Magwene Lab |

Members

Paul Magwene, Principal Investigator

Email: paul.magwene@duke.edu

Paul Magwene

My research is aimed at understanding how genetic networks work and how they have evolved. More specifically, my lab combines wet lab experimental techniques and the development of computational and statistical methods in order to characterize the properties of gene regulatory networks. A primary goal is to identify how genetic and environmental variation affects the functioning of signaling and regulatory networks, and how in turn this variation relates to relates to intra- and interspecific patterns of phenotypic variation.

Scholars@Duke profile: https://scholars.duke.edu/person/paul.magwene

Github page: https://github.com/pmagwene

Postdocs

Dr. Marhiah Montoya (she/her/hers)

Email: marhiah.montoya@duke.edu

Marhiah Montoya

I am a Hispanic-Native American from the Kickapoo Tribe. I'm currently a postdoctoral associate working in the Magwene Lab and Perfect Lab at Duke University. Before coming to Duke I received my Ph.D. in Translational Biomedical Science from the University of Rochester. My dissertation research focused on utilizing a translational approach to improve clinical outcomes of invasive fungal infections through disease surveillance and antifungal drug discovery.

My primary research interest is in identifying ways to approach infectious disease prevention, detection, and treatment practices to improve patient health outcomes and eliminate health disparities. My current research focuses on cryptococcal infections and combines quantitative genetics, microbiology, and epidemiology to understand the relationship between host, pathogen, and healthcare. I'm using GWAS approaches to identify genetic variants in Cryptococcus that are associated with virulence, antifungal susceptibility, and clinical outcomes. Recent achievements include successful funding of our R21 which focuses on studying The Population Structure and Clinical Impact of Multi-strain and Mixed-species Cryptococcal Infections

Graduate Students

Kayla Wilhoit

Email: kayla.wilhoit@duke.edu

Kayla Wilhoit

I studied biomedical science at Texas A&M University, and I have done research on sex chromosome fusions, copy number variation in mammals, and chromosomal inversions in stickleback fish. I started my doctoral degree at Duke in 2023 through the University Program in Genetics and Genomics (UPGG).

My research interests include the evolution and transcriptional regulation of cryptococcal hybrids, and how structural variations impact virulence and fitness in clinical Cryptococcus strains. I enjoy computational work and particularly data visualization!

Jason Mohabir

Email: jason.mohabir@duke.edu

Jason Mohabir

I studied computer science at Columbia Engineering and previously worked at the Broad Institute’s Genomic Center for Infectious Diseases. I am a Ph.D. student in the Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (CBB) program at Duke University. My research focuses on the evolutionary forces shaping pathogenicity and reproductive strategies, with an emphasis on the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus. I use Bayesian phylogenetic methods and a genomic epidemiology framework to study the emergence of clinically significant traits. I am also an advocate for genomic capacity building in developing countries.

Erick Figueroa

Email: erick.figueroa@duke.edu

Erick Figueroa

I earned my BSc in Genetics and Biotechnology from Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and my MSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, both in Peru. In 2024, I began the University Program in Genetics and Genomics at Duke. My research interest focuses on the co-evolution of human pathogens and their hosts, with a particular interest in population genomics, evolution and the genetics of adaptation.

Research Personnel

Debra Murray (Lab manager / Research scientist)

Email: dm125@duke.edu

Debra Murray

Debra got her PhD in entomology, studying the systematics of neotropical butterflies. Debra is involved in myriad projects in the Magwene lab, most prominently our ongoing QTL mapping and experimental evolution projects. In addition to her research, Debra is in charge of ordering, lab safety, and generally helping to keep the trains running on time!

Claudia Zirión Martinez (Bioinformatics)

Email: claudia.zirionmartinez@duke.edu

Claudia Zirión Martinez

I studied biology at The Faculty of Sciences at UNAM and did a master's in Integrative Biology at LANGEBIO-Cinvestav. I have done research on fungal cell biology, bacterial metagenomics, and pangenomics. I like to develop bioinformatics lessons for The Carpentries Incubator.

Github page: https://github.com/Czirion

Lyana Matonti (Lab tech)

Email: lyana.matonti@duke.edu

Previous Members of the Lab