Dr. Colston is an Associate Professor in Biology and the Director of the Genomic Resources Collection at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

email: timothy.colston [at] upr.edu

Curriculum Vitae – Updated February 2025

Dr. Colston’s Google Scholar Profile

Dr. Sierra Smith

email: smith. sierra [at] ufl.edu

Sierra is a NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Biology. She is Co-Sponsored by Nick Keiser at the University of Florida and is working with our lab to study genome evolution across squamate reptiles and functional genomics of venom and microbiome evolution in Stegodyphus as part of our Collaborative NSF award with UF. She earned her B.S. in biology and Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Oklahoma where she studied the host-associated and environmental factors that contribute to variation in the microbiomes of reptiles and amphibians.

Asher obtained a BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies at the University of Connecticut (UConn), where he worked digitizing bee specimens at UConn’s Biological Research Collections. He completed the Research and Mentoring for Post-baccalaureate program (RaMP) at UConn, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). His cohort assembled and annotated scorpion genomes and transcriptomes, and he conducted independent RNAi gene knockdowns in milkweed bugs. The RaMP program sparked Asher’s specific interest in genomic research and venoms (venomics). His MS thesis will be completed in collaboration with Dr. Nick Keiser (University of Florida) on the Lab’s Collaborative NSF Grant. They will investigate the venoms and venom microbiomics in Stegodyphus spiders, using genomic, microbiome and venomic data.

David is a first generation college graduate and holds a BSc in Conservation Biology & Ecology from Arizona State University. He’s held positions with agencies such as the U.S Forest Service and The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, where he collaborated in a wide array of research projects concerning the federally endangered Mountain Yellow Legged Frog. His broad research interests align with behavioral ecology, phenology, and population ecology with an emphasis on herpetofauna. His Master’s research is towards developing an eDNA assay protocol to better detect the presence and potential abundance of the federally endangered Puerto Rican boa and to differentiate eDNA samples from invasive species such as boa constrictors and reticulated pythons. 

Edgardo holds a BSc in Environmental Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo where he worked with Profs. Gualberto Rosado and Eneilis Mulero studying fungi associated with reptiles. For his Masters work he is focusing on the bacterial and fungal microbiome of hawksbill sea turtles and how it the microbiome is influenced by diet and seasonality. He is also less than 1/2 of the largest reticulated python we have processed in the lab.

Felnor’s research interest lie in genetics and gene regulatory networks. For his Masters he is leveraging his background in herpetoculture and private industry to use CRISPR CAS9 and Anolis to trace known mutations in phenotypes and develop novel technologies with industrial applications. In the future he hopes to apply these tools in snake systems.

Jeidy joined the Lab in 2024, coming from the Entomology Lab of Dr. Alex Van Dam, who was her primary advisor until moving positions. For her Masters research Jeidy is using automated geometric morphometrics to distinguish between closely related species of Colpoptera.

Rosie joined the Lab in 2024, coming from the Entomology Lab of Dr. Alex Van Dam, who was her primary advisor until moving positions. For her Masters research Rosemary is investigating the microbiome community structure of three sympatric millipede species in Puerto Rico.

Yei holds a BSc in Industrial Microbiology from UPR-Mayagüez and is our Lab Manager in addition to being a graduate student. Yei is incredibly passionate about integrating aspects of Ecology, Environmental Toxicology, and Biochemistry. Her interests lie in host-microbiome interactions in herps, especially in amphibians, to understand evolutionary mechanisms and aid in conservation efforts. For her Masters work Yei is investigating microbial contribution to toxin production in amphibians, continuing on work she began as an undergrad in the lab. In addition to fieldwork in PR Yei was able to spend the summer of 2024 in Ecuador working with collaborators in Dr. Justin Yeager’s lab studying poison frogs!

Alanis’ research consists of examining the relationship between the skin microbiome of the cane toad (Rhinella marina) and the bufotoxins secreted from its parotoid glands.

Allan joined the lab in January 2025 as a shadower under Yeissette Burgos’s investigation. Alongside his lab partner, Anaira Pabon Pacheco, he has been conducting research centered on isolating and identifying Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus species from the dermis of the invasive Cuban tree frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) and testing the antibiotic resistance of these.

