Lotus studies mycology and ecology, writes about science, codes, and makes scientific illustrations. She was a postdoc in the lab from 2019-2021 and then received a Tri-I MMPTP (NIH T-32) postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University (2022-2024). Dr Lofgren is currently an Assistant Professor of Mycology at UC Berkeley in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology.
Lotus was broadly interested in the mechanisms structuring fungal community dynamics, and addressed these questions using molecular methods, comparative genomics, population genetics, and bioinformatics. Projects focused on fungal host specificity and co-evolution, fungal virulence, guild occupation, trait and genome evolution, and genomic tool development.
Lotus received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 2019, working with Dr. Peter Kennedy, and started at the Stajich lab the same year. When not at the lab, Lotus rides bikes, makes ferments and found object art, gardens, collects bad 90’s punk music, and (of course) hunts for mushrooms. Lotus is passionate about increasing diversity in STEM, inclusive pedagogy, science communication, and bringing attention to issues of access and accessibility across university levels.