CURRENT MEMBERS

**Research Scientist**
**University of Minnesota**
broed015@umn.edu

Courtney Broedlow

Education:

BS - Genetics and Cell Biology, Washington State University

BS - Psychology, San Francisco State University

Research Interests:

Understanding the relationship between microbial communities and their host through molecular and metagenomic techniques.

Interests Outside the Lab:

Reading, baseball, anything outdoors, traveling, and FOOD

**Research Project Specialist**
**University of Minnesota**
bast0159@umn.edu

Chris Basting

Education:

BS - Biochemistry, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

MS - Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

Research Interests:

Understanding how the human gut microbiome influences health and identifying ways it could be used to benefit treatment. Specifically interested in how the microbiome metabolizes clinically relevant compounds and potential microbiome biomarkers that could be used for diagnostics.

Interests Outside the Lab:

Running, disc golf, camping, hanging out with my dog, beer drinkin'

**Post-Doctoral Researcher**
**University of Minnesota**
langa092@umn.edu

Robert Langat, PhD

Education:

PhD - Clinical Medicine Research (Diseases-Virology and Immunology), Imperial College London

Research Interests:

Understanding the impact of infectious diseases on the microbial communities and disease pathogenesis

Interests Outside the Lab:

Listening to music, dancing, reading, and traveling

**Research Scientist**
**University of Minnesota**
schr1907@umn.edu

Ty schroeder

Education:

BS - Biology, Minor Environmental Science; University of Northwestern – St. Paul

Research Interests:

I am interested in investigating the various roles the microbiome plays in impacting human health through acquiring and mastering new laboratory techniques.

Interests Outside the Lab:

Camping, hiking, biking, reading, looking pensive on rocky coasts, and hangin’ with my wife and my dog.

**Research Scientist**
**University of Minnesota**
swan1629@umn.edu

Erik Swanson, PhD

Education:

BS - Biology, Wheaton College

BS - Environmental Science, Wheaton College

PhD - Microbiology, University of New Hampshire

Research Interests:

I’m interested in understanding the relationship between the microbiome and human health, particularly in the context of the gut-brain axis. I’m also interested in how environmental factors, especially environmental microbial communities, effect the human microbiome and how those changes translate to differential health outcomes.

Interests Outside the Lab:

Hiking, biking, XC skiing, spending time outside, cooking and baking, and reading

**Undergraduate Researcher**
**University of Minnesota**
lebak015@umn.edu

Sophie Lebakken

Education:

BS – Medical Laboratory Science, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities (May 2025)

Research Interests:

My research interests stem from my passion for understanding the gut-brain axis. I strive to improve the diagnosis and treatment of Major Depressive Disorder by understanding the effects of antidepressant medications on the human gut microbiome.

Interests Outside the Lab:

Hiking, weight lifting, going to the farmer’s market, thrifting, playing with my two dogs, and hanging out with my family and friends