Thomas A. Stewart, Ph.D. (he/him)
PI
I am an evolutionary and developmental biologist interested in explaining broad patterns of morphological diversity. My work spans a number of fields (developmental biology, paleontology, and functional morphology), and my goal is to establish an inclusive laboratory that can support scientists from all backgrounds.
Yunyan Mo
PhD student in Biology
My undergraduate work focused on paleontology, specifically comparative anatomy and systematics of Paleozoic ray-finned fishes. For my PhD, I am interested in combining developmental biology with the fossil record to understand the origination of novel traits in early vertebrates.
Ayesha Iqbal
PhD student in Biology
My Master’s research was based on elucidation of cis-regulatory regions in transcriptional mediator gene using comparative sequence analysis and functional approaches. As a PhD student, I am concerned about understanding the evolutionary origin of adipose fin by analyzing the genes and the developmental modules involved in the growth and shaping of the fins.
Juri Miyamae
Senior Research Technician
As an integrative comparative anatomist, my aim is to understand how form interplays with function, but also how developmental processes, behavior, ecological interactions, and evolutionary history shape – and are shaped by – anatomical diversity. My research has largely focused on mammals: the evolutionary origins of facial musculature in relation to tactile sensory innovations, tail anatomy and biomechanics for applications in bioinspired engineering, and the functional morphology of nasal cartilages in the wiggly probosces of sengis (aka, “elephant shrews”). However, as a perpetual learner, I am always seeking new methods, cross-disciplinary perspectives, and interesting questions about weird animals.
Christian Harvey
Research Technician
As a lifelong fish nerd, I have worked retail and wholesale within the aquarium trade, pursued an undergraduate degree in biology with a marine concentration, and participated in academic research efforts to aid marine ecology and commercial aquaculture. Within the Stewart Lab , I will oversee the start-to-finish implementation of research aquaria for a variety of evolutionary developmental studies.
Undergraduate Researchers:
Lucy Karn (2025-present)
Evelyn Mastaglio (2025-present)
Carlota Blanco (2026-present)
Isabelle Jeoun (2026-present)
Eli Tenenbaum (2026-present)
Lab Alumni
Former Postodoc:
Michelle Gilbert (2022-2024), current position: Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Biology, Penn State University email
Former Undergraduate Researchers:
Bianca Vechinski (2025-2026)
Rachel Lexon (2024-2026)
Gabriella Esposito (2023-2025)
Alex Kwiatkowski, (2022-2025)
Ciara Woodburn (2022-2024)
Sophia Emkey (2023)