The Team
Who We Are
Karina Sanchez (Lab PI)
Assistant Professor
I am a first-generation college student and a proud Latina. I joined the Biology Department faculty at CSUDH in Fall of 2025 after completing a Postdoc at the University of New Hampshire. My research interests include studying wildlife behavioral responses to urbanization and biological education research to create inclusive higher education ecosystems. I teach Intro to Ecology and Evolution, Ecology, and Undergraduate student seminar.
Nyla Henry
McNair Scholar and Undergraduate Researcher
Project: Ecological factors in the prevalence of Feline Leukemia virus in Los Angeles city cats.
Bio: I’m currently a senior undergraduate student at CSUDH, majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology, while pursuing a minor in Women’s Studies. My research project investigates the prevalence of Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) amongst Los Angeles county’s community cats, and the ecological factors contributing to its spread. My interests consist of ecology, veterinary medicine, public health, ethology, and pathology; thus I’ve decided to pursue research that encompasses an aspect of each via an interdisciplinary approach. My overall goals are to obtain a PhD in Animal Behavior and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree; subsequently pursuing a career in academia or ethological research.
Li Rodriguez
Undergraduate Student Researcher
Project: LA Urban Bird Song Project
THIS COULD BE YOU!
Are you interested in joining the lab? Contact Dr. Sanchez!