People

The Dickinson Lab strives to uphold the UC San Diego Principles of Community. We support all people, no matter their background, and we believe that everyone has a fundamental right to equality, justice, life, liberty, happiness, and the scientific pursuit of truth. We have astounding challenges to address over the next several decades: curing deadly diseases, feeding a rising global population, preventing extinction of species, developing new technology, and understanding the natural world. Solving these complex problems will not be possible without building a strong community that supports scientists from all walks of life. We are committed to sharing our core values and doing the important work needed to develop and sustain a fair and thriving scientific community.

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Alexandra Jazz Dickinson

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Jazz Dickinson received her PhD in chemistry from University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. She conducted her post-doctoral research in developmental plant biology with Prof. Philip Benfey at Duke University. She has also served as a visiting scientist at Stanford University and is a recipient of the Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, the Boka W. Hadzija Award for Distinguished University Service at UNC-CH, and the Ruth L. Kirschstein Graduate Fellowship Award. She joined the UCSD faculty in 2020 to pursue research in small molecule regulation of development.

Jie Chu

POSDOCTORAL SCHOLAR

Jie is a postdoctoral scholar in the Biological Sciences department at UC San Diego. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2024. Jie is interested in discovering small molecules that regulate Arabidopsis root development.

Olivia Ottone

POSDOCTORAL SCHOLAR

Nathan Stutzman

PhD CANDIDATE

Nathan is a PhD candidate in the department of biological sciences at UC San Diego. Nathan is interested in uncovering the mechanisms of de novo root organogenesis in Arabidopsis as a response to wounding.

Abigail Tripka

PhD CANDIDATE

Abby is a Chemistry PhD candidate in the chemistry and biochemistry department at UC San Diego. Abby is working to uncover the chemical regulators controlling plant root development.

Andrea Sama

PhD STUDENT

Andrea is a PhD student in the Biological Sciences at UC San Diego. Andrea has a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Wellesley College. She is interested in understanding the mechanisms of root development, and is focusing on how environmental stress impacts metabolite profiles in Maize and Arabidopsis roots.

Gabrielle Meza

PhD STUDENT

Gabrielle is a PhD student in the Biological Sciences department at UC San Diego. She received her B.S in Genetics and Plant Biology from UC Berkeley in 2020. Gabrielle is utilizing algae to uncover the biosynthesis and regulation of the small molecule, retinal, within plants to better understand the growth and development of root systems in plants.

Katreena Gundran

STAFF RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

Katreena is a staff researcher and lab manager at the Dickinson lab, receiving her B.S. in General Biology from UC San Diego. She is working to understand how abiotic stresses and various small molecules have an affect on plant growth and development in Setaria viridis (Green Foxtail), Maize, and Arabidopsis.

Samantha Dyer

STAFF RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

Samantha earned her bachelor’s degree in General Biology from UC San Diego. She is interested in the root development of native California plants during prolonged periods of drought. Samantha plans on pursuing a career in higher education to continue sharing her passion for conservation ecology and increase equitable opportunities for future generations.

Shihong Luo

STAFF RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

Shihong received his B.S. in Pharmacological Chemistry from UC San Diego. He is interested in understanding biosynthesis of plant-specialized metabolites

Gwein Gagarin

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

Gwein is a third year undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Human Biology. Gwein is interested in the biosynthesis of retinal in plants. Gwein plans to pursue a career in medical research.

Stephanie Encarnacion

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

Stephanie is a second year undergraduate pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology. Stephanie is interested in understanding metabolite impacts on plant root responses to abiotic stresses such as salinity. She plans to later pursue a PhD in vaccine research.