Karen Sears, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator)

Assistant Professor, School of Integrative Biology

Faculty Member, Institute for Genomic Biology

Karen is broadly interested in the developmental mechanisms driving morphologic diversification in mammals.  Karen began her career as a paleontologist with an interest in embryology, and earned her PhD from the University of Chicago’s Committee on Evolutionary Biology in 2003.  She then trained with Dr. Lee Niswander at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the University of Colorado in developmental genetics.  Karen’s goal is to unite the study of paleontology, development and genetics to elucidate the processes shaping mammalian evolution.

Office: 465 Morrill Hall, Phone: 217.244.7855, Fax: 217.244.4465

Email: ksears at life.uiuc.edu

James Peters, M.S

Graduate Student, Department of Animal Biology

Jim is broadly interested in major evolutionary transitions in vertebrates.   Having earned his Masters degree in morphometrics from Southern Illinois University he hopes to develop a project that melds the fields of comparative functional morphology, developmental biology and comparative genetics.  Jim is currently heading a project investigating the development of the marsupial coracoid.

Office: 465A Morrill Hall, Phone: 217.244.7724, Fax: 217.244.4565

Jen Cooper

Undergraduate, School of Integrative Biology

Jen is a junior in Integrative biology who is studying the genetic basis of shoulder girdle development in marsupials.  After she graduates, Jen plans to earn a graduate degree in biology.

Merla Hubler

Undergraduate, School of Integrative Biology

Merla is a pre-med who joined the lab in January of 2008.  She is currently studying the developmental mechanisms behind coracoid reduction in marsupials.

Ursula Sieklucki

Undergraduate, School of Integrative Biology

Ursula is a pre-vet student who joined the lab in January of 2008.  Building on her love of working with animals, Ursula maintains the possum and mouse colonies for the lab.  Ursula is also working on identifying the gene responsible for the Twist-and-Stout mutation.