Punya Nachappa

Associate Professor
Email: punya.nachappa@colostate.edu
Office: C201 Plant Sciences
Phone: 970-481-2628
Follow me on Twitter @NachappaPunya
Email: punya.nachappa@colostate.edu
Office: C201 Plant Sciences
Phone: 970-481-2628
Follow me on Twitter @NachappaPunya
Current Lab Members

Dr. Jacob MacWillams
Research Scientist
Ph.D. (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) UC Riverside
Email: jacob.macwilliams@colostate.edu
Jacob is also our lab manager. He is involved in a number of projects, but his research is focused on the adaptive role of cannabinoids in hemp-insect interaction.
Research Scientist
Ph.D. (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) UC Riverside
Email: jacob.macwilliams@colostate.edu
Jacob is also our lab manager. He is involved in a number of projects, but his research is focused on the adaptive role of cannabinoids in hemp-insect interaction.

Erika Peirce
Post-doctoral Research Associate
Ph.D. (Agricultural Biology) Colorado State University
Email: erika.perice@colostate.edu
Erika's project focuses on evaluating ancestral wheat species for novel sources of resistance against the wheat stem sawfly.
Post-doctoral Research Associate
Ph.D. (Agricultural Biology) Colorado State University
Email: erika.perice@colostate.edu
Erika's project focuses on evaluating ancestral wheat species for novel sources of resistance against the wheat stem sawfly.

Jacob Pitt
Ph.D. student
B.S. (Ecosystem Science and Sustainability) Colorado State University
Email: william.pitt@colostate.edu
Jacob is studying the impact of plant species diversity on potato virus Y transmission by aphid vectors. He is the photographer of the cannabis aphid picture on the website!
Ph.D. student
B.S. (Ecosystem Science and Sustainability) Colorado State University
Email: william.pitt@colostate.edu
Jacob is studying the impact of plant species diversity on potato virus Y transmission by aphid vectors. He is the photographer of the cannabis aphid picture on the website!

Chris Hayes
M.S. student
B.A. Vanderbilt University
Email: chris.hayes@colostate.edu
Chris is working on developing innovative tools to manage hemp russet mite in hemp.
M.S. student
B.A. Vanderbilt University
Email: chris.hayes@colostate.edu
Chris is working on developing innovative tools to manage hemp russet mite in hemp.

Laine Hackenberg
M.S. student
B.S. (Plant Science) The Pennsylvania State University
Email: laine.hackenberg@colostate.edu
Laine is analyzing the diversity of viruses/vioids in hemp using metagenomics.
M.S. student
B.S. (Plant Science) The Pennsylvania State University
Email: laine.hackenberg@colostate.edu
Laine is analyzing the diversity of viruses/vioids in hemp using metagenomics.

Jordan Withycombe
M.S. student
B.S. (Microbiology) Clemson University
Email: jordan.withycombe@colostate.edu
Jordan is studying mechanisms of plant resistance to beet curly top virus in sugar beets.
M.S. student
B.S. (Microbiology) Clemson University
Email: jordan.withycombe@colostate.edu
Jordan is studying mechanisms of plant resistance to beet curly top virus in sugar beets.
Undergraduate students
Olivia Carter (Fall 2020-current)
Lisa Kairy (Spring 2020-current)
Tierra Mathews (Spring 2020-current)
Mira Pusateri (Fall 2020-current)
Tyler Yamashita (Spring 2021-Fall 2021)
Emily Villa (Spring 2020-Fall 2020)
Katie Langemeier (Fall 2019-Fall 2020)
Emilie Carroll (Fall 2019-Spring 2020)
Billy Poon Wing Bill (Fall 2018-Fall 2019)
Olivia Carter (Fall 2020-current)
Lisa Kairy (Spring 2020-current)
Tierra Mathews (Spring 2020-current)
Mira Pusateri (Fall 2020-current)
Tyler Yamashita (Spring 2021-Fall 2021)
Emily Villa (Spring 2020-Fall 2020)
Katie Langemeier (Fall 2019-Fall 2020)
Emilie Carroll (Fall 2019-Spring 2020)
Billy Poon Wing Bill (Fall 2018-Fall 2019)
Wheat Entomology Program
Darren Cockrell
Research Associate
Email: darren.cockrell@colostate.edu
Research Associate
Email: darren.cockrell@colostate.edu