people

LAUREN E. FUESS (SHE/HER/HERS)
PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR

Lauren grew up in Atlanta, GA and completed her BS in Marine Biology from College of Charleston. She earned her PhD from the University of Texas at Arlington where she first fell in love with both immunology and symbiosis. After completing her PhD, she spent 2 years as a postdoc in the Bolnick Lab at UConn studying ecological and evolutionary immunology in stickleback. Lauren’s work continues to be focused on concepts in  ecological and evolutionary immunology. Her primary interests relate to interactions between symbiotic relationships and the immune system. When not in lab, Lauren loves traveling, eating good food, and spending time with her horse.

ERIN BORBEE (SHE/HER/HERS)
POSTDOC

Erin grew up just outside of Boston and later moved to Rhode Island where she completed a BS in Marine Biology and BA in Chemistry at Roger Williams University, and her PhD in Biology and Environmental Sciences at the University of Rhode Island. Erin’s research interests center around understanding diversity in microbial communities and the environmental factors that shape these communities. At Texas State, Erin will use her molecular, chemistry, and bioinformatic skillsets to better understand the implications of symbiosis on cnidarian immunity in the Astrangia and Aiptasia model systems. Outside of the lab, Erin enjoys knitting, crocheting, playing soccer, and being too emotionally invested in her Boston sports teams.

ISSY CHANGSUT (SHE/HER/HERS)
PHD STUDENT

Issy is a first-year doctoral student. She recently graduated from Texas State University with a Master’s in Biology. Her Master’s thesis focused on the interplay between immunity and symbiosis in the facultatively symbiotic coral Astrangia poculata. Prior to her Master’s, she graduated from Roger Williams University where she majored in Marine Biology and minored in Public Health and Spanish. She completed an undergraduate thesis on the development of protocols for spawning and reproduction of Astrangia. For her PhD, she will be working on investigating the capacity for immunological priming in corals. Outside of research, Issy enjoys working out and reading.

SOFIA DIAZ DE VILLEGAS (SHE/HER/HERS)
PHD STUDENT

Sofia grew up in Miami, Florida surrounded by the marine wonders of the Florida Keys and the Everglades National Park. She graduated from Wellesley College with a double major in Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies during which time she participated in various ecological projects that sparked her interest in research. After college, she joined Dr. Andrew Baker’s Coral Reef Futures Lab at the University of Miami where she conducted research on the genetic resilience and symbiont flexibility of corals exposed to thermal stress. As a member of the Fuess lab, she will investigate the role of symbionts in bleaching and immune response.

ERIN SHILLING (SHE/HER/HERS)
PHD STUDENT

Erin joined the lab to begin her PhD in August 2022. She is a Texas native who grew up in Dallas and attended undergraduate at the University of Texas at Austin. Before returning to Texas, Erin was previously the lab manager at the Coral Reef Health and Ecology Lab with Dr. Joshua Voss in Fort Pierce, Florida, where she also had completed her Master’s degree in Marine Science and Oceanography. Erin’s master’s research involved comparing the effectiveness of in situ intervention treatments for corals affected with stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD). For her PhD, she will be working on improving the understanding of how and why different coral species and individuals vary in susceptibility to SCTLD. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, baking, and hiking.