Anaira became a shadower in the lab in January 2025 under Yeissette Burgos’s investigation. Since August 2025, in cohorts with lab partner Allan Torres, she has been conducting undergraduate research testing the antibiotic resistance of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa found in the dermis of the Cuban Tree Frog. She also manages the lab’s Instagram page, so be sure to follow us to stay up-to-date on lab updates and activities!

Danna’s undergraduate research focuses on identifying and documenting viral infections in invasive Malayopython reticulatus populations in Puerto Rico, in collaboration with the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.

Viviana’s undergraduate research focuses on the isolation and characterization of bacteria found on the skin of the cane toad (Rhinella marina) that exhibit antibiotic resistance. She is identifying and analyzing resistant strains through selective culturing to better understand resistance mechanisms and their potential relationship with the microbiota of this invasive species.

Blue holds a BSc in Biology from the University of Montevallo in Alabama. Blue is a huge fan of the intersections of ecology and microbiology and an avid herper. Blue is now advised by Dr. Sean Locke, where she is still working closely with our lab focusing on parasites associated with reptiles. 

Jacob’s research interests lie in Herpetology and the fungal microbiome of reptiles. For his Masters research characterized fungal and bacterial skin microbiome of cave populations of the federally endangered Puerto Rican Boa. Before joining the Lab Jacob completed undergraduate research projects on White Nose Syndrome in bats and the spread of the Spotted Lantern Fly in Pennsylvania in the Overton Lab at Lock Haven University. Jacob’s MS research was supported by grants from the Sunset Zoo in MO and Herpetological Conservation International.

Jacob is now a AQ specialist at the Samual Adams Brewery in Philadelphia PA.

Laura defended her Masters in 2024 and was the first official MADDReptiles Lab graduate student! Laura came from the Entomology Lab of Dr. Alex Van Dam, who was her primary advisor until moving positions. Laura’s research focused on the genome assembly and annotation of the Coffee Bean Weevil (Araecerus fasciculatus), which is a global pest of stored food products. Laura was our first Lab Manager in 2025, and greatly transformed the efficientness in the Lab! She has now moved on and works for Thermofisher Scientific as a wet-lab scientist.

Marissabel joined the lab in 2024 and has a keen passion for Marine Biology and all things at the intersection of Ecology and Evolution. She is our lab’s primary data entry/QC specialist and has been working to update the Lab databases and that of the Genomic Resources Collection. She graduated in 2025 and is now a Masters student in Marine Sciences at UPRM.

Verónica’s undergraduate research focused on disease ecology within the invasive Boa constrictor population in Puerto Rico. She documented the distribution of Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) in wild B. constrictor using qPCR and histology (paper in prep). Verónica’s research has been supported by grants from the PR Hurricane Fiona BOOST initiative, PR-LSAMP and PR INBRE. She is now in medical school at UPR Medical Sciences Campus.

Airi graduated with her BS in Biology in 2024 and is now in a postbac program at Ohio State University. In the Lab Airi characterized the microbiome of captive vs wild reticulated pythons using amplicon sequencing. While in her postbac she will be working on writing up the paper so stay tuned!

Yei completed her BS in Industrial Microbiology in 2024. During her undergraduate research she completed an NSF REU at Rutgers University which was recently published. In our Lab she developed a research project focused on bacterial contribution to toxin production in Cuban tree frogs and her work was supported by a grant from PR-LSAMP. She is now expanding this work and conducting graduate studies in the Lab. She is also our resident artist and graphic designer of the Lab Logo and much of the art used on this website!

Lina completed her BS in Industrial Biology in 2024. Lina spent two semesters in the lab and focused on characterizing the microbiome of captive vs wild reticulated pythons using culture-based approaches. She is now in a postbac at Brown University.

Yoshua graduated with his BS in Biology in 2024 and is now in the US Navy. In the lab he developed a research project looking at the microbiome of sea sponges.

Amanda completed her BS in Biology 2022 and is now in a Masters program in Madrid. Her research in the Lab focused on the gut microbiome of Anolis.

Amanda graduated in 2023 with a BS in Biology. Her research project in the Lab focused on the gut microbiome of leaf litter geckos (Sphaerodactylus).

Rosa graduated in 2023 with a BS in Biology. Her research project in the lab focused on the microbiome of Hawksbill Sea Turtles and their main prey (sea sponges).