Lab Members

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Javier Ortega-Hernández  

Associate Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology

Short Bio: I am an invertebrate paleobiologist interested in the evolution of major animal groups during the Paleozoic, with particular emphasis on the Cambrian Explosion and the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event. Originally from Mexico City, I obtained my undergraduate degree in Biology from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, and in 2008 completed the MSc in Palaeobiology at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. I then moved to the University of Cambridge from 2009 to 2018, first as a PhD student at the Department of Earth Sciences, and then as a Research Fellow of Emmanuel College and the Department of Zoology. I have been part of the faculty at the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and curator at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University since January 2019.

Keywords: Paleozoic | Cambrian Explosion | exceptional preservation | phylogeny | evo-devo | Ecdysozoa

Email: jortegahernandez@fas.harvard.edu

Melinda Peterson  

Research Lab Coordinator, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology

Short Bio: Melinda joined the Ortega-Hernández Lab in the Summer of 2023, bestowing a collective 19 years of experience in higher education administration. After a 10-year tenure in Law, Melinda transitioned to Organismic and Evolutionary Biology in 2016, having previously worked on portfolios in Biology, Evolutionary Dynamics, Mathematics, Physics, Vascular Plants, Evolutionary and Systematic Botany.  In addition to the Ortega-Hernandez portfolio, Melinda also works with the Desai (Evolutionary Dynamics, Population Genetics) and Edwards (Ornithology) Labs. 

Email: mpeterson@fas.harvard.edu | 617.496.8062 | MCZ 116

Postdoctoral Researchers

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Rudy Lerosey-Aubril  

Research Scientist 

Short Bio: I am an invertebrate paleontologist investigating the evolution of early animals and their organization into modern-type ecosystems. To do so, I travel the world to study Konservat-Lagerstätten – exceptional deposits preserving the remains of both biomineralizing and soft-bodied organisms. These remarkable localities provide unparalleled insights into the anatomy and ecological interactions of extinct organisms. My preference goes to the Cambrian Lagerstätten of western Utah (Wheeler, Marjum, Weeks), but I am fortunate enough to work on Early Paleozoic exceptional fossils from all over the world. My areas of expertise are the biology, phylogeny and diversification dynamics of fossil and modern arthropods (and relatives), with special interests for gut anatomy and feeding strategies. I completed a Master (2001) and a Ph.D. (2004) in Paleobiology at the University of Montpellier, France – both on trilobite developmental strategies and mass extinctions – and then, occupied curator, research and teaching positions in Australia, France, and Germany.

Keywords: Arthropoda | comparative anatomy | diversity dynamics | functional morphology | Konservat-Lagerstätten | trophic interactions

Email: rudy_lerosey@fas.harvard.edu

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Jo M. Wolfe  

National Science Foundation Co-PI / Research Associate 

Short Bio: My research program revolves around the evolution of complex characters considered ‘key innovations’ and their influence on phenotypic evolution and biodiversity through time. My toolkit draws on both the geological and genomic histories of organisms. Geological data are derived primarily from the ‘exceptionally preserved’ fossil record, i.e. those fossils that preserve soft tissues. Genomic data are used to reconstruct phylogenies of study groups, as well as to elucidate the distribution and expression of gene families across those groups. In combination, these data types provide reciprocal illumination of evolutionary innovations and set the stage for integrative studies of non-model organisms. I received my B.Sc. from the University of Toronto in 2007, and my Ph.D. from Yale University in 2012. I previously undertook postdoctoral positions at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Keywords: Phylogenetics | phylogenomics | macroevolution |crustaceans | Cambrian explosion |marine biology | microbial evolution 

