People
Current Stoy Lab Members
Kayla Stoy, PI
Dr. Stoy received her PhD in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution from Emory University as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. She was an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biology at Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on understanding the coevolutionary dynamics underlying mutualistic species interactions. She uses a multi-faceted approach, leveraging natural insect-symbiont systems complemented with synthetic biology and experimental evolution. When she's not studying coevolution, she enjoys running and sewing.
Audrey Miller, Lab Assistant
Audrey received her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Florida State University. Her research interests include interspecific and intraspecific interactions, wildlife ecology, and conservation. Her current lab projects include investigating microbial competition throughout stages of environmental transmission and host colonization. Her goals are to better understand interactions between symbionts with contrasting histories of host association, as well as the consequences of symbiont sharing on host fitness upon colonization. She aims to gain insight into the extent of specialization between cohabitating host species who share overlapping microbial pools. Outside of the lab, she can be found interning as an animal caretaker at the Tallahassee Museum, rock climbing, and spending time with her cats.
Anchal Padukone, Postdoc
Anchal received her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is broadly interested in the ecology and evolution of symbioses across the gradient from mutualism to parasitism, and in how this understanding can inform agricultural and natural resource management. Anchal is currently studying the direct costs imposed by symbiont populations on their insect hosts across the host life cycle. She also collaborates with Dr. Stoy to investigate potential patterns of specialization between squash bug hosts and their symbionts using population-level metagenomics. Outside of research, Anchal is passionate about inquiry-based science education.
Olivia Roberts, PhD Student
Olivia earned her Bachelor's degree at Seattle University. She is co-advised with Dr. Sandra Brooke. She is interested in mesophotic and shallow water corals, their associated holobionts, and how they respond to differences in environmental conditions.
Isabel Bone, Undergraduate
Isabel is a fourth-year Biology student, and her current experiments focus on examining patterns of sex-specific transmission from adult Anasa tristis donors to juveniles. She is using controlled transmission mesocom experiments to analyze vertical symbiont acquisition in nymphs when exposed to male versus female donors, as well as mated versus unmated female donors.
Caroline Creighton, Undergraduate
Caroline is a senior Biology student on the pre-veterinary track with a strong interest in wildlife medicine and conservation. Growing up overseas, primarily in East Africa, gave her an early appreciation for wildlife and inspired my goal of becoming a wildlife veterinarian. She joined Dr. Stoy’s lab because she was excited by the opportunity to gain research experience while studying the interconnected relationships between insects, plants, and their bacterial symbionts. As a DIS student, she has worked on projects examining squash bug behavior and fitness, including how their interactions with symbiotic bacteria and different food sources may influence development and reproductive behavior.
Madeline Curts, Undergraduate
Madeline Curts is an undergraduate honors biological sciences student on the pre-medical track at Florida State University. She is interested in research relating to evolution, ecology, and biochemistry. More specifically, metabolic processes within symbiont-host systems. Madeline is currently working on a physiological restructuring stress experiment with plans to continue work exploring enzymatic processes within a symbiont-host system. Outside of the lab, Madeline can be found working as a CNA at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, relaxing with her cat, or exploring local coffee shops.
Karson Moore, Undergraduate
Karson is a junior on the pre-med track studying biological sciences. Her hobbies include arts and crafts, taekwondo, and baking! One fun fact about her is she is a third degree black belt in taekwondo. Her favorite memories of my childhood are catching bugs and playing in nature so she loves this opportunity to study and work with them. She is studying juveniles of the Anasa trists species and their attraction to different cucurbits affected by symbionts.
Ava Virtuoso, Undergraduate
Ava is an undergraduate Biological Science student at Florida State University with interests in conservation biology, ecology, and sustainability. Her current lab projects involve investigating the evolution of generalist symbiosis using population genetics. She is interested in understanding how evolutionary processes shape species interactions and contribute to biodiversity. Outside of the lab, she can be found working as a conservation intern, participating in Tri-Beta meetings and Garnet & Gold Goes Green game day cleanups, making crafts, and spending time with her loved ones.