About FAVE Lab

The Functional Anatomy and Vertebrate Evolution (FAVE) Laboratory's students and associates conduct research and outreach activities related to the understanding of structure-function relationships, and deep-time evolutionary histories of various vertebrate animal groups.

2024 FAVE Lab Photo (Location: UCMP T. rex)

Second Row (from left): Jack Tseng, Sergio Garcia Lara, Emily Bogner, Celina Gilmore, Hao Gong.

Front Row (from left): Narimane Chatar, Jackie Galvez, Xinyue Zhang

(Not pictured: Chris Law, Alejandro Perez Ramos, and undergraduate researchers)

[Photo credit: Trinidad Cruz]

2022 FAVE Lab Photo (Location: Strawberry Creek)

Second Row (from left): Avi Berger, Celina Gilmore, Tina Kuang, Diego De Nault, Adolfo Pacheco Castro, Sergio Garcia Lara.

Front Row (from left): Leah Kahn, Emily Bogner, Jackie Galvez, Jack Tseng

(Not pictured: Ashley Fang, Chris Law, Sharvi Shah)

[Photo credit: Kevin Dang]

*The FAVE Lab is currently full for the 2025-2026 Academic Year*

Current and Past Laboratory Members:

Z. Jack Tseng

Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Biology

Curator, University of California Museum of Paleontology

Current Postdocs/Visiting Scholars:

Chris Law

Chris is currently a project scientist with the FAVE lab working on an NSF-funded project to disentangle the genetic, biomechanical, and deep-time factors underlying mammalian skeletal diversity. Learn more about Chris' research at chrisjlaw.com.

Narimane Chatar

Narimane is a Belgian American Educational Foundation / National Science Foundation / MSCA Postdoctoral Scholar in the FAVE Lab. She is working on the functional morphological evolution of cat-like carnivores, focusing on skull and dental biomechanics. She received her PhD from the Université de Liège in 2023.

Current Graduate Students:

Emily Bogner

I am a fourth year PhD candidate at UC Berkeley and affiliate of the University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP) and Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ). I am broadly interested in evolutionary biomechanics and functional morphology of vertebrates. My dissertation focuses on how the carnivoran skeleton has evolved for prey acquisition and processing. Prior to working in the FAVE lab I received my B.S in Geology and Biology from Kutztown University, and my M.S. in Geosciences with a concentration in Paleontology from East Tennessee State University.

Sergio-Leonel Garcia-Lara

I am a PhD student in the Department of Integrative Biology in UC Berkeley. I am deeply interested in the evolution of vertebrates, functional morphology, morphometrics, systematic and paleontology. Currently, I am working out those subjects In FAVE Lab by studying the evolution of the jaw in the gnathostome clade. Along with research, two other activities in which I have become engaged are teaching and science outreach by means of articles, both have also been important for my professional development.

Jackie Galvez

Joined FAVE Lab in December 2021. Jackie is currently a PhD candidate working on niche partitioning and morphometrics in fish populations living in dam-modified watersheds.

Rumpleteazer & Mungojerrie

(Honorary FAVE Lab members)

Salem V. Bogner

(Honorary FAVE Lab member)

Sid (Obsidian) and Roving

(Honorary FAVE Lab members)

-Past Post-Baccalaureate Researchers:

Avi Berger (Integrative Biology '20): Now PhD student at UIUC.

-Past Graduate Students:

Hao Gong (Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences): visiting scholar '24-'25

Xinyue Zhang (Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences): visiting scholar '24-'25

Dr. Taormina Lepore (Integrative Biology, PhD, 2024): Now postdoctoral researcher at Western Michigan University.

Connor Grabowski (UB Anatomical Sciences, M.A. 2019): Now tech specialist at UB School of Medicine.

Lindsey Machnica (UB Ecology, Evolution, Behavior, M.S. 2021): Now Marketing Manager at WASP Consulting.

Beatriz Santaella Luna (UB Anatomical Sciences, M.A. 2019)

Patrick Sysiong (UB Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior Program, M.S. 2020): Public Programs Lead at California Academy of Sciences

-Past Artist-in-Residence:

Bailee DesRocher: Scientific illustrator and artist at https://www.beautifulcritters.com/

-Past Undergraduate Students:

Olivia Capurro-Nichelini (Anthropology)

Joanna Chen (Marine Science)

Sophia Fogel

Maddy Fukuda (Molecular and Environmental Biology)

Arya Kelley

Catherine Kim (Integrative Biology)

Abhishek Krishnan (Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)

Galina Lapp

Malia Magbual (Integrative BIology)

Sehoon Park

Lucas Parker (Integrative Bilogy)

Lilyana Porter (Integrative Biology)

Anissa Savani (Nutrition and Metabolic Biology)

Antonia Schwartz (Integrative Biology)

Jason Su (Integrative Biology)

Connie hang (Environmental Sciences)

Sam Torres (Conservation and Resource Studies)

Ayda Ozisik (Applied Mathematics)

Ashley Fang (MCB/IB)

Shiraz Lal (Integrative Biology)

Sharvi Shah (Molecular and Environmental Biology)

Sierra Glassman (Integrative Biology)

Leah Kahn (Integrative Biology & EPS)

Tina Kuang (MCB/IB): Now PhD student at Harvard University.

Gabriella Cale (NSF REU, Mentor: Emily Bogner): Now technician at Stanford University.

Diego De Nault (Molecular and Environmental Biology): now research assistant at NIH.

Emily Holmes (Data Science)

Savannah Blake (NSF REU, AMNH): Now data scientist at KoBold Metals.

Madeleine Carroll (UB Biological Sciences major)

Lingqiao Chen (UB Biological Sciences major)

Corinne Conlon (SUNY ESF summer intern)

Laura del Valle (NSF REU, AMNH)

William Harlow (AMNH summer intern)

Stephanie Hathaway (UB Biomedical Science major)

Nancy Lo (UB Biological Sciences major)

Jonathan Luo (UB Biological Sciences major)

Judah Marsden (UCB)

Jahvea Marston (UB Biomedical Engineering major; NSF REU)

Alixandra Prybyla (Columbia University / AMNH): Now PhD student at the University of Edinburgh.

Kevin Stone (UB Biomedical Engineering major)

Jessica Pham (UB Biological Sciences major)

Brian Wong (UB Biomedical Engineering major)

-Past Research Assistants:

Emily Waldman (UB School of Dental Medicine): Now Doctor of Dental Surgery.

Alexandra Boville (Integrative Biology '20): Now PhD student at UT Austin.

Mollie Tessler (Integrative Biology '21): Now Account Manager at Vetcove.

Matthew Wysocki (UB Pathology and Anatomical Sciences)

Lawrence Zhu (UB Post-baccalaureate Program): Now Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

-Past High School Students:

Nicolas Hauff

Damere Hardy (UB Medical Science and Technology Entry Program)

Natasia Houston (UB Medical Science and Technology Entry Program)

(Updated August 2025)

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