People

Dr. Hannah Seidel is a geneticist and cell biologist by training. She is co-creator of the Ball Python Genetics Project. She teaches Bio306W - Cell and Molecular Biology and Genetics Laboratory. This course a writing-intensive undergraduate laboratory course, in which students perform experiments for the Ball Python Genetics Project. Dr. Seidel’s favorite part of the Ball Python Genetics Project is giving her students the opportunity to collect and publish real data. She still feels excitement every time she receives a ball python shed in the mail!

Dr. Chiron Graves is a molecular biologist and educator by training. He is co-creator of the Ball Python Genetics Project. He teaches courses in genetics and K-12 science education. Dr. Graves is the proud owner of 10+ ball pythons and breeds a few of them as a hobbyist. He promotes maternal incubation and has successfully produced several clutches in the past few years. Dr. Graves provided ball python sheds for the early stages of the Ball Python Genetics Project, and these sheds have been critical to success of the project.

Autumn Brown was biology major in the Honors College at Eastern Michigan University. She earned her Bachelor's degree in December 2020 and presented her research at the EMU Undergraduate Research Symposium in March 2021. Her project included optimizing PCR conditions for ball python DNA and discovering the genetic cause of the Lavender Albino color morph. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Genetic Counseling at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.