Dr. Karly Cohen (2024-2025)

Functional morphology and performance. Dr. Cohen looked at filtration efficiency and performance of filter-feeding in large-scale marine animals. In addition, Dr. Cohen explored armor in terrestrial vertebrates including: armadillos/honey badgers and the development of chimera tenacular (cephalic and pre-pelvic) teeth. 

Dr. Cohen's website

She is currently a post doctoral scholar at Friday Harbor Laboratories

Dr. Cohen was awarded:

• Save Our Seas grant (2024)

Email: [email protected]

Publications with FABB Lab:

1. Donatelli, C.M., Vandenberg, M.*, Martinez, L.*,  Paig-Tran, E.W.M. and Cohen, K.E.** 2025. The Bioinspiration Feedback Loop - Fostering a Continuous Exchange Between Biology and Engineering. Integrative and Comparative Biology. In review. 
2. Teeple. J.*, Cohen, K.E.**, Stankowich, T., and Paig-Tran, E.W.M, K.E.**, Donatelli, C. 2025. Tapered tiles modulate flexibility in segmented armadillo-inspired armor. Integrative and Comparative Biology. In review. 
3. Cohen, K.E.** Donatelli, C.M., Schulz, A.**, Teeple, J., Stankowich, T., and Paig-Tran, E.W.M. Biological Armors – Evolution, Materials, and Bioinspiration, Integrative and Comparative Biology. In review. 
4. Teeple, J.*, Kahane-Rapport, S.R., Cohen, K.E.**, Hamman, L.**, Strother, J.A., and   Paig-Tran, E.W.M.   2025. Manta ray filters serve as a model for bio-inspired industrial applications. Integrative and Comparative Biology. In review.

Dr. Shirel Kahane-Rapport (2021-2024)

Dr. Kahane-Rapport is now an Assistant Professor at Old Dominion University.

Dr. Kahane-Rapport was awarded:

• NSF PRFB
• American Cetacean Society LA Chapter grant

 Email: [email protected]

Dr. Kahane-Rapport in the news: 

How blue whale got so big

• Teen girls in Ocean Science
• High tech tools for studying whales
• Baleen whales
• Microplastics in whales and in Phys.org

Publications with FABB Lab:

1. Teeple, J.*, Kahane-Rapport, S.R., Cohen, K.E.**, Hamman, L.**, Strother, J.A., and Paig-Tran, E.W.M.  2025. Manta ray filters serve as a model for bio-inspired industrial applications. Integrative and Comparative Biology. In review.
2. Kahane-Rapport, S.R., Teeple, J.B., Liao, J., Paig-Tran, E.W.M, and Strother, J.A. 2025. Filter feeding in devil rays is highly sensitive to morphology. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 292.20242037. 
3. Kahane-Rapport, S.R. and Paig-Tran, E.W.M. Edited by Fudge. 2023. Filtration in fishes. In Encyclopedia of Fish Physiology.
4. Vandenberg, M. L., Cohen, K. E., Rubin, R. D., Goldbogen, J. A., Summers, A. P., Paig‐Tran, E. W.M., & Kahane‐Rapport, S. R. (2023). Formation of a fringe: a look inside baleen morphology using a multimodal visual approach. Journal of Morphology.

Dr. Samantha Leigh (2019-2020).

Dr. Leigh is now an Assistant Professor at CSU Dominguez Hills. 

Dr. Leigh's lab website

Publications with FABB Lab:

1. Bowers-Doerning, C., Kahane-Rapport, S.R., Leigh, S., and Paig-Tran, E.W.M. Ingestion and assimilation of microplastics by Pacific sardines (Sardinops sagax) within the Southern California Bight. In prep.

Jordyn Neal (2022-2026). Thesis: Filtration performance and anatomy of megamouth filters. 

Jordyn is investigating the filter morphology and performance of megamouth sharks. She will be using various imaging techniques (SEM, Histology) and modeling to figure out how these denticulated filters work to retain prey. Jordyn is using museum preserved specimens by working closely with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, SCRIPPS Institution of Oceanography SIO collection, Cal Academy of Sciences, and various museums in Japan.

Publications: 

1. Neal, J., Rodrigues, S., Denton, J. S., & Bronson, A. (2024). Skeletal labyrinth morphology of four species of living elasmobranchs. The Anatomical Record. 

