Principal Investigator

Zhicheng Dou, Ph.D.
2002 B.S. Fudan University, Shanghai, China
2009 Ph.D. University of Southern Mississippi
2015 Postdoc University of Michigan Medical School
Phone: 864-656-2460
Email: zdou@clemson.edu
Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Akhila Pudipeddi
University of Hong Kong, PhD in Microbiology of Infectious Diseases, Class of 2024
SASTRA University, M.SC Biotechnology, Class of 2017
Gayatri Vidhya Parishad, B.Sc Microbiology & Biotechnology, Class of 2015
Staff

Tabitha Varnell, Lab technician
Bob Jones University, BS in Cell Biology, Class of 2024
Annika Nelson, Lab technician
Graduate Students

Alessandro Rocchi, PhD student
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, BS in Poultry Sciences, Class of 2023

Laura Jacob, MS student
Clemson University, BS in Biochemistry and Genetics, Class of 2024
Undergraduate students

Steven Joesph, Class of 2026

Brooks Winer, Class of 2027

Ariana Bachini, Class of 2027

Figure 1. Ten year lab anniversary celebration! Celebrating ten years of excellence at Clemson University in Big Bean’s lab! Left to Right: Jacie, Shivani, Alessandro, Laura, Big Bean, Annika, & Akhila.

Figure 2. Farewell Party. From left to right, Zhicheng, Amy, Tanner, Paige, Katherine, Carly, and Brock.

Figure 3. Painting to celebrate Katherine’s internship at UT Southwestern. From left to right, Brock, Amy, Chiara, Melanie, and Katherine.
Alumni
- Paige Teehan, lab technician (2015-2017). She joined the graduate program at Penn State University to pursue her Ph.D. degree in July 2017.
- Davis Osborn, undergraduate researcher (2016-2017). He will join the MD program at Medical University of South Carolina.
- Alex Villano, undergraduate researcher and lab assistant (2016). She is pursing her MBA degree at Clemson.
- Andrew Dippre, undergraduate researcher (2015-2016). He is a program assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery at Medical University of South Carolina.
- Jessica Krefski (2017) Senior, major in microbiology at Clemson University
- Carly Dameron, Graduate Student
- Christian Cochrane, Undergraduate researcher (2017-2019) He will pursue his D.O. at VCOM in Spartanburg, SC.
- Sophie Millard, Ph.D Fall Rotation (2019). She is pursuing her Ph.D at Clemson University.
- Maria Kubaszewska, Undergraduate researcher (2020), Exchange student from University of Aberdeen in Scotland.
- Katherine Floyd – Undergraduate researcher (2017-2020), major in biochemistry and microbiology. She joined the Ph.D. program at Washington University School of Medicine in August 2020.
- Claire Fortman -Undergraduate researcher (2019-2021), major in microbiology.
- Chiara Micchelli – Undergraduate researcher (2019-2021), major in microbiology. She accepted a NIH postbaccalaureate intramural research training award in August 2021.
- Grace Vaughan-Undergraduate researcher (2019-2021), major in microbiology. She joined the Medical Laboratory Scientist program at Lexington Medical Center in Columbia, SC.
- Dr. Yu Ning – Postdoctoral fellow (2020-2021).
- Dr. L. Brock Thornton – Ph.D. student in microbiology program (2017-2022).
- Amy Bergmann, former lab manager (2017-2022).
- Dr. Melanie Key – Ph.D. student in microbiology program (2018-2024).
- Emma Polaski – Undergraduate Researcher (2023-2025).
- Kate Morris – Undergraduate Researcher (2023-2025).
- Hayeon Cho – Undergraduate Researcher (2022-2025).