Mary Lou Guerinot, Ph.D., Principle Investigator
Dr. Guerinot is the Ronald and Deborah Harris Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at Cornell University and her Ph.D. in biology from Dalhousie University, followed by postdoctoral studies at the University of Maryland and at the DOE–MSU Plant Research Laboratory. At Dartmouth, where she rose through the ranks to full professor, she has served as chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, as Associate Dean of the Faculty for the Sciences and as Vice Provost. She has also served as a member of the Advisory Committee for Biological Sciences at the National Science Foundation, is a Past President and past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and ASPB. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2016. She currently serves as Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Boyce Thompson Institute and is on the Board of Directors for the Genetics Society of America. She is a recipient of the Dartmouth Graduate Mentoring Award, the Dean of Faculty Award for Outstanding Mentoring and Advising and the Dennis R. Hoagland Award and Stephen Hales Prize from ASPB.
Dr. Guerinot pioneered research on metal metabolism in plants through key discoveries of genes involved in major transport processes for minerals such as iron and zinc. Her research is critically important for both agriculture and human nutrition since iron and zinc deficiencies affect billions of humans that rely upon crop-based diets.
For Dr. Guerinot’s resume, click here.
Suna Kim, Ph.D., Assistant Research Professor
Suna is an assistant research professor in the Guerinot lab studying the genetics of iron sensing in Arabidopsis thaliana. She recently discovered a key regulator of the iron regulatory gene network, URI. She is also interested in iron and zinc transporters and has dedicated years of research to elucidating the players and roles in metal metabolism and homeostasis in plants.
Nabila Riaz, Ph.D. Candidate
Nabila is a graduate student in Mary Lou Guerinot Lab studying the regulation of Iron homeostasis and abiotic stress adaptations in Arabidopsis thaliana. She received her Master’s in Plant Sciences from University of Bonn, Germany and her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from LUMS, Pakistan. Her research focuses on understanding how plants adapt their photosynthetic machinery during iron deficiency to prevent photo-oxidative damage. She has been analyzing large transcriptomic data sets including both RNA-seq and Microarray to identify genes with notable expression profile important for iron deficiency, phototolerance and other abiotic stress responses. Outside Lab, Nabila enjoys travelling, photography, kayaking, hiking and cooking.
Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/nabilariaz8
Fiona Belbin, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Associate
Fiona is a postdoctoral Research Associate in the Guerinot lab studying the link between the iron regulatory and circadian gene networks. She received her PhD from the University of Bristol in November of 2020 and her Masters from the University of the West of England in August of 2013. Her work has been broadly focused on circadian rhythms and cellular signaling in plants, as well as abiotic stress responses. Outside of work, Fiona enjoys traveling, photography, hiking, baking, and crocheting.
Anne Lichtner, Laboratory Manager
Anne is a research assistant and lab manager in the Guerinot Lab. In addition to ordering supplies, providing general support to lab members, and caring for plants, she conducts research on gene networks involved in iron homeostasis and circadian rhythm. She received her B.S. in Sustainable Agriculture and Humanities from the University of New Hampshire in May of 2015, and spent 4 years managing a plant evolutionary genetics lab at Colorado State University before joining the Guerinot Lab at Dartmouth. When she’s not working, she enjoys reading, mountain biking, and bird watching.
Todd M. Warczak, Ph.D.
Todd completed his Ph.D with Dr. Guerinot in August of 2020. His research focused on the genetics of arsenic uptake and tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Sarah Jennewein, Undergraduate Researcher
Sarah Jennewein is an undergraduate employee conducting research on the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana in the Guerinot lab. Her research focuses on identifying the genes involved in effluxing arsenic in rice. She is a ’21 from Tampa, Florida studying biology and earth sciences. In her free time, Sarah likes to rock climb and play soccer.
Sophie Skallerud, Undergraduate Researcher
Sophie is an undergraduate employee in the Guerinot lab focused on researching response to light stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. She is pursuing a major in Biology and a minor in Religion, with an anticipated graduation date of June 2022. She is interested in forensic pathology, mentoring, coaching, and athletics. She is a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and she plays on the Dartmouth Women’s Lacrosse Team.
Tyler Lee, Undergraduate Researcher
Melany Quintero, Undergraduate Researcher
Melany is a Women In Science Project (WISP) undergraduate intern conducting research on the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana in the Guerinot lab. Her current research is focused on genotyping and phenotyping mutants that may exhibit stress under high light. Melany is studying Bioengineering with a minor in Spanish Literature. She was born in Cuba and moved to Florida when she was 9 years old. She teaches and tutors Spanish, and in her free time she loves to explore new places and try new things.