About Rabern

My research is focused on the systematics of the Kingdom Fungi, specifically the early diverging lineages (Chytridiomyceta, Blastocladiomycota, Rozellomycota), among various Dikarya, including insect-associated, entomopathogenic, and rust fungi.

For most analyses, I have isolated fungi into pure cultures, amplified molecular sequence data, and observed developmental morphology by light microscopy. For selected taxa, I have prepared and observed tissues for comparisons of ultrastructural features by transmission electron microscopy. Using molecular phylogenies augmented with morphological characters, I have revised fungal taxonomy to reflect current phylogenetic hypotheses and have increased our understanding of fungal diversity by describing new taxa. I consolidated and named the Collection of Zoosporic Eufungi at the University of Michigan (CZEUM; ~1200 cultures), characterizing the ribosomal DNA barcodes of over 400 selected Chytridiomyceta and Blastocladiomycota using an Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION and protocols. I maintain databases of the Purdue University Arthur Fungarium (PUR) and Kriebel Herbarium (PUL) using Specify 7, in addition to databases of the Purdue University Herbaria library and M. C. Aime laboratory culture collection (~7000 cultures) using Microsoft Access. I am a proponent for the study of zoosporic eufungi and the history of their investigations, I host outreach tours and activities for the Purdue Herbaria, and I maintain the Herbaria website.

Education

  • Ph.D. in Biological Sciences | University of Maine | 2012

  • M.S. in Botany and Plant Pathology | University of Maine | 2007

  • B.S. in Biological Sciences | University of Virginia's College at Wise | 2004

Professional Experience

  • Curator of Fungi | 2022–Present | Arthur Fungarium (PUR) and Kriebel Herbarium (PUL) | Department of Botany and Plant Pathology | Purdue University | West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

  • Postdoctoral Fellow | 2017–2022 | Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate | 2016 | School of Biology & Ecology | University of Maine | Orono, Maine, USA

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate | 2014–2016 | School of Forest Resources and Conservation | University of Florida | Gainesville, Florida, USA

  • Postdoctoral Fellow & Program Director | 2013–2014 | School of Biology & Ecology | University of Maine | Orono, Maine, USA

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate | 2012–2013 | School of Biology & Ecology | University of Maine | Orono, Maine, USA

  • Ph.D. Student | 2007–2012 | School of Biology & Ecology | University of Maine | Orono, Maine, USA

  • M.S. Student | 2005–2007 | School of Biology & Ecology | University of Maine | Orono, Maine, USA

  • Research Assistant | 2004 | Department of Natural Sciences | University of Virginia’s College at Wise | Wise, Virginia, USA