UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
Research Assistants
Chris Irumba
Uganda Field Assistant
Chris has been working with Dr. Stumpf on behavioral, hormone and microbiome studies of wild chimpanzees in Kibale National Park since 2007. Since 2012, he has been collecting observational data and samples from the Kanyantale Community. The foci of these studies are juvenile and adolescent development, female dispersal, and sexual conflict. He will be also starting a forestry masters degree program with the Uganda Wildlife Authority this year.
Uganda Field Assistant
Chris has been working with Dr. Stumpf on behavioral, hormone and microbiome studies of wild chimpanzees in Kibale National Park since 2007. Since 2012, he has been collecting observational data and samples from the Kanyantale Community. The foci of these studies are juvenile and adolescent development, female dispersal, and sexual conflict. He will be also starting a forestry masters degree program with the Uganda Wildlife Authority this year.
Katie Arineitwe
Field Assistant
Katie (Giggs) has been working with Dr. Stumpf as a field assistant on the Kanyanchu River Project in Uganda since 2017.
Field Assistant
Katie (Giggs) has been working with Dr. Stumpf as a field assistant on the Kanyanchu River Project in Uganda since 2017.
Erica Grant
Field Assistant
Erica has an MPH from the University of Washington and is working as a field assistant in Uganda
collecting samples for Dr. Stumpf's projects.
Field Assistant
Erica has an MPH from the University of Washington and is working as a field assistant in Uganda
collecting samples for Dr. Stumpf's projects.
Howard Onyuth
Field Site Manager
Howard is the field site manager in Uganda. He oversees sample and data collection.
Field Site Manager
Howard is the field site manager in Uganda. He oversees sample and data collection.
Martin Ainebyona
Field Assistant
Martin has been working with Dr. Stumpf as a field assistant on the Kanyanchu River Project since 2012.
Field Assistant
Martin has been working with Dr. Stumpf as a field assistant on the Kanyanchu River Project since 2012.
Fred Mutebe
Field Assistant
Fred has been working with Dr. Stumpf as a field assistant on the Kanyanchu River Research Collaborative since 2018.
Field Assistant
Fred has been working with Dr. Stumpf as a field assistant on the Kanyanchu River Research Collaborative since 2018.
Graduate Students
Abby Asangba
Graduate
Abby is a second year PhD student in the Department of Anthropology generally interested in host-microbe interactions. Her current research efforts focus on 1) better understanding the inter-species microbiome comparisons of various body sites of human and non-human primates, 2) characterizing the composition and function of the oral microbiome of human and non-human primates and 3) elucidating the roles of diet and host genetics on the composition of the lemur gut microbiome. She is also interested in understanding the role of host genetics on the vaginal microbiome composition of women from different races/ethnicities and their effect on pre-term birth rates.
Graduate
Abby is a second year PhD student in the Department of Anthropology generally interested in host-microbe interactions. Her current research efforts focus on 1) better understanding the inter-species microbiome comparisons of various body sites of human and non-human primates, 2) characterizing the composition and function of the oral microbiome of human and non-human primates and 3) elucidating the roles of diet and host genetics on the composition of the lemur gut microbiome. She is also interested in understanding the role of host genetics on the vaginal microbiome composition of women from different races/ethnicities and their effect on pre-term birth rates.
Negin Valizadegan
Graduate
Negin is a third year PhD student in biological anthropology. Her research is focused on microbe-host interactions in human and non-human primates. Her on-going projects in Stumpf lab are on the link between gut microbiome and aggression in chimpanzees and the interaction between blood microbiome and immune system in the evolution of sepsis in human populations.
Graduate
Negin is a third year PhD student in biological anthropology. Her research is focused on microbe-host interactions in human and non-human primates. Her on-going projects in Stumpf lab are on the link between gut microbiome and aggression in chimpanzees and the interaction between blood microbiome and immune system in the evolution of sepsis in human populations.
Mike Nute
Graduate
Mike is a seventh-year Ph.D. student (not a typo) in the Department of Statistics advised by Dr. Tandy Warnow (Computer Science) and co-advised by Dr. Stumpf, and a father of two. Research interests include development quantitative methods for analyzing and understanding the microbiome, host-microbe interactions and the role of the microbiome in host evolution. A particular area of emphasis is the use of data visualization to simplify the presentation of the makeup of a microbiome, a highly complex population, while allowing small or subtle differences to stand out. Mike had no experience in
the natural sciences prior to joining the Stumpf Lab, but estimates that he has accrued over a
thousand lifetime hours of watching David Attenborough documentaries.
