Hefty Lab

Team Hefty


Scott Hefty, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Professor and Chair, Department of Molecular Biosciences (2006-current)
Director and PI, Center for Chemical Biology of Infectious Disease (CoBRE)

B.A. in Microbiology (minor in Chemistry) at the University of Oklahoma (1994)


M.S. in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (1998 – Mentor; Dr. Ronald Kennedy)


Thesis project – Immune responses to Hepatitis viruses


Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (2001 – Mentor; Dr. Darrin Akins)


Dissertation project – Role and function of cp32 encoded lipoproteins in the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi


Post-doctoral studies at University of California, Berkeley (2002-06 – Mentor; Richard Stephens)


Mechanisms of gene regulation in Chlamydia

Google Scholar
Molecular Biosciences

Team Hefty Tech

Dominique Jaramillo (Research Scientist)

  • B.S. in Molecular Engineering, University of Missouri, Kansas City

Natalie

  • B.S. in Biochemistry, University of Kansas

Team Hefty Undergrad

Sofia Chacon-Araya

Steven Conejo Gutierrez

Komron Fardipour

Yesem Hailemariam

Lily Norton

    Doctoral Candidates

    Lexie Cutter

    • B.S. in Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City
    • Ph.D. Candidate, Microbiology
    • Dynamic Aspects of Chemical Biology, Pre-doctoral Fellowship

    Lauren Atkinson

    • B.S. in Biology, Eastern CT State University
    • Ph.D. Candidate, Microbiology , University of Kansas
    • Dynamic Aspects of Chemical Biology, Pre-doctoral Fellowship program

    Moises Guilapuro

    • B.S. in
    • Ph.D. Candidate, Computational Biology

    Lab Alumni

    Scott LaBrie

    • B.S. in Environmental Science – Haskell Indian Nations University
    • Ph.D. in Microbiology (2023) – Tn mutants and insanely good imaging!
    • Post-doctoral scientist, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute (Seattle, WA)
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    Srishti Baid

    • Ph.D. Microbiology (2023) – Tn library expansion and in vitro/in vivo analysis…CT398 does what?B.S. in Microbiology, University of Calcutta
    • M.S. in Medical Biotechnology, Manipal University
    • Post-doctoral scientist, Dr. David Ginsberg (University of Michigan)
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    Zoe Dimond

    • Ph.D. in Microbiology (2020) – Genetic correlates encoded by Chlamydia that are associated with host specificity – Chimeras in mice!
    • Post-doctoral scientist at Rocky Mountain Lab (NIH)
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    Katelyn Soules

    • Ph.D. in Microbiology (2020) – Sigma 54 regulon! and RsbU ligand studies
    • Research Scientist, Merck
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    Megan McKinney

    • M.S. in Microbiology (2019) – Guilt by association – bacterial two-hybrid networks
    • Proficiency Testing Coordinator, Thermo Fisher Scientific
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    Kelly Harrison

    • Ph.D. in Microbiology (2017) – Tn mutants in mice!
    • Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University
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    Greg Peterson, Ph.D.

    • Post-doctoral scientist in Hefty Lab 2015-16 – Early validation of Tn mutagenesis in Chlamydia
    • University Biosafety Officer, Kansas State University
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    Jason Wickstrum, Ph.D.

    • Post-doctoral scientist in Hefty Lab 2011-15 – Developed controlled gene expression system for Chlamydia and overall awesome geneticist
    • Okayama University of Science, Okayama, Japan

    Michael L. Barta, Ph.D.

    • Post-doctoral scientist in Hefty Lab 2012-15 – Stellar structural biologist and overall Chlamydia-ologist
    • Manager, Catalent Pharma Solutions Kansas City, Missouri
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    Katie Summers, Ph.D.

    • Post-doctoral scientist in Hefty Lab 2013-15 – Established mouse Ct infection model!
    • Research Microbiologist USDA (Beltsville MD)
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    Lindsay Rutt, M.S.

    • Technician in Hefty Lab 2010-13 – Got the first glowing green Chlamydia! (transformation)
    • Research Lead Specialist University of Maryland, Baltimore
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    Keasha Restivo

    • M.S. in Microbiology (2014) – Chemical screens against Chlamydia
    • Quality Assurance Manager, Thermo-Fisher Scientific
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    Namita Balwalli

    • M.S. in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology (2013)
    • Sales Lead, CitiusTech, Mumbai, India
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    Lindsey Finch

    • M.S. in Microbiology (2011)
    • Vice-President Commercial Operations, Indical Biosciences
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    Kyle Kemege

    • Ph.D. in Biochemistry (2013) –
    • RodZ localized to septal division plane
    • Senior Lecturer, Louisiana Tech University
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    Ichie Osaka

    • Ph.D. in Microbiology (2013) – Microbiocides for Chlamydia
    • Director of International Sales, Synthego Sales
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    John Hickey

    • Ph.D. in Biochemistry (2011) –
    • 1st graduate student!! – ChxR structure and function analyses
    • Scientific Associate Director, Vaccine Stabilization Center at the University of Kansas
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