Principal Investigator

Dr. Katherine Waselkov, Associate Professor

I am a plant systematist and population geneticist, with broad training in evolution, ecology, and population biology. During graduate school, my research interests crystallized around the idea that very common plants are both intriguing theoretically and understudied by evolutionary biologists. In particular, I developed a fondness for the genus Amaranthus (pigweeds) that continues to the present day. The tractability of such weedy systems has been an additional benefit for involving undergraduate students in research.

See my CV and my ResearchGate profile.

Recent Perspective in Science: https://www.science.org/stoken/author-tokens/ST-904/full

Graduate Students

Takui (Tiffany) Frnzyan

Tiffany’s MS in Viticulture and Enology (Jordan College of Agriculture) has encompassed many components to study the evolution and fitness of herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth in Central California (Amaranthus palmeri). She has conducted preliminary screening and dose-response assays in the greenhouse with several different herbicides, genetic screening for herbicide resistance mutations using PCR (ALS-inhibitor resistance) and qPCR (glyphosate resistance), and field trials competing young grapevines against glyphosate-resistant and susceptible Palmer amaranth. She is on track to finish up her MS degree this Spring, and plans to stay in the Central Valley to continue her agricultural and public administration career.

Jennifer Valdez-Herrera

I am an MS student in Plant Biology (Jordan College of Agriculture), researching whether herbicide-resistant common chickweed (Stellaria media) is likely to become a problem for small grains growers in the southern Central Valley. I am working in the lab, conducting DNA extractions, PCR amplifications, and using the software Geneious Prime to analyze gene sequences. These genetic methods will allow me to determine if the Central Valley common chickweed populations have evolved resistance mutations to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibiting herbicides. After receiving my Master’s in Plant Science, I hope to become a weed scientist.

Undergraduate Students

Josue Magaña

I am currently an undergraduate biology student working with Amaranthus torreyi. I am extracting DNA, performing PCR, and organizing the sequenced DNA of various Amaranthus species, but am specifically focusing on A. torreyi and its relationship to the others, including possible relationships between this Southwestern U.S. species and the native Amaranthus species in the Galapagos Islands. After earning my degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, I plan on applying to graduate school and getting my masters in conservation biology.

Monique Marquez

Monique’s project is an extension of published research on the Wyoming endemic species Phlox pungens, which has two morphological forms from the Green River Basin and the Wind River Basin that may be taxonomically distinct. Our lab’s earlier research has shown the success of four microsatellite markers for P. pungens, and Monique’s current goal is to perform DNA isolation, PCR, and genotyping to increase the number of microsatellites that can be used in this species to better analyze the genetic distinctiveness of the Green River Basin populations and whether they need taxonomic recognition at a species level. Monique is earning a bachelor’s degree in Biology, and plans to apply to graduate school after graduation with the goal of becoming a professor of Biology.

Giovanna Munoz-Gonzalez

I am a fourth year undergraduate Biology major with a minor in Chemistry. I currently work in the Herbarium inputting data, imaging, and processing plant specimens majorly collected in California. These specimens are later uploaded online to the CCH2 database for public access, where I am involved in georeferencing, by assigning geographical coordinates to the location where plant specimens were collected. After obtaining my B.S. in Biology, I will continue my studies in graduate school, specifically studying the mechanisms between plant-microbe interactions.

Jashandeep Gill

Jashan has been working in the Fresno State Herbarium since the summer before her freshman year! She is now a junior Biology major, and has been contributing to herbarium imaging, image processing, metadata entry, and label data entry off and on for almost 3 years. She is preparing to take the MCAT this semester in anticipation of going to medical school and becoming a physician after she graduates.

Vanessa Fabian

Hello my name is Vanessa Fabian and this is my 2nd year in herbarium research, doing imaging and image processing with Dr. Waselkov. I am a fourth year premed student here at Fresno State University majoring in biology, double minoring in Child & Family Development and Physical Science. I graduate this year and am planning on starting medical school mid/late of 2025.

Lab Alumni

Lab Alumni