Graduate
Mike is a seventh-year Ph.D. student (not a typo) in the Department of Statistics advised by Dr. Tandy Warnow (Computer Science) and co-advised by Dr. Stumpf, and a father of two. Research interests include development quantitative methods for analyzing and understanding the microbiome, host-microbe interactions and the role of the microbiome in host evolution. A particular area of emphasis is the use of data visualization to simplify the presentation of the makeup of a microbiome, a highly complex population, while allowing small or subtle differences to stand out. Mike had no experience in
the natural sciences prior to joining the Stumpf Lab, but estimates that he has accrued over a
thousand lifetime hours of watching David Attenborough documentaries.
Undergraduate Students
Taylor Crooks
Undergraduate
Taylor is an undergraduate majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in chemistry and focus in microbiology. He has been with our lab since spring of 2016 and is currently researching the gut microbiome in non-human primates relative to age.
Taylor will be a Mayo Clinic Fellow this summer 2018.
Undergraduate
Taylor is an undergraduate majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in chemistry and focus in microbiology. He has been with our lab since spring of 2016 and is currently researching the gut microbiome in non-human primates relative to age.
Taylor will be a Mayo Clinic Fellow this summer 2018.
Faith Teodoro
Undergraduate
Faith Teodoro is a senior undergraduate student studying Molecular and Cellular Biology and pursuing a minor in Anthropology. She helps assist Dr. Stumpf by managing data for the microbiome lab and is interested in studying the genetic factors contributing to preterm birth.
Undergraduate
Faith Teodoro is a senior undergraduate student studying Molecular and Cellular Biology and pursuing a minor in Anthropology. She helps assist Dr. Stumpf by managing data for the microbiome lab and is interested in studying the genetic factors contributing to preterm birth.
Other Lab Members
Alekha Charles
Lab Manager
Alekha has Master's degrees in Biological Sciences and Bioengineering. She is interested in
computational approaches to the life sciences, including the microbiome and antimicrobial
resistance.
Lab Manager
Alekha has Master's degrees in Biological Sciences and Bioengineering. She is interested in
computational approaches to the life sciences, including the microbiome and antimicrobial
resistance.
Previous Lab Members
Krista Milich, Ph.D.
PhD Student
Krista Milich obtained her PhD on the impact of habitat degradation on female red colobus monkey reproductive function in Kibale National Park, Uganda. She examined how anthropogenic changes to forests influence female reproductive physiologies, behaviors, and hormone concentrations.
Where is she now?
Krista is an Assistant Professor of Biological Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis.
PhD Student
Krista Milich obtained her PhD on the impact of habitat degradation on female red colobus monkey reproductive function in Kibale National Park, Uganda. She examined how anthropogenic changes to forests influence female reproductive physiologies, behaviors, and hormone concentrations.
Where is she now?
Krista is an Assistant Professor of Biological Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis.
Talia Melber
Graduate
Talia is interested in sexual selection, mate choice, the relationship between hormones and behavior, and cognitive processes. Her previous research includes investigating patterns of tool-use acquisition in great apes and studying potential behavioral cues used by female callitrichines to assess male mate quality. Talia obtained her PhD in Spring 2018.
Where is she now?
Talia is a data scientist for USAA in San Antonio, Texas
Graduate
Talia is interested in sexual selection, mate choice, the relationship between hormones and behavior, and cognitive processes. Her previous research includes investigating patterns of tool-use acquisition in great apes and studying potential behavioral cues used by female callitrichines to assess male mate quality. Talia obtained her PhD in Spring 2018.
Where is she now?
Talia is a data scientist for USAA in San Antonio, Texas
Nam Nguyen
Postdoctoral Researcher
Nam worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Genomic Biology at UIUC studying computational metagenomics. His research interest is in the area of computational phylogenetics, with an emphasis on developing methods for analyzing ultra large datasets.
Where is he now?
Nam is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego, supervised by Dr. Vineet Bafna. His work looks at the impact of viral integration on cancer genomics.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Nam worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Genomic Biology at UIUC studying computational metagenomics. His research interest is in the area of computational phylogenetics, with an emphasis on developing methods for analyzing ultra large datasets.
Where is he now?
Nam is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego, supervised by Dr. Vineet Bafna. His work looks at the impact of viral integration on cancer genomics.
Julie Rushmore
Dr. Stumpf was Julie's field supervisor and external member for her PhD. They continue to collaborate on work in disease ecology and epidemiology.
Where is she now?
Julie received her PhD from the Odum School of Ecology under Dr. Sonia Altizer in 2013. She continued on to complete her DVM at the University of Georgia in 2017. She now works at the UC Davis One Health Institute as a Postdoctoral Fellow with Christine Kreuder Johnson.
Dr. Stumpf was Julie's field supervisor and external member for her PhD. They continue to collaborate on work in disease ecology and epidemiology.
Where is she now?
