The American Society for Microbiology, Student Chapter
University of Florida
Meet The Team
President
Nyla Searl
My name is Nyla Searl, and I am proud to serve as President of the American Society for Microbiology at UF for the 2025–2026 academic year. I’m currently a Junior studying Microbiology and Neuroscience. After previously serving as ASM’s Social Events Coordinator, I’m excited to continue fostering a strong and inclusive community of students passionate about microbiology, public health, and biomedical research.
Research Interests
I am passionate about learning more about viral infections and vaccine development. I currently work in Dr. Jones’ virology lab where I will be genetically engineering EcN to express the norovirus capsid protein as a vaccine delivery system. I hope to continue studying novel vaccine therapeutics by getting my PhD in clinical microbiology after undergraduate.
Vice President
Erika Prendes Martin
My name is Erika Prendes Martin and I’m honored to serve as ASM Gators’ 2025 - 2026 Vice President, as which I vow to establish a strong, educated student chapter and work to expand our visibility and range of opportunities. Feel free to connect with me through my LinkedIn or my personal email if you have any inquiries. I look forward to an amazing year and getting to grow our network in the world of Microbiology!
Research Interests
While I’ve been involved in several labs throughout the years, both at UF and abroad, my primary research interests lie in applied and environmental microbiology! I’m currently conducting research at the Maupin lab studying how post-translational modifications impact the glycerol metabolism of the extremophilic archaea Haloferax volcanii. In the future, I aspire to pursue a PhD in Molecular Biology and continue working to understand how metabolic interactions within microbes shape us and our environment
Treasurer
Helen Brockett
Hello! My name is Helen, and I’m pleased to be your Treasurer for the 2025-2026 school year. I’m a junior in the MCB major, and am minoring in Japanese
Research Interests
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Secretary
Kayla Washington
My name is Kayla Washington, and I am honored to have been elected Secretary of the UF Chapter of the American Society for Microbiology for the 2025-2026 school year. I aim to foster a safe and encouraging line of communication between this organization's officers, members, the UF student body, and the greater Gainesville community. I look forward to expanding the club's network and providing our members with all the opportunities and connections they need to be successful. Please feel free to contact me on any platform, anytime,
Research Interests
I am most passionate about virology research and the exploration of alternate treatments for viral infections in the wake of antimicrobial resistance and the rise of viral mutations. I currently work in the Czyz phage lab, where I work to isolate new strains of bacteriophages to infect Streptococcus bacteria as well as induction of prophages. In the future, I aim to obtain a PhD in Medical Microbiology and continue working with bacteriophages and Phage therapy.
Public Relations
Velan Thanasekar
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Research Interests
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Lead Event Coordinator
Kryshna Miller
N/A
Research Interests
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Social Event Coordinator
Kyle Bastos
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Research Interests
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Online Event Coordinator
Sam Odegaard
Hi! My name is Sam, and I am so excited to be the Online Event Coordinator for ASM this year. I am a sophomore majoring in Health Science.
Research Interests
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Outreach Event Coordinator
Natalia Simonitsch
I’m Natalie Simonitsch and I’m honored to have been elected as the Outreach Event Coordinator for the 2025-2026 school year. Within this position, I am prepared to create new outreach initiatives, foster club engagement, and introduce our mission to the community. ASM is an exciting and valuable resource to the Microbiology community and Gainesville community, alike. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, ideas, or comments on LinkedIn or through my e-mail!
Research Interests
I am currently looking to pursue an MD and enter the Physician-Scientist career path. While not involved in research yet, I will definitely be making use of ASM’s upcoming research workshop and hopefully securing a spot in research here at UF!
