Courtney Stairs is an associate senior lecturer in the Biology Department at Lund University since October 2020. She completed her PhD at Dalhousie University (Canada) under the supervision of Prof. Andrew Roger in 2015. She continued to as a EMBO long-term fellow, NSERC post-doctoral fellow, and SciLife Pushing Frontiers fellow at Uppsala University (Sweden) in the laboratory of Prof. Thijs Ettema. See CV for more details.

Anna Castellet is a project assistant.

“I hold a B.Sc in Human Biology from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, my hometown. After graduating, I worked at Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB) studying the structural dynamics of exocytosis in buddying yeast, which deepened my interest in cell biology and microorganisms. Currently, I am enrolled in the M.Sc in Bioinformatics at Lund University. In Courtney’s lab, I will take on research assistant tasks, primarily performing experiments to study protists under anaerobic conditions and contributing to the lab’s ongoing projects.”

Viktor Törnblom is a project assistant in bioinformatics.

”I have an M.Sc. degree in Molecular Biotechnology from Uppsala University and another in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology from the Technical University of Denmark. I have a general interest in biology and am intrigued by the complexity of life. In recent years, I have become interested in utilizing informatics to gain insights into complex biological systems.”

Rustem Musaev is a doctoral candidate at Lund University.

“I am a PhD student with a master’s in evolutionary systems biology and a bachelor’s in chemistry, studying the unsung breviates. My research combines bioinformatics, metabolic modelling and molecular biology to address key questions about their origin, evolution and metabolic capabilities. At some point, I will also try to exit vim.”

Nikolaj Brask is a doctoral candidate at Lund University.

“I am a Biochemist with an interest in mass spectrometry-based proteomics and its uses in non-model systems. Over the course of my Master’s at Dalhousie University I had the chance to work with various protist and their proteomes, including dinoflagellates and stramenopiles. In Courtney’s team I am exploring the mitochondrial proteome of various lineages of anaerobic protists while testing different mass spectrometry approaches.”

Karla Aguilera is a doctoral candidate at Lund University aimed at studying protist:prokaryote interactions.

“I have an M.Sc. in Biology with specialization in Molecular Biology and Genetics and a B.Sc. in Bacteriology Parasitology Chemistry. I am interested in elucidating the molecular processes occurring in organisms and cell-cell interactions. Currently, I am investigating the interactions between protists and potential syntrophic partners in anaerobic environments.”

Karla’s publications: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.012

Julie Boisard is a Crafoord Stiftelsen sponsored post-doctoral fellow at Lund University.

” I am fascinated by eukaryotic microorganisms and aspire to explore their diversity and importance in the living world.

During my PhD in Paris at the National Museum of Natural History, I characterized the genome of gregarines, non-model apicomplexan parasite protists. My main objective was to assess the extent of diversity in these lineages through comparative genomic analysis. I was also interested in the question of motility in apicomplexans as part of their interaction with the host cell.

Here in Lund within Courtney’s team, I will continue to study protists, this time focusing on their relationships with prokaryotes in anoxic environments.

Sofia Paraskevopoulou is a Carl Tryggers sponsored post-doctoral fellow

“Small but mighty!! I am fascinated by the vast adaptations of small eukaryotic organisms (microbes & invertebrates). During my PhD in Germany, at Potsdam University, I used comparative transcriptomics together with phenotyping life-history traits to identify thermal tolerance related genes in recently diverged rotifer lineages. During my PostDoc in Israel, at Tel Aviv University I characterized transcriptomic responses of the model organism Daphnia magna to yeast parasites in an across generation factorial set up. My main objective was to disentangle the molecular basis of within vs. trans generational plasticity.

Here in Lund, in Courtney’s team, I am working with protists and sponges and their adaptations in low oxygen conditions.”

Marco Fantini is a post-doctoral fellow sponsored by the ERC Starting grant TANGO2

“I am a biologist specialized in Molecular Biology and data analysis. My scientific interest lies in genomics, bioinformatics, evolution and microbial engineering. I pioneered the use of directed evolution and artificial selection to generate the sequence diversity for protein structure determination with biostatistical techniques. My career has been centered around genomics, biotechnology, tools and platform development and fungal engineering.”

Humberto Itriago is a post-doctoral fellow sponsored by the ERC Starting grant TANGO2

“I am intrigued by the diversity of strategies we can identify by studying non-model organisms. My scientific interests include molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics. During my PhD, I studied the DNA-protein interactions that shape the structure of telomeres and how telomeres are maintained in the absence of telomerase in the budding yeast Naumovozyma castellii. In Courtney’s team, I will be working with identifying protists and their molecular adaptations to anoxic environments.”

Allen Williamson is a graduate student in Molecular Biology and Microbiology.

“I have a passion for exploring the microbial world, especially protists and small animals. I love exploring their cell and molecular biology, as well as their interactions with other critters. Currently, I am working to document existing lab protist communities, improve their cultivation methods, and trace community changes. I also enjoy microscopy and learning ways to visually investigate the microcosms.”