Julie received her PhD from the Odum School of Ecology under Dr. Sonia Altizer in 2013. She continued on to complete her DVM at the University of Georgia in 2017. She now works at the UC Davis One Health Institute as a Postdoctoral Fellow with Christine Kreuder Johnson.
Jennifer Danzy Cramer
Jennifer was an undergraduate student in Biology and Anthropology at the University of Illinois.
Where is she now?
Jennifer is now an Associate Professor and the Program Director at American Public University based in West Virginia.
Jennifer was an undergraduate student in Biology and Anthropology at the University of Illinois.
Where is she now?
Jennifer is now an Associate Professor and the Program Director at American Public University based in West Virginia.
Jeffrey V. Peterson
Jeff was an undergraduate in Dr. Stumpf's courses while pursuing his B.A. in Anthropology.
Where is he now?
Jeff is a PhD candidate at the University of Notre Dame whose dissertation research focuses on long-tailed macaques in Bali, Indonesia. He is a Notre Dame Presidential Fellow and an Irwin Press Fellow.
Jeff was an undergraduate in Dr. Stumpf's courses while pursuing his B.A. in Anthropology.
Where is he now?
Jeff is a PhD candidate at the University of Notre Dame whose dissertation research focuses on long-tailed macaques in Bali, Indonesia. He is a Notre Dame Presidential Fellow and an Irwin Press Fellow.
David Wood
David Wood was an undergraduate student studying Biological Anthropology and Psychology. In Dr. Stumpf’s lab he worked with coding behavior from her long-term chimp study. He took a field course in Costa Rica where he proposed, collected data for, and wrote a research paper on white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus) nearest neighbor preferences.
Where is he now?
David is working as a field assistant on the Lomas Barbudal Monkey Project in Costa Rica under Dr. Susan Perry. He will be applying to graduate school to continue research in primatology.
David Wood was an undergraduate student studying Biological Anthropology and Psychology. In Dr. Stumpf’s lab he worked with coding behavior from her long-term chimp study. He took a field course in Costa Rica where he proposed, collected data for, and wrote a research paper on white-faced capuchin (Cebus capucinus) nearest neighbor preferences.
Where is he now?
David is working as a field assistant on the Lomas Barbudal Monkey Project in Costa Rica under Dr. Susan Perry. He will be applying to graduate school to continue research in primatology.
Happy Alfred. Happy worked as a field assistant with the Kanyanchu River Research Collaborative from 2014-2018. Happy has extensive experience collecting behavioral data and biological samples from wild monkeys.
Summer Sanford
Graduate
Summer Sanford worked as a graduate student interested in infant strategies during weaning and mother-infant interactions in white faced capuchins at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, Costa Rica. Her previous research has included investigating endocrinological development in chimpanzees, social networks in adolescent teenage girls, male dispersal in white-faced capuchins, inter/intrasexual selection in ruby spotted damselflies.
Where is she now?
Summer teaches biology at Animas High School in Durango, Colorado
Graduate
Summer Sanford worked as a graduate student interested in infant strategies during weaning and mother-infant interactions in white faced capuchins at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, Costa Rica. Her previous research has included investigating endocrinological development in chimpanzees, social networks in adolescent teenage girls, male dispersal in white-faced capuchins, inter/intrasexual selection in ruby spotted damselflies.
Where is she now?
Summer teaches biology at Animas High School in Durango, Colorado
Christopher Yao
Undergraduate
Christopher Yao is a senior undergraduate student studying Molecular and Cellular Biology on a pre-medicine track. He helps Dr. Stumpf by using spreadsheets to organize data collected by Dr. Stumpf's Uganda study of chimpanzee behavior.
Undergraduate
Christopher Yao is a senior undergraduate student studying Molecular and Cellular Biology on a pre-medicine track. He helps Dr. Stumpf by using spreadsheets to organize data collected by Dr. Stumpf's Uganda study of chimpanzee behavior.
Matt Kim
Undergraduate
Matt Kim is a undergraduate senior studying Kinesiology, and has plans on working in the medical field. In the lab, Matt enters chimpanzee behavioral data that comes to us from Uganda and organizes the files to allow Dr. Stumpf’s research assistants for analysis.
Undergraduate
Matt Kim is a undergraduate senior studying Kinesiology, and has plans on working in the medical field. In the lab, Matt enters chimpanzee behavioral data that comes to us from Uganda and organizes the files to allow Dr. Stumpf’s research assistants for analysis.
Rachel Rusen
Field Assistant
Rachel worked on Dr. Stumpf's Kanyanchu River One Health Project in Kibale National Park, Uganda. She spends her days collecting samples from primates, and following chimpanzees. She received her B.S. from McGill University and her M.S. in Evolutionary Anthropology from the University of Toronto. She enjoys spending time with her friends Rutooro Town of Bigodi, where she is know by her empaako (pet name) Akiiki.
