Photo of Brock Davis

Brock Davis

Undergraduate Researcher, Genetics major

Brock joined the lab in 2025.

Photo of Fausto Rodríguez Zapata

Fausto Rodríguez Zapata

Postdoc

Fausto studies maize glycerolipid quantitative and population genetics and genetic associations with soil variables involved in phosphorus deficiency.

Photo of Hannah Pil

Hannah Pil

PhD Candidate, Genetics Program

Hannah joined the lab in summer 2021 as an undergraduate and since then she has become a master corn pollinator.

Photo of Jill Love

Jill Love

Postdoc

Jill joined the lab in 2026. She works on the ARPA-E NSave Maize project with Joe Gage and Alex Woodley.

Photo of Lauren Insko

Lauren Insko

PhD Student, Structural and Molecular Biochemistry Program

Lauren joined the lab in January 2025. She is working on identifying regulatory elements of the gene High PhosphatidylCholine 1 as well as identifying structural elements of the phospholipase protein product.

Photo of Lina López-Corona

Lina López-Corona

Project Manager, ARPA-E NSave Maize project

Lina joined the lab in fall 2023.

Photo of Maheera Hassan

Maheera Hassan

Undergraduate Researcher, Genetics major

Maheera joined the lab in 2026.

Photo of Nirwan Tandukar

Nirwan Tandukar

Postdoc

Nirwan joined the lab in January 2022 as a PhD student, completed his PhD in July 2026 and is now a postdoc in the lab. He develops approaches that use multiple genetic datasets to identify genes involved in adaptation to abiotic stresses, and built the Sorghum Lipid Database.

Photo of Pascual Blanco

Pascual Blanco

Field Technician

Pascual joined the lab in fall 2021. He manages all our field operations.

Photo of Rubén Rellán-Álvarez

Rubén Rellán-Álvarez

Principal Investigator

Rubén is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular and Structural Biochemistry at NC State.

Photo of Sam Strimple

Sam Strimple

Undergraduate Researcher, Genetics major

Sam joined the lab in 2026.

Photo of Sanaa Jain

Sanaa Jain

Undergraduate Researcher, Biochemistry major

Sanaa joined the lab in 2026 through the SAPLINGs program.

Photo of Tao Zhong

Tao Zhong

Postdoc

Tao works on the genetics of disease resistance in maize, in collaboration with Peter Balint-Kurti’s group.

Photo of Zehta Fazler

Zehta Fazler

PhD Student, Genetics Program

Zehta joined the lab in December 2024. She is working on the genetic mechanisms that drive cold stress tolerance, with an emphasis on evolutionary diversity in maize.

Former lab members

  • Carolina Escalona-Weldt Lab Manager/Technician
  • Trinity McCleary Undergraduate Student, STEPS REU
  • Youngeun Kim Visiting student from South Korea (until January 2026)
  • Destiny Tyson PhD Student, Genetics Program. Co-advised with Jim Holland.
  • Allison Barnes Postdoc
  • Ruthie Stokes Master Student
  • Ryan Pil Undergraduate student
  • Aleya Mohammed Undergraduate student
  • Shannon Persaud Undergraduate student
  • Emily Phung Lab Technician
  • Heli Kavi Undergraduate student
  • Elohim Bello PhD Student co-advised with Luis Herrera-Estrella
  • Jessica Carcaño Administrative assistant
  • Jonathan Ojeda PhD Student co-advised with Luis Herrera-Estrella
  • Fabián Santa Maria Master Student co-advised with Luis Delaye
  • Andi Kur PhD Student. NCSU Genetics program. AgBioFews Program.
  • Christina Merkel Lab Tech
  • Patricio Cid Field Manager
  • Juan Estévez Wet Lab Manager
  • Karla Juarez Master Student
  • Sofía Estefany Sánchez Master Student co-advised with Ruairidh Sawers
  • Vladimir Torres Master Student co-advised with Ruairidh Sawers
  • Christian Escoto Master Student co-advised with Ruairidh Sawers
  • Dario Alávez Lab Technician