Joanna Fertala started work in the Ustilago lab during the summer after her freshman year.  She worked on molecular characterization of several mutants.  She cloned a gene that in essential for infection of corn plants, and did extensive characterization of that gene, which was involved in methione biosynthesis.  Joanna also put her molecular skills to use in a variety of other projects in the lab, and worked in the Ustilago lab off and on during her entire undergraduate career at SJU.  After graduating, she has gone on to medical school at Thomas Jefferson.