Our Team

Darryl A. Wesener, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology

B.S. Chemistry, Saint Norbert College (2009)

Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Advisor: Prof. Laura L. Kiessling (2016)

Postdoc, Washington University, Advisor: Prof. Jeffery I. Gordon (2022)

Email: wesener.1@osu.edu

Darryl was raised in the rural farming community of Manawa, WI. He spent his childhood playing outside and had a love of the natural world. Darryl obtained a B.S. in chemistry from Saint Norbert College (training camp home of the 13-time World Champion Green Bay Packers). As an NSF-REU undergraduate researcher, Darryl worked with Prof. Silvia Cavagnero at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying water exclusion during protein folding. He matriculated to the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his Ph.D. where he studied bacterial polysaccharide biosynthesis and lectin recognition with Prof. Laura L. Kiessling. There, Darryl became fascinated with the role of carbohydrates in biology. As a Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Jeffrey I. Gordon at Washington University in Saint Louis, Darryl investigated mechanisms of glycan utilization in the human gut microbiota. Outside of research Darryl enjoy gardening, keeping his pet chickens alive, and archery.

Zuzana Palcekova

Research Scientist

B.S. Chemistry, Comenius University in Bratislava

Ph.D. Biochemistry, Comenius University in Bratislava, Advisor: Prof. Katarína Mikušová (2014) 

Postdoc, Colorado State University, Advisor: Prof. Mary Jackson (2018) 

Email: palcekova.1@osu.edu

Zuzana was born in Slovakia, a small European country known for exquisite sheep cheese, fine wine, historic castles, and excellent ice hockey players. After graduating from Medical High School, Zuzana built a passion for biochemistry while attending Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. During her Ph.D. under the mentorship of Prof. Katarína Mikušová, Zuzana studied Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell envelope biosynthesis enzymes in the context of anti-tubercular drug development. As a postdoctoral researcher and Research Scientist with Prof. Mary Jackson at Colorado State University, Dr. Palcekova studied how modification of cell wall polysaccharides affects their biosynthesis and mycobacterial pathogenicity. Zuzana’s expertise in bacterial glycobiology led her to join the Wesener lab in 2024. In her free time, Zuzana enjoys walks in nature, painting, and time spent with her family.

Megan F. Hill, B.S.

Graduate Research Assistant

B.S. Biochemistry, Clemson University

Email: hill.2534@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Megan joined the Ohio State University’s Microbiology PhD program in the Fall of 2022. As an undergraduate Biochemistry student at Clemson University, she participated in multiple avenues of research. She was involved in an on-campus creative inquiry lead by Prof. Delphine Dean as well as an off-campus internship with New England Biolabs. After graduating, Megan worked as a research associate for Dr. Bei Liu in cancer immunology and hematology investigating the ability of SFB to prime immune cells in the mouse gut. Megan was fascinated by how the gut microbiome influences host health, and this motivated her to continue her studies in Microbiology. In the Wesener lab, Megan’s focus is investigating the role of bacterial glycans on microbiota community assembly as well investigating their role as a ligand for host immune cells. Some of her other hobbies outside of research include reading, cooking, hiking, and traveling.

Tony L. DiCesare

Graduate Research Assistant

B.S. Exercise Science, University of Toledo

Email: dicesare.14@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Tony was born and raised in Northwest Ohio wedged between farmland and Lake Erie. Growing up Tony spent most of his time outside with friends playing sports and was always fascinated by the equilibrium between physical wellness, nutrition, and health.  This led him to study exercise science with minors in chemistry and business at The University of Toledo where he researched eukaryotic muscle cell growth during hypertrophic stimulus with Dr. Thomas McLoughlin. Following graduation in 2016, Tony moved to Columbus to start the food truck Machi Hibachi with two of his best friends. In 2019 Tony joined Dr. Daniel Wozniak's research group investigating the therapeutic potential of bacteriophages as an anti-biofilm agent. Tony joined the Wesener Lab in Spring 2024 and is interested in how cross-feeding on bacterial polysaccharides influences gut microbial community assembly and function. 

Jason W. Cantwell

Graduate Research Assistant

B.S. Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida

Email: cantwell.53@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Jason grew up in Rhode Island but spent many years living in Philadelphia. Before graduate school Jason had several exciting careers, including his own tutoring business. Jason fortuitously gravitated back to his first love, science, just before the pandemic and worked on immunochemistry at LabCorp while obtaining his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. Jason joined the Wesener Lab in the Spring of 2024 and is interested in leveraging recognition of microbial carbohydrate structures by the mammalian immune system to improve human health. His research focuses on discovering how carbohydrate-binding proteins (host lectins and sIgA) impact host immune responses and microbial fitness in the gut. 

Megan A. Rose

Graduate Research Assistant

B.S. / M.S. Combined Microbiology Degree Program

B.S. Microbiology, The Ohio State University (2025)

Email: rose.1705@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Megan was born and raised in Columbus. She is currently a third-year honors microbiology student and is completing a minor in epidemiology. Megan plans to graduate in the Fall of 2025 then matriculate into the Master of Science in Microbiology combined BS/MS degree program. She previously worked in Dr. Lihua Ye’s lab at Ohio State studying the effects of Edwardsiella tarda on enteric neuron counts in zebrafish larvae. Megan joined the Wesener lab in January 2025 and is interested in oligosaccharide cross-feeding between human gut microbes. She has a strong interest in public health and infectious disease research. Outside of the lab, Megan enjoys playing the viola, watching musicals, crocheting, and spending time with her friends.

Jordan M. Lindsey

Graduate Research Assistant

B.S. Biochemistry, Indiana University (2025)

Email: lindsey.378@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Jordan was raised 30 minutes outside of Columbus in Powell, Ohio. She attended Indiana University-Bloomington where she obtained an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and minors in Computer Science and Mathematics. During her time at IU, she worked in Dr. Clay Fuqua's research group investigating biofilm production by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This work sparked her interest in how bacteria utilize carbohydrates to gain a competitive advantage in their environmental niche. Jordan matriculated into the Ohio State Biochemistry Program (OSBP) in the Fall of 2025 and is interested in how the mechanism of bacterial glycoside hydrolases impacts carbohydrate acquisition and utilization in the human gut. Outside of lab, Jordan enjoys crocheting, reading, yoga, and spending time with friends. 

Sean D. Cooper

Student Research Laboratory Technician 

B.S. Microbiology, The Ohio State University (anticipated 2026)

Email: cooper.2956@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Sean Cooper grew up in Cincinnati and enjoyed a concert and marching band. Sean is currently a senior microbiology major at The Ohio State University. He plans on graduating from The Ohio State University in the spring of 2026. Sean joined the Wesener lab in the summer of 2025 and has an interest in both the technical and managerial aspects of labs, as well as the research. Sean works with Tony DiCesare and he is fascinated by the complexities of human and bacterial interactions, which he learns more about daily in Dr. Wesener’s lab. In his free time, Sean enjoys playing the saxophone and piano, video games, reading, movies (especially Marvel), and (Packers and Buckeye) football.

Alec B. Minikowski

Undergraduate Research Assistant 

B.S. Microbiology, The Ohio State University (anticipated 2027)

Email: minikowski.1@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Alec was raised in Cleveland, Ohio but born in Connecticut, contributing to his lifelong love for the New England Patriots. He is currently a junior microbiology student planning to graduate in the spring of 2027. Alec joined the Wesener lab in January 2026 and is interested in how gut microbes impact host physiology. He works with Jason Cantwell to better understand lectin-carbohydrate interactions and shed light on bacterial recognition systems. Alec’s other hobbies include swimming, playing guitar, and watching movies with friends.