Our Team

Galen Wong grew up in Chesterton, Indiana, where he fostered a love for biology in his work with the Indiana Dunes State Park as well as the Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station. He graduated in 2019 from Indiana University-Bloomington with a BS in Microbiology. After graduation, he worked in clinical microbiology at Munster Community Hospital, until the COVID-19 pandemic led him to continue his education with the post-baccalaureate premedical program at Washington University in St. Louis. He joined the Schwartz Lab in April 2021. When he is not in the lab, he likes to spend his time taking photos, trying new recipes, and playing board games.

Gavin John is a high school student taking a gap year before attending college. He grew up in Swarthmore, PA (near Philadelphia), and worked in a lab at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia during high school. Outside of the lab, he loves to run, play the French horn, and write code (for fun).

Ben Reimler grew up in St. Louis, MO and is a current senior undergraduate student at Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently working on a B.S. in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry. Previously, he has worked in the laboratory of Carey-Ann Burnham at Washington University School of Medicine. While in the Burnham lab, Ben grew a love for microbiology and an interest in clinical microbiology. Outside of the lab he plays competitive ultimate frisbee, spends time outdoors, and enjoys going on hikes.

Connie Yang is a 2nd year MSTP student from Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. She completed her BSc in Biochemistry at McGill University in Montreal in 2021 where she conducted research in cancer biology. Outside of lab and medical school Connie enjoys rock climbing, running, and reading.

Lingxia Zhao grew up in Heibei, China and earned her BA while working in an analytical chemistry lab in Beijing. She has extensive work experience in analytical chemistry and molecular biology research at both Washington University and NewLeaf Symbiotics. With her time outside of the lab, she enjoys gardening, fishing, and going on walks with her family.

Jessica Tung is a 2nd-year MSTP student from Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. She completed her BSc in Biology at the University of Texas at Arlington in 2019, where she conducted research in protein evolution and biochemistry. She later developed a love for microbiology while studying host-pathogen dynamics as an NIH post-bacc research fellow. Outside of lab and medical school, Jessica enjoys working on graphic design projects, cooking and baking, and playing with her two cats.

Isabel Erickson is a first year MMMP student from Bar Harbor, Maine. She completed her BA in Biology at Swarthmore College in 2018, where she conducted research on the hummingbird gut microbiome. Since then, she has conducted research on the skin microbiome and on the role of glucocorticoid signaling in the immune pathogenesis of obesity. In her spare time outside the lab, she enjoys cooking, reading and spending time outdoors.