Research

Pei-Jung (Cindy) Hsin is Ph.D. candidate in the lab, and an international student from Taiwan. She is currently enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Genetics and Genomics. Her research interests include Animal Genomics, Evolutionary Genetics, and Pigmentation Biology. Her primary projects investigate the genetic basis of chicken feather pigmentation patterns and shape using comparative whole genomics and single cell transcriptomics.

Sarah Fross is a Ph.D student in Biomedical Science who works on numerous canine-focused comparative genomics projects. Her primary focus is constructing and evaluating the Canine Pangenome to examine structural variation in domestic dogs and wild canids.

Sarah will utilize the pangenome to examine the genetics of cardiac arrhythmia in sight hounds. See our Study Page for more detail and to sign up. This is coupled to a biomedical engineering project designing a machine learning algorithm to analyze electrocardiogram data in dogs to detect abnormalities leading to sudden cardiac death. Her projects are funded by a grant from the American Kennel Club Canine Health foundation #03365 “Genetic Risk of Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Channelopathies in Sighthounds”

Victoria Gatlin is a Ph.D student in Biomedical Science who is an expert in single cell transcriptomics. She is using her talents on multiple cancer projects across species including dog and human, though her primary project is examining the nature and patterns of X chromosome inactivation across eutherian mammals. For fun she is collaborating with regenerative medicine colleagues to understand bone regeneration in mice.

Ryan Stephens is a Ph.D student in Biomedical Science. He received his B.S from Texas A&M where he focused on forensic entomology. Moving into mammals, Ryan’s dissertation involves examining whole genome sequencing data from ~2000 cattle from a herd designed as a Mendelian cross between Angus (Bos taurus) and Nelore (Bos indicus). He is using genome-wide association and linkage mapping across a within-herd pangenome to tie genotype to numerous phenotypes across 6 generations.

Lucas Spetic de Silva is a Ph.D student in Biomedical Science working in population genetics. His primary focus is the endangered ocelots in south Texas to examine barriers to gene flow between populations. He is also looking at bobcats from around North America to examine signatures of adaptation, gene flow, and hybridization.

Mayra Nohelia Mendoza is an honorary member of EvoMedLab. She is a member of the Molecular Cytogenetics Lab at Texas A&M. She is a geneticist and biotechnologist with a Master’s in Animal Production (UNALM, Peru) and is a PhD candidate in Genetics and Genomics at Texas A&M University. Specialized in molecular biology and cytogenetics, with certified training in bioinformatics and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Expertise includes PCR, chromosome preparation, karyotyping, molecular cytogenetics, with a focus on camelid genomics.

She recently published a manuscript using long read sequencing, genome assembly, and FISH to examine repetitive satellite sequences in alpaca.
1) Alpaca chromosome-level reference genome VicPac4 reveals a novel NOR-associated satellite specific to south American camelids. Genomics (2026)

Raymond Guidry
Raymond Guidry is an undergraduate Biomedical Sciences major at Texas A&M with a long-term goal of becoming an academic physician. He is passionate about research, genetics, and understanding how molecular mechanisms shape immune system development. Through research, he has developed experience in computational biology, bioinformatics, data analysis, and wet lab techniques. His project involves using single cell transcriptomics to understand hot T cells develop in mice models for autoimmune disorders.

Shifa Shaik
Howdy! I’m studying Genetics and Bioinformatics at Texas A&M University and plan to pursue a career in medicine. I’m passionate about research and enjoy exploring how genetics can be applied to healthcare. After I graduate, I hope to work in the pharmaceutical industry, helping to develop new treatments.

Alexander Lee is an undergraduate Biomedical Sciences major at Texas A&M University, pursuing a career in medicine. He has previously contributed to Car-T cell therapy research aimed at treating various cancers at Baylor College of Medicine. Passionate about helping his community, Alex provides hands-on-patient care as a certified EMT, plays the violin in the Texas A&M Chamber Orchestra, and actively involved in various student organizations on campus, including the Taiwanese American Student Association and KYX Christian brotherhood.

Summer Whitlock is an undergraduate Biomedical Engineering major at Texas A&M University with a passion for computational genomics and bioinformatics. She is driven to pursue research as a career, combining her engineering skill set with biological innovation. Outside of class, Summer enjoys working as an audio/video engineer for 12th Man Productions while cheering on Aggie athletics.

Jilliane Nguyen  is an undergraduate genetics and pre-medical student in the EvoMed Lab with the long term goal of pursuing a career in medicine. My research interests focus on applying genetic and evolutionary frameworks to understand biological variation and evolutionary principles in both animal models and human health and disease. Her current project focuses on phenotypic variation and population genetics of fiddler crabs (Minuca longisignalis) along the Texas coast.

Samantha Lehmann  is a biomedical engineering student and a member of Delta Zeta. She is interested in genetics and plans to pursue medicine after graduation.