People

Amanda is a Colombian biologist broadly interested in disease ecology and conservation, particularly chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by a fungus decimating amphibians globally - Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Her research explores host-pathogen interactions in poison frogs, focusing on how their microbiome and unique skin chemistry influence susceptibility to Bd infection. Previously, Amanda conducted research in amphibian conservation, sexual selection, bioacoustics, and behavior. Outside of lab Amanda enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling and working on her family business.

Billie is a PhD candidate in the lab studying the evolution of neural circuits driving social behavior. She uses the monogamous and biparental poison frog, Ranitomeya imitator, to explore mechanisms of family dynamics on a behavioral and molecular scale. She uses a combination of neuroscience techniques, genetic tools, robotics, and pharmacology in her research. Her work is supported by the HHMI Gilliam Fellowship, NSF-GRFP, and an NIH T32.

I am interested in studying the mechanisms behind chemical defense in poison frogs. Through my research, I hope to uncover key proteins involved in alkaloid sequestration across different developmental stages in these frogs. Additionally, I aim to describe various behavioral mechanisms in both tadpoles and adults that are important for maintaining their chemical defenses. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking, watching movies, and playing video games!

Max studies how species respond to alarming olfactory stimuli both through their behavioral and neurobiological responses. Specifically, he is interested in how life history and developmental experience shapes this response. He will be characterizing the brain regions and neurotransmitters that regulate alarm response as well as the mechanisms in the olfactory bulb that detect and integrate olfactory stimuli. In his free time, Max likes to rock climb, snowboard, and travel.

Mila is interested in circadian rhythms and how they influence animal behavior, physiology, and ecology. Science communication and advocacy for diversity, equality, and inclusion in science are some of her passions! She believes science and education are essential tools to fight social inequality. In her podcast in Portuguese called Charlando, she talks about science, daily life, and academia, using a bit of comedy to make science more accessible to the broad public. Her hobbies include playing the drums and the ukulele, playing with her cats, and, as a good Brazilian, dancing!

Ever since he was 28 years old, Neil knew that he wanted to study post-transcriptional regulatory drivers of development and evolution. Since then, he has prepared nearly 100 small RNA libraries, characterizing the miRNAomes of various poison frog species and the influence of the social environment on brain microRNA expression. In his free time, Neil "plays" the piano, edits oxford commas into Wikipedia articles and memorizes mature miRNA sequences in preparation for the trivia section of his ever-looming Ph.D. defense.

I am a Peruvian field biologist passionate about animal behavior and biodiversity conservation in the tropics. I am broadly interested in understanding the evolutionary consequences of climate change and anthropogenic disturbances on species’ reproductive success. Using poison frogs as my model species, I aim to study the mechanisms underlying the diversification of reproductive strategies and how these evolutionary adaptations will respond to rapidly changing environments. With my studies, I am hoping to gather information that can be used to guide amphibians’ conservation efforts.I also love music, dancing salsa and bachata, watching scary movies, climbing trees and exploring new places.

Katelyn Santa Maria is a Stanford pre-veterinary undergraduate (Class of 2026) pursuing a B.S. in Human Biology with a focus on Comparative Medicine and Animal Science. She works as an Animal Care Associate under Madison Lacey, ensuring the health and welfare of the organisms in the lab. Katelyn leads the Stanford volunteer organization called the Animal Service Project and co-presides over the People for Animal Welfare at Stanford. In her free time, she enjoys mentoring and teaching children, volunteering, and spending time in nature.

I am an undergraduate from San Francisco, majoring in Biology. My research focuses on social development based on early-life isolation and how this affects microRNA expression. I aim to determine how certain microRNAs correlate to poison frog tadpoles exhibiting either aggressive or non-aggressive behavior depending on the social environment.In my free time, I enjoy crocheting, reading, gardening, and spending time with my tortoise, Thunder.

Mei Li is a junior majoring in Biology. Her work in the lab involves studying the social behavior of poison frog tadpoles in different environments and the role that microRNAs play in regulating behavior.In her free time, Mei Li enjoys reading, indulging in afternoon naps, and browsing through iNaturalist in search of her next photography subject.

Hi, this is Natalie! I’m a rising senior majoring in Cellular, Molecular and Organismal Biology. My work in the lab focuses on the genetic and neurological basis of the amphibious circadian rhythm system. Using glass frogs as my model organism, I aim to examine the periodical expression of encephalic clock genes, and how this information correlates with their daily activity. In my free time I enjoy drawing and reading mystery&detective fictions. A recent favorite is The Thursday Murder Club.

Teisha is a Stanford undergraduate student (Class of 2026) from Maui, Hawaii, and is majoring in Biology with a concentration in molecular, cellular, and organismal biology. At the O’Connell Lab, she studies the prey selectivity of tropical poison frogs through the isotopic analysis of their stomach contents. She is interested in understanding how the predation habits of these frogs affect their toxicity.

I am an undergraduate Stanford student majoring in Biology, with a concentration in Ecology and Evolution. I'm joining the lab under the 2025 NeURO Fellowship and Rose Hills Foundation Fellowship. Over the summer, I am excited to study the role that dopaminergic neurons play in the development of tadpole parental recognition. In my free time, I enjoy riding my motorcycle and playing with my dog, Tobi.