Current lab members
Tobin Hammer, he/him, PI
hammert@uci.edu
Toby is fascinated by microbes, bugs, deserts, tropical forests, evolution, and species interactions generally. He has an inordinate fondness for caterpillars and bees, and enjoys deep dives into the natural history of insects and microbes, and mysteries of how symbioses work and how they evolve. When not doing science, Toby can be found baking, backpacking, or hanging out with his cats.
Kristal Watrous, she/her, lab manager and researcher
kwatrous@uci.edu
Kristal is a lifelong bug nerd and passionate naturalist. She has done research with many different insect groups in the lab and the field, but keeps coming back to her beloved bees. She is excited to work with all the bees she can get her hands on, and to learn more about their microbes. Outside of science, Kristal is usually hiking, camping, or nerding out over plants and bugs with her spouse and kids.
Jennifer Schlauch, she/her, Ph.D. student
jschlauc@uci.edu
Jen is broadly interested in symbioses, community networks, warm-weather ecosystems, and the connection between people and the natural world. She loves learning how bees, ants, and wasps interact with organisms, from microbes to towering trees, to live successfully in challenging environments. Her PhD project studies solitary bee microbiome composition and function in wetlands and deserts. When not in the lab or the field, Jen works on art projects for science communication and just for fun, and loves kayaking, cooking Thai food, and hiking with friends.
Nickole Villabona, she/her, Ph.D. student
nvillabo@uci.edu
Nickole is interested in how the environment and animals have evolved over time to reach the incredible relationships that exist today. Lately, the relationships between macro and microorganisms have struck her, especially in bees from South America. She wants to relate climate change and neotropical bees in that region for her Ph.D. project. When not doing bee stuff, she enjoys dancing, traveling, designing things, outdoor activities, and spending time with her dog.
Bahareh Sorouri, she/her, Visiting Scientist (based at UA Fairbanks)
bsorouri@uci.edu
Bahareh is interested in understanding environmental and host-associated microbial responses to perturbations. Her work currently investigates how the gut microbes of snowshoe hares and sage-grouse allow them to eat toxic plants. Similarly, Bahareh is intrigued by the bee microbiome and is curious to learn more. She is also passionate about science communication, and making research more accessible to the general public. When not doing science, Bahareh can be found playing basketball, biking, watching movies, and spending time with both family and friends.
Carm Ypil Hermosilla, she/her, undergraduate researcher
Carm is a computer science major minoring in global sustainability, and is interested in how urbanized bees adapt to their environment. She is interested in the intersection of computer science and environmental science, doing projects in geospatial analysis and environmental modeling. Outside of work, she is an avid video gamer, vocalist, and 3D modeler.
McKenna Larson, she/her, former undergraduate and now lab tech
McKenna majored in Biological Sciences and plans to later attend veterinary school. Recently, she has been interested in the co-infection of parasites in the bee gut microbiome. Outside of the lab, McKenna enjoys playing rugby, traveling, cooking, and spending time with friends.
Ozichi Ikegbu, she/her, undergraduate researcher
Ozichi plans to study the physiology of animals, from digestive and reproductive systems to concepts as fundamental as movement. She is intrigued by how these systems relate to organismal interactions and evolution. Coming to UCI she realized she wanted to pursue a research career in ecology and evolutionary biology and is ecstatic to start her journey here. When not lecturing her family and friends about animal biology she can be found dancing anywhere, solo or with her beloved team.
Lab alumni
Thuy-Tien Bui was an undergraduate researcher in the lab during summer 2022. Thuy-Tien is currently doing a Masters at UCSB.
Sophia Aredas was an undergraduate researcher in the lab during the 2022/2023 academic year. Sophia is currently doing a PhD at Cornell.
Perla Vazquez was an undergraduate researcher from September 2022 up to her graduation in March 2024. Perla is a post-bac researcher at the University of Georgia.
Alejandro Vazquez Rodriguez was an undergraduate researcher in the lab. He is currently doing a field research internship with the USDA on honey bee health.
Annika Nelson was a USDA NIFA postdoctoral fellow in the lab. She is now an Assistant Professor at Texas Christian University (https://annikanelsonlab.weebly.com/).
Interested in joining the lab?
If you can drive a nail & have any nails to drive, drive them. If you have any experiments you would like to try—try them—now’s your chance. – H.D. Thoreau
Undergraduates: we are not currently recruiting undergraduate researchers.
Graduate students: we will likely be recruiting a Ph.D. student for fall 2026 admission. If you’re interested, get in touch during summer 2025!
Postdocs: there aren’t funded positions available at the moment, but if you’re eligible for independent funding (Fulbright grants, international scholarships, postdoctoral fellowships, etc.), let me know—I’d be glad to discuss potential research projects and work with you to develop your application.