Milan Sengthep, a Thai-American Ph.D. student in the Biological Sciences department at Lehigh University, studies deep-sea ecology under Dr. Santiago Herrera in the Oceans Research Center. She explores deep-sea ecosystems through the lens of environmental DNA (eDNA) to uncover patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem function in unexplored ocean habitats. Her research focuses on using molecular tools to characterize deep-sea communities, including corals, sponges, and other invertebrates, with applications for conservation and long-term ocean monitoring.
Before beginning her doctoral studies, she earned her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Oregon State University and managed a clinical genomics laboratory during the COVID-19 pandemic in her home state of Idaho. These experiences shaped her interest in molecular ecology and inspired her to bridge genomics with ocean exploration.
She is excited to join this Schmidt Ocean Institute expedition, “Vida en extremos”, where she looks forward to collaborating with other researchers and contributing to the discovery and understanding of deep-sea ecosystems.
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