Aaron Stibelman
Graduate student
Email: as380@rice.edu
Aaron is a PhD student working in both the Shamoo and Chappell labs. Prior to joining Rice, he earned his Master's at California State University Northridge, where he studied RNA based gene regulation in E. coli, and worked on developing cell free biosensors for the specific detection and quantification of small RNA molecules. Currently, his research at Rice involves the combination of CRISPR-based gene regulatory tools and microfluidic techniques to study emerging phenotypes within synthetic microbial communities.
Molly Stephenson
Graduate student
Molly is a PhD Student working in both the Chappell and Shamoo labs to understand the regulatory complexity of secondary metabolism in bacteria and enable the design of synthetic communities with programmable metabolite outputs. Prior to joining Rice, she obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and has worked on developing genetic code expansion and CRISPR-interference technologies to dissect the physiological relevance of lysine acetylation in bacteria. She enjoys reading, live music, and spending as much time as possible with her pet dogs, cats, and goats.
Aaron Pergler
Undergraduate student
Aaron P. is a sophomore and visiting researcher graduating from Lone Star College who plans to transfer to Rice. His research focuses on engineering RNA-guided gene regulatory systems. In his free time, he likes going to the gym and listening to podcasts. He also enjoys playing volleyball when he can find the time, though he’s not what he once was.
Marga Lee
Undergraduate student
Email: Marga.Lee@rice.edu
Marga is a sophomore from Hanszen College studying Biosciences with a major concentration in Cell Biology and Genetics. She is originally from Fort Worth, Texas. In her free time, she enjoys designing lights for show, acting in her improv troupe, and spending time with any of her 4 siblings.
Alice Liu
Undergraduate student
Email: alice.liu@rice.edu
Alice L. is a sophomore biosciences major at Chao College from Tennessee. Her research is focused on emerging bacterial pathogens. Outside the lab, she's usually on a tennis court, travelling, or listening to a Studio Ghibli soundtrack.
Alyse Tran
Undergraduate student
Alyse is a sophomore from Hanszen College researching on microfluidic conjugation and previously screening environmental wastewater microbiomes. During her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, video games, and crafting model houses.
Kat Rhatigan
Research assistant
I'm Kat! I'm a Rice '25 graduate and research assistant in the Shamoo lab working on wastewater surveillance. I'll be heading to Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine in the fall with hopes of becoming a horse doctor!
Steven Qiu
Undergraduate student
Steven is a junior from Rice University’s Hanszen College studying Biosciences with a concentration in Cell Biology and Genetics. His research in the Shamoo Lab focuses on screening environmental Streptomyces strains for growth and compatibility with genetic engineering tools, with the goal of supporting future antibiotic discovery. In his free time, he loves spending time with his pomapoo, Lulu.