WCSU Tick Lab
  • Home
  • Team
  • Research
  • Internships
  • Prevention
  • Tick Talk
  • Be in a Study
  • Home
  • Team
  • Research
  • Internships
  • Prevention
  • Tick Talk
  • Be in a Study
Search

Our Team

Our lab functions because of the hard work of research staff and student interns who work throughout the year to help collect data and keep our projects moving forward.  If you’re interested in learning more about seasonal student internships and/or other opportunities to work on tickborne disease prevention projects at WCSU, click here.

  

Neeta Pardanani Connally

Picture

Principal Investigator
Associate Professor, WCSU Biology
​Bio

  


Rayda Krell, Ph.D.

Picture

BITM Study Coordinator
​Assistant Professor
​​
Bio

Vicki Hornbostel, M.S.

Picture

Project Assistant
​
Bio

Brittany Schappach, B.A. 

Picture

Research Assistant
WCSU Biology ’18

​Bio

Emma Baxley

Summer Research Assistant
​WCSU Biology ’21
Bio

Jacob Bethin

Picture

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow (WCSU SURF)
​WCSU Biology, ’21
​​
Bio

Danielle Marcone

Picture

Summer Research Assistant 
​Quinnipiac Biology, ’21
Bio


Tick Lab Alumni:

​Daniel Buser (Psychology '17), Barbara Campbell (Sociology), Vanele Dacosta (Biology '16), Melissa Dease (Biology '12), Melissa DiNino (Biology '14), Carina Doyle (NYU Biology), Payal Dudhedia (Biology '16), Karina Escobar (Biology '16), AmberJean Hansen (Biology '14), Socheata Lim (Biochemistry '14), Jake Lipinski (Biology '17), Kim Lockwood (Biology '17), Christopher Madden (Biology), Megan Morrow (Biology '15), Devin Norkowski (Psychology), Colin O’Brien (Biology '16), Bruna Oliveira (Biology '15), Dimitri Psaltos (Boston Univ. Biomedical Engineering '15), Jennifer Reid (Health Promotion '13), Chantal Ridlon (Biology '14), Esau Rojas (Biology '15), Kiran Singh-Smith (Barnard Coll. Environmental Sciences, '19), Amanda Thompson (UNH Biology '18), Robert Toth III (Biology '17), Layra Valdes (Biochemistry '19), Rebecca Warren (Biology '16), Sandra Zapata Ramirez (Biology '18).

Contact Information

Science Building 139
Western Connecticut State University
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences
181 White Street
​Danbury, CT 06810
​
© COPYRIGHT 2025. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Team
  • Research
  • Internships
  • Prevention
  • Tick Talk
  • Be in a Study