Anastasiia Borodina is a visiting doctoral student from Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan.

“I am fascinated by the beauty of nature and currently delving into the universe of protists. I do volume microscopy, master proteomics, single-cell genomics, and transcriptomics analyses. During my PhD journey at OIST I hope to contribute to our understanding of early mitochondrial evolution. Previously, I focused mainly on aerobic jakobid flagellates; growing curiosity about microbial interactions in anoxic environments brought me to Courtney’s lab.

Aside from research, I enjoy outdoor activities, learning violin, and practicing Spanish.”

Olena Starostina-Hommel is a Bachelor’s student in Molecular Biology.

“I am working with the protist Pygsuia in a microcosm environment, which involves the addition of various electron acceptors.”

Disa Stephensen is a BSc student in Molecular Biology at Lund University.

“I am interested in most things related to Molecular Biology; especially genetics, evolution, and microbiology. I am currently working on my bachelor’s thesis on ubiquinone biosynthesis in freshwater sponges and the effects of anaerobic conditions.”

Ada Behncké Serra is an MSc student in Biology at Lund University

“I graduated in Environmental Biology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. My previous research has focused on the use of stomatal traits in fossil leaves as a proxy for paleoatmospheric CO₂ concentrations. During my Bachelor’s, I worked as a research assistant for a year assessing physiological and metabolic acclimation responses to drought in plants. Currently, my interests fall mostly in the microbial world. In Courtney’s lab, I am developing molecular methods to assess the potentially syntrophic interaction between a protist and alleged bacterial symbionts. Every day I spend in the lab, I grow more interested in protist:prokaryote metabolic interactions and their global relevance.”

Mara Vizitiu, MSc is a project assistant in bioinformatics. She completed her MSc thesis with us studying the diversity and evolution of quinone biosynthesis strategies in anaerobic eukaryotes.

“I did a BSc in Biochemistry at the University of Bucharest during which I became particularly fascinated by Microbiology and Genetics. Nowadays, my interests lie in elucidating the evolutionary history of Eukaryotic microorganisms, but I will quickly fall in love with any area of study I have the chance to investigate. My constant objectives are to learn and know as much about the world as I can.”

Tuğba Nur Atalay is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Molecular Biology and Genetics.

“I received an Erasmus+ internship to join the Stairs lab for the summer of 2021. I’m interested in microorganisms, the molecular mechanism of evolution and astrobiology. I believe that microorganisms are highly important as a key element in the search for life. “

Sevilay Direk is a fourth year undergraduate student in Molecular Biology and Genetics who received a Erasmus+ scholarship for the summer of 2022.

“I enjoy pretty much everything about my major field. Still, I am mostly interested in genetics, molecular mechanisms of microorganisms. I find it very exciting to explore the living mechanism and evolution of these tiny creatures. For this summer, my project is about Arcobacter species. Hope I will contribute to LabUpstairs Group with my curiosity and working determination”

Phillip (Xuran) Zhao is a Master’s student in bioinformatics at Lund University. He is currently developing a phylogenetic tree annotation tool as part of his Master’s thesis.

“I am interested in organism evolution. It would be my pleasure that, one day, I can help to reveal the grand history of living creature evolution using bioinformatics.”

Vi (Virág) Varga is a MSc student in bioinformatics at Lund University. Vi’s MSc thesis focuses on comparative genomics of Metamonads.

“My primary area of interest is in parasite genetics, with hopes of contributing to public health efforts through methods of genetic control. I am currently working on examining orthologous groups in Parabasilids and Anaeromoebids, with the goal of identifying key OGs that may have contributed to the evolution of parasitism in Trichomonas and closely related species. “

Elena Aramendía completed a 15 credit research project as a MSc student in Bioinformatics (1st Year) in 2022.

“I have always been interested in molecular biology and during my BSc in Biochemistry I became particularly interested in genomics and microbiology. I am fascinated by the diversity found in microorganisms and its importance in the history of Eukaryote evolution, so I am excited to work with Eukaryotic micoorganisms and learn as much as I can about this field during my work in the lab.”

Elsa von Corswant is a BSc student in Molecular Biology. 

“I have a broad interest in molecular biology, ranging from human immunology to plant physiology. But I am especially fascinated by, and enjoy working with, microorganisms. Currently, I am doing my bachelor’s thesis within Courtney’s team, where I am investigating antibiotic sensitivity of protist-associated Arcobacter species.”

Sarah Claire Gaudet is an undergraduate student in Molecular Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Montreal.

“I first encountered the world of microbes as a teenager when I read “V-Virus” by Scott Westerfeld. This sparked an interest in the fields of microbiology & infectiology. I am particularly fascinated by the microorganisms trapped in the permafrost and the polar ice caps & their release in the environment due to the melting poles (I dream of one day having the opportunity to go on a scientific polar excursion). I am interested in both the medical & environmental orientation of my program.”