Directory

PhD: Veterinary and Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, 2001

My research focuses on defining the specialized roles of a DNA polymerase, POLIB, using inducible RNAi complementation, in kDNA maintenance in Trypanosoma brucei.

Email: [email protected]

Hey guys! My name is Dari, and I am a Junior Microbiology major from Grafton, MA. At school, I do undergraduate research in the Holden lab, studying methane production and the microbes involved. I am also the social media coordinator for the UMass Microbiology Club and a teaching assistant. In my free time, I love watching scary movies and hanging out with friends.

John Burand is an emeritus faculty member.

Email: [email protected]

Ph.D.: Marine Microbiology, University of Bremen, Germany, 2011

Email: [email protected]

Endothelial cells that line the inner walls of blood vessels play a crucial role in maintaining blood vessel and organ function, and systemic health. Consequently, dysfunction of the endothelial barrier can have dire consequences in wide-ranging diseases like diabetes, sepsis and cerebral malaria.

In cerebral malaria, red blood cells infected with Plasmodium falciparum parasites accumulate in brain microvessels. This leads to endothelial activation and ultimately, dysfunction, characterized by disruption of the blood-brain barrier, clotting dysregulation, and brain swelling. The molecular

Because microbes embody the vast diversity of life and are major drivers of earth’s biogeochemical cycles, my work focuses on understanding microbes both from individual physiological perspectives as well as broad ecological perspectives. Specifically, I am interested in effects that climate change has on soil microbial communities, and applying results towards improvement of next generation biofuels. We aim to examine soil carbon dynamics, with focus on microbial carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions in the rhizosphere and within the context of plant-microbial interactions.