Rachel will enter as a PhD student in Fall 2019.
Field Assistant
Rachel worked on Dr. Stumpf's Kanyanchu River One Health Project in Kibale National Park, Uganda. She spends her days collecting samples from primates, and following chimpanzees. She received her B.S. from McGill University and her M.S. in Evolutionary Anthropology from the University of Toronto. She enjoys spending time with her friends Rutooro Town of Bigodi, where she is know by her empaako (pet name) Akiiki.
Rachel will enter as a PhD student in Fall 2019.
Ali Ford
Lab Manager
Ali graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. In both Biology and Environmental Science before starting in Stumpf Lab as the lab manager. As lab manager, she helped coordinate and organize Dr. Stumpf’s behavioral, microbiome, and hormone labs from 2015-2016.
Where is she now?
Ali is a graduate student in the Program for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation. Her committee consists of Drs. Anna Kukekova, Janice Bahr, and Rebecca Stumpf.
Lab Manager
Ali graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. In both Biology and Environmental Science before starting in Stumpf Lab as the lab manager. As lab manager, she helped coordinate and organize Dr. Stumpf’s behavioral, microbiome, and hormone labs from 2015-2016.
Where is she now?
Ali is a graduate student in the Program for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation. Her committee consists of Drs. Anna Kukekova, Janice Bahr, and Rebecca Stumpf.
Nicole Murray
Lab Manager
Nicole started as an undergraduate researcher in the Stumpf lab and transitioned into the lab manager position which she held from 2016-2018.
Where is she now?
Nicole is a graduate student in the geology department at the University of Illinois focusing on paleoclimate research.
Lab Manager
Nicole started as an undergraduate researcher in the Stumpf lab and transitioned into the lab manager position which she held from 2016-2018.
Where is she now?
Nicole is a graduate student in the geology department at the University of Illinois focusing on paleoclimate research.
Patrick Aria Omeja, PhD.
Field Manager
Dr. Patrick Omeja was the field manager of Dr. Stumpf's Kanyanchu River Project from 2011-2018.
Field Manager
Dr. Patrick Omeja was the field manager of Dr. Stumpf's Kanyanchu River Project from 2011-2018.
Juan Umana
Juan graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana with a B.S. in Psychology. Now, his focus lies in Primatology and the pursuit of a PHD in the field, with an interest in microbiome/behavioral interaction. His main concentrations in the lab are metabolomics and DNA sequencing for primate samples. Past projects included microbiota of the intestinal and reproductive track of primates, and the compilation of primate data for the HOMINID project.
Juan graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana with a B.S. in Psychology. Now, his focus lies in Primatology and the pursuit of a PHD in the field, with an interest in microbiome/behavioral interaction. His main concentrations in the lab are metabolomics and DNA sequencing for primate samples. Past projects included microbiota of the intestinal and reproductive track of primates, and the compilation of primate data for the HOMINID project.
Delaney Corbitt
Undergraduate
Delaney Corbitt was undergraduate student studying Integrative Biology and pursuing a minor in French. She assisted with the organization and management of the data collected for Dr. Stumpf's Uganda study of chimpanzee behavior. She hopes to pursue a career in the medical field after her studies.
Undergraduate
Delaney Corbitt was undergraduate student studying Integrative Biology and pursuing a minor in French. She assisted with the organization and management of the data collected for Dr. Stumpf's Uganda study of chimpanzee behavior. She hopes to pursue a career in the medical field after her studies.
Paige Jamieson
Undergraduate
Paige Jamieson was an undergraduate in Anthropology, concentrated in biology. She worked in Dr. Stumpf's Primate Lab performing hormone assays mostly with chimpanzee samples. She is most interested in the evolution of life histories in human and non-human primates and spends a lot of her time thinking up questions about developmental and behavioral ecology.
Undergraduate
Paige Jamieson was an undergraduate in Anthropology, concentrated in biology. She worked in Dr. Stumpf's Primate Lab performing hormone assays mostly with chimpanzee samples. She is most interested in the evolution of life histories in human and non-human primates and spends a lot of her time thinking up questions about developmental and behavioral ecology.
Cecily Grossmann
Undergraduate
Cecily Grossmann was an undergraduate in Integrative Biology at UIUC. She worked on organizing the data accumulated in Dr. Stumpf’s 2011 Uganda study.
Undergraduate
Cecily Grossmann was an undergraduate in Integrative Biology at UIUC. She worked on organizing the data accumulated in Dr. Stumpf’s 2011 Uganda study.
Laura McElheny
Undergraduate
Laura was undergraduate student studying molecular and cellular biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She assisted with data organization and compilation.
Undergraduate
Laura was undergraduate student studying molecular and cellular biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She assisted with data organization and compilation.
