Lab Personnel

Nonno is an evolutionary biologist from Kanagawa, Japan. She earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Guelph in Canada. She became interested in honeybees working as a research assistant at the University of British Columbia and Guelph and later joined OIST as a research intern with the Laurino and Mikheyev units. Her research focuses on the phylogeography and landscape genetics of species interactions in systems such as obligate pitcher plant arthropods and honeybee mites. In her free time, Nonno can be found on a surfboard, shredding waves along the Okinawa coast. 

Rahel is an immunologist from Switzerland, where she studied at the University of Bern. For her master's degree, she worked on understanding inhibitory mechanisms of human basophils during allergic reactions. For her PhD thesis, she is focusing on the impact of life history variation on the evolution of immune genes in different populations of Molossid bats. With a keen interest in science communication, she is also building experience in science writing.

Peter is a molecular ecologist from Bristol, UK. He earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Cardiff University. His work focused on the conservation genetics of the critically-endangered Angonoka (Astrochelys yniphora) tortoise, assessing population demographics, genetic diversity and species viability under extinction risk. As a rotation student he has worked on primate phylogenetics, species life-history traits and the epigenetic mechanisms of stress in Arabidopsis. As a PhD student his work focuses on the epigenetic mechanisms of abiotic stress responses in non-model plant systems. Outside the lab he enjoys climbing, reading and diving around Okinawa’s many reefs. 

Trading one rainy place for another, Yulia graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada before joining OIST as a PhD student. During her bachelor’s degree, Yulia worked with nanoparticles, bumblebees, cyanobacteria, and mayflies. Most recently she studied the physical factors shaping riparian insect communities in alpine British Columbia. She is currently a rotation student in the Armitage Unit, looking at species range and connectivity models. In her spare time, Yulia can be found running down (but not up) the OIST hill and updating her Goodreads account.

Sam is a community ecologist originally from the UK, but he moved to Ireland for a PhD at Trinity College Dublin before joining OIST. In our Unit he integrates theoretical and conceptual developments with methods including aquatic experiments and terrestrial acoustic monitoring. Sam’s work generally aims to address fundamental questions concerning the drivers of ecological stability; particularly he’s exploring the role of “response diversity” as a mechanism underpinning stability. In his spare time, he can be found exploring the island on his scooter (scoot scoot!), critiquing convenience store umeshu, or making waves as Okinawa’s least-requested DJ.

Toyo is a mathematical ecologist trained in Belgium and Scotland. During her PhD, she applied dynamical systems theory to investigate dry rangeland resilience, eco-evolutionary dynamics, and vegetation patterns through deterministic mechanistic models. Currently at OIST, her research centers on ecological connectivity in the face of climate change, utilizing tools such as species distribution modeling and stochastic Markov chains. Outside of work, Toyo enjoys drawing comics and snorkeling.

Alex is a molecular biologist from Oaxaca, Mexico, he studied biology at the University of the Americas Puebla and his masters degree at the University of Leeds. He joined the Institute of Ecology (INECOL) in Mexico as a technician in the Plant Genomics and Transcriptomics lab and was in charge of the sequencing core-lab facility. He’s interested in the molecular interactions of nematodes and insects with plants, including their associated bacterial communities. Outside of the lab, Alex enjoys photography and having coffee with friends.

Katie is from Texas and earned her bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Texas at Austin. She studied mating behavior of horeshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) for her master's degree at the University of Florida. Katie has since worked in scientific publishing, seabird population monitoring, wild bird rehabilitation, and aquatic ecology research. 

Stephanie is an environmental educator from Machakos, Kenya, currently pursuing a Master’s in Sustainable Urban Development at Kenyatta University. She has a background in Environmental Conservation and Natural Resource Management from the University of Nairobi with research focusing on how perceptions of urban agriculture influence its adoption. At OIST, Stephanie will be researching soybeans, aiming to broaden her understanding of agricultural innovation and sustainable practices from a new perspective and developing and learning new methods in sustainable development. In her free time, she enjoys reading, creative writing, and nature photography, and hopes to finally learn how to ride a bike.

Shizuka hails from Okinawa but has spent time away from the island while studying in Kumamoto, Canada and the U.S. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Washington State University Pullman, and has since worked at the US Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Unum Insurance in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and has worked at OIST for the past 10 years. Outside of the office, Shizuka enjoys performing Hawaiian Hula dance, CrossFit, and is currently learning how to play golf.