Lotus Lofgren (PI)
I’m an ecologist interested in the mechanisms structuring fungal interactions, including host specificity, competition, guild plasticity, trait and genome evolution, and how these concepts intersect with ecological theory. To address these questions I use two key approaches: Reverse Ecology- starting with genomes and working backwards to develop testable hypotheses, and Synthetic Ecology- using constructed communities to tractably manipulate complex consortia. This multidisciplinary strategy leverages comparative-, population- and phylo-genomics, computational bioinformatics, and laboratory experiments employing bioassays and molecular biology.
I’m an Asst. Professor in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at The University of California Berkeley. Before arriving at UCB in January of 2025, I completed a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota (2019) in the Kennedy Lab of Fungal Ecology, and then a two-year postdoc in fungal population genetics and evolutionary genomics in the Stajich Lab at the University of California Riverside, before joining the Vilgalys Lab at Duke University for three years as a Tri-I MMPTP (NIH T-32) postdoctoral fellow.
I’m passionate about increasing diversity in STEM, inclusive pedagogy, mentorship, science communication, and bringing attention to issues of access and accessibility across university levels. I use she/her pronouns. When I’m not at the lab I make scientific illustrations, ride bikes, garden, collect bad 90’s punk music, and (of course), hunt for mushrooms.
orcid.org/0000-0002-0632-102XChina Lunde Shaw (Laboratory Manager)
China’s research centers around the use of forward genetics to address basic developmental biology questions and harness genetic resistance to fungal pathogens. Currently, she is primarily working with a stripe rust/tetraploid wheat pathosystem with the goal of reducing pesticide use and improving plant health. She also acts as lab manager in both the Krasileva and Lofgren labs in the department of Plant and Microbial Biology at UC Berkeley. This dual appointment synergistically exposes her to concepts of immunology and fungal biology. When not in the lab, she enjoys cooking and hiking.
Ben Lemmond (Postdoctoral researcher)
Ben is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina and joined the Lofgren Lab as a postdoctoral scholar in 2025. His mycology journey began as a PhD student at the University of Florida where he studied the ecology and evolution of Pezizales, a group that includes many iconic edible fungi (morels, gourmet truffles). In the Lofgren Lab, Ben combines his expertise in ectomycorrhizal fungi and genomics/molecular biology to investigate ecological tradeoffs in secondary metabolite production using Suillus fungi. His research explores the mechanisms underpinning how ectomycorrhizal fungi interact with other soil microorganisms and the metabolic costs of these secondary ("non-essential") metabolites. Beyond the lab, Ben is also passionate about collecting and observing fungi in nature and uses a combination of new tools (such as DNA sequencing) and classic approaches (microscopy, fungarium accessions, etc.) to better understand fungal biodiversity and ecology.