People

Our diversity, equity, and inclusion values

Bryndan Durham, Ph.D.
pronouns: she/her
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology, Genetics Institute

Postdoctoral Researcher, Oceanography, University of Washington
Ph.D., Microbiology, University of Georgia
B.S., Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech

Bryn is a marine microbiologist by training and is interested in understanding how microbes transform elements and influence the chemical makeup of their environment. Her most recent research addresses how microbial communities exchange information and use chemical currencies to form partnerships and networks.

Dr. Durham’s mentoring philosophy & statement

My mentorship philosophy is rooted in building honest relationships and providing unconditional support. I view students and postdocs as my collaborators and as current and future colleagues. I believe in reverse mentorship, wherein status and hierarchy are less important, and we each benefit from a bidirectional flow of knowledge. As a mentor, I am invested in each mentee’s success—whatever that looks like. For some folks, this may mean pursuing a career in academia, whereas for others it may be working in industry or conservation fields or pursuing a career as an artist or writer. It is a privilege for me to mentor an amazing & diverse team of people and to celebrate their achievements and milestones. I believe that we all thrive when our work place is happy, comfortable, and supportive, and my goal is to provide an environment that is intellectually stimulating, emotionally supportive, safe, and equitable.
To all mentees, I commit to:
– provide mentorship on research & career goals, while prioritizing personal happiness;
– help navigate the landscapes (& hidden curricula) of science & academia;
– adjust my mentoring to individual needs;
– support pursuit of independent research ideas, within the lab’s funding framework;
– foster an environment of giving and receiving honest, constructive feedback;
– listen to feedback and concerns, and help resolve challenges that may arise;
– be an advocate and ally; and,
– help facilitate your career development and success here at UF and beyond UF.

Niraj Aryal, Ph.D.
pronouns: he/him
Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of Biology

Postdoctoral Researcher, Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Dr. rer. nat., Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany
B.S. & M.S., Biotechnology, Kathmandu University, Nepal

Niraj is a natural product scientist. He employs mass-spectrometry skills to annotate small molecules. His current work involves looking at all sort of metabolites (primary and secondary) to understand the ecology and interactions of microbes within the ocean ecosystem.

Nicole Lynn-Bell, Ph.D.
pronouns: she/her
Postdoctoral Researcher & NSF C-CoMP Fellow
Department of Biology

Ph.D., Microbiology, University of Georgia
B.S., Biology Natural Resources, Central Michigan University

Nicole is an emerging scientist who has studied microbial-mediated symbiosis in broad ecological contexts. Her current research interests include examining abiotic influences on phytoplankton-bacteria metabolic interactions and how they impact marine biogeochemistry. Her goal is to utilize multidisciplinary methods to uncover environmental, population, and genetic nuances driving changes to C, N, and S nutrient pools.

Lisa Coe
pronouns: she/they
Graduate Student
Department of Biology

B.S., Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)

ORCID iD | Google Scholar | email: lcoe[at]ufl.edu

Lisa is a scientist who has bounced around from a stem cell epigenetics lab at Pitt, to an analytical chemistry lab at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, to a phytoplankton-bacterial symbiosis lab at New York University Abu Dhabi. In the Durham lab, she plans to combine her interests in molecular microbiology, biogeochemistry, and microbial ecology to study the molecular mechanisms of sulfonate-based communication between marine microbes. When she is not in the lab, you can find her photographing rock concerts, playing the drums, or doing acroyoga at Depot Park.

Rebecca Key
pronouns: she/her
Graduate Student
Department of Biology; co-advised by Dr. Stuart McDaniel

B.S., Microbiology, Southern Illinois University

Rebecca is interested in host-microbe interactions that affect sulfur and nitrogen cycles within ecosystems. Her research looks to marine phytoplankton- and terrestrial bryophyte-bacteria associations across latitudinal gradients to understand which biological and environmental features shape their interactions with one another.

Laurel Meke
pronouns: she/they
Graduate Student
Department of Biology

B.S., Biology, Bradley University (Peoria, IL)

Laurel is a first-generation graduate student who is interested in marine microbial interactions and microbial metabolic pathways. She is currently studying the significance of secondary metabolites in interactions with marine bacteria on the size and duration of marine harmful algae blooms (HABs) using metabolomics.

Mia Martone
pronouns: she/her
Undergraduate Student

B.S., Microbiology and Cell Science & B.S., Classical Studies, anticipated 2025

Mia is an undergraduate research assistant studying microbiology and classical studies; she is currently interested in microbial pathways and metabolic responses. She is currently assisting on projects involving harmful algal blooms and their nutrient sources. Outside of the lab she is passionate about painting and rock climbing.

Felipe Quintana
pronouns: he/him
Undergraduate Student

B.S., Marine Sciences, anticipated 2025

Felipe is an undergraduate research assistant with interests in phytoplankton and ichthyology. His current project focuses on analyzing harmful algal blooms and their interactions with marine bacteria. Outside of the lab, his hobbies include weightlifting, cooking, and music production.

Lab Alumni