Jordyn received funding from:

• UCR BB2P Fellow 2024
• CSUF Jerome Wilson Memorial Scholarship 2024
• NSF GRFP 2023
• CSU COAST Dr. Kenneth H. Coale Graduate Scholar Award
• 2022 CSUF Violet Horn Fellowship 
• Graduate Equity Fellowship

Email: [email protected]

Julia Teeple (2022-2026). Thesis: Morphology and modeling of flow in mobula (manta) rays. 

Julia described the filter morphology of mobulid rays and is working with physical models of mobulids to better understand how ultrastructure changes flow (using DPIV).  

Secondary project: Armor performance in armadillos.

CSUF Jr/Sr Grant funded (2024).

Undergrad and SCERP Fellow (2019-2021). 

Julia is working on a project investigating the performance of armadillo armor. 

Julia's undergrad research investigated fluid flow and its contributions to filtration in filter-feeding sharks (whale sharks, basking sharks, and megamouth sharks). She looks at how tooth shape affects flow downstream of the oral cavity. She was also involved in a project investigating marine microplastic pollution in commercially important oyster populations in Southern California.

 Publications: 

1. Teeple, J. B., Kahane-Rapport, S. R., Cohen, K. E., Hamann, L., Strother, J. A., & Paig-Tran, E. W. M. (2025). Mobula, Bioinspiration, Filter Feeding, Form and Function. Integrative and Comparative Biology.  
2. Teeple. J.*, Cohen, K.E.**, Stankowich, T., and  Paig-Tran, E.W.M, K.E.**, Donatelli, C. 2025. Tapered tiles modulate flexibility in segmented armadillo-inspired armor. Integrative and Comparative Biology.
3. Cohen, K.E.** Donatelli, C.M., Schulz, A.**, Teeple, J., Stankowich, T., and Paig-Tran, E.W.M. Biological Armors – Evolution, Materials, and Bioinspiration, Integrative and Comparative Biology. 
4. Teeple, J.*, Kahane-Rapport, S.R., Cohen, K.E.**, Hamman, L.**, Strother, J.A., and   Paig-Tran, E.W.M.   2025. Manta ray filters serve as a model for bio-inspired industrial applications. Integrative and Comparative Biology.

Julia received funding from: 

• CSUF Giles T. Brown Excellence in Thesis Award 2026
• CSUF Emeriti Scholarship 2024
• Jungle Biomechanics invited participant 2024
• COAST Kenneth Coale Graduate Award Winner 2024
• CSUF Steven Murray Award 2024
• UCR BB2P Fellow 2023
• NSF REPS 
• CSUF Jerome Wilson Memorial Scholarship 2023
• NSF GRFP Honorable Mention

Julia won the all CSUF research competition and placed 2nd in the all CSU research competition 2022 in the undergraduate category. 

Email: [email protected]

Julia Teeple in the news: 

• Shark teeth
• CSU research competition
• Exceptional science on armadillos and Mantas

Jahnita DeMoranville (2021-2024). Jahnita worked on cephalopod bite forces before switching her thesis to: Ballistic tongue motion in salamanders. 

Jahnita received funding from:

• Eugenie Clark Summer field program to learn shark field handling.
• Pa'lante Fellowship recipient 2022.
• Aquarium of the Pacific African American Scholarship in 2023.

Email: [email protected]

Jahnita DeMoranville in the news

• Shark research

Maddy Wilson (2019-2026). Thesis: Performance of hearing in fin whales. 

Maddy used biological modeling to investigate hearing and bone conduction in mysticete whales. Her project was heavily anatomy based using computational modeling. She worked closely with Drs. Ted Cranford and Petr Krysl to create FEA models of whales. 

Maddy volunteered her time at the NHMLA. 

Maddy received funding from: 

• 2019 CSU Violet Horn Fellowship. 

Maddy Wilson in the news:

• Whale hearing

Taylor Naquin (2023-2025) Thesis: Biofoulers affect the compressive strength on native oysters, Ostrea lurida. (Joint student with Dr. Danielle Zacherl). 

Taylor's research focused on ecomechanics in taphonomically active zones. She investigated the effects of biofoulers on the compressive strength in foundational species. 

Taylor received funding from:

• 2024 CSUF Rachel Carson Award
• 2020 CSUF Violet Horn Award

M.S. Katie Kern (2020-2024) - Thesis: Reproductive anatomy of the cephalic and pre-pelvic tenacula in chimaeras. 

