William N. Beavers, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Microbiology
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Ph.D., Chemistry
Vanderbilt University
M.S., Chemistry
Northeastern University
B.S., cum laude, Chemistry
Old Dominion University
Will grew up on a family farm in the Loudoun Valley of Virginia. After earning a B.S. in chemistry, he moved to Boston where he worked at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute while getting an M.S. in chemistry. After many years in Boston he moved to Nashville for further graduate school and a postdoctoral fellowship. The Beavers Research Group was established in 2021 at LSU in the School of Veterinary Medicine. Will’s research interests lie at the interface of chemistry and microbiology, specifically focused on antibacterial protein post-translational modifications at the host-pathogen interface. When not in lab, Will spends most of his time endurance running or exploring Baton Rouge with his wife, three daughters, and Waldo the chihuahua.
wbeavers@lsu.edu
Bennett Blank
LSU President’s Alumni Scholar
Bennett was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He grew an interest in science during high school and is now studying Biological Science at LSU on a Pre-Med track. He was captain of the Powerlifting team in high school and a member of the French and Creative Writing clubs. Bennett is a President's Alumni Scholar at LSU. In his free time, he likes to play video games and listen to music. Bennett plans to study medicine and travel the world.
bblank8@lsu.edu
Elliott Collins
Undergraduate Researcher
co-mentored with Dr. Juan Martinez
Elliott Collins was born and raised in San Jose, California, before later moving to Northern Virginia. In high school, he explored robotics, nurturing his curiosity for science and technology. Driven by his interest in microbiology, he is eager to pursue a career in medicine as an infectious diseases physician. In his free time, Elliott enjoys exploring aerial photography and spending time at the climbing gym.
ecoll39@lsu.edu
Emily Glazner
Undergraduate Researcher
Emily is from New Orleans, where she attended St. Mary's Dominican High School. She has always had a strong interest in science, especially organic chemistry and biochemistry. She is currently a junior at Louisiana State University, majoring in biochemistry on the pre-med track. She intends to pursue a career in dermatology, with a particular interest in Mohs surgery, a tissue-preserving procedure used to remove skin cancer. This interest developed after seeing her father undergo multiple treatments for skin cancer, which inspired her to learn more about the field and its impact on patients’ lives. In her free time, Emily enjoys reading books with engaging plot twists and spending time with her friends.
Emily.Glazner@lsu.edu
Brooke LeBreton
LSU Flagship Scholar
Brooke grew up in Slidell, Louisiana - just outside of New Orleans. In high school, Brooke worked as a recall dental assistant at a local pediatric dentist’s office and interned at an urgent care in town. She was involved in her high school’s student council as senior class president and was captain of the swim team. Brooke is an LSU Flagship Scholar and her major is microbiology. In Brooke’s free time, she makes earrings for her Instagram jewelry boutique.
blebre1@lsu.edu
D. Grace Ross, B.S.
Ph.D. Student
B.S., Biology
SUNY Oswego
Grace was born and raised in Queens, New York. From an early age, she developed an interest in public health and infectious diseases and discovered her passion for biomedical research while studying gut microbial genetics and metabolism in Drosophila during her undergraduate studies at SUNY Oswego. In the summer of 2024, she moved to Baton Rouge to pursue a Ph.D. in Pathobiological Sciences at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Grace is eager to explore genetic and metabolic research on Staphylococcus aureus, specifically investigating the biological mechanisms that protect against lipid electrophiles and other membrane stressors. You’ll most likely find her in the lab with headphones on, listening to music at a dangerously loud volume. Outside the lab, she enjoys building in The Sims 4 and Minecraft, reading fiction novels, and strength training at the gym.
dross28@lsu.edu
Alex R. Stackhouse, B.S.
Ph.D. Candidate
B.S., Biochemistry
Henderson State University
Alex was born and grew up in central Arkansas. When he was in high school, he started to gain an interest in science, which led him to study biochemistry as an undergraduate. There he took an interest in infectious diseases, and in the fall of 2021, he was accepted as a graduate student at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine studying Pathobiology. Alex has an interest in studying host-pathogen interactions from a molecular standpoint, and wants to continue to use, and improve his knowledge of biochemistry. Outside of class and lab, Alex likes to powerlift, explore to find hole in the wall restaurants, and when he gets the chance, practice his musical instruments.
astack8@lsu.edu
Wyatt Wittliff, B.S.
B.S., Biological Engineering
Louisiana State University
Wyatt was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He moved to Baton Rouge to study biological engineering at LSU, where he has since graduated. He started and captained the robotics team at his high school. Wyatt spends most of his free time cooking or playing dungeons & dragons with his friends. He plans to do research to expand his knowledge of different parts of the field of science.
wwittl1@lsu.edu