University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The Fungal Ecology Lab
Principal Investigator
Teddy Garcia-Aroca
Assistant Professor
I am a quantitative fungal ecologist specializing in the evolution and diversity of soil-borne fungal pathogens across various ecosystems. In the Fungal Ecology Lab, we employ cutting-edge tools and methods to unravel the complexities of fungal pathogen evolution over time, with a particular focus on soil-borne pathogens. Our research spans multiple dimensions, including the evolution of pathogen populations, host range, ecological niche adaptation, and human-driven factors such as pathogen responses to agricultural chemicals. We also explore the diversity of pathogens across ecosystems, the variety of secondary metabolites they produce, lifestyle transitions, survival strategies, pathogen-pathogen interactions, and their roles in community ecology.
Education
Postdoctoral Research, Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany (SUNY), 2022
Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, Louisiana State University, 2021
M.S. in in Plant Pathology, Louisiana State University, 2016
B.Sc. in Agronomy, Universidad Nacional de Agricultura, 2012
Phone: (402) 472-2858
Email: teddy.garcia@unl.edu
Address: 406 Plant Sciences Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583
Graduate Students
Kincer Amburgey-Crovetti
PhD Student
Kincer is a PhD student at the FEL since the Spring of 2026. Kincer obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Washington in 2023 and his MSc from Georgetown University in 2025. Kincer is interested in fungi, biosecurity, and micro-gravity.
Email: kamburgey-crovetti2@huskers.unl.edu
Address: 406 Plant Sciences Hall, Lincoln, Nebraska USA 68583
Kristen Kater
MSc Student
Kristen joined the FEL in Spring of 2026 as a MSc student. Kristen obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Botany from Oregon State University in June, 2025. Kristen will be co-advised by Drs. Mike Boehm and Teddy Garcia-Aroca to work on a project related to fungal ecology and Plants as Silent Sentinels.
Email: kkater2@huskers.unl.edu
Address: 406 Plant Sciences Hall, Lincoln, Nebraska USA 68583
Riley Eisenbraun
MSc Student
Riley joined our lab as undergraduate student in the Fall of 2024. Riley obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Cellular Biochemistry as a Chancellor's Scholar at UNL in the Spring of 2025. Riley graduated with the highest distinction in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR). She is currently working on fungicide resistance among genetically distinct populations of the Potato Black Dot pathogen, Colletotrichum coccodes.
Email: reisenbraun2@huskers.unl.edu
Address: 406 Plant Sciences Hall, Lincoln, Nebraska USA 68583
Research Technicians
Undergraduate Students
Lucas Bigelow
Lucas joined the FEL at the end of the summer, 2026. Lucas is doing a BSc in Biochemistry at UNL and has developed an interest in fungi. Welcome, Lucas!!
Emmalee Wong
Emmalee joined the lab as an undergraduate research assistant in the summer of 2026. Emmalee is interested fungi from cow feed related to a Black Soldier Fly (BSF) project she worked on under UCARE. Her research in our lab will be a continuation of the projects and she seeks to stablish the ecology of fungal interactions with BSF.
Michael Tophoj
Michael joined the lab as a sophomore in 2026 under a UCARE. Michael is interested in using fungal mycelia and compost for applications in sustainable agriculture. His research will evaluate the use of chitin as an activator of plant responses and fungal mycelia to deliver compost or nutrient-based plant substrates
Interns and Visiting Scientists/Scholars
Alumni
Kelvin Muchiri (May 2024 - August 2026)
MSc Student
Kelvin joined our lab in June of 2024. Kelvin obtained his MS degree in August 2026 for his work on Fusarium spp. associated with Nebraska soybeans. Kelvin is continuing with his PhD studies in Plant Breeding at Texas A&M
Xin Zhi Khoo (January 2023 - December 2024)
Xin Zhi received her B.Sc. degree in Agronomy from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2021 with High Honors. Her research in our lab focused on describing the diversity and host range of Rhizoctonia spp. found in Nebraska and host transitions at the global scale. Xin Zhi completed her MS in Plant Pathology in December of 2024 and has moved on with her professional career.
Email: xkhoo@uci.edu
Former Lab Members/Staff
Clare Pullman
Clare joined our lab in the Spring of 2026 as an undergraduate student. Clare is majoring in Biochemistry and Forensic Science (double major) and she is in the Honors Program at UNL. She is interested in a variety of aspects of our research she is contributing to many projects.
Shokhista Turdalieva (February - July 2026)
Shokhista joined the lab in the Spring of 2026 as a visiting scholar to work on a project related to soybean pathogens and biocontrol agents.
Elise Katafiasz
Elise joined our lab in the Spring of 2026 as an undergraduate research assistant. Elise is majoring in Forensic Science and Biochemistry (double major) and she is in the Honors Program and Pre-med track at UNL. She briefly contributed to some projects in our lab.
Bithiah Pulliam
Bithiah joined our lab in the Fall of 2025 as an undergraduate student. She was involved in a variety of research projects, providing support to graduate students and working on some side projects while pursuing her undergraduate studies.
Jihan Aljnabi
Jihan worked in our lab in the Fall of 2025 as an undergraduate student. Jihan worked through as a member of the UNL FYRE (First Year Research Experience) program and she is interested in Veterinary Research. In our lab, Jihan was involved in a variety of research projects.
Tessa Fiore (August 2023 - August 2025)
Tessa joined our lab in the Fall of 2023 as an undergraduate student. Tessa obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, with minors in Mathematics, Spanish, and Communication at UNL in the Spring of 2025. Tessa graduated with the highest distinction in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). During her time in our lab, she worked on improving our understanding of the role of secondary metabolites produced by Clonostachys spp. on plant fitness.
Preangka Briste (May 2025 - August 2025)
Preangka Briste joined our lab in the Summer of 2025. Preangka worked in the Fungal Ecology Lab for ~3 months and during her time in our lab, she contributed to different projects on soil-borne pathogens of soybean, monitoring of foliar pathogens of soybean and corn, and development of novel management strategies
Sofia Martinez
Sofia was an undergraduate researcher from Zamorano (Honduras), who worked in our lab and contributed to research with C. coccodes and other Colletotrichum spp.-related projects in our lab during her time with us.
Carlos Valladares
Carlos was an undergraduate researcher from Universidad Nacional de Agricultura (UNAG) (Honduras), who worked in our lab and contributed to research with Rhizoctonia host range, and fungicide resistance in Fusarium and Sclerotinia during his time with us.
Ellie Greisen
Ellie was an undergraduate researcher in our lab who contributed to research with C. coccodes and other projects in our lab during her time with us.
Daniella Norah
Norah served as lab technician from the Summer of 2023 to the Summer of 2024, but then she moved on to work on something else. She contributed to different projects in our lab during that period of time.
Elizabeth Chhoeung
Elizabeth worked in our lab during her first year as an undergraduate student at UNL. She contributed to different project during her time with us.
Karissa Rieck
Karissa worked in our lab during her second year as an undergraduate student in the MBIO program at UNL. She contributed to our research in Rhizoctonia lifestyles.
Marie Gisele Shimwa
Marie Gisele is a former undergraduate student in our lab, who obtained her B.Sc. degree in December 2022.