People

Current Lab Members

Principal Investigator

Staff Researchers

Postdoctoral Researchers

Graduate Students

Visiting Scholars

Undergraduate Students

Mills Lab Alumni

Alumni - Post Doctoral Students

  • Taft, Diana 2021.  Current Position:  Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL.
  • Castagna, Vanessa, 2020.  Current Position: Scientific Affairs Liaison, TurtleTree Labs, Woodland, CA
  • Hoeflinger, Jennifer 2017-2020.  Current Employment: Senior Scientist, Mascona Corporation, Lebanon, NH.   
  • Liu, Jinxin, 2016-2020.  Current Employment:  Professor, Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
  • Maldonado-Gomez, Maria 2016-2020.   Current Employment:  Senior Scientist, BCD Bioscience, Sacramento, CA.
  • Lewis, Zachery.  2015-2017.  Current Employment:  Chief Science Officer, Synbiotic Health Inc. Lincoln, NE.
  • Frese, Steve.   2013-2015.  Current Employment: Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of Nevada-Reno.
  • Pacheco, Alline.  2012-2015.  Current Employment:  Senior Scientist at Verve Therapeutics, Inc., Boston, MA.
  • Sela, David.  2011-2013.   Current Employment: Associate Professor, Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
  • Ruiz-Moyano, Santiago.  2010-2012.  Current Employment:  Professor, University of Extremadura, School of Agricultural Engineering, Department of Animal Production and Food Science, Badajoz, Spain.
  • Wickramasinghe, Saumya. 2011-2012;  Current Employment:  Assistant Project Scientist, UC Davis. 
  • Chichlowski, Maciej.  2009-2012.   Current Employment:  Principle Scientist, Reckitt Benckiser, Sacramento, CA.
  • Kim, Jae Han.  2005-2011.  Current Employment:  Associate Professor, Department of Food Nutrition, ChungNam University, Daejeon, Korea.
  • Eom, Hyun Ju.  2008-2010.  Current employment: Researcher,  Chungcheongbukdo Agricultural Research and Extension Services, Cheongwon, Korea.
  • Marcobal, Angela.  2006-2008.  Current employment: Principle Scientist-Microbiologist, BCD Biosciences Inc, Davis, CA.
  • Rawsthorne, Helen.  2002-2004.  Current employment: Senior Research Scientist, Albumedix, UK.
  • Phister, Trevor 2002-2004.  Current employment: R&D Principal Microbiologist, Global Microbiological Sciences at PepsiCo, UK.
  • Cocolin, Luca 1998-2000.  Current position: Professor, Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Italy.

Alumni - Graduate Students

  • Jensen, Nick, 2022.  M.S. Microbiology.  
  • Heiss, Britta, 2021.  Ph.D. Microbiology.  Current Position:  Scientist, Evolve Biosystems, Davis, CA.
  • Castagna, Vanessa, 2020.  Ph.D. Nutritional Biology (co-advised with Bo Lonnerdahl).  Current Position: Scientific Affairs Liaison, TurtleTree Labs, Woodland, CA.
  • Griggs, Reid, 2020.   M.S.  Viticulture and Enology.  Current Position: MacDonald Vineyards, Napa, CA.
  • Murase, Ayaka, 2018.  M.S. Food Science. Current Position:  Researcher, Suntory Wellness Limited, Tokyo, Japan. 
  • Shani, Guy, 2017. Ph.D. Microbiology.  Current Position: Professor, Mission College.  
  • Kirmiz, Nina, 2017.  Ph.D. Microbiology.  Current Position: Research Program Manager, Department of Pharmacology, University of Southern California
  • Robinson, Ashanti.  2016.  M.S.  Food Science. Current employment:  Director of Research and Development, Umami Industries.
  • Karav, Sercan.  2015.  Ph.D. Food Science (co-advised with David Block and Daniela Barile).  Current Employment: Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University.
  • Lewis, Zachery.  2015.  Ph.D. Microbiology.  Current Employment:  Chief Science Officer, Synbiotic Health, Lincoln, NE.
  • Bokulich, Nick.  2014. Ph.D. Food Science.  Current Employment:  Assistant Professor, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH  Zurich, Switzerland.
  • Garrido, Daniel.  2013. Ph.D. Food Science.  Current Employment:  Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses, School of Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.  Santiago, Chile.
  • Sela, David. 2010.  Ph.D. Microbiology.  Current Employment: Associate Professor, Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
  • LoCascio, Riccardo. 2009.  Ph.D. Microbiology. Current position: Regional Business Development Manager at Novozymes.
  • Arhens, Kristen. 2008.  M.S. Food Science.  Current position: Senior Research Microbiologist, Eurofins, Livermore, CA.
  • Thompson, Sean. 2006.  M.S. Viticulture and Enology.  Current Position, Senor Winemaker, Schramsburg Winery.
  • Neeley, Zeke. 2005. M.S. Viticulture and Enology.  Current position: Winemaker, Kenwood Vineyards, Kenwood, CA.
  • Allen, Greg. 2004.  M.S. Food Science.  Current position: Winemaker & President, Dolce Winery, Oakville, CA.
  • Kim, Jae.-Han.  2004. Ph.D. Food Science.  Current position: Associate Professor, Department of Food Nutrition, ChungNam University, Daejeon, Korea.
  • Parry, Cameron. 2004. M.S. Viticulture and Enology.  Current position: Director of Winegrowing, Groth Winery and Vineyards, Napa, CA.
  • Parker (Frazier), Courtney. 2003.  Ph.D. Microbiology.  Current position: Senor Director of Quality, E. & J. Gallo, Modesto, CA.
  • Tamir, Dafna. 2003. M.S. Food Science. Current position:  Administrative Manager of R&D, FuturaGene Ltd, Rehovot, Israel.
  • Orr, Erica. 2003. M.S. Food Science.  Current position: Winemaking Consultant, Seattle WA.
  • Rantsiou, Kalliopi.  2002. Ph.D. Food Science.  Current Position: Associate Professor, Agricultural Microbiology and Food Technology, University of Turin, Italy.
  • Johannsen, Eric. 2002.  M.S. Food Science.  Current Position: Winemaker, Jackson Family Wines, Santa Rosa, CA.