Email: jowolfe@g.harvard.edu

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Karma Nanglu 

National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Researcher 

Short Bio: My research focuses on the early evolution and ecology of complex marine life through the description and analysis of early Paleozoic fossils, from individual specimens and new species to entire faunas. From an evolutionary perspective, my work largely concerns the origins of the phylum Hemichordata, the early history of which remains one of the most enigmatic areas of the metazoan tree of life. This research is currently expanding to incorporate a wider, multi-disciplinary perspective on the super-phylum Deuterostomia. I also study the diversity, structure, and functional ecology of Paleozoic marine ecosystems. To do this, I take a multivariate approach to analyze spatiotemporal patterns of ecological turnover. I completed my PhD at the University of Toronto and Royal Ontario Museum in 2018. Most recently, I was a Peter Buck Deep Time post-doctoral fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Keywords: community ecology | evolutionary biology | Cambrian | Hemichordata | Deuterostomia | taphonomy

Email: knanglu@fas.harvard.edu

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Sarah R. Losso  (Harvard '24)

Human Frontier Science Program Postdoctoral Researcher 

Short Bio: My research focuses on the early evolution of arthropods to understand how this group became so abundant and diverse. I use exceptional macrofossils that contain soft tissues that are not normally preserved in the rock record to gain insights into the paleobiology and evolution of these animals. This approach can help us illuminate how early arthropods reproduced, the evolution of defensive strategies and gills. I completed my B.A. at Mount Holyoke College in 2010, M.S. at the University of Iowa in 2018, and PhD at Harvard University in 2024

Keywords: phylogenetics | systematics | paleoecology | macroevolution

Email: sarahlosso@g.harvard.edu 

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Bruno Becker Kerber  

Lemann Brazil Research Fund Postdoctoral Researcher 

Short Bio: I am a paleobiologist specializing in advanced techniques for studying Precambrian and Paleozoic fossil invertebrates and problematica. My research focuses on taphonomy, morphological reconstruction, and chemical composition. I developed a passion for enigmatic forms during my master's (2015) and Ph.D. (2020) research on the Ediacaran biota, its preservation, and biomineralizing taxa. My work emphasizes the complementarity of innovative tomographic and chemical imaging methods, alongside other analytical techniques. These include synchrotron radiation-based methods (SRXCT, SR-XRF, XANES, SR-XRD) and laboratory-based methods (XRD, Raman, FTIR, XPS, and ¹³C NMR). I am also keen to explore biosignature parameters applicable to both Precambrian and astrobiological contexts.

Keywords: taphonomy | analytical imaging techniques | Precambrian | computed tomography

Email: bkerber@fas.harvard.edu

Graduate Students

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Marc A. Mapalo  

Graduate student 

Short Bio: I'm a tardigradologist who is interested in combining modern (-omics and dev-bio analyses) and fossil data to understand the evolution of tardigrades and their ecdysozoan relatives. I obtained my BS and MS in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the University of the Philippines - Diliman where I got trained in molecular biology techniques, phylogenetic analyses, and immunology work. My undergraduate and MS theses involved the study of Philippine tardigrades, including description of new species. I then became part of the Erasmus Mundus Master Programme in Evolutionary Biology (MEME) where I got two more MS degrees from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany (MS Evolution, Ecology, and Systematics) and Uppsala University, Sweden (MS Biology). My MS theses involved the use of genomic and transcriptomic data for bioinformatic analyses, such as phylogenomics and ancient human DNA population genomic analyses. During this time, I was trained how to work in an ancient DNA lab facility.

Keywords: tardigrade evolution | ecdysozoan fossils | phylogenomics | systematics | evo-devo

Email: marcmapalo@g.harvard.edu

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Jared C. Richards  

Graduate student 

Short Bio: I am a paleoecologist that focuses on quantitative approaches to understanding the marine systems of the Paleozoic Era. I received a BS in Quantitative Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My research at UNC-Chapel Hill focused on the distribution and prevalence of bioerosion on extant Caribbean reef environments, the biogeography of extant cephalopods along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and how environmental change influences reproductive methods used by late Cenozoic Era foraminifera. 

