Michelle Volk

Michelle Volk

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Ph.D. Student
Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

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Major Advisor: 

Jean Tsao

Biography:

Michelle is originally from Glen Ellyn, Illinois and received her bachelor's degree in Biology from New York University in 2017. As an undergraduate, she conducted research on influenza genetics and developed an interest in vector-borne diseases. After spending a year working on an organic livestock farm, she then pursued and received her Master's degree from the University of Maine in 2020 where she studied the effects of winter climate on blacklegged tick overwintering survival and distribution in Maine. She is currently a PhD student at Michigan State University under the advisement of Jean Tsao and is investigating the genetic diversity of blacklegged ticks and tick-borne pathogens in Michigan. Michelle enjoys gardening, reading, and hiking.

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