Lab Members

YOU

We are looking forward to your application! The Bordenstein Lab seeks researchers who aim to optimize and accelerate answers to the next generation of questions and solutions in basic and applied animal-microbe symbioses. Please contact Dr. Bordenstein (s.bordenstein@psu.edu) with a single pdf containing (i) Curriculum Vitae or Resume (ii) Statement about your research interests, leadership and/or science experiences, and professional goals and (iii) Full-length copies of 1st authored only papers, reports, posters, or research slide decks to evaluate the scholarship portfolio.

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Seth Bordenstein, Ph.D. | Director of the One Health Microbiome Center; Huck Endowed Professor in Microbiome Sciences; and Professor of Biology and Entomology

As a recognized thought leader and scientist who studies the centrality of microorganisms to the biosphere and human health, Dr. Bordenstein has peered into the world of microorganisms that dwell inside animals for the past 25 years. His philosophy to science is research the important keystones that we should already know about in textbooks or apply in the clinic, and his research specialties span the extraordinary utility of microbes to control mosquito-borne diseases, the secrets of microbiome diversity across the diversity of humans, and the major trends of host-associated microbiomes across the animal kingdom. These interests align with the distinguished One Health Microbiome Center that Dr. Bordenstein directs at The Pennsylvania State University. As one of the largest and most venerable organizations in the field, the Center is composed of over 500 members who develop and execute complex and often transformative projects related to the microbiome sciences across agricultural, environmental, and human health. Dr. Bordenstein is a Professor in the Departments of Biology and Entomology as well and the former and founding Director of the worldwide HHMI-initiated science education program Discover the Microbes Within! The Wolbachia Project that brings biodiversity, biotechnology, and bioinformatics directly into the classroom. He is the recipient of the 2014 Jeffrey Nordhaus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, 2014 Chancellor’s Award for Research, 2018 Chancellor Faculty Fellow Award from Vanderbilt University, 2020 Genetics Society of America Award for Excellence in Education, 2020 Centennial Endowed Professorship, 2022 Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Endowed Chair in Microbiome Sciences, and a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher since 2023. There has never been a more important time to learn the story of Earth’s microbes and how they change both our perspective of nature and our identity of where we belong in it. Dr. Bordenstein is keen to continue to expand his research and education portfolio and develop new partnerships with academia, industry, private foundations, and donors.

The Wolbachia Project | Database

Sarah Bordenstein, M.S. | Associate Research Professor | Director of Discover the Microbes Within! The Wolbachia Project

Sarah co-leads the Bordenstein lab and is the Director of Discover the Microbes Within! The Wolbachia Project in which she develops and disseminates worldwide educational resources related to microbial symbiosis and biotechnology. She is an expert in microbial ecology, genomics, and science education. In her experimental work, she is using quantitative and computational genomic analyses to study the lifecycle, horizontal gene transfer, and genome dynamics of phage WO and a plasmid in Wolbachia. Her scholarship accelerates life science education at the pre-college and college levels worldwide and generates new discoveries on mobile genetic elements and beneficial phage genes in endosymbionts. She is the recipient of the 2023 T. H. Huxley Award from the Education and Outreach Committee of the Society for the Study of Evolution. The award recognizes and promotes the development of high-quality evolution education resources.

Rupinder Kaur, Ph.D. | Assistant Research Professor

Rupinder received her Ph.D. from University of Vienna, Austria in close collaboration with Edmund Mach Foundation, Italy and University of Cambridge, UK. Her broad scientific interests include host-Wolbachia-virus interactions. She joined the lab in December of 2019, and her main goal is to reveal the mechanism and biochemical basis of the Wolbachia-induced drive system named Cytoplasmic Incompatibility (CI). CI impacts arthropod speciation and is currently at the forefront of approaches targeting pest populations and mosquito-borne diseases. Her scholarship has provided the most up-to-date assessments of the Wolbachia endosymbiosis and the molecular and cell biological bases underpinning the Host Modification model of CI. Outside of science, she is all about traveling, playing pool, and card games. Please see her talk on the cellular and mechanistic bases of CI to the GeneConvene Global Collaborative (link).

Emilie Lefoulon, Ph.D. | Assistant Research Professor

Emilie received her Ph.D. from the National Museum of Natural History of Paris, France. Then, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the New England Biolabs biotech company (MA, USA) and the University of Arizona (AZ, USA). Her scientific interests include the evolution of symbiosis between endosymbiont bacteria and their hosts. For the past years, she has been involved in studying the association between endosymbiotic bacteria and parasitic nematodes through phylogenetic, genomics, and transcriptomics projects. She joined the Bordenstein lab in August of 2023 and she is studying host-Wolbachia-virus interaction investigating novel mechanisms associated with the bacteriophage partner. Outside of science, Emilie enjoys painting and sewing, as well as sportive activities such as coed soccer and rock climbing.

