UofMemphis Biological Sciences

Research of the Brown lab featured in the Daily Memphian

Dr. Shawn Brown and Ph.D. student Kimberly Baldwin are working with regional peach growers to better predict disease risk and make fungicide use more targeted and effective.

A great example of microbiology supporting local agriculture and real-world problem solving.

https://dailymemphian.com/subscriber/section/food/article/62116/university-of-memphis-peach-research?utm_content=subonly&utm_source=email_edition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=morning_2026-05-03

Angela Nana Bosowah Fynn, a doctoral student at the University of Memphis was one of only 25 students nationally selected for the 2026 Ducks Unlimited (DU) Public Policy University Advocates Program where she received the opportunity to advocate for wetland conservation (agricultural) policy at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

The Kohlmeier is looking for volunteers for a city-wide spring insect monitoring project. If you want to contribute by hosting a trap in your backyard or your neighborhood at the end of April (all materials provided!), please register at

https://kohlmeierlab.com/100-traps-in-memphis/

🌿 New Course – Fall 2026!

Intro to Plant Science explores plant structure and function, plant ecology, and how plants respond to their environment.

🕐 Tues & Thurs | 1:00–2:25 PM
📍 Ellington Hall 131

Prerequisites: BIOL 1120 & BIOL 1121
Counts as an Upper-Division Biology Elective

🌟 Undergraduate Research Spotlight 🌟

Meet Jermesha, an undergraduate researcher in the Kohlmeier Lab. After taking two of Dr. Kohlmeier’s classes, she joined the lab to gain hands-on experience in research.

Jermesha is now working on social behavior in Drosophila, contributing to projects that explore how interactions between individuals shape behavior. 🪰

With plans to attend dental school, she is using this opportunity to build research experience and develop new scientific skills along the way. 👏

Say hello to Shehnaz Munnaf Chowdhury, who recently completed her M.S. in Entomology at the University of Maine! During her Master’s, she studied the overwintering strategy of the parasitoid Ganaspis kimorum as a tool for managing spotted-wing drosophila. 🪰❄️

Now in the Boardman Lab, Shehnaz is exploring how arthropods cope with multiple environmental stresses including changes in temperature, oxygen, and water availability shedding light on how organisms survive in challenging and changing environments. 🌡️🌍

Outside the lab, Shehnaz:
🌱 Loves learning about organic gardening (future farm owner in the making!)
🍲 Can cook amazing Bangladeshi food

Say hello to Savanna, a Memphis native and new PhD student! Savanna earned her Bachelor’s degree right here at the University of Memphis, where she also conducted undergraduate research on how herbicides affect bivalve-associated microbes.

Now, for her PhD, she’s taking that work to the next level by investigating the functional role of the eastern oyster microbiome under environmental stress — with a special focus on how oysters respond to stressors like parasitic infection. 🦪🧫

Outside the lab, Savanna can usually be found:
📚 With her nose in a book
🥾 Hiking and exploring nature
🚣 Kayaking
🪨 Rock hounding

Ready to grow your career? 🌾🌳 In March, there will be a Mini internship fair happening at the UC. Whether you are interested in agriculture, conservation, or environmental sciences, you should definitely come by

oday, the Kohlmeier lab had the absolute joy of visiting a daycare center to talk about insects with some very (!) curious young entomologists. Kids checked flies and larvae under the microscope, explored the differences between insects and spiders, and enjoyed a little magic show at the end. 🐜🦗🪲🦟🪳🪰🐝🐞🦋🐛🪱

ACRE has new exciting opportunities including paid internships for undergrad students interested in wildlife management and conservation. Check this link for more info: https://www.acre.institute/opportunities/tnwr-summer-internship