The Pringle Laboratory

Anne Pringle – apringle2@wisc.edu

Letters & Science Mary Herman Rubinstein Professor

Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor

Departments of Botany & Bacteriology

Google Scholar

Cecelia Stokes – ckstokes@wisc.edu

I am a 3rd year PhD candidate, co-advised by Drs. Anne Pringle and Michelle Jusino. I’m studying the chemical ecology of Amanita phalloides, an invasive and ectomycorrhizal fungus. Broadly, I am interested in how A. phalloides’ toxins mediate interactions with potentially antagonistic organisms and how those relationships shift during its invasion in California. I received my B.S. in General Biology at the University of North Carolina Asheville where I fell in love with the forests of southern Appalachia and the breadth of fungal biodiversity found within them. Traipsing around the forest looking for fungi and cool plants is still a favorite pass time, along with reading, running, and hanging out with my dogs. Here is my personal website

Aishwarya Veerabahu – veerabahu@wisc.edu

I’m Aishwarya, a 3rd year Botany PhD student, studying the ecological impacts, evolution, and social perspectives of invasive Golden Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus citrinopileatus). It’s nuts, but a really fun project. I got my B.S. in Biology from UC Riverside in Southern California, nested in chaparral hills that sparked my love for botany. After graduating, my passion for plants and ecology led me to the rich forests of the Adirondacks, where I found fungi! In all crazy shapes and colors! In my free time, I enjoy jamming with my friends, playing with my dog, going on forest walks, making art, biking, and having crazy dreams.

Corbin Bryan – bryan6@wisc.edu

I am a first-year PhD student in the Pringle Lab interested in investigating fungal species delineations, fungal co-invasions, and the evolution of fungal secondary metabolites using genomics approaches. Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing the Viola da Gamba and Guitar, foraging for mushrooms (of course), and reading old literature about dead languages.

Soleil Young – seyoung7@wisc.edu

I am a joint PhD student in the Currie lab and the Pringle lab interested in the evolution of sexual reproduction and symbiotic relationships in fungi. I am studying how genetic variation is organized in the fungal mutualist of leafcutter ants, Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. I am also studying the evolution of the mating type loci in Escovopsis, the mycoparasite of L. gongylophorus. I love thinking broadly and critically about the terminology we use to discuss sexual reproduction, and how that affects the questions we ask. Outside of the lab I enjoy spending time with my cats and playing video games. Here's my personal website.

Naamon Peyton – npeyton@wisc.edu

I am a recently graduated student in the Pringle Lab. My current research is surveying the fungi of UW-Madison's Lakeshore Nature Preserve and working with Savannah Gentry to create a field guide specific to the fungi that I encounter. I am interested in ethnomycology and mycoremediation.

Michael Hensly – mdhensley@wisc.edu

Hi, I’m Mike! I am a first year Master’s student studying the biodiversity of the genus Amanita in Wisconsin. I am interested in the immense diversity of organisms this world harbors and how we value the conservation of them. Ultimately, I wish we could conserve it all but that currently isn't feasible. Outside of the Lab, I enjoy interacting with the outdoors in both a physical and mental manner. I love to ski, mountian bike, fish, stare at plants, and identify organisms in the world around me.

Shaneya Miriyagalla – miriyagalla@wisc.edu

I am Shaneya and I am a first year PhD student in the Pringle Lab. I am originally from Sri Lanka, and I have a B.Sc. in Microbiology. I did my master’s (Erasmus Mundus Plant Health) in Germany, Spain, and France, and worked with Armillaria species in Europe as my master’s project.

Sheldon Stajkovic – sstajkovic@wisc.edu

I am a senior undergraduate student majoring in botany and conservation biology in the Pringle Lab. My research is focused on working with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to complete their template for classifying invasive organisms, specifically for the invasive fungi Amanita Phalloides.

Aaliyah Golden-Whitehead – goldenwhiteh@wisc.edu

Hi! I am an undergraduate Botany student, expecting to graduate in May 2027. I am working closely with Cecelia Stokes to explore specialized metabolite chemical structures within Amanitas and how they are interconnected with the local ecological communities. I am from Kenosha, Wisconsin and other than a love of plants, I also love music.

Jason Raiti – raiti@wisc.edu

Howdy, I'm Jason. I am a Masters student in the Pringle Lab. I am interested in the evolution of fungi and their roles in ecosystems. I am also the maintainer of this website! If you like this format and want to copy it yourself, feel free to get the code here. Check out my personal website. and past work and let me know what you think! Outside of the lab, I enjoy surfing the great lakes, tattooing, and play god to a thousand tiny organisms, fostering them from birth, creating a perfect world for them, guiding their development for generations, only to wipe them out at the peak of their civilization (making cider).

Holly Elmore – m.holly.elmore@gmail.com

I am broadly interested in the evolution of eukaryotic genomes. I study genome organization in fungi, particularly as it relates to the bizarre diversity of fungal mating systems. For my thesis, I am investigating the mating loci of several species of Amanita mushrooms in order to learn more about the organization of this genome region and how it may be related to the evolution of the mushroom life cycle. I am currently building and populating Amanitabase, a database of Amanita genomes that will serve as the basis of my dissertation and hopefully lots of other research!

Cat Adams – catadams@berkeley.edu

Cat Adams is a PhD student at UC Berkeley, researching the role of secondary metabolites in plant-fungal interactions. Her Masters work with Anne examined the evolution of spice tolerance in fungal pathogens of wild chili peppers. For her PhD, Cat is studying the invasion of the deadly poisonous death cap mushroom, Amanita phalloides. She is also passionate about science communication, and has written for Slate and BBC Earth. You can read her personal blog ScienceIsMetal.com

Susana C. Gonçalves – scgoncal@uc.pt

I am broadly interested in the ecology and evolution of ectomycorrhizal fungi, focusing on the population dynamics of Amanita phalloides and Amanita muscaria, in particular. For my postdoctoral project, I am investigating what might turn an exotic ectomycorrhizal fungus into a successful invader. I am also very involved in fungal conservation and, as of Autumn 2015, I have served as co-chair of the ECCF (European Council for Fungal Conservation).