
Siva Sankari, Ph.D.
Assistant Investigator
Click each profile below to learn more about our team members.
Graduate Students
Gabriel Herrera Prieto | Research and Development Azafran Bealar, Spain
Madison Mitchell | Graduate student at Dr. Zanders lab
IISER Students
Vikram Venugopal | Research Technician at Dr. Pillai Lab
Ketak Kapadnis | Scientist at Bharat Serums
Shruti Patel | Educator at Allen Career Institute
Gayathri Murali
Undergraduate Students
Claire Thomas | Senior at Rockhurst University
Grace Olson | Veternary school
Mauro Infante | Graduate Student at University of Miami
Stowers Scholars
Esha Francis | Medical school
Zuzia Szmyd | Senior at Rockhurst University
Domenica Soliz | Junior at Calumet College of St. Joseph



Research Technician
Sankari Lab

Ph.D. Student
B.S., Biotechnology, Pablo de Olavide University, Spain
Joined: 2023
Current work: establishing gene engineering tools in soil bacteria and studying host peptides in legumes-bacteria symbiosis
Hobbies: I enjoy both doing sports and spending time at home listening to music, playing videogames or watching shows and movies

Visiting Student
Sankari Lab

Computational Biology Scholar
Sankari Lab

Ph.D. Student
Sankari Lab
B.S., Biological Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, Ecuador
M.S., Laboratory Technology, Technical Particular University of Loja, Ecuador
Joined: 2023
In my undergrad and master’s degree I studied cell regeneration and toxicology in Ecuador, where I am from. Currently I am passionate about understanding fundamental biology and how it can be used for clinical and industrial applications. I have a particular interest in exploring how the symbiotic relationship between alfalfa and bacteria may parallel the interactions between pathogenic bacteria and their human hosts. In my free time I enjoy training different dance styles and learning new languages. View CV

Research Technician II
Sankari Lab
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Minor in Environmental Science and Conservation, May 2021 - The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Associate of Arts, December 2016 - St. Charles Community College, Cottleville, MO
In the Sankari Lab, I work as a manager and research technician II which supports our work investigating plant-microbe interactions. Previously, I worked in a Maize Developmental Biology lab for a few years studying genetic interactions related to stem cells. Next, I worked in a Plant Evolution and Ecology lab for a year, conducting transcriptomics to investigate telomere’s role in the speciation of native Hawaiian trees. At Stowers, I maintain the plant specimens and conduct experiments on isolating bacteroids from inoculated Medicago nodules, which helps us understand the symbiotic relationship of nitrogen fixation. In my free time I enjoy painting, nature, reading, and exploring new places in Kansas City with friends. View CV

Assistant Investigator
Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Cell Biology, Genetics and Genomics, Molecular and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Host-Microbe Interaction, Plant-Microbe Symbiosis, Metal Homeostasis
Prokaryotic Biology; Cell Biology; Laboratory Rotation; Thesis Laboratory
Siva Sankari, Ph.D., a biochemist, microbiologist, and plant biologist, joined the Stowers Institute in 2023 as an Assistant Investigator. Her research involves the beneficial interaction between plants and microbes, and how this translates to therapeutic applications.
