Caleb (they/he) is from Sherman, a small town near Dallas, Texas. In 2019, Caleb graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a BS in Biology and Microbiology and worked as an undergraduate researcher in the Mydlarz Coral Immunity Lab. Caleb then earned their PhD in Ecology at the Pennsylvania State University in the LaJeunesse Symbiosis Ecology & Evolution Lab.
Throughout his doctoral work, Caleb became fascinated with the biodiversity of endosymbiotic dinoflagellates that corals rely upon, and studied the specificity of the symbiosis in Indo-Pacific reef-building and soft corals. In the future, Caleb hopes to continue investigating the basic principles of specificity in the symbiosis and how it has become so ubiquitous across Phylum Cnidaria. In their spare time, Caleb likes to cook and hang out with his cats."
Caleb Hernandez (He/Him) grew up in California and graduated in May 2025 from California State University, Monterey Bay with his BS in marine science and a minor in data science. His undergraduate capstone research focused on cellular responses in Galápagos corals under acute thermal stress. This work sparked his interest in genomics and bioinformatics techniques to better understand organismal responses to threats at the microbial level.
Here at Texas State University, Caleb continues to explore microbial responses by investigating the skeletal microbiomes of massive bouldering corals affected by Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) as part of his Doctoral research. Once he earns his PhD, Caleb plans to continue in academia and eventually become a research professor, investigating solutions to preserve and restore declining vital ecosystems.
During his free time, Caleb enjoys weightlifting, cooking/baking, and spinning records (his favorite musician is Bad Bunny).
John was born and raised in a small suburb south of Chicago, Illinois. In December 2025, he graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and Ecology. Most of his work as an undergraduate explored how to improve the efficacy of coral conservation and restoration
techniques.
Here at Texas State, John’s research will be microbiology-focused. His master’s project will use metagenomics to investigate how the coral microbiome shifts as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease progresses. After graduating, he hopes to get a job in one of NOAA’s coral conservation programs or pursue a PhD that combines aspects from both his undergraduate and graduate studies. Outside of the lab, John enjoys baking, scuba diving, and weightlifting.
Ben Ballinger grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado and gained a profound interest in coral systems during his undergraduate studies at Colorado State University. After graduation, he expanded upon these interests at an internship at Mote’s International Coral Gene Bank, where he worked on a pilot study involving the effect of nutrient supplementation on coral larvae settlement.
During his time at Texas State, Ben hopes to study the genetic component of the relationship between symbiotic cnidarians and their microbiome, with hopes to apply this knowledge to reef-building coral systems facing disease and climate-related mortality.
Simone is a second-year master’s student in Biology. She earned her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Lincoln University of Missouri in 2023. In the Goch Lab, her work focuses on producing high‑quality time‑lapse imaging of Hydra during feeding, regeneration, and bleaching, using a range of microscopy techniques and equipment, including the Cryostat.
Her scientific interests include microscopy and tissue processing. After completing her degree, she plans to pursue a career in lab medicine with a focus on histology.
Amy Hubbard is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Wildlife Biology. In our lab, she focuses on Hydra husbandry and is passionate about ecological conservation and education.
Outside of the lab, you can find her enjoying the river, admiring arthropods and cuddling her pets.
I'm an undergrad student in my junior year majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Math. I have been programming for quite a few years now, focusing on languages like C++, JavaScript, and Python.
My interest in genomics and computational biology led me to get involved in research and join the microbial symbiosis lab, where I hope to apply my software knowledge to make novel biological discoveries.
Felix Rodriguez Cisneros is an undergraduate researcher aiding in the extraction and sequencing of DNA from Hydra Viridissima and Aiptasia. He is a senior undergrad pursuing his B.S. in biology with a minor in pre-medicine and is interested in molecular lab work as well as the applications of gene sequencing-based therapies in medicine.
Jackson Wenzel is a junior undergraduate researcher pursuing a B.S. in Biology with minors in Honors and Pre-Medical Studies. His research interests include microbial symbiosis and its effects on genome evolution and function, vision science and emerging innovations in the field, and host–virus interactions related to ocular disease.
Through his research experience, Jackson hopes to strengthen his skills in scientific research as he prepares to apply to optometry school and ultimately pursue research in ocular disease and therapeutic development.
Sydney grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia and graduated in May 2024 from Penn State with her BSc in Biology and minors in Marine Science and Earth and Sustainability. Her undergraduate research at Penn State focused on characterizing the evolution and ecology of the algal symbionts of cnidarian hosts, mainly corals.
Her most recent project in Dr. Fuess’s lab looked at how different environmental conditions effect disease susceptibility in hard corals. She is very interested in coral disease ecology, the coral-algal symbiotic relationship, and coral resiliency. Outside of the lab, Sydney enjoys training for marathons, reading, and traveling.
I am an undergraduate researcher in my senior year pursuing a degree in Biology and Biochemistry. My research interests encompass genomics and biochemistry, with a focus on DNA analysis and genetic variation. I plan to pursue a master's degree in the future, concentrating on molecular genetics or genetic counseling.
Kevin Tran is an undergraduate researcher studying conserved innate immune genes in Hydra through computational and molecular biology applications. He's in his senior year pursuing a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and is interested in immunology, host–microbe interactions, and emerging biotechnological applications. Kevin aims to continue building his research skills and contribute to discoveries while preparing for a future career in the biotech industry.