People

Annika S. Nelson, Ph.D. (she/her)

Hello! I am an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Texas Christian University. I am a population, community, and chemical ecologist. I’m broadly excited about the ecology and evolution of mutualisms and plant-insect interactions, often within the context of global change. I obtained my Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine, and I then completed two postdoctoral research positions at Virginia Tech and UC Irvine before arriving at TCU. In my free time, I love to hike and play with my dog! You can find my CV here.

Doctoral Students

Spencer Levings (he/him)

I am a second-year Ph.D. student focused on plant-insect interactions and mutualisms. Currently working in the field on partridge pea plants and their relationship with ants via extrafloral nectaries, I am hoping to determine how invasive ant species impact native arthropod and plant communities. My previous research involved fish morphology at Texas State University, where I got a B.S. in Biology in 2024.

Lemon Lynch (they/them)

I am a first-year Ph.D. student with research focused on exploitation in ant protection mutualisms. I am currently studying Texas treehoppers (Membracidae) and their potential manipulation of ant mutualist partners. I plan to investigate whether the chemical composition of treehopper honeydew impacts the behavior of mutualist ants. My previous research experience ranged from invasive crab physiology to fossil mammal morphometrics at Texas A&M University, where I got my B.S. in Zoology in 2025.

Undergraduate Students

Dylan Masson (he/him)

Hi! I'm a fourth-year biology major on the Pre-Med track. I’m super excited to be researching bee gut microbiomes and how microbial diversity influences bee health. I’m excited to gain hands-on lab experience and explore how small-scale microbial interactions can have broader ecological and biological impacts.

Maddie Benware (she/her)

I’m a third-year Biology major on the Pre-Med track! My research explores how naturally occurring compounds in nectar and other food sources influence a bee’s ability to mitigate infection and maintain gut microbiome health. Through this work, I hope to build a stronger understanding of host–microbe relationships and contribute to ongoing efforts to support pollinator health and ecological resilience.

Jamie Clark (he/him)

I am a second-year biochemistry major on the pre-med track. I’m very happy to get to work with others on research concerning bacterial microbiomes in bee guts and mutualisms between ants and honeydew-producing treehoppers.

Maddie Matthews (she/her)
Preston Avant (he/him)
Anisha Sakhare (she/her)

Lab Alumni

Undergraduates:
Natalie Plascencia
High School Students:
Chelsea Song