The Lab | The Mikaelyan Lab

Meet the Lab!

We investigate decomposition as a biological system - from constraints to consequences

Principal Investigator

Aram Mikaelyan

Aram is an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at NC State University. Originally from the former Soviet Union and raised in India, he leads a research program focused on the physiology and symbiosis underlying insect-driven decomposition. His lab studies how insects and microbes break down dead plant and animal material—work that spans basic biology, ecological processes, and pest-relevant systems.

In the classroom, he focuses on microbiomes, ecological specialization, and the biology of decomposition.

He is Vice President-Elect of the Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity (SysEB) Section of the Entomological Society of America, and co-chair of the Program Advisory Council of Experts at the World Bioprotection Forum. Outside the lab, he enjoys trail walking, drawing, and playing the bass.

Mentoring philosophy

Graduate Student

Michael Welsh

Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania; Mike earned a BA from the Virginia Military Institute. Now he is a First Lieutenant in the US Army Reserves and a Graduate Research Assistant in Microbiology/Entomology.

A lifelong fascination with mycology led him to begin researching insect-microbe interactions.

In the Mikaelyan Lab, he is studying the microbial ecology of blowflies (Calliphoridae).

Both in his ongoing and future research, he plans to create “SynComs” or synthetic microbial communities to better understand and potentially exploit how microbial communities organize, partition resources, or in some cases - synergize.

JSPS Postdoctoral fellow

Dr. Haruka Osaki

Haruka is a passionate naturalist and behavioral ecologist hailing from Japan! With a love for all things Blattodea, she has embarked on an epic journey into the origins of sociality in wood-feeding cockroaches!

Research Technician/Undergraduate scholar

River Canina

River’s work speaks for itself. The bio will catch up.

Thinking of Joining the Lab?

Welcome. If you're thinking about joining the group, I want you to know what kind of environment you'd be stepping into. This is an apprenticeship—a place for learning, growth, and meaningful work. I take mentorship seriously, and I do my best to support people who are ready to engage with the process and challenge themselves. If you bring sustained, thoughtful effort, you'll build the habits of clear thinking, disciplined problem-solving, and good judgment. Publications and career opportunities tend to follow naturally when those foundations are in place.

The expectations are high—not for perfection, but for steady progress. You'll take on challenges that stretch you just beyond your current abilities, with direct, supportive feedback to help you grow. Over time, as your skills and confidence deepen, so does your independence. That progression is intentional.

We work within real-world constraints—grants, time, materials—and part of your training is learning to treat those resources with care. Whether you go on to lead a lab, join industry, or take another path, the ability to manage limited resources thoughtfully will serve you well.

I welcome people from all backgrounds who share a curiosity about the natural world and a desire to grow and the motivation to turn that curiosity into meaningful scientific contributions. Positions in the group are limited, so I try to make sure the fit is mutual. If you value clarity, curiosity, and the chance to grow that curiosity into serious scientific work, I'd be excited to hear from you.

Mentorship and Growth

My job as a mentor is not to provide all the answers, but to help you learn how to ask sharper, more meaningful questions. I see my role as creating the conditions for you to do serious, ambitious thinking—while also giving you the structure, challenge, and support needed to grow. That means helping you build both technical skill and scientific judgment: knowing when to trust your instincts, when to double-check your assumptions, and when to let go of a line of inquiry that’s no longer serving your goals.

I’m hands-on where it counts—especially in the early stages, when you’re still learning how to frame a research problem, navigate the literature, or make strategic decisions about methods. But I’m not here to micromanage. As you become more confident and capable, I step back so you can step forward. Independence isn’t something you suddenly “get”; it’s something you earn through consistent effort, reflection, and honest conversation.

I take your development seriously—scientifically, professionally, and personally. That includes helping you learn how to give and receive feedback, how to think clearly under pressure, and how to recognize both your strengths and your blind spots. I will challenge you, but always with the goal of helping you do work you can be proud of. Over time, I want you to leave the lab not just with skills, but with vision, discipline, and the confidence to pursue your own path in science.

What are Lab Meetings Like?

