Lab members
We are newly established at the University of Alabama and are working to build a diverse, interactive group. Interested in joining? See information here
Dr. Fierst

Janna L. Fierst
Current CV
Google Scholar

Graduate Students

​Paula Adams
Paula started as a PhD student in Spring 2016. She completed her BS at the University of Alabama and did research internships at the University of Wyoming and Scripps Institute of Oceanography before starting graduate studies at UA. Paula is interested in using comparative computational genomics to study native Alabama aquatic biodiversity. She's currently analyzing the genetic architecture of inbreeding depression in Caenorhabditis.
John Sutton
John started as an undergraduate in the lab and entered the graduate program at UA in Fall 2016. His dissertation research is using comparative genomics to understand acetylene metabolism in microbes. He's also very interested in how we can use Oxford Nanopore technology to sequence complex genomes.
Joshua Millwood
Josh finished his MS at the University of West Alabama in Mike Sandel's LAQE lab and will be starting at UA in Fall 2018 co-advised with Matt Jenny.






Louis Bubrig
Louis was an undergraduate in the lab and will be starting his MS in Fall 2018 working on immune evolution in nematodes.

Padawan Learners

Ashlyn Anderson is a Mathematics - Biology dual major interested in developing biologically-based ordinary differential equations models. 
A. Houston Wingo is a Computer Science major developing species-specific neural net training protocols for Oxford Nanopore sequencing.

Former Lab Members

Duncan Murdock started as a computational research technician in February 2016. He developed the SIDR software package to eliminate contamination from de novo genome assembly projects.
Kaylee Covan finished her undergraduate research in the lab and is headed off to be a Physicians Assistant.
Julie Jarnigan was a technician helping us get organized in the first year of the lab. She's now teaching at UA.
Mackenzie Valentin finished her undergraduate research in the lab and headed to an MD-PhD program.
Obie Moultrie finished his undergraduate research and is starting an MD program in Fall 2018.
Danielle Kem finished her undergraduate research and is starting an MD program in Fall 2018.