Courtney Ellison
Principal Investigator
I am a microbiologist who loves exploring the invisible world of microbes that overlaps our own. Outside of the lab, I enjoy traveling to new places, hiking and camping, cat snuggling, and a good horror flick. I obtained a B.S. in microbiology at the University of Georgia in 2013 (go Dawgs!) and a Ph.D. in microbiology from Indiana University in 2019. I did my postdoctoral training at Princeton University from 2019-2022.
Taylor Ellison
Lab Manager
Taylor graduated with her B.S. degree in biological sciences from the University of Georgia in 2015. She worked in the field of wildlife disease before going on to receive her M.S. in regenerative biosciences in 2022, where she worked specifically with stem cells and extracellular vesicles. She aims to continue her career in advancing scientific research for the Ellison lab for the foreseeable future. In her free time, Taylor enjoys writing, reading, hiking, and spending time with her family.
Logan LaFave
Graduate Student
Logan obtained a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Microbiology from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2023. During his undergrad he studied the genetic diversity within the Staphylococcus genus, with a focus on MRSA and Staphylococcus argenteus. He is now working towards his PhD in the Ellison lab, where his interests lie in microbial interactions. Outside of lab, Logan enjoys lifting weights, spending time with loved ones, and taking time to just relax!
Taylor Smith
Graduate Student
Taylor graduated with a B.S. in microbiology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2024. In her undergrad, she studied an uncharacterized pigment produced by the common marine bacterium Ruegeria pomeroyi. She is now a member of the Ellison lab where she studies type IV pili in Acinetobacter baylyi. In her free time, Taylor enjoys cooking, reading horror novels, and attending concerts with her friends.
Neha Vennapusa
Laboratory Technician
Neha graduated with a B.S. in Genetics from the University of Georgia in 2024. She previously worked as a student research assistant in the CTEGD and later the Department of Plant Biology, studying malaria and plant-fungi interactions respectively. She currently serves as a lab technician for the Ellison lab. Neha enjoys illustrating, attempting to garden, and learning new languages!
Ben Whisnant
Graduate Student
Ben graduated with a B.S. in Cellular Biology from the University of Georgia in 2021. He was a lab tech for a year working on parasites in the CTEGD at UGA before being accepted as a PhD student in 2022. Ben enjoys spending time by playing videogames, spending time with friends and family, hiking, and snuggling with his cats. He is very excited to do his PhD in the Ellison lab studying pilus systems in various microorganisms!
You?
We are recruiting graduate students for Fall of 2025! Please contact us for more information.