Graduate Students

Andre Lucas Simões Araujo

André Lucas Simões Araujo

 M.S., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines

Research Area 
I work on two projects related to weed science: one is associated with a weed resistance survey using three different herbicides and the second is developing non-chemical harvest weed seed control strategies in dryland crops.

Contact Information

andre.simoes_araujo@colostate.edu

Srishti Gupta

Srishti Gupta

Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Franck Dayan
Research Area
I have worked with absorption and translocation of formulation of glyphosate herbicide in broadleaves and grassweeds. My research involves understanding mechanism of non-target site quizalofop resistance in rice. Genetic mapping has identified that a mutation in the transcription factor zinc finger protein increases the metabolic degradation of herbicides by upregulating the expression of genes involved in herbicide metabolism. The overall goal of my project is to investigate the function of the transcription factor and study its contribution to herbicide resistance.

Contact Information

srishti.gupta@colostate.edu

Sofía Marques Hill

Sofía Marques Hill

Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines

Research Area
Weed Molecular Biology. Understanding herbicide resistance to synthetic auxins. Genetic mapping of herbicide resistance to pre-emergents in Lolium rigidum. Building the reference genome of Cirsium arvense and understanding sex determination.

Contact Information

sofiamh@colostate.edu

William Kramer

William Kramer

Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Dr. Todd Gaines

Research Area
My current research focuses on understanding the cause of quizalofop herbicide injury in CoAxium winter wheat using a variety of molecular biology techniques.

Contact Information

w.kramer@colostate.edu

John Lemas

John Lemas

M.S., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines

Research Area
My research will utilize a genomics approach to better understand abiotic stress resilience in Russian thistle (Salsola tragus).

Contact Information

jolemas@colostate.edu

Jake Montgomery

Jake Montgomery

Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines

Research Area
I use techniques from molecular biology, microbiology, and plant physiology to understand the genetic and physiological basis of herbicide resistance in weeds and crops. I also use my data sets to address questions around weedy evolution/adaption and genome

Contact Information

biology.jake.montgomery@colostate.edu

Amber Pelon

Amber Pelon

M.S., Weed Science
Advisors – Franck Dayan and Todd Gaines

Research Area
Understanding quizalofop metabolism in CoAxium wheat and troubleshooting problems that farmers are seeing in the field with CoAxium wheat.

Contact Information

amber.pelon@colostate.edu

Dustin Moreno Serrano

Dustin Moreno Serrano

M.S., Weed Science
Advisors – Franck Dayan

Research Area
Studying the mechanisms of resistance to auxinic herbicides (Dicamba) in different populations of Amaranthus palmeri.

Contact Information

dustin03@colostate.edu

Crystal D. Sparks

Crystal D. Sparks

Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisor – Todd Gaines

Research Area
Investigating herbicide resistance in weeds and crops using molecular and biochemical approaches. Glyphosate resistance in rapid response giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida).

Contact Information

crystal.sparks@colostate.edu

Photo of Catherine Traxler

Catherine Traxler

Ph.D., Weed Science
Advisors – Franck Dayan and Todd Gaines

Research Area
The role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in herbicidal activity by exploring herbicidal modes of action that involve the production of ROS and oxidative damage to gain a better understanding of plant stress and the possibility of utilizing this knowledge in the development of new her

Contact Information

catherine.traxler@colostate.edu

Alyssa Twitty

Alyssa Twitty

M.S., Weed Science
Advisor – Franck Dayan

Research Area
Mode of Action and Novel Natural Herbicides

Contact Information

alyssakt@colostate.edu