Honda Laboratory
Staff
Get in Touch
Jennifer R. Honda, PhD
Associate Professor
Office: 903-877-8730
lab: 903-877-8731
[email protected]
We are Hiring!
Visit uthct.edu/careers to learn more.
Research Associates
Rachel N. Wilsey
Research Associate
Education:
Baylor University, B.S. Biology
Background:
Rachel graduated from Baylor University in May 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. During her time at Baylor, Rachel studied the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans and investigated mutations that affect integrin binding to RGD motifs, attachment of actin filaments of the body wall muscle to the sarcolemma, and cell adhesion and migration. Rachel joined the Honda Lab in August 2021. She will contribute to projects related to the Kilauea volcano as well as other work focusing on the contribution of sex, gender, ancestry, and aging in NTM lung infection. In her free time, Rachel enjoys snowboarding, listening to music, going thrift shopping, and exploring local coffee shops.
Tiana N. M. Koch
Research Associate
Education:
M.S Graduate Student, Department of Tropical Medicine
University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
Oregon State University, B.S Biology
Background
Tiana was born and raised in Hawai’i and graduated from ‘Iolani School. She attended Oregon State University, participating in research on Pteridium aquilinum (bracken ferns) with Philip McFadden. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biology, minor in Chemistry, and certificate in Medical Humanities, Tiana worked as a Research Assistant at Kaiser Permanente Hawai’i Region’s Center for Integrated Health Care Research, contributing to several research projects, which included her introduction to NTM with Dr. Honda. She is currently a graduate student in the Department of Tropical Medicine at the University of Hawai’i, Mānoa, John. A Burns School of Medicine and joined the Honda Lab in October 2023. Tiana is studying the efficacy of physical environmental interventions to reduce NTM exposures and other projects related to NTM in the context of cystic fibrosis. In her free time, Tiana enjoys staying active, traveling, and spending time with her friends, family and dogs, and anything ocean related.