Katie received funding from:

• 2024 COAST Kenneth Coale Graduate Award 
• 2022 ASIH Raney Award
• Department of Biological Sciences

Katie won the 2023 CSUF research competition and placed 2nd at the 37th annual CSU Student Research competition in spring 2023! 

Katie is now working as a lecturer at CSUF. 

Katie in the news:

• Chimera tenacula

M.S. Chelsea Bowers-Doerning (2019-2023) - Thesis: Microplastics in commercially important food fishes. 

Chelsea received funding from:

• CSUF COAST Kenneth H. Coale Graduate Award
• CSUF Coppel Award
• CSUF Hillman-McClanahan graduate research awards.
• She was  selected as the recipient of the 2022-2023 Fly Fishers Club of Orange County Marine Scholarship.
• CSUF Emeriti Benson Memorial Scholarship
• CSUF Steve Murray Award

Chelsea won the all CSUF research competition and competed at the all CSU research competition in 2023. In addition Chelsea's thesis was selected as the 2024 Giles T. Brown Excellence in thesis Awardee. 

Publications: 

1. Perog, B. D., Bowers-Doerning, C., Ramirez, C. Y. L., Marks, A. N., Torres Jr, R. F., Wolfe, M. L., & Zacherl, D. C. (2023). Shell cover, rugosity, and tidal elevation impact native and non-indigenous oyster recruitment: Implications for reef ball design. Ecological Engineering, 192, 106969.
2. Bowers-Doerning, C., Kahane-Rapport, S.R., Leigh, S., and Paig-Tran, E.W.M. Ingestion and assimilation of microplastics by Pacific sardines (Sardinops sagax) within the Southern California Bight. In prep.

Chelsea Bowers in the news: 

• Sardines with a side of microplastics
• Microplastics in local waters

M.S. Raj Divi (2014-2020) - Thesis: Biomimetic modeling of manta ray filters.  

Publications:

1. Divi, R. V., Strother, J. A., & Paig-Tran, E. M. (2018). Manta rays feed using ricochet separation, a novel nonclogging filtration mechanism. Science Advances, 4(9), eaat9533.

U.S. Patent: 16240732. 

Raj won first prize at the CSUF research competition and also took home first prize at the all CSU research competition! 

M.S. Andrew Lowe (2016-2019) -Thesis: Evolution and structural performance of armored fishes. 

Currently laboratory technician at Chapman University 

Publications: 

1. Lowe, A., Kolmann, M. A., & Paig-Tran, E. W. M. (2023). How to Survive a (juvenile) Piranha Attack: An integrative approach to evaluating predator performance. Integrative Organismal Biology, 5(1), obad032.
2. Lowe, A.*, Summers, A. P., Walter, R., Walker, S., & Paig-Tran, E. M. (2020). Scale performance and composition in a small Amazonian armored catfish, Corydoras trilineatus. Acta Biomaterialia.

M.S. Andrew Barrios (2014-2017) - Thesis: Freezing and mechanical properties of Scombrid fish bones. 

Currently an Associate Professor at Santa Ana College.

Publications: 

1. Barrios, A.S., and Paig-Tran, E.W.M., The effects of freezing on the mechanical properties and composition of anosteocytic bone in Pacific mackerel, Scomber japonicus. In prep.
2. Paig‐Tran, E. M., Barrios, A. S., & Ferry, L. A. (2016). Presence of repeating hyperostotic bones in dorsal pterygiophores of the oarfish, Regalecus russelii. Journal of Anatomy, 229(4), 560-567.
3. Forsgren, K. L., Jamal, H., Barrios, A., & Paig‐Tran, E. M. (2017). Reproductive morphology of oarfish (Regalecus russelii). The Anatomical Record, 300(9), 1695-1704.

Email: [email protected]

M.S. Nicole Steplewski (2021-2024) - ENST Project: Filtration in whale sharks. Course based M.S. 2024.

Nicole worked on investigating the filtration mechanics and performance of whale shark feeding. Nicole completed a project that used scanning electron microscopy to look at the surface of whale shark filters. Nicole is interested environmental policy and hopes to use her degree toward a career in conservation. 

Email: [email protected]

Lexi Cheung (2022-2023). Scientific illustration

Lexi's artwork was published in the Encyclopedia of Fish Physiology(see publication below)

• Kahane-Rapport, S.R.** and Paig-Tran, E.W.M. Edited by Fudge. 2024. Filtration in Fishes. In Encyclopedia of Fish Physiology.