Keywords: evolutionary paleoecology | quantitative approaches | exceptional preservation | Paleozoic

Email: jrichards@g.harvard.edu

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Edna Rodriguez-Sánchez  

Graduate student 
 

Short Bio: I am an evolutionary biologist who has worked with diverse organisms and frameworks. I studied the development of myxobacteria multicellularity using a computational model during my Bachelor's at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico City, 2020). In parallel, I published some entomological research associated with Los Tuxtlas rainforest of Mexico, including the description of new species. Subsequently, I analyzed the taxonomic and morphologic diversification of Clupeomorpha fish during the Cretaceous under the radiation context as part of my Master's studies at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico City, 2022). Nowdays, I focus on the early evolution of arthropods and the major evolutionary events leading ot their terrestralization.

Keywords: paleobiology | evolution | Arthropoda | terrestralization

Email: ednarodriguezsanchez@g.harvard.edu 

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Maddi Waskom  

Pronouns - she/her or they/them

Graduate student 

Short Bio: I am a paleontologist using descriptive and quantitative methods to study the morphology and ecology of Cambrian sponges in early Paleozoic animal communities. I graduated from Harvard College in December 2022, where I studied Integrative Biology and wrote my thesis on the formation of three-dimensional arthropod fossils. In May 2024, I completed my master’s in education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where I focused on inclusive pedagogy and research in higher education. I am interested using three-dimensional analysis and statistics to ask questions about how communities lived and evolved in the early Paleozoic. Outside of the lab, I hold a special place in my heart for science communication and education in classrooms and media.

Keywords: Porifera | paleoecology | Cambrian | science communication 

Email: Madeleinewaskom@g.Harvard.edu

Walker Weyland 

Graduate student 

Short Bio: I am a paleontologist specializing in the evolutionary processes of the early Paleozoic. Originally from the Chicagoland area, I studied Geology and Evolutionary Biology at Beloit College before earning my Master's in Paleontology at the University of California Riverside, where I focused on the White Sea Biota of the Ediacaran in the Mary Droser Paleoecology Lab. My career includes positions at the Field Museum and the Milwaukee Public Museum, and I enjoy volunteering for community outreach projects.

Keywords: Paleozoic | Ediacaran | Cambrian | paleobiology | scientific illustration

Email: walker_weyland@fas.harvard.edu 

Predoctoral (Undergraduate and Masters) Researchers and Interns

Solène Bourdas 

International Research Intern 

Short Bio: I am currently a second-year student pursuing a Master's degree in Evolutionary Biology at Lille University (France), as part of the Graduate Program Science for a Changing Planet. I earned my Bachelor's degree from Paul Sabatier University in Toulouse (France), specializing in Biology of the Organisms, Populations, and Ecosystems. During the past year, I completed an internship at the Natural History Museum of London, where I led the project “CT scanning of shell beds from the upper Triassic from the upper Triassic England” employing an innovative technique for 3D visualization of fossil shells. Currently, my research focuses on the three-dimensional organization and early evolution of arthropod guts, seeking new data on the digestive systems of Cambrian fossils. I'm interested in studying the evolution of early organisms and paleoecology, using CT imaging and 3D reconstruction techniques in general

Keywords: Paleoecology| Evolutionary Biology | Micro Computed Tomography

Email: solenebourdas@gmail.com

External Collaborators

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Lucas Del Mouro 

Researcher, University of São Paulo 

Short Bio: I am a geoscientist interested in combining approaches to understanding paleoecosystems. I have a natural enthusiasm for challenges, especially those that require several expertises. I graduated from Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (Brazil) with a degree in Biological Sciences. In 2013, I obtained my MSc in Geology at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). From 2013 to 2019, I was a Visiting Researcher of Petrobras Oil Company program at Federal University of Santa Catarina (Brazil). In 2017, I completed  my DSc in Geology at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). My areas of expertise are invertebrate paleontology (especially, Porifera taxonomy and taphonomy), palynofacies, geochemistry (FRX and RAMAN) and data science. I am currently a member of three research groups and of the International Consortium, Sedimentary Geochemistry and Paleoenvironments Project, from Stanford University. I do enjoy lecturing and supervising.

