What a semester!

As I sit and reflect on the Spring 2024 semester, I am just amazed at all the incredible achievements of the PLOMEE team!

We started the Spring semester with Gabe Barret defending his Master’s thesis, “Variant Graphs Improve Accuracy of Downstream Analysis In Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing.”

Two undergraduates, Cierra Westbrook and Erin Wildes, and Research Technician Caitlin Randall presented their first posters at a national conference, the National Shellfisheries Association. PhD student, Megan Guidry also rocked a presentation at the same conference!

We welcomed Postdoctoral Fellow Coline Caillon to the team!

Research technician, Caitlin Randall, was accepted into the LSU LAGNiAppE Postbaccalaureate Progam .

PhD student Cassandra Cerasia was awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

Phd students Amy Zyck and Jacob Green pumped out something close to 700 exome library preps. Keeping me busy submitting sequencing orders and finding hard drive space!

Undergraduate Cierra Westbrook was awarded the Elmer A. Palmatier Memorial Scholarship from the Department of Biological Sciences.

Undergradaute Lauren Albanese graduated Summa Cum Laude in May, and she landed a coveted internship at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.

Undergraduate Hector Santiago graduated Summa Cum Laude in May, and he is awaiting official word on an awesome job at a high-profile research institute in New England.

We’re also super lucky to have undergrads Juliana Bucci and Cierra Westbrook agree to stay and work in the lab for a second summer!

It’s such a long list of achievements, and these are just the biggest ones. I have to say that I am just so incredibly proud of the PLOMEE team!