Lab meetings are a central part of how we learn from one another and sharpen our thinking. They’re informal but focused—an opportunity to share work in progress, raise questions, and get feedback in a collaborative environment.

The format evolves as your project evolves:

In the early stages, you might present a conceptual or literature-driven talk—mapping out the questions that are motivating your research, and how they connect to existing work.
Midway through, the focus often shifts to research design and proposals: laying out your hypotheses, methods, and the logic of your study. This is where critique and discussion can really help clarify your thinking.
Later on, meetings become a space to present data—whether you’re navigating unexpected results, making sense of patterns, or preparing a manuscript. Sharing both challenges and insights is key.

What matters most is that you’re thinking aloud with your peers. These meetings are not performances; they’re workspaces. We value precision, openness, and generosity. The goal is to cultivate a lab culture where feedback is direct but supportive, and where everyone leaves with sharper ideas than they came in with.

Major collaborators

Mavis Acheampong (University of Ghana)
Aaron Ashbrook (Louisiana State University)
Eric Benbow (Michigan State University)
Cristian Beza-Beza (University of Minnesota)
Eli Hornstein (Elysia Creative Biology)
Larry Jiménez-Ferbans (University of Magdalena)
Christine Nalepa (North Carolina State University)
Gaku Tokuda (University of the Ryukyus)
Lauren Weidner (Arizona State University)
Matt Wilkins (Galactic Polymath)

Lab Alumni (and their last known whereabouts)

Senior Research Scholars

Dr. Mavis Acheampong
- USDA-FAS Exchange Fellow (March 2023 – May 2024)
  → Lecturer, University of Ghana
Dr. Cristian Beza-Beza
- Postdoc (Sept 2021 – Sept 2023)
  → Assistant professor, University of Minnesota
Dr. Aaron Ashbrook
- Postdoc (June 2020 – April 2022)
  → Assistant Professor, Louisiana State University

Graduate Research Scholars

Melbert Schwarz
- Graduate Research Assistant (PhD, Aug 2018 – Aug 2023)
  → Postdoc, Meiklejohn lab
Marissa Cole
- Graduate Research Assistant (M.S., Jan 2020 – Nov 2023); formerly Undergraduate Researcher (Sept 2019 – Dec 2019)
  → Curator, NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Marllon Andrade
- Visiting Graduate Student (PhD, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba; June 2021 – May 2025)

Undergraduate Research Scholars

Ben Acosta
- Chancellor’s Science Scholar, UNC Chapel Hill (June – July 2024); Visiting Scholar (July 2024 – July 2025)
Clara Tyson
Undergraduate Researcher (March 2023 – May 2024)
Autumn Sylvestri
- BeeMORE Mentee (May – July 2023); Undergraduate Researcher (Aug 2023 – May 2024)
Sydney Baker
- BeeMORE Mentee (May – July 2023)
Ezra Bailey
- Undergraduate Researcher (Feb 2020 – Aug 2021); Briefly a graduate research assistant (August 2021 - April 2023) before transferring
Elizabeth Wiles
- BeeMORE Mentee (May – July 2021); Undergraduate Researcher (Aug 2021 – Aug 2022); GGS Rotation Student (Aug 2022 – Jan 2023)
Maeve Finley
- BeeMORE Mentee (May – July 2022)
Estefany Valdez
- BeeMORE Mentee (May – July 2022)
Rebecca Lessler
- Undergraduate Researcher (June 2021 – June 2022)
Sophia Copeman
- Undergraduate Researcher (Feb 2020 – Feb 2021)
Caroline Elliotte
- Undergraduate Researcher (Nov 2018 – Nov 2019)

Former members

Jobs

Currently, there are no funded opportunities in the Mikaelyan lab for postdocs or graduate students. Jobs will be posted on the website when available. However, we are always eager to working on collaborative proposals for fellowships for independent research, such as postdoctoral fellowships from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, NSF-GRFP, the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG)

We are always looking for hard working undergraduate students who are interested in either assisting graduate students or postdocs with their research. There are also opportunities for students interested in gaining experience in independent research. Feel free to contact Dr. Mikaelyan directly for inquiries.

Open positions