PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Pauline Kamath - Assistant Professor of Animal HealthPauline is a molecular ecologist with research emphases in disease ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. The broad goals of her research program are to understand infectious disease transmission dynamics and host-pathogen adaptation in wildlife disease systems. She applies genetic/genomic and statistical approaches to address the following key questions: (1) How do pathogens influence host genetic diversity? (2) What is the genetic basis for heterogeneity in host susceptibility? (3) What are the dynamics of disease transmission across hosts, space and time? (4) What are the eco-evolutionary drivers of disease transmission and spillover into new hosts? This work often is interdisciplinary and strives to take a One Health approach, involving collaborations with researchers from different fields. Other research interests include the investigation of population trends, structure, connectivity, and hybridization in threatened and invasive species.She received her Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy and Management from the University of California, Berkeley in 2011, and did a postdoc at the U.S. Geological Survey, Rocky Mountain Science Center. Outside of work, she enjoys swimming, skiing, hiking, playing the violin, and spending time with my family.
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POST-DOCS
Zoe Barandongo
Zoe earned her Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison researching Bacillus anthracis transmission dynamics in wildlife populations in Etosha (Namibia) and Kruger (South Africa) National Park, by integrate whole genome sequence data, quantitative microbiological data and ecological data. Zoe’s research interest is analyzing large genomic datasets using bioinformatic tools to address roles of pathogens in ecological processes impacting host species and disease outcomes. She joined the Kamath lab as a postdoctoral research associate in September 2023 and currently works on the pneumonia in white-tailed deer from Wisconsin, employing metagenomics to identify the causative agents of pneumonia in white-tailed deer and assess potential relationship between pneumonia and chronic wasting disease in deer. She will also be responsible to assess the use of nasal swabs as samples for future pneumonia surveillance efforts. Outside of work Zoe enjoys watching sports matches such as soccer, American-football and volleyball. She also loves playing volleyball and biking and going to the gym. Zoe can be reached at [email protected] |
LAB MANAGER
Melissa Simon
Melissa earned her bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Ecology and Management from Louisiana State University in 2016. Upon graduating, she spent several years working various avian field technician positions across the US until she landed in Maine. She joined the Wildlife Disease Genetics Lab in 2023 where she assists with research projects, maintains safety protocols and equipment, and helps ensure overall organization of lab operations. Outside of work, Melissa enjoys gardening, camping, and birding. She can be reached at [email protected]. |
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Tegwin Taylor - PhD, Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Alaina Woods - PhD, Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Alaina is a PhD research assistant working on parasitic and bacterial infections in Maine moose populations. Alaina received her BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from Paul Smith's College in New York and her MS in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston. During her MS she studied how Hurricane Harvey impacted the marine microbial community and genomic potential in Galveston Bay. Alaina is interested in exploring the impact winter ticks, and other parasites, have on the Maine moose populations at the genomic level. Alaina is apart of the NRT One Health & Environment program at U Maine (https://nsfa.umaine.edu/one-health/). Through the NRT Alaina will integrate aspects of social sciences into her research with her co-advisor Dr. Sandra De Urioste-Stone. When not in the lab, Alaina enjoys: hiking, marathon training, and bird watching! Alaina can be reached at: [email protected] |
Annie Stupik - MS, Wildlife Ecology
Annie joined the Kamath and Morano labs in the fall of 2021 as an MS research assistant. She received her BS in Natural Resources from the University of Connecticut, where she developed a passion for wildlife research and management. After graduating from UConn, she traveled around the US working as a wildlife field technician on various projects before realizing she wanted to view the natural world from a larger lens. She joined the Peace Corps and served for over 2 years in Paraguay as an environmental conservation volunteer. At the conclusion of her service, she spent some time readjusting to life in the US before moving to New York State to work as a big game technician for the state's Department of Environmental Conservation. As a graduate assistant, she is researching survival, habitat selection, and resource use of moose in Maine and how winter tick and climate change might impact these processes. In her free time, Annie enjoys birding, hunting, fishing, and has a moderate obsession with horses and riding them. You can reach her at: [email protected]. |
Monica Miles - MS, Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Monica joined the Kamath and De Urioste-Stone labs in the fall of 2023 as an MS research assistant. She received her BS in Environmental Sciences with Distinction from the University of Texas - Arlington, where she developed a passion for ecological genetics research. After graduating from UTA, she worked in Minnesota working as an AmeriCorps - GreenCorps member for Leech Lake Division of Resource Management. Here, Monica worked on various environmental based projects before making the decision to further her career in genetics research. As a graduate assistant, her research is focused on understanding socio-ecological drivers and impacts of winter tick infestations on North American moose in Maine. In her free time, Monica enjoys hiking, cooking, painting, playing board games and listening to various genres of audiobooks. For information regarding Monica’s work, you can reach her at: [email protected]. |
Paula Castiblanco - MS, Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Paula received two BS in Biology (2021) and Microbiology (2022) from the Universidad de Los Andes, in Colombia. There she became very interested in vertebrate biology, evolution, and taxonomy, as well as molecular biology and disease epidemiology. After graduating, she did an internship at the Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute in 2022, where she worked with camera traps and Wildlife Insights. Later, she joined a research team at Purdue University in 2023, and finally landed at the Kamath lab in 2024, as part of the Moose Project. Her research aims to identify respiratory diseases in moose, and understand how could infection affect their behaviour and survival, to inform management and public health decisions. In her free time she likes to knit, drink coffee, go for a hike or bike ride, and video call her dogs. Contact her at [email protected] |
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Isabella Costa- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Marina McManus- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Ava Pitman- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Natalie Falci
Marina McManus- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Ava Pitman- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Natalie Falci
FORMER STUDENTS & POST DOCS
Olivia Choi- Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Ph.D. Fall 2023
Stephanie Shea- Post Doctoral Associate Fall 2023
Melanie Prentice- Post Doctoral Associate Spring 2023
Stephanie Shea- Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Ph.D. Fall 2021
Carly Dickson- Ecology and Environmental Sciences, M.Sc. Fall 2021
James Elliot- Ecology and Environmental Sciences, M.Sc. Spring 2019
Hannah Friedman- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Emma Fitzpatrick- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Gregory Dedian - Biomedical Sciences
Catherine Fabel - Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Madison Stahle - Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Joe Beale - Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Zachary Pecora- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Mikayla Baiguy
Logan Christian
Allison Weymouth- Biochemistry
Hannah Lembree- Microbiology
Claire Nowak
Emma Fitzpatrick- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Gregory Dedian - Biomedical Sciences
Catherine Fabel - Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Madison Stahle - Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Joe Beale - Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Zachary Pecora- Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Mikayla Baiguy
Logan Christian
Allison Weymouth- Biochemistry
Hannah Lembree- Microbiology
Claire Nowak