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From the Chair
Dear Biology alumni and friends,
As we near the end of the semester and calendar year, I want to send best wishes from everyone in the Department of Biology for a very happy holiday and a wonderful new year. I hope that you able to spend time with family and friends, and have an opportunity to rest and recharge.
In Biology, we have so much for which to be grateful this holiday season: for our wonderful faculty, who bring a love of teaching and research to our labs and classrooms; for our hard-working postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates, who are both learning and generating new knowledge in the life sciences; for our amazing staff, who ensure that everything runs smoothly across all our teaching and research activities; and for our Alumni, who give their time and resources to support our work.
In this edition of our newsletter, we highlight one of our new faculty members, Dr. Alex Long, introduce you to some of our graduate and undergraduate students, and share some of the exciting new research coming out of our department. We also feature an interview with Alumni Board member Dr. Michael Rossi, and share some photos from our recent Biology Alumni Weekend. We hope you will enjoy reading about all that we are doing.
Wishing you all the best in 2026!
Sincerely,
Ann Morris
Professor and Chair
| | Alumni Spotlight and Events | | |
Meet Dr. Michael Rossi who earned his Ph.D in our department in 1990.
What was your favorite class and why?
"The Cellular Biology class was the best course I took. It was a two-semester series, taught by multiple instructors and really forced me to think about data interpretation and how experimental design impacted that interpretation."
To learn more about Dr. Rossi, click here!
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Biology Alumni Weekend
Our Biology Alumni Weekend was a great success! Events included our Annual Thomas Hunt Morgan Reception at the historic Thomas Hunt Morgan House, our tailgate for the UK-Tennessee football game and opportunities for students and faculty to meet with our Alumni board.
Keep an eye out for information on our next Biology Alumni weekend!
| | To learn more about our undergraduate student spotlights, click here! | | |
Meet undergraduate student Almukhtar Mamoori in Dr. Ann Morris's lab.
Describe your journey so far at UK. What are you most proud or excited about?
"I am proud that I got the chance to experience many different opportunities here like presenting at the undergraduate research showcase, working at the bio department, working at the study and doing research under great people."
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Meet undergraduate student Sophia Novoa, a biology major minoring in political science.
Have you had any mentors or professors who have significantly impacted you?
"Dr. Catherine Linnen and Dr. Pearl James! Currently I’m an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Linnen’s lab studying extrinsic postzygotic isolation in sawflies. Last summer I studied abroad in Costa Rica for three weeks alongside Dr. James, who opened my eyes to a culture and ecosystem I had never seen."
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Meet undergraduate student Luke Preston from Raceland, Kentucky.
Who do you look up to and why?
"Even though I may not admit it to his face, someone I look up to is my older brother. He is a few years older than me, and I have followed a lot in his footsteps. He was a biology major, conducted research, and is going into a healthcare field. He is someone I often turn to for advice, especially for academic decisions. He also tells me the things I need to hear, not just what I want to hear. I believe everyone needs someone like that in their lives."
| | Graduate Student Spotlights & Achievements | | To learn more about our graduate student spotlights, click here! | | |
Meet Kimberly Cook, a biology Ph.D student, in Dr. Robbie Burger's lab.
Kimberly's research interests include biogeography, macroecology, and global change ecology.
What are you most proud or excited about?
"I’ve had the opportunity to work with some stellar undergraduate students. Not only has their hard work supported my research in so many ways, they’ve also been able to grow their ideas into mini projects that they’ve presented at conferences. I’m so proud of them and so honored to have been part of their research experience."
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Meet Emilio Oviedo Rivadeneira, a biology Ph.D student, in Dr. Ashley Seifert's lab.
Emilio's research interests include cell biology, animal regeneration, and developmental biology.
Describe any highlights or memorable moments in the biology department.
"I think the biggest highlight for me was giving my fourth-year talk. I enjoyed a lot preparing myself for that talk and when it was done people was very excited about it and that made feel very happy and proud."
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Meet Sajina Dhungel, a biology Ph.D student, in Dr. Chintan Kikani's lab.
Sajina's research interests include cell biology, cell signaling, proteins, and regeneration.
What are you currently researching?
"I am currently studying how nutrient-sensing pathways influence adult stem cell behavior and tissue regeneration. My research focuses on understanding how the PAS Kinase (a nutrient-sensitive protein kinase) structure, activity, and localization are regulated in stem cells, and how this mechanism influences stem cell fate."
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Congrats to Sarah Stasel!
Ph.D. student, Sarah Stasel, was selected for the Association of Emeriti Faculty Endowed Fellowship through the University of Kentucky Graduate School.
For more information about this fellowship, click here!
| | Faculty Achievements & Spotlights | |
Meet One of Our Newest Faculty Members!
Dr. Alexandra Long has been with our department since January 2025.
What motivated you to come to our department?
"I was excited about the diversity of questions, approaches, and model systems in this department – it is a great place to do interdisciplinary work on a non-traditional model system!"
What is something that you wish others (students, colleagues) knew about what you do?
"I was trained as a biophysicist and I often wish that people would think more about the physics of biological systems. For example, the cytoskeleton is not only a network inside the cell, but a self-organized polymer system that both generates piconewton forces and has to withstand them in order for a cell to properly function."
To learn more about Dr. Long, click here!
| | | | | New Species, Magnolia tapichalacaensis, Discovered | |
Edison Rea, Ph.D student, in Dr. Rosana Zenil-Ferguson's lab, along with collaborator Dr. Alvaro Pérez from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, discovered this new species in the Southeastern Ecuadorian Andian Cordillera.
"Edison spent 100 days in the field this past spring (2025) collecting under all challenging weather conditions, from rainforest to the mountains, and connecting with the local communities."
-Dr. Rosana Zenil-Ferguson
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Study Abroad in Amsterdam!
Dr. Erin Richard travels abroad with students to Amsterdam to teach "Global Health & Infectious Disease" in summer of 2025.
What is the goal of this course?
"This education abroad program shows students how the spread of infectious diseases can be controlled with environmental factors, healthcare systems, and social supports can be used to control the spread of infectious diseases in the Netherlands and the USA."
How does this course benefit biology and/or neuroscience students?
"Students will gain a perspective on global culture and healthcare in practice."
What do you enjoy most about teaching this course?
"Seeing students adjust to a new place and culture and change their perspective. I was so impressed with how well the summer 2025 group represented UKY."
Anything else you'd like to share?
"Dutch food is amazing! I didn't expect that. Summer 2025 students also went to Kendrick Lama and SZA concert in Amsterdam last summer--that was pretty amazing!"
For more information on study abroad courses, click here!
| | Department of Biology | 101 T.H. Morgan Bldg., 195 Huguelet Dr. l | 859-257-4711 | biology@uky.edu |
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