Lori Huberman
Principal Investigator
I seek to understand how fungi sense and response to their environment. We use high-throughput genomic tools, systems biology, and molecular genetics to answer questions related to nutrient sensing and the genetic responses to fungicides and antifungal drugs. We study how fungi sense and utilize the nutrients available in plants and soil – or to put it another way, I am interested in understanding how cells know what they are eating. Although many fungi play beneficial roles in our environment, fungal pathogens can cause devastating crop loss and fatal fungal infections in humans. We are using high-throughput genomic tools to identify the genetic responses to fungicides and antifungal drugs to aid in developing new treatments for fungal pathogens and predict genetic mechanisms of fungicide resistance. To enable our work, we are developing new genomic tools to rapidly identify the function of fungal genes. Outside of lab, I enjoy playing the flute, orienteering, running, hiking, and cross-country skiing.
email: huberman@cornell.edu
Renato Carvalho
Postdoc
Renato joined the Huberman lab in June 2022 after receiving his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from University of Florida. During grad school, Renato was interested in understanding the mechanisms of action of novel chemical approaches to control plant diseases caused by bacteria. In the Huberman lab, Renato is combining massively parallel screens and transcriptional profiling to investigate the genetic mechanisms involved in responding to fungicides in filamentous fungi and oleaginous yeast. Outside the lab, Renato enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and cooking.
Josh Kerkaert
Postdoc
Josh joined the Huberman lab in October of 2022. His interest in fungal biology started while earning a BS in Microbiology at the University of Minnesota where he did research on the human fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Blastomyces dermatitidis in the Nielsen lab at the University of Minnesota. Josh went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from Dartmouth College where he worked with the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus investigating the relationship between metabolism and emergent properties of fungal biofilms, namely antifungal drug resistance. In the Huberman lab Josh is excited to dive further into how cosmopolitan fungi regulate their metabolism to thrive in highly diverse niches, ranging from saprophytic environments, like leaf litter and compost piles, to infections of plants and humans. To accomplish this, he is also eager to develop genomic toolsets in filamentous fungi. Outside of lab Josh enjoys a good board game night, hiking in the woods, going climbing, and playing hockey.
Brandon Reyes-Chavez
Graduate Student
Brandon is a graduate student in CALS and joined the lab in May 2023. He is a recent graduate from the University of California, Davis where he received a BS in Microbiology. During his undergraduate studies, Brandon investigated the developmental biology of Hydra vulgaris, a freshwater Cnidarian. His fascination with Microbiology evolved as he learned more about the microbial world around us in his lecture/lab courses. He is particularly interested in sustainability and hopes to characterize the genetic interplay in Fungi that dictates how effectively sustainable inputs are consumed and turned into lipids. In his free time, he likes to play tennis, go hiking at your nearest Gorge, and play Magic The Gathering.
Molly Lynch
Undergraduate student
Molly is a sophomore studying biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. She hopes to pursue a future in medicine and is particularly interested in laboratory medicine. Molly is looking forward to gaining valuable lab skills while exploring the field of microbiology by researching nutrient-sensing mechanisms in filamentous fungi. Outside of the lab, she is a member of Cornell’s Running Club and enjoys running, hiking, traveling, and baking.
Esha Shakthy
Undergraduate student
Esha joined the Huberman lab as a research assistant for the MycoBuilt project in September 2021. Esha is a sophomore in the College of Human Ecology, majoring in Nutritional Sciences. In the Huberman lab, Esha is helping to identify the fungal strain and nutrient pairings needed for sustainable construction as part of the cross-disciplinary MycoBuilt research collaboration. She is also an advocate for food security and sustainability, and is interested in examining the interplay between food, nutrition, microbiome, metabolism, genetics, and the environment. Esha is a NYS EMT and an active CU EMS squad member. In her spare time, she loves cycling, running, rowing, theatre, and dance, and is a part of Cornell’s Big Red Raas dance team.
Zephyr Huberman
Lab mascot
I have been interested in nutrient sensing and utilization for as long as I can remember. The questions that drive me are: Is it dinner time yet? If I look sad, will someone give me food? If I eat this, will anyone notice? When not focused on nutrient sensing and utilization, I enjoy degrading plant biomass, running, hiking, and sleeping.
Lab Alumni
- Quincy Dowling (Undergraduate REU student)
- Andres Lopez (Undergraduate REU student)
- Vaughan Poland (Undergraduate REU student)
- Presto Huberman (Lab mascot)