People

We are a diverse group of biologists interested in amphibian disease ecology, conservation, and evolution.

Ana V. Longo, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Biology

Principal Investigator

My research as a disease ecologist and evolutionary biologist began in my effort to understand the role of fungal pathogens in global amphibian declines and species extinctions. I was drawn to this problem more than fifteen years ago, when I learned that an extinct frog from my island Puerto Rico was infected with the amphibian-killing fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), yet other species persisted despite infection. I employ tools from population biology, microbial and community ecology, genomics, and evolutionary biology to distinguish mechanisms resulting in particular disease outcomes across species of amphibians and contrasting disease states (endemic infections vs. outbreaks). I am proud to be Boricua 🇵🇷 and #productoUPR. I have one human daughter and one four-legged son.

Email me: ana.longo at ufl.edu
Follow my work: Google Scholar

Current Members

Zuania Colón-Piñeiro, Ph.D.

NSF Postdoctoral Fellow

I am an ecologist interested in understanding how interactions between abiotic and biotic factors shape fitness. In a world where amphibians are declining due to emerging pathogens and environmental challenges, I integrate field and lab work with theory to understand host-pathogen-microbiome dynamics. I am particularly interested in the physiological and behavioral responses of amphibians –with atypical life cycles– to pathogen infections across ontogeny and seasonality. When do frogs need to activate their immune defenses? How does the activation have carryover effects on their fitness? To answer this questions, I use the common coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) as a model species native to Puerto Rico, where I am from. I am passionate about mentoring and envisioning a future in academia, integrating research, teaching, and outreach to inspire others about science, especially among underrepresented groups. Because of my character, leadership, service, advocacy, and scholarship, I was inducted into the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society and selected as an American Association of University Women (AAUW) fellow.

Email me: colonpineiro.z at ufl.edu
Follow me on Twitter and Bluesky: @ZuaniaColon

Nicolina Valore

M.S. student (expected graduation date May 2027)

Emilio Pedroza López

Undergraduate student (expected graduation date December 2024)

I’m a senior Zoology and Environmental Science undergraduate student interested in behavioral ecology, communication, and environmental change. I’m studying the acoustic activity window of Eleutherodactylus coqui across an elevational gradient in El Yunque, Puerto Rico, analyzing the potential causes for differences across the gradient. 

Anja Julian

Undergraduate student (Expected graduation Summer 2025)

I am a senior undergraduate student in Sustainability and the Built Environment interested in the impacts of urban planning and climate resilient design on health and disease transmission, especially among vulnerable populations. My current project in the Longo Lab focuses on how urbanization in Puerto Rico affects Coqui frog health and susceptibility to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and other infectious pathogens. 

Email me: ajulian@ufl.edu

Bella Gonzalez

Undergraduate student (Expected graduation December 2024)

I am a senior undergraduate student in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation broadly interested in questions related to eco-evolutionary dynamics, functional morphology, and disease ecology. My research in the Longo Lab aims to investigate the potential impacts of an introduced caecilian population on native ecosystems in South Florida. This project has two goals: 1) Identify pathogen potential to establish spillover to native amphibians, and 2) Quantify reproductive efforts of introduced caecilians to understand potential competitive interactions.

Email me: bellagonzalez@ufl.edu

Follow me on Twitter: @BellaLGonzalez

Andrés Calavia Sarnago

Undergraduate student

I am originally from Soria, Spain, but I moved to Miami in 2012. I am a sophomore biology major undergraduate student on the pre-med track, with an interest in understanding disease transmission and its impact on public health. My research focuses on Carios ticks, a type of soft tick recently found parasitizing coquí frogs in Puerto Rico. Using nanopore sequencing technology, I aim to identify the specific species of these ticks and explore their potential role in transmitting diseases and affecting metabolic pathways in humans. By analyzing the bacteria (Rickettsia) that these ticks harbor, I will assess any potential public health risks and contribute to our understanding of tick-borne diseases in the region.

Email me: andrescalavia@ufl.edu

Lab Progeny (PhDs)

Arik Hartmann, Ph.D.

Graduated May 2024 (Now Postdoctoral research in the Muletz Lab, Smithsonian Institution)

My research interests centers around pathogen and host interactions to better understand how host defenses, life history, and environment can influence disease susceptibility. I am particularly interested in how disease susceptibility changes with host ontogeny, especially in amphibians with more complex life cycles, such as newts. Additionally, I am passionate about community engagement and involvement in local conservation efforts, and educating the public about wildlife through outreach.

Email me: arikhartmann at ufl.edu
Follow me on Twitter: @AmphibiArik

Sarah McGrath-Blaser, Ph.D.

Graduated August 2023 (Now ORISE Postdoctoral Fellow | US EPA Office of Research and Development | Durham, NC)

My research interests center on discovering connections between the amphibian skin microbiome and host health with particular focus on the transfer of microbes between hosts, between hosts and their environment, and across reproduction. I am also interested in the development of novel survey methods to better detect cryptic species, such as canopy dwelling tree frogs. Other passions include science communication and outreach, which I believe are imperative for the continued development of science literacy!

Follow me on Twitter: @BlasinAmphibs

Lab Alumni

Cory McKinstry

Graduated August 2023 (Now Lab technician @ Texas State University – Rodriguez Lab)

My research interests are focused on host-pathogen interactions to better understand how the organisms in the environment influence infection dynamics. I am particularly interested in how coinfection with parasites (including other pathogens!) can change the rate and intensity of infection in wild herpetofauna. I am also passionate about outreach and aim to inspire passion and scientific literacy in my fellow community members.  

Email me: corymckinstry at txstate.edu
Follow me on Twitter: @herpetologish

Natalie Claunch, Ph.D.

NSF Postdoctoral Fellow (Now @ USDA APHIS Wildlife Services – National Wildlife Reserach Center and Florida Field Station )

Lab Alumni

  • Jaime N. Ferrer (Fall 2019, UF)
  • Ingrid Ramírez (Summer 2019, University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras)
  • Kelly R. Westfall (Summer-Fall 2019, UF)
  • Jennifer Villate (NIH-SF2UF Fellow)
  • Natalie Alomar (NIH-MARC Fellow, now @ Yale University).
  • Keara Clancy (USP Fellow)
  • María Torres-Sánchez, Postdoctoral Researcher (Now at Universidad Complutense Madrid, España)
  • Cory McKinstry (graduated August 2023)
  • Faith Dunlap (graduated May 2024)