November 17, 2:00PM-4:00PM: Sahana Kuthyar Discussion (Zoom) - “Emerging Scholars”/STEM Scholars Series

Sahana Kuthyar is a third-year PhD candidate in the Division of Biological Sciences at UC San Diego. She is interested in how microbial contributions to restricting pathogen expansion are shaped by domestication. She completed a B.S. and M.S. in Environmental Science at Emory University, where she studied the zoonotic transmission of Giardia intestinalis at a human-wildlife interface in northern Argentina and characterized Giardia genotypes in primates, humans, and domestic animals. More recently, she managed a microbiome lab at Northwestern University where she studied the howler monkey gut microbiome and developed field sampling methods for the infant skin microbiome.  

In line with the “Emerging Scholars” series, this event will be divided into two parts: For the first half, Sahana will discuss how the environment influences health, and how the microbiome is one pathway to study this relationship, and how differences in diet and habitat quality impact the microbiome and, potentially, health across a wide range of primates. She will then discuss her dissertation research by delving specifically into how the environment shapes microbial functions that limit pathogen expansion, using domesticated animals as a model. For the second half of the talk, Sahana will talk about her academic path and journey in science (so far), with space for discussion with the audience, and questions. Please use this form to register.

The Honors Program’s “Emerging Scholars” Series is made possible by a grant from the Oakton Educational Foundation. This event is cosponsored by the STEM Scholars Program.