The Agosta Lab investigates how ecological and evolutionary processes, such as phenotypic plasticity and ecological fitting, influence species interactions and biodiversity. We examine how organisms adapt to environmental changes, with implications for host use, species invasions, and the emergence of diseases. 

For more information, please contact Salvatore Agosta, Ph.D., at sagosta@vcu.edu. 

The Boyd Lab investigates the interactions between insects and microbes. The team uses phylogenetics and comparative genomics to study insect-microbial symbiosis. 

The Cannon Lab at VCU applies mathematical modeling, statistics, and computational methods to address complex problems in biomedical research, with a particular emphasis on HIV biology. Their work spans longitudinal genomic analyses to understand HIV reservoir decay, viral evolution, and immune selection, integrating bioinformatics, quantitative biology, and advanced data analysis. Collaborating closely with colleagues in biomedical engineering and medical research, the lab leverages tools from control theory, statistical and machine learning, and experimental design to generate insights that inform both basic science and potential clinical strategies for infectious diseases. 

For more information, please contact Lamont Cannon, Ph.D., at cannonlc@vcu.edu 

Led by Dr. Amanda Dickinson, this lab investigates how organisms develop, with a focus on how genetics and the environment contribute to the occurrence of birth defects.

Contact: ajdickinson@vcu.edu

Dr. John Jones leads research on urban food systems and food insecurity. His work connects personal experience with community impact, and his lab focuses on sustainable food access and student-led microgreen production.

Contact: jonesj39@vcu.edu

The Lima lab is broadly interested in the metabolic changes that occur in the process of cells becoming cancerous, and the benefits they gain as a result of these changes. For example, as compared to normal cells, cancer cells can undergo a dramatic reorganization of their lipid profiles. Because lipids are essential components of all cellular membranes, these changes are often accompanied by alterations in cellular processes that depend on the composition of membranes such as endocytosis and autophagy. In fact, in many cancers these critical cellular physiology pathways are exploited by to gain many advantages. The lab seeks to understand how specific mutations observed in cancer lead to changes in the lipid profiles of cells, and to define how these changes allow them to exploit endocytosis and autophagy in developing drug resistance and unbridled growth.

For more information, please get in touch with Santiago Lima, Ph.D., at slima@vcu.edu.

The McCallister lab conducts research in the following areas:

• Biotic and abiotic factors influencing the age of organic carbon in fluvial, estuarine, coastal and open ocean ecosystems
• Biogeochemical transformations of organic carbon along the land to sea continuum
• The sources and ages of organic carbon fueling microbial anabolic and catabolic pathways
• The importance of terrestrial organic carbon subsidies to microbial and higher trophic food webs in aquatic ecosystems

For more information, please contact S. Leigh McCallister, Ph.D., at slmccalliste@vcu.edu.

Neurodegenerative diseases currently affect an estimated 50 million people worldwide, and this number is expected to double over the next 30 years. While the most common neurodegenerative diseases are often associated with aging, such as Alzheimer and Parkinson’s disease, there are heritable neurodegenerative diseases that affect individuals of all ages. Interestingly, while each neurodegenerative disease results from discrete genetic or metabolic defects, many of these diseases share pathological features dependent on the distinct population of neurons in the brain that are vulnerable. Current treatments for most of these disorders focus on symptom suppression, however due to the progressive nature of neurodegeneration these treatments are unable to reverse the accumulation of neuronal death
that drives the pathology.

The goal of the Newton lab’s research is to examine the underlying molecular mechanisms behind neuronal cell death, focusing on pathologically common diseases to identify druggable targets upstream of the neuroinflammation and apoptotic cell death that drive disease progression. By focusing on common molecular targets, they hope to identify new therapeutic strategies that can be employed in the context of multiple diseases to slow or even prevent neuronal cell death, regardless of the specific underlying disease.

For more information, please contact Jason Newton at newtonjc2@vcu.edu.

The Prosser lab studies the molecular mechanisms regulating protein sorting and transport within eukaryotic cells. This is achieved primarily through a process known as vesicular trafficking, in which cargo proteins are concentrated into a vesicle that buds from a donor organelle, is transported through the cytoplasm, and fuses with a target organelle. Correct cargo sorting and transport is important to ensure that proteins reach their correct destinations; defects in vesicular trafficking are linked to a variety of diseases in humans. We use a combination of yeast genetics, cell biology, molecular biology and biochemistry techniques to study:

• Mechanisms and regulation of clathrin-mediated and clathrin-independent endocytosis
• Dysfunction of trafficking mechanisms and identification of potential therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease)

For more information, please contact Derek Prosser, Ph.D., at dprosser@vcu.edu. 

The Rivera Lab focuses on computational evolutionary biology, phylogenetics, and systematics. 

For more information, please get in touch with Maria Rivera, Ph.D., at mcrivera@vcu.edu 

The Turbeville Lab focuses on the morphology, ecology, systematics, phylogeography and species delimitation of nemerteans (ribbon worms), especially those species that inhabit the marine intertidal and shallow subtidal zones.

For more information, please contact Clint Turbeville, Ph.D., at jmturbeville@vcu.edu.

The Verrelli Lab at VCU studies how genetic variation arises, changes, and adapts within natural populations over time and across environments. Their work combines evolutionary and molecular population genetics to explore questions in human genomics, biodiversity conservation, and urban adaptation. From investigating disease-related genetic variation in humans to examining how animals and plants respond to urbanization or thrive in biodiversity hotspots, the lab uses DNA and RNA sequence data to understand the genetic basis of adaptation and resilience in a rapidly changing world. 

For more information, contact Brian Verrelli, Ph.D., at bverrelli@vcu.edu 

The Vonesh Lab at VCU focuses on aquatic ecosystem dynamics, with an emphasis on river ecology and environmental conservation. Their work often engages with state and regional conservation initiatives, applying ecological research to support the stewardship and sustainable management of freshwater resources. 

For more information, please get in touch with James Vonesh, Ph.D., at jrvonesh@vcu.edu.