Keywords: Porifera | geochemistry| Paleozoic

Email: lucas.delmouro@gmail.com

Dongjing Fu (傅东静)  

Professor, Northwest University, Xian

Short Bio: Dongjing‘s principal research interests revolve around the so-called ‘Cambrian explosion’, a unique time for life evolution that took place approximately 540-505 million years ago. Her work is focused at the moment on understanding the origin and evolution of the early animals, particularly in studying of morphology, ontogeny and the phylogeny of euarthropods. These investigations are largely based on the study of exceptionally preserved soft-bodied assemblages of a series of Konservat-Lagerstätten (sites of exceptional preservation) in South China, such as the Qingjiang, Chengjiang, Guanshan, Shipai and some new faunas ranging from Cambrian stage 2 to Furongian.

Keywords: Cambrian Explosion | exceptional preservation | metazoans | Arthropoda | evolution

Email: djfu@nwu.edu.cn 

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Yu Liu (刘煜)  

Professor, Yunnan University, Kunming

Short Bio: 

2009: PhD, University of Ulm, Germany. Major: Natural Sciences. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Dieter Waloszek.

12/2009–09/2016: Associated Professor, Dept. of Biology II, Univ. of Munich, Germany.

10/2016–present: Deputy Director, Professor, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Palaeobiology, Yunnan University, China.

Keywords: Cambrian | Arthropoda | development | embryology | micro computed tomography 

Email:  yu.liu@ynu.edu.cn

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Da-you Zhai (翟大有)  

Associate Professor, Yunnan University, Kunming

Short Bio: 

2005.09–2011.01, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Ph.D.)

2011.01–2014.01, Postdoctoral Researcher, Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2014.01–2015.06, Associate Professor, Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

2015.07–present , Associate Professor, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Palaeobiology, Yunnan University

Keywords: Taxonomy | phylogeny | paleoecology | Cambrian | bivalved arthropods | ostracods

Email: dyzhai@ynu.edu.cn 

Former Members

We are eager to stay in touch with our former members! If you have been in the lab and would like to share information about what you are doing, or where you are after your time with us, please send an email to Javier (jortegahernandez@fas.harvard.edu) so that we can update your profile information with your current affiliation and/or position.

Cole Lombardi 

MCZ Research Intern 2019

Arthur Lynch

NSF-REU Research Intern 2020 

Now Dartmouth College graduate

Stephen Pates

MCZ Postdoctoral Fellow 2019 

Now Lecturer at University College London

Jackson Kehoe

Undergraduate Researcher 2020 

Now graduate student at the University of Alaska

Holly Sullivan

Scientific Illustrator 2020-22       

Now Scientific Illustrator at MIT Lincoln Laboratory 

Marion Thaureau

International Intern 2022        

Now PhD student at the University of Oslo 

Caroline Davock

Undergraduate Researcher 2022 Biological sciences major and geoscience minor at Smith College 

Javier Luque

NSF Postdoc Researcher 2022 

Now Curator at the Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge

  Joy C. Julius

Post-bacc Researcher 2021-2023 

Now medical student at Stony Brook Medicine

Logan Qualls

Undergraduate Researcher 2020-2023

Pauline Affatato

MEME Research Student 2023 

Now PhD student at Columbia University 

Martin Luca Fernandez

NSF REU Research Intern 2023 

Now graduate student at Florida State University

Natalie Morgan

Undergraduate Researcher 2023 

Now Invertebrate Paleontology Collections Assistant at MCZ

Leo Laborieux

MEME Research Student 2024 

Now research intern at CBGTP, Montpellier, France

Anshuman Swain

Harvard Junior Fellow 2021      

Now Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan