Lab Members
Lab Director
Dr. Lynne earned his B.S. in Microbiology in 2000 and his Ph.D. in Molecular Pathogenesis in 2006, both from North Dakota State University. After post-doctoral training at Iowa State University and the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Dr. Lynne joined the faculty at Sam Houston State University in 2008 as an Assistant Professor. He currently is Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Sam Houston State University.
Areas of research interest include how microorganisms can be useful in forensic science, characterization of resistance phenotypes and genotypes in Salmonella isolates from human and animal sources, sequencing large plasmids to study their evolution, determining the prevalence and distribution of these plasmids among Salmonella, and identifying novel antimicrobial compounds from soil bacteria.
Current Students
Back Row: Adam Bruton, Dr. Lynne, Amelia Cosgrove, Madison Schultz (honorary lab member)
Front Row: Isabella Howard, AJ Pinkert, Stanlee Brandt (honorary lab member), Amber Gonzalez
Amber Gonzalez joined the Lynne lab as a graduate student in 2023. Her current project is looking at the comparison of decomposition rates between fresh and embalmed cadavers.
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Katelyn Paris joined the graduate program in 2024 under Dr. Jim Harper. She joined the Lynne lab in 2026 when Dr. Harper left the university. Her thesis project is titled The Assessment of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in 3T3 Cells After Exposure to BPA and BPS.
Amelia Cosgrove joined the Lynne lab as a graduate student in 2024. Here current project involves the evaluation of commercial soil DNA extraction kits for the recovery of human nuclear DNA from soil samples containing decomposition fluid
Isabella Howard joined the Lynne lab as an undergraduate student in 2026. Her current project is investigating antimicrobial compounds produced by soil bacteria.
Adam Bruton joined the Lynne lab as an undergraduate in 2025 and as a graduate student in 2026. His current project is involves using comparative genomics of Salmonella isolates from retail meat and clinical sources.
AJ Pinkert joined the Lynne lab as an undergraduate student in 2026. She is currently characterizing the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella clinical isolates.
Former Graduate Students
Alison Garner graduate from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2010. Her thesis involved comparing the genomes of Salmonella to understand host specificity. She is currently an instructor at Wharton Community College.
Lauren Smith graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2016. Her thesis involved characterizing the spacial and temporal differences of the facial microbiome of human cadavers. She is currently a crime analyst with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Mary Ruble graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2018. Her thesis involved characterizing the microbiome of bone marrow of human cadavers. She is currently an instructor at Collin College
Caitlyn Gaffney graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2020. Her thesis involved comparative genomics of antibiotic producing strains of Pseudomonas. She is currently a Research Scientist at MD Anderson Cancer Center
Keri Powell graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2014. Her thesis involved comparing the host-pathogen interactions among Salmonella and Caenorhabditis
elegans. She is currently a licensed clinical social worker in California.
Dawn Burns graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2016. Her thesis involved studying the host-pathogen interactions between Salmonella serovars and aging C. elegans. She is currently a study coordinator at Northwest Houston Clinical Research.
Lauren Sommer graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2018. Her thesis involved Analysis of the B56 Subunit of Protein Phosphatase 2A and the effect of cancer-associated PP2A A subunit mutations on the Wnt signaling pathway. She is currently a research technician at Baylor College of Medicine.
Rachel Porter graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2022. Her thesis involved the Microbiome Analysis of Soil after Colonization with Antibiotic Producing Pseudomonas Isolate. She is currently a Research Analyst at Duke University.
Keli King graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2016. Her thesis involved characterizing the microbiome of flies associated with human cadavers. She is currently an the Director of Communications at Bay Side ISD.
Raymond Berry III graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2016. His thesis investigated the significance of fly-borne bacteria Ignatzschineria on decomposition associated with human cadavers. He is currently an Associate Professor at Tarrant County College.
Cindy Botero graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2017. Her thesis involved characterizing the interactions between serum proteins of the complement system and outer membrane proteins in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli. She is currently is a Laboratory Research Assistant at the University of Houston
Adalia Brixen graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2024. Her thesis is titled Soil Microbiome Succession of Cadaver Islands in Southeast Subtropical Texas. She is currently a Research Assistant at Houston Methodist Research Institute.
Max Lannom graduated from SHSU with an M.S. in Biology in 2024. His thesis is titled Dissolved Organic Carbon as a Driver of Microbial Diversity. He is currently a Science Teacher at Bryan High School.
Former Undergraduate Students
In Memory of Thomas O'Connor
November 29, 1982 - June 4, 2019
Tommy O'Connor received his bachelor’s degree in Biology in 2017 and master’s degree in Education in 2019 from Sam Houston State University. Tommy worked with Dr. Bucheli and I from 2016-2017 and was an excellent student and researcher. He loved science and teaching and brought that passion with him every day while teaching at Cypress Lakes High School. Tommy unexpectedly passed on June 4, 2019 and is survived by his wife Alanna and daughter Vanessa. Tommy was a bright scientist and educator who is dearly missed.
Numerous undergraduate students have work on various research project in my lab in the last 17 years. Many have gone on to various careers and professions. Students who have worked in my lab are listed below:
Rachel Aaron
Stephanie McAdams
Kemi Alabi
Amanda Allen
Sarah Alvarez
Nwakaego Amaechina
Cole Anderson
Aaron Arnold
Jordan Baker
Stephanie Baker
Hunter Barnes
Makayla Bernard
Matt Borum
Trisha Brewer
Jillian Carnes
Scott Carpenter
Zak Carroll
Melinda Carter
Halley Cazort
Lesley Contreras
Thomas Colvin
Cristopher Crocket
Heather Deel
Dawn Fisher
Maria Garcia
Matt Greenwood
Violet Grogg
Daniel Haarmann
Brittany Ham
Raven Harston
Ally Hathaway
Melissa Hansen
Emily Kelly
Kaylin Kourkoubes
Shanila Lakhani
Georgeanne Llanes
Jenifer Lopez
Zach Lueck
Cullen Lyles
Aris Manos
Steven Marsh
Samantha McBride
Rebbeca McNair
Brittanie Miller
Courtney Miller
Joshua Mitchell
Ezra Monroy
Christian Monsivias
Blake Munoz
Michael Ndamanti
Samson Ndukwe
Daniel Nwosuocha
Tommy O’Connor
Kristen Olsen
Laura Paez
Afifa Perkins
Nicky Pernell
Alexander Palomares
Megan Porrovecchio
Dalton Plummer
Keri Powell
Peter Quach
Bridgette Rose
Veronica Rodriguez
Jerry Roland
Molly Sarles
Harlie Sasser
Babbie Saurez
Auriana Smith
Lauren Smith
Kristen Solis
Kalyn Stephens
Jackie Vasquez
Katie Veltman
Amanda Walton
James Willet
Aaron Winton
Christine Woelfel-Monsivais
Shandilynne Wright