Our current lab is comprised of people from a variety of scientific backgrounds. Our interdisciplinary approach adds to the overarching goal to create science that has many different perspectives. Each of our current lab members specialize in their own project with a focus on Lyme disease spirochete, B. burgdorferi, and relapsing fever spirochete, B. hermsii.
With almost 30,000 cases reported in the United States and an estimated 300,000 cases annually, Lyme disease is the leading vector-borne disease in the United States. In contrast, from 1990 to 2011, there were only 504 confirmed cases of relapsing fever reported. The reduced incidence of relapsing fever has resulted in relapsing fever spirochetes being significantly understudied. However, given that B. burgdorferi and B. hermsii have ~70% identity between their chromosomes, they maintain vastly different enzootic cycles and disease states. Comparative studies between Lyme disease and relapsing fever are critical to understanding pathogen-vector-host biologies. As a lab, we have published papers on our findings and plan to continue our research in hopes of better understanding the morphological, ecological, and genetic characteristics that the Borrelia species play in the pathogen-vector-host interactions.
Bacterial Physiology and Metabolism Unit, 2023: Front Row (left to right) Arti Kataria, Ph.D.; Amira-Nuriya McKinney, B.S. (former member); Samantha Crane, Ph.D.; Back Row (left to right) Ashley Groshong, Ph.D.; Kamryn Cregger, B.S.; Clayton Jarrett, M.S.
Ashley Groshong, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator and Chief, Bacterial Physiology and Metabolism Unit
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
B.S., B.A., University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Samantha D. Crane, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral IRTA Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., Biological Sciences, 2017, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO
Ph.D., Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (Microbiology and Immunology Track), 2021, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
Kamryn T. Cregger, B.S.
Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
A.S., 2020, Carroll Community College, Westminster, MD
B.S., Plant Science, Minor in Entomology and Plant Pathology, 2022, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Clayton Jarrett, M.S.
Microbiologist/Technician
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
M.S., Microbiology, 2000, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Arti Kataria, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., Biotechnology, 2011, Dr. B.R Ambedkar University, Agra, UP, India
M.S., Biotechnology, 2013, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (BHU), UP, India
Ph.D., 2020, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (IIT-D), New Delhi, India
Languages Spoken: Hindi
Adison G. Linder, B.S.
Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., Molecular Biology, Spanish minor, 2024, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
Languages Spoken: Spanish
Ashley A. Wilkins, Ph.D., M.S., R.Ph.T., C.Ph.T.
Postdoctoral IRTA Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
A.A.S., Pharmacy Technology, 2015, Austin Community College, Austin, TX
B.S., Biology (Microbiology Track), 2018, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX
M.S., Microbiology and Immunology, 2019, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Ph.D., Microbiology and Immunology, 2024, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, Shreveport, LA
Learn more about Ashley A. Wilkins, Ph.D., M.S., R.Ph.T., C.Ph.T.
Former Research Group Members
- Thomas Amabile, MPH, Pursuing M.D. at Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Zachary Osterwind, Pursuing B.S. at Biola University
- Amira-Nuriya McKinney, B.S.