Caiti Smukowski Heil, PhD
Associate Professor, NC State University
Before starting the lab in 2019, I was a PhD student at Duke University with Mohamed Noor and a postdoc at the University of Washington with Maitreya Dunham. Outside of the lab, you can find me hanging out with my family and my cats, Business, Jiji, & Bob. I like reading, listening to podcasts, yeast fermentations, and exploring the great outdoors.
Nathan Brandt
Lab Manager
Manav Rohilla
PhD Student, Bioinformatics
Manav graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in bioinformatics and a minor in biology. His main interest is evolutionary biology, and bioinformatics is his favorite way to study it! His current research involves analyzing the effects of directional selection on traits on the evolution of recombination rate in yeast populations. If you don't see him in the lab, there's a good chance he's in one of the several coffee shops on or near campus!
Edie Nissen, MS
PhD Student, Genetics & Genomics
I have a background in conservation and population genetics, and have consistently gravitated towards research at the intersection of ecology and evolution. I am particularly fascinated by how organisms respond and adapt to environmental pressures. I will be integrating my interests by using diverse Saccharomyces yeast species to investigate molecular processes through both ecological and evolutionary lenses. Some of my favorite things are: reading, herping, running, a hot cup of tea, and watching reality TV with my two cats, Casper and Mooney!
Blair Blakeney
PhD Student, Genetics & Genomics
I earned my B.S. in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill, where I discovered my passion for evolutionary genetics in Dr. Christina Burch’s lab. After graduating in 2024, I worked as an Associate in Research in Dr. Anne Yoder’s lab before starting at NC State in fall 2026. These experiences solidified my interest in the evolutionary forces that generate variation in recombination. In the Heil lab, I will test the hypothesis that recombination rate increases via indirect selection by tracking changes in recombination rate in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during laboratory evolution experiments and using simulations to explore the mechanisms driving these shifts. Outside of research, I enjoy reading, watching movies with friends, practicing yoga, and hiking around the Triangle!
Undergraduate Researchers
Caylee Rodgers
Caylee is a 2nd year Genetics major helping out with various projects in the lab.
Former Lab Members
Margot Ruffieux, PhD Student, 2021-26
Connor Page, Undergraduate Researcher, 2025-26
Antoine Houtain, Postdoctoral Fellow, 2024-25
Rishi Gupta, Undergraduate Researcher, 2025
Jessica McNeill, Lab Technician, 2023-25
Olivia Caruso, Undergraduate Researcher, 2023-25
Allison Barnes, NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, 2021-24
Enrique Schwarzkopf, Postdoctoral Fellow, 2021-24
Amani Petway, Undergraduate Researcher, 2023-24
Nico Sevier, Undergraduate Researcher, 2022-23
M. Elizabeth Moore, NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, 2021-23
Alexxis Gutierrez, Undergraduate Researcher, 2021-22
Lauren Bailey, M.S. in Functional Genomics, 2020-22
Mili Jimenez, Undergraduate Researcher, 2021-22
Anna Cormack, Undergraduate Researcher, 2019-21
Amilcar Rodriguez, Undergraduate Researcher, 2019-21
Caiti Lahue, Technician in Dunn and Heil labs, 2019-21
Musa Malik, Undergraduate Researcher, 2019-20