LagoLab Group Photo, Spring 2024 (Missing Elanor Fuller)

Meet the Current LagoLab Team

  • Laura in Colombia

    Dr. Laura Lagomarsino (PI)

    llagomarsino1-at-lsu.edu

    PhD, Harvard University (2015)
    BS, University of California- Berkeley (2008)

    I'm an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of the Shirley C. Tucker Herbarium at Louisiana State University.

    CV (Updated July 2025)

  • Laymon Ball (PhD Candidate)

    lball4-at-lsu.edu

    BS, California State University- Long Beach (2019)

    Joined LagoLab: Fall 2019

    Laymon is studying phylogenomics, macroevolution, and pollination biology of Hillieae (Rubiaceae), a Neotropical group of florally diverse epiphytic shrubs. Laymon is supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and an HHMI Gilliam Fellowship- go Laymon!

    CV (updated June 2024)

    Google Scholar

  • Katherin Arango-Gómez (PhD Candidate)

    larang1-at-lsu.edu

    BS, Universidad del Valle, Colombia (2022)

    Joined LagoLab: Fall 2022

    Before coming to the LagoLab, Katherin teased apart hybridization history in Gesneriaceae. In her PhD research, Kathe will integrate across scales to understand the role of hybridization in Andean evolution— starting with the phylogenomics of Cavendishia (Ericaceae) and moving down to comparative phylogeography of widespread Andean plant species.

  • Aislinn at the herbarium at the Missouri Botanical Garden

    Aislinn Mumford (PhD Candidate)

    amumfo5-at-lsu.edu

    MS, University of New Hampshire (2022)
    BA, Trinity College Dublin (2020)

    Joined LagoLab: Fall 2022

    Aislinn has a long interest in plant diversity and is pursuing a PhD in plant systematics after deciding working on breeding of a single species (kiwiberry) during her Masters wasn’t enough! Aislinn will be working on phylogenomics and evolution of color signals in Palicourea (Rubiaceae) for her PhD dissertation.

  • Nolan gives a peace sign while looking at an herbarium specimen under a dissecting scope

    Nolan Rockefeller (Undergraduate Researcher)

    Joined LagoLab: Fall 2024

    Nolan is an undergraduate researcher supported by the LSU Presidential Future Leaders in Research program. He previously worked on leaf morphometrics of Hillieae (Rubiaceae) with Laymon Ball. Interested in plant-insect mutualisms, Nolan is currently developing an honors thesis focused on mite domatia in Palicourea.

  • Daniel Santamaría-Aguilar (Research Associate)

    Daniel is a broadly trained Neotropical botanist interested in the floristics of his native Costa Rica, and taxonomy of various plant groups including Myristicaceae and Pentaphylacaceae. He is collaborating on several projects in the lab.