Carolyn Ibberson, PhD

Assistant Professor 

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Education:
B.S. Biology, University of Wisconsin- Madison, 2010
Ph.D. Microbiology, University of Iowa, 2015
Postdoctoral Fellow, Whiteley Lab, University of Texas, 2015-2017
Postdoctoral Fellow, Whiteley Lab, Georgia Tech, 2017-2021 

Research Areas:
Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Genomics, Bacterial Physiology

Hobbies:
Hiking; Following Wisconsin Sports; Traveling; Raising 2 kids and a pup 

Shannon Fulton

Graduate Research Assistant

Education: B.S. Microbiology, University of Oklahoma, 2014
​                     M.S. Microbiology, University of Oklahoma, 2020 

Shannon is a microbiology doctoral student and certified medical laboratory scientist who is interested in advancing the field of medical microbiology laboratory diagnostics by pursuing a career as an infectious disease laboratory director, researcher, and educator. She seeks to understand how microbiome interactions impact disease progression, potentially correlating to changes in microbial physiology and antibiotic resistance expression as guides for best practice treatments. Outside of the lab, you can find Shannon spending quality time with her husband and two children, socializing with friends, putting together a puzzle, or working on a craft/painting project.

Twitter: @shannonrfulton.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonfulton/

Aanuoluwa Adekoya

Graduate Research Assistant

Education: B.S. Microbiology, University of Lagos, 2018

Aanuoluwa is a Microbiology Ph.D. student who developed an interest in understanding the mechanisms employed by Staphylococcus aureus  to cause diseases and persist in human infection due to the prevalence of the antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacterium in her home country, Nigeria. When she is not ‘PhDing’, she is probably at the gym trying to stay fit or at somewhere learning how to sing like a nightingale. ​

Twitter: @Aanuoluwaduro

Sam Varriale

Research Technician

Education: B.S. Biology, University of Arkansas, 2023

Sam previously worked in a food microbiology lab and is excited to learn more about bacterial physiology and molecular biology techniques in the Ibberson Lab. Her hobbies include hiking, camping, biking and fishing. She also enjoys playing with her 3 crazy dogs whenever she is home.

Undergraduate Researchers

Josh Cuozzo

Josh is a sophomore majoring in biochemistry. He plans to begin a career of lifelong research, and drug discovery specifically piques his interest. Along with research, he enjoys playing cello with the OU Symphony Orchestra and performing for friends and family.

Cass Condray

Cass is a junior majoring in microbiology. He is passionate about research, and his interests lie heavily in disorders impacting immune function and disease. He is very invested with the Crohn's and Colitis foundation, doing a lot of volunteer work with them. Outside of research, He enjoys spending time with his pet bearded dragon named Rick. 

Lane McCoy

Lane is a Microbiology major on the premed track. In the future, he plans on becoming an orthopaedic surgeon, specializing in arthroplasties & ankle repair. A fun hobby is fencing -- he plays whenever he gets the chance!

Michelle Chetaogor Banor​

Michelle is a class of 26' undergraduate physiology major at the University of Arizona. She has joined the Ibberson Lab through the National Summer Undergraduate Research Project (NSURP). She plans to go to medical school and become a gastroenterologist. Her hobbies include watching crime shows, traveling, hanging out with friends, and sleeping.

Lab Alumni

Avery L. Holmes

Research Technician (Feb 2022- June 2023)

Avery graduated in May 2021 with a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Oklahoma. She likes to draw,  screenprint from my DIY home studio, and go to art museums whenever she visits a new city. She loves cats, spending time outdoors, and learning new and interesting things. She also loves learning about film history/analyzing movies and got her minor in film. She likes to travel and New York City has been her favorite place to visit so far. After ~1 1/2 years in the Ibberson lab, Avery moved back to Arkansas and accepted a position at the University of Arkansas

Hoody A. Kargbo

Undergraduate Researcher and Research Technician (Jan 2022-June 2023)

Hoody was born in Sierra Leone and graduated in 2022 from the University of Oklahoma with a B.S in Microbiology (Pre-med) with a minor in Psychology. He enjoys working in the lab primarily because since I was an early teenager he has been curious to understand how disease causing organisms infiltrate and take over the immune system to successfully cause a disease; therefore in this venture of trying to understand them better, the diseases they cause can also be easily terminated.​ Hoody completed 1 year in the lab as a research technician after graduation and is currently working to apply to medical school and working in biotech.

Bekka Ureta

Undergraduate Researcher (Jan 2022- May 2023)

Bekka graduated in May 2023 with a B.S. in Microbiology. In her free time, she likes to hike, bake, and play the piano.​ Bekka is currently working to gain research and clinical experience while she applies to medical school. 

Hayden Koll

NSURP Summer Undergraduate Research Assistant (June 2022-Aug 2022)

Hayden is an undergraduate at the University of Nebraska-Omaha who joined us for a summer research internship through NSURP. Hayden is currently studying molecular biology with a minor in bioinformatics. He has a great interest in what living organisms can achieve in the subject, stemming from a childhood love of mythical creatures and unique solutions. He likes to spend his free time with his daughter and dogs or working on at home experiments.