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​BAXTER LABORATORY
Dr. Ivan Baxter and a team of postdocs, grad students, technicians, and interns conduct research that uses elemental profiling and other high throughput phenotyping approaches to study plants. The data collected is used to perform genetics and modeling to better understand how the interactions of elements, genes, and the environment allow plants to adapt to different environments.
Current Lab Members
 Dr. Ivan Baxter*Principal Investigator and Associate Member, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center *Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis *Adjunct Assistant Professor of Plant Science, University of Missouri, Columbia *Click on image for CV. |  Dr. Greg Ziegler*Started at Danforth in November of 2010. *Got his BA from William Jewell College in Liberty, MO and his PhD from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. *Currently manages the Ionomics Pipeline and analyzes ionomics datasets using computational biology tools. *His main hobbies are running and biking. |  Jennie Barrett*Started with USDA in December 2010, then moved to Danforth in April/May 2013. *Studied at SIUE in Edwardsville, IL. *Works on whatever project anyone needs help with and is currently testing Arabidopsis line for T-DNA insertions, making GBS libraries from Setaria lines, and growing soybean mutants for ionomic testing. |
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 Melissa Jurkowski*Started at Danforth in November 2013 *Graduated from SEMO in Cape Girardeau, MO. *Lab Tech operating the ICP pipeline. *She has played drums since she was 11. |  Dr. Allen Hubbard*Started at Danforth July 2018. *Did his PhD at the University of Delaware and his undergraduate at St. Michael's College in Vermont. *Works in bioinformatics, specializing in metabolomics and transcriptomics. *Is an avid triathlete, and enjoys anything outdoors including hiking, fishing, and kayaking. |  Dr. Lauren Whitt*Started at Danforth in October 2017. *Currently a Bioinformatics MS student at Saint Louis University/past graduate from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. *Performs DNA extractions and PCR as well as other duties. *In her free time she likes to travel, listen to metal, and play with the love of her life, her dog, Siv. |
 Hui Jiang*Started at Danforth February 2012. *Has a MS in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Cornell University. *Currently working on a DOE project using photosynthesis, as well as mapping genes that are involved into C4 photosynthesis, using Setaria viridis as a model. *She also likes jogging in the park in the morning. |  Britney Millman*Started March 2021 *Lab technician *Got BA from Macalester College in st. Paul MN *Works on setaria viridis genotyping pipeline *Likes gardening and playing video games |  Collin Luebbert*Started at Danforth July 2016. *Has an undergrad degree from Mizzou and a Masters in Applied Statistics degree from Colorado State University. *Uses statistical and data science techniques to extract useful information from ionomics and phenotyping data in order to pass this data through the lab's analysis pipeline. *Enjoys watching hockey and soccer, reading about history, and watching movies. |
 Dr. Renee Dale*Started at Danforth in July 2019. *Received a PhD in biology and a MS in biology from LSU. She is working on getting a MS in statistics in May 2020. *She is working on developing mathematical models and is currently working with trait-based models. *Likes philosophy, programming, and video games. |  Micah Kelleher*Started at Danforth in July 2021. *Studied biology at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (B.S.). *Laboratory technician for the Subterranean Influences on Nitrogen and Carbon (SINC) Center. He also assists with other projects as needed. *Enjoys hiking and playing guitar. |  Marcio Alves Ferreira*Started at Danforth January 2022. *Did his PhD at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)/University of Ghent (Belgium) and his undergraduate at Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. *Works in molecular responses of Setaria viridis to drought stress. *He also likes gardening and hiking. |
 Louis Connelly*Started at Danforth in July 2021 *Studied at Washington University in Saint Louis for Undergrad (Computational Biology/Genomics) *Studied at Saint Louis University for Masters Degree in Bioinformatics/Computational Biology *Works on developing pipelines for metabolomics data *Enjoys reading fiction, playing video games, and working out in free time |
Past Lab Members
 Zoraya PiedraNew Roots For Restoration Intern Summer 2022 |  Emma HardingIntern Jan. 2023 |  Antonio BrazeltonNov. 2021 - Feb. 2022 |
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 Dr. Jessica WedowJune 2020 - 2021 |  Tim ParkerOctober 2018 - 2021 |  Xiaoping LiJuly 2013 - 2021 |
 Madison PopeMay 2019 - 2021 |  Raymond Castillo2021 REU Intern |  jennifer_colarado16_edited_editedOct. 2019 - Dec. 2020 |
 Dr. Charles PignonJanuary 2019 - January 2020 |  Dr. Megan KhanguraSeptember - October 2019 |  Dr. Ally AsaroJanuary 2014 - September 2019 |
 Alexander Liu2019 REU Summer Intern |  Dr. Max FeldmanPost-doc Research Associate; January 2013-September 2018 |  Molly WohlComputational Biologist from January 2014-September 2018. |
 Brandon Vestal2018 Summer REU Intern |  Amber WolfDecember 2017-June 2018; Laboratory Assistant |  Kim GreenSept. 2012 - Dec. 2017 Laboratory Technician |
 Maddie Schüler2016 Summer Lab Assistant |  Liz Mahood2015 REU Summer Intern/Collaborator 2016-2017 |  Jacob Roth2016 REU Summer Intern |
 Cathrine Ziyomo2012-Jan. 2014 Post-Doctorate |  Ryan Hartsock |  Rebecca RodellHigh School Summer Intern 2013/2014/2015 |
 Nathan Lindsey2014 REU Summer Intern ***2015 Update: Accepted into the MPA Graduate program in Environmental Science and Policy at Columbia University. |  Evan Kesinger2014 REU Summer Intern |  Rebecca Valls2015 REU Summer Intern |
 Janna HutchinsonNovember 2011-May 2015 |  Elise Vioxx2013 REU Summer Intern |  Derrick Smith2013 REU Summer Intern |
 Jialin DingSummer Intern 2013/2014 |  Stephanie Grenada2013 REU Summer Intern |  Walter Iverson |
 Aimee Terauchi |
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