Alumni - Undergraduate Students 

Alumni - Visiting Researchers or Visiting Students  (& positions they had when they visited)

  • Zhu, Yuanting - Sichuan Agricultural University 2018-2019.
  • Ohta, Moe, National Tax Agency of Japan 2012-2013.
  • Liang, Xiaojin, Department of Viticulture and Enology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China 2011-2013.
  • Turroni, Francesca, Department of Genetics, Biology of Microorganisms, Anthropology, Evolution, University of Parma 2009.
  • Liu, Shuwen, Professor and Associate Dean, College of Enology, Northwest Sci-Tech University of Agriculture and Forestry, Yangling, China. 2008.
  • Zaunmuller, Tanja, Institute for Microbiology, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Germany 2007.
  • Urso, Rosalinda, Department of Food Science University of Udine Italy 2005.
  • Rodriquez, Dr. Maria, Professor Higiene de los Alimentos, Facultad de Veterinaria, Avda. Universidad Caceres, Spain. 2004.
  • Marcobal, Angela, Graduate Student, Department Microbiología, Instituto de Fermentaciones Industriales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain 2004.
  • Lahl, Katarina, Undergraduate Student, Department of Food Science, Technical University in Munich 2004.
  • Lopez, Isabel, Graduate Student, Departamento de Agricultura y Alimentación, Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño (La Rioja) Spain. 2001.
  • Manzano, Dr. Maria, Associate Professor Department of Food Science University of Udine Italy.  1999.
  • Cocolin, Luca, Graduate Student, Department of Food Science University of Udine Italy. 1998.

Alumni - Staff (Specialists / Staff Research Associates / Project Scientists)

  • Shah, Ishita, Project Scientist, 2014-2022
  • McLaggan, Adison, Junior Specialist 2021-2023.
  • Al-Oboudi, Jassim. Junior Specialist 2018-2020.  Current Position:  Graduate Student, Microbiology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
  • Koch, Elexia. Junior Specialist, 2018-2020.  Current Position: Technician, CannaSafe, Los Angeles, CA.
  • Krishnakumar, Nithya, Junior Specialist, 2018-2020.  Current Position: BCD Biosciences, Sacramento, CA
  • Lopez, Julian, Junior Specialist 2017-2018.  Current Position:  Public Health Advisor,  San Francisco, CA.
  • Yu, Alice Junior Specialist 2016-2018. Current Position:  Research Scientist at California Department of Public Health, Davis. CA.
  • Bennett (Lee), Morgan, Junior Specialist 2014-2015.  Current Position: Research Coordinator at Central Texas Veterans Research Foundation, Killeen, Tx.
  • Lemay, Danielle.  Assistant Professional Research Scientist.  2012-2016.  Current Position:  Research Molecular Biologist, USDA-ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center.
  • Masarweh, Chad,  Junior Specialist 2011-2015.  Current Position:  Graduate Student, Graduate Group in Microbiology, UC Davis, Davis CA.
  • Ryazantseva, Mariya, Junior Specialist. 2011-2013   Current Position: Nurse Practitioner at Diablo Valley Oncology & Hematology.
  • Adamson, Aaron, Staff Research Associate, 2008-2009. Current Position: Staff Scientist at City of Hope National Medical Center.
  • Clark, Sharon, Junior Specialist, 2003-2004. 
  • Turner, Kevin, Junior Specialist, 2002-2003