fostered his interest in working with large sets of biological data, particularly genome assemblies. Now working under Dr. Yohe, he aims to help demystify the evolutionary history of bats through genome assembly comparison and novel gene identification. When not being a mad scientist, he enjoys reading, exercise, video games, and baking

Sodiq Balogun

Sodiq is a Masters student in the Bioinformatics and Genomics department at the UNC, Charlotte. He has an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from the Federal university of Technology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Sodiq's current research aims to unravel the mysteries surrounding bats' extraordinary adaptation to their distinctive environment. Focusing on the "comparative evolution of craniofacial nerves in bat species," he examines the intricate mechanisms behind bats' unparalleled ability to thrive in diverse habitats. He seeks to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and enhance our understanding of the natural world. He likes scrabble, playing video games and football.

Mason Petty

I am currently an undergraduate student at UNCC majoring in Biology with the intention of attending medical school. I am an aspiring Orthopedic physician, I've always felt a calling to health for all, and regardless of my contribution, my goal is to impact someone's life or in an immensely positive way. Outside of school and work I enjoy playing the piano, reading, learning about astronomy, and observing celestial objects.

Mason was a 2022 NSF LSAMP fellow and an Evolution 2022 UDE recipient.

Alexa Kane

Alexa Kane is currently an undergraduate student majoring in Biology at UNCC. His interests are in ecology and zoology and he wishes to either become a veterinarian or work with wildlife rehabilitation. Outside of academics, he likes to listen to music, play video games, and draw digitally.

Alexa is a summer 2023 OUR scholar.

Jade

Research interests include keeping adenosine levels at a minimum and sampling the microbiota of manchego cheese.

Bella

Interests include dual chemosensory systems and is well known in her field for sampling Rodentia.