![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5ee3dd_a77bda6f7aca49e3b7b59b056c0327b3~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_489,h_479,al_c,lg_1,q_85,enc_auto/5ee3dd_a77bda6f7aca49e3b7b59b056c0327b3~mv2.png)
Team Members
Sarah Bennett
Undergraduate Student
I am a current undergraduate student studying Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology. My research interests are in genomics of allergens, specifically house dust mites as they relate to allergic diseases and asthma. By analyzing their genomes and identifying conserved regions we can work to understand their allergenic properties. In my free time I enjoy running and cooking.
Xinyi Zhou
Undergraduate Student
I am a senior majoring in agricultural engineering and mathematics/statistics. My ongoing research interest involves applying computational simulations to study the dynamics and evolution of drug resistance in Malaria parasite strains. In the past, I have focused on exploring spatial data using GIS tools and machine learning methods.
Luiz Pedroso
Visiting Scholar
I’m interested in host-symbiont systematics and ecology, focusing on host-mite (Acari) interactions. My last research studied the host specificity of feather mites (Astigmata) and their passerine hosts in Brazil and its implications on the codiversification and transmission aspects. At Purdue, I’m collaborating on a USDA project to build a comprehensive platform for the identification of plant-feeding mites (e.g., Tetranychoidea and Eriophyoidea) in the USA.