Mariah earned her B.S. in Microbiology and Asian American Studies from San Francisco State University, where she discovered her interests in studying vector-borne pathogens as an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Andrea Swei’s lab. She is interested in studying the link between the ecology of emerging infectious diseases and public health. Continuing her research as a graduate student, Mariah’s project will focus on the impact of host blood meal on tick microbiomes by developing a multi-species analysis on reptiles and rodents.

Alexander Esquivel earned his B.S. in Physiology at San Francisco State University. His love for animals and biology led him to become part of Dr. Sarah C. Cohen marine ecology lab as an undergraduate where they studied Lesptasterias distributions prior to and following the epidemic of wasting disease . His curiosity in microcopy and cell biology then took him in a different path where he joined Dr. Blake Riggs Lab where he studied the role of MicroRNA Mir-190 in cell fate determination and programmed cell death. 

Yuri earned her B.S. in Physiology from San Francisco State University, where her love for disease ecology was ignited. As a Genentech scholar, Yuri conducted Marine disease ecology research on sea star wasting disease along the California coast. Soon after, she was introduced to KSHV research, and found herself engulfed in the beauty of cell biology and is now focusing on protein expression levels and understanding chemotaxis of Borrelia burgdorferi as a master's student.

Max earned his B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He remained in Alaska for an additional two years working with the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management on various mammalian and aquatic based research projects including Dall sheep, wolves, bears, moose, and salmon. After returning to his hometown in San Diego, he continued to further his professional research experience working with the United States Geological Survey conducting small mammal and amphibian research. He is interested in examining biotic and abiotic factors that influence mammalian ecology, specifically involving inter and intra species interactions. Currently at San Francisco State University, he is examining the efficacy of introducing an oral vaccine to reduce the prevalence of Lyme disease in small mammal hosts. 

Timara earned her B.S. in Biology, B.A. in Psychology, and minor in Chemistry from the College of Charleston, where she conducted a research project on the Effects of the Eastern Mud Snail (Ilyanassa obsoleta) on Community Structure of Benthic Microbes. As a REU scholar, Timara worked within a marine lab conducting experiments both in and outside of the laboratory. Research sparked her love for understanding the connectivity between human, organismal, and environmental interactions in association to the fields of molecular biology and disease ecology. She is interested in studying animal behavior in association with the intersection between immunology and disease, environmental studies, and public health as a master’s student.

Gerardo earned his B.S. in environmental Science Technology & Policy, B.A. and minor in Biology from California State University Monterey Bay. After graduating he transitioned to the USDA ARS with Dr. Peter Henry as a research technician where he worked on understanding the relationship between fungal pathogens (Fusarium and Macrophomina), their plant hosts, and their genetic diversity. Additionally, he worked on research to develop management techniques including resistant cultivars, anaerobic soil disinfestation, and cover crops. These experiences sparked his interest in the intersectionality of disease ecology and conservation. At SFSU his research aims to understand the relationship between the natural habitat, vector ticks, and their hosts

Anahei earned her B.S. in Biology with a concentration in zoology from SFSU in 2023. As an undergraduate Genentech scholar, Anahei conducted research focusing on the evaluation of concentration sensitivity in the droplet digital PCR machine (ddPCR) employing Borrelia burgdorferi positive samples as the focal point. Continuing on in Dr. Andrea Swei’s lab as a graduate student, Anahei is interested in conducting research on the genetic variability of the outer surface protein A (OspA) within the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete.