Abigail (Abby) Knapp is a junior studying Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience and Psychology. She plays Ultimate Frisbee, works in the stacks at Miller Library, and volunteers at the Waterville Humane Society. Abby loves being outside, especially hiking and spending time on the trails. In the lab, Abby uses the CellaVision to identify and differentiate avian blood cells to assess health and immune status of wild birds!
Aichetou (Aicha) Ouattara is a junior who plans to major in Cellular Molecular Biology and Biochemistry with a minor in Mathematics. She is interested in translational research and biotechnology. Aicha started as a Research Assistant in the Wild Symbioses Lab in Spring 2025. So far, she has been extracting DNA from blood samples collected from wild purple martins; next, she will be working on developing her own project in the lab so stay tuned! Outside of the lab, Aicha spent her sophomore year as Colby African Society’s secretary and she is currently a Yad’B’Yad mentor and part of SHOC (Student Peer Health Assistant On Campus). She enjoys hiking, which she hopes she will have more time to do more during junior year.
Andrew Carlson is a junior who started in the Wild Symbioses Lab in the spring of 2024. His research in the lab is centered on the quantification of antibodies using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), in addition to the quantification of white blood cells from blood slides of Purple Martins and Florida Scrub Jays. Outside of the lab, Andrew channels his passion for adventure into scuba diving, hiking, and volunteering with a search and rescue team.
Cariam Rodriguez Santiago is a sophomore majoring in Biology with a concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology/Biochemistry. In the Wild Symbioses Lab, she is currently involved in work investigating effects of ectoparasites on immune system development in purple martins. Passionate about scientific discovery, Cariam plans to pursue a graduate degree in translational research, aiming to bridge laboratory findings with clinical applications.
Caroline Hayter is a senior and a Pulver Science Scholar majoring in Biology and Government. Her research interests include immune system regulation, infectious diseases, and host-pathogen interactions. Caroline plans to attend graduate school and hopes to work in drug discovery and development.
Dorothy Liu is a sophomore who plans to major in Computational Biology with a minor in Mathematics. She is interested in pursuing Biomedical Engineering with the hopes of attending graduate school in the future, although she is still exploring. Dorothy is a member of the Colby Biology Club and Club Volleyball. In the Wild Symbioses Lab, Dorothy is leading up the Pooper Snoopers project.
Papa Boateng is a sophomore majoring in Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience. He is broadly interested in the intersections of research, healthcare, and public health, particularly how scientific discoveries can translate into improving community health and medical outcomes. Papa joined the Wild Symbioses Lab as a Research Assistant in Spring 2025, where he has been extracting DNA from blood samples collected from wild purple martins. Outside of the lab, Papa enjoys playing piano with his band Sonic Roots, staying active through soccer and swimming, and building community through Colby African Society.
