McCulloch Lab – UMN – 2023
Kyle J McCulloch, PhD
I am an assistant professor in the Biology Department at UF. Welcome! I am interested in how molecular-genetic building blocks assemble to generate novel and varied traits, like light sensing systems in animals. I like marine invertebrates, insects and spiders, and of course, N. vectensis . When not in lab, I am out on bike rides, kayaking, on the beach, playing kickball, or enjoying a beer at one of Gainesville’s local breweries. I also love painting, reading, and growing native flowers for my favorite butterflies (I still find it very cool that I live in a place with native Heliconius).
The native Florida H. charithonia, or zebra longwing, is also the state butterfly! It feeds on passionflower vine as a caterpillar making it toxic. Also the sexually dimorphic genetics of their eyes are very cool: link here
Current Undergrads
Indira Cummings – Contractile behavior analysis
Aiden Fitzgibbons – Retinal determination network regulation
Hailey Hinchliffe – Role of opsin in larval swimming behavior
Ashlee Plavnick – light-mediated sexual reproduction
Bios coming soon!
Congrats to Ashlee and Hailey for getting the UF-wide University Scholars Program Award for their proposed work in the lab this fall!
Postdoc – Dr. Richard Murphy
Dr. Murphy completed his Phd at Auburn University before joining the lab. He is working on…