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Caltech
Orphan Lab

Principal Investigator

Victoria Orphan
James Irvine Professor of Environmental Science and Geobiology; Allen V. C. Davis and Lenabelle Davis Leadership Chair, Center for Environmental Microbial Interactions; Director, Center for Environmental Microbial Interactions
vorphan [at] gps.caltech.edu

Laboratory Manager

Stephanie A. Connon
Senior Research Scientist

Research Scientists

John S. Magyar
Research Scientist

Graduate Students

Janina Boesche
Graduate Student MARUM, University of Bremen

Methane Metabolism, Geochemistry, Isotope Biogeochemistry
Madison Dunitz
Graduate Student in GPS Division

Microbial Ecology, Microbial Evolution, Community Selection, Scalable Carbon Dioxide Removal
Yongzhao Guo
Graduate Student in GPS division (ESE)

Microbial Ecology, Bioinformatics, Bioenergetics, Microbiology
Yurina Hashimoto
Graduate Student in GPS division (Geobiology)

Microbial Ecology, Physiology, Methane and Sulfur Metabolism
Alex Johnson
Graduate Student in BBE division (Microbiology)

Carbon Cycling, Protein Engineering
James Mullahoo
Graduate Student in ESE division (Environmental Sciences and Engineering)

Microbial Ecology, Methane Metabolism, Geochemistry
Aditi Narayanan
Graduate Student in BBE division (Microbiology)

Microbial Ecology, Phage Ecology, Geochemistry, Microbiology
Sergio Parra
Graduate Student in GPS division (Geobiology)

Microbial Ecology, Astrobiology, Geochemistry, Microbiology
Calvin Rusley
Graduate Student in GPS division (Geobiology)

Microbiology, Bioinformatics, Astrobiology, Microbial Ecology
Shaelyn Silverman
Graduate Student in GPS division (Geobiology)
Co-advised: Prof. Sessions

Microbial Ecology, Stable Isotopes, Marine Particles
Rebecca Wipfler
Graduate Student in GPS division (Geobiology)

Microbial Ecology, Bioinformatics, Astrobiology, Microbiology
Philip Woods
Graduate Student in GPS division (Geobiology)

Microbial Ecology, Evolution

Undergraduate Students

Ama Obeng
Research interests: mechanical engineering, environmental science, sustainability, materials science, manufacturing
Idil Turasi
Major: Computer Science Research Interests: Computer Vision, Artificial Intelligence, 3D Design, Robotics
Sophie Elam
Emma Isella

Postdoctoral Scholars and Visitors

Justus W. Fink
Postdoctoral Scholar Fellowship Trainee in Geobiology
Microbial Ecology, Physiology, Evolution
Magdalena J. Mayr
Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Biology and Biological Engineering
Microbial Ecology, Bioinformatics, Methane Metabolism, Geochemistry
Alon Philosof
Senior Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Biology & Biological Engineering
Microbial Ecology, Phage Ecology, Microbiology
Jeremy Schreier
Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Geobiology
Daniel Utter
Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Biology and Biological Engineering
Microbial Ecology, Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Microbial Evolution