Our research uses integrative systematics approaches, including genetic, genomic, phylogenetic, ecological and morphological evaluations, to uncover evolutionary processes that drive diversity, adaptations and biogeographic distributions of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine invertebrate species found in biodiversity hotspots around the world.

Latest News

September 2025

Bernard Mbithi is awarded the Terracon Foundation STEM Scholarship! Congratulations!

Dr. Fernando Calderon-Gutierrez joins the Department of Biology at Stephen F. Austin State University as Assistant Professor. Congratulations and good luck!

Summer 2025

Gabrielle Vaughn (MS Biology) successfully defends her MS Thesis entitled, INSIGHTS INTO SUBTERRANEAN CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THE AQUIFER OF THE YUCATÁN PENINSULA: POPULATION GENETICS AND DISTRIBUTION OF TYPHLATYA SPECIES. Congratulations!!

Dr. Borda and undergraduates, Marco Rodriguez and Connor Grizzle, embark and become certified in specialty dive training in Deep Sport Diving (100 ft), Limited Visibility, Nitrogen Narcosis Management, and RAPID Rescue. 

May 2025

A new course in Scientific Diving, led by Dr. Fernando Calderon-Gutierrez as instructor, is offered as a Maymester, certifying 8 A&M-SA graduate and undergraduate students. Graduate students, Bernard Mbithi (MS Biology) and Angela Roth (MS Biology), and undergraduate students, Elizabeth Almendarez (Biology), Connor Grizzle (Biology), Erin Guinn (Biology, Ricardo Henriquez (WATR), William Joyner (Criminology), Marco Rodriguez (Biology), received training and certifications in Advanced Bouyancy Control (ABC), and Basic and Advanced Underwater Navigation, and Depth Ratings ranging 30-60 ft. 

The course is features in A&M-SA Today and San Antonio Express News

April 2025

Members of the Borda Lab attend and present at the A&M-SA Student Research Symposium, San Antonio, Texas: Bernard Mbithi (MS Biology), Muntadher Mashan (undergraduate), Marci Casias (undergraduate), Connor Grizzle (undergraduate), and Marco Rodriguez (undergraduate). Congratulations!! 

Bernard Mbithi wins First Place (Graduate Oral) and Muntadher Mashan wins First Place (Undergraduate Oral)

March/April 2025

PI Borda participates in Meiofaunal Workshop hosted by Dr. Samuel Gomez and Dr. Beatriz Yanez Rivera at the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology, Mazatlan Academic Unit.

February 2025

Fifth (and final)  expedition with research team to Quintana Roo, Yucatan Peninsula & Conzumel Island, Mexico: Borda (PI), Dr. Calderon-Gutierrez, David Brankvits (National Research Council of Italy) and John Pohlman (USGS).

January 2025

Borda lab featured in the news: San Antonio Express News and KLRN TV (Starting: 9:15).

Members of the Borda Lab attend and present at the 2025 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Austin, Texas: Dr. Fernando Calderon-Gutierrez (postdoc), Gabrielle Vaughn (MS Biology), Grace Tindall (MS Biology), Gabrielle Silva (undergraduate) and Danielle Bragg (undergraduate)