Madangchanok Imchen, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Scholar

Dr. Madangchanok Imchen received his Ph.D. in Genomic Science from the Central University of Kerala, India. During his Ph.D., he explored the microbiome and antimicrobial resistome in Kerala mangrove sediments. He has actively worked on several collaborative research projects – investigating the microbiome of Kombucha, rice paddy soil, sediments of coastal biosystems, halophiles, and the association of anthropogenic pollution in the Sundarban mangrove resistome. His areas of interest include evolutionary genomics, microbiome, and resistome. He feels privileged to be a part of the esteemed Bordenstein Lab starting in October 2022 to study the role of the microbiome in Drosophila speciation.

Emily Van Syoc, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Scholar

Emily received a Master’s degree in soil science from the University of Wyoming and a dual-title Ph.D. in physiology and clinical science from Penn State. During her graduate studies, she probed microbial ecosystems spanning soils, animals, and humans. Emily enjoys bridging scientific disciplines and working on applied and collaborative projects. She is thrilled to be joining the Bordenstein lab where she will tackle computational and experimental challenges towards uncovering the role of the human genome and microbiome in shaping the gut mycobiome, the fungal community of the gastrointestinal tract. Outside of science, Emily enjoys knitting and fostering/adopting senior giant breed dogs and looks for any opportunity to show off photos of her furbabies.

Jessica Buchser, B.S. | Ph.D. Student | USDA Training Grant Fellow in the Reproductive Microbiome

Jessica earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Biology (Microbiology) from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2024. During her time at WCUPA, she was involved in research using metal nanoparticles as antimicrobials against opportunistic bacteria and developed strong interests in electron microscopy, microbe-microbe/host-microbe interactions, and community science outreach. She is very excited to work in the Bordenstein Lab as a graduate student investigating mechanisms of embryonic male lethality in Drosophila by the Wolbachia bacteriophage Phage WO. In her free time, Jessica enjoys reading, hiking with her cat (Helix) and photographing spiders, and visiting thrift shops.

Leah Carpenter, B.S. | Research Technologist II, Lab Manager

Leah earned her bachelor’s degree in entomology from the University of Kentucky and spent a lot of time flipping fruit flies and collecting spiders to screen for endosymbionts. As of July 2022, she’s excited to be serving as the Bordenstein lab’s research technologist and lab manager where she is responsible for lab orientations, safety, equipment, policies, ordering, insect husbandry, research assistance, among many other roles.

Dina Constantinides, B.S. | Research Technologist II

Dina Constantinides earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Ecology from the University of Georgia in 2021. While studying at UGA, Dina became fluent in Portuguese and traveled to Brazil, where she studied mangrove ecosystems and completed an internship with an environmental nonprofit organization. They also assisted with mosquito collection and identification for a research project at UGA. She has since worked as a field scientist for Serco, a contractor for the US. Environmental Protection Agency. Starting in August of 2023, Dina is thrilled to be a part of the Bordenstein lab and work alongside Sarah Bordenstein for Discover the Microbes Within! The Wolbachia Project, as well as the Microbiome Project. They are also excited to do outreach for the One Health Microbiome Center. Outside of work, Dina enjoys playing piano, exploring nature trails, and identifying fungi.

Bailey Crowley, M.S. | Research Technologist III, Advanced Professional

Bailey received her Master’s of Science in Ecology from Utah State University under the guidance of Dr. Robert Schaeffer. During her graduate degree, Bailey described the microbiome of a solitary mason bee throughout its development, and she also examined how temperature-mediated shifts in provision (larval food) microbiome composition affects bee development and health outcomes. As a member of the Bordenstein lab, she is excited to work alongside Dr. Rupinder Kaur to reveal the mechanisms of Wolbachia-driven cytoplasmic incompatibility. In addition, Bailey is aiding Dr. Madangchanok Imchen to investigate the role of the microbiome in Drosophila speciation.

David Cirota | Undergraduate Student

David is a second-year undergraduate in the Penn State Schreyer Honors College majoring in Forensic Science. Outside of school, he enjoys politics, geography, and listening to music. He is very excited to work in the Fly Room and beyond!

Mia Bitman | Undergraduate Student

Mia is a first-year undergraduate student majoring in Biology and Chinese, with the intent to study entomology and arachnology. Other than keeping tarantulas, she also enjoys art, piano, and rollerskating. She’s excited to work with the Sarcaphoga and be part of Bordenstein Lab.

Darlene Luo | Undergraduate Student

Darlene is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Biology. She is a Learning Assistant for Biol 110: Basic Concepts and Biodiversity. She enjoys reading, listening to music, and drawing. She is very excited to be a part of Bordenstein Lab.