Assistant Professor

Dr. Matthew Rubin joined the Department of Biology in August of 2024. Prior to joining the department, he was at the Danforth Center (St. Louis, MO) and Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY). He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming. He is a quantitative geneticist with a focus on understanding how plants perceive and respond to the environment and the processes that shape plant responses to natural and artificial selection in natural and breeding populations. Outside of the Lab, Matthew enjoys traveling and exploring nature! 

Postdoctoral Researcher

Dr. Zachary Harris is a computational biologist and data scientist working at the intersection of high-throughput phenotyping, genomics, and plant breeding. His current research uses statistical modeling and machine learning to accelerate the development of novel perennial crops. A former grape scientist, he now applies tools like phenomic prediction to integrate data from chemical composition, hyperspectral reflectance, and other traits, advancing both fundamental plant science and applied breeding for more sustainable agriculture. Outside the lab, he enjoys reading, doom-listening to news podcasts, and other indoor pursuits.

M.S. Student (Biology)

Anthony Landrigan was born and raised in Park Hills, Missouri before moving to St. Charles in 2021 to work towards a B.A. in biology at Lindenwood University, which he would eventually earn in the spring of 2025. Following that, he applied to and got accepted into the master's biology program at SLU. He began his M.S. in biology in the summer of 2025 working in Dr. Matthew Rubin's lab, where he assisted in his research on Brassica. He in in the early stages of his own work and research for his thesis, where he is analyzing multispectral images of Silphium taken with a videometer to answer questions regarding germination.

Ph.D. Student (Biology)

Kelsey Bonini joined the Rubin Lab in summer 2026 as a PhD student interested in how plants respond and adapt to environmental change. Originally from Virginia, Kelsey spent 10 years in St. Louis before earning her B.S. in Biology from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She has since returned to St. Louis to pursue her PhD at Saint Louis University. Her research interests lie at the intersection of genetics, ecology, and evolution, with a focus on how environmental conditions shape plant genotypes and phenotypes and influence adaptation. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling, camping, and exploring the outdoors with her three dogs.

M.S. Student (Bioinformatics and Computational Biology)

Adrian brings a unique set of experiences and education to the Rubin lab, having worked as a regenerative agriculture volunteer in Costa Rica, taught in Santa Fe, and served as a research assistant for the Soil Ecology, Perennial Wheat and Oilseeds teams at The Land Institute. He has attended the University of Glasgow, and graduated with a B.S. in Biology and minors in Computer Science and Studio Art from Ursinus College. Adrian assisted the ongoing FFAR-funded phenomic selection projects before officially joining the Rubin lab. He is designing a thesis project that involves bioinformatics, machine vision/learning and crop domestication. Adrian’s broad curiosity and different interests have an intersection in software that teaches esoteric biological concepts through iterative play

Undergraduate Researcher

Amin Motlaq is a sophomore and psychology major at Saint Louis University. He is interested in all types of biology, psychology, sociology, and writing scientific papers. Amin is focused on finding solutions to problems that plague our earth. The state of plant agriculture in many parts of the world is dire, and he wants to find a way to make a plant that will help feed more people easily. By analyzing the brassica rapa oil plants, he hopes the lab will identify the factors that result in the healthiest and strongest plants that will yield the greatest outcome for humans.

Undergraduate Researcher

Chris Jefferson is a rising sophomore majoring in Neuroscience on the pre-med track. He will begin work in the Rubin Lab in the fall of the 2025 school year. His specific interest in plant life and the plant genome lead him to pursue a plant research opportunity. He is also a biology learning assistant and a practice player for the SLU women’s basketball team. Outside of school, he enjoys working out, reading, and cooking.

Undergraduate Researcher

Tia is a senior Biology and Data Science double major at Saint Louis University. She is currently researching high-dimensional phenotypic traits of Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia). She loves birds and nature, and is interested in utilizing her undergraduate studies to work in the field of conservation biology.