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.

Karen Woolum

Research Associate / Laboratory Manager

B.S. Chemistry, Wright State University

Email: woolum.23@osu.edu

Karen grew up in Shelby County, Ohio on a dairy farm.  Her grandmother and both parents attended The Ohio State University.  Karen's grandmother received a $100 scholarship during the Great Depression that enabled her attendance.  That $100 covered an entire year of college!  Karen is beginning her 10th year as an OSU employee, spending time in the Radiology Department developing novel radio-labeled imaging agents before joining the Wesener Lab.  Since completing her Chemistry degree at Wright State University, Karen has been an EPA-certified environmental laboratory chemist, and an analytical chemist in food manufacturing for Nestle, Abbot, or Cargill.  Karen enjoys gardening, relaxing at her lake house, and spending time with her husband Art, her five adult children, Matt, Josh, Mark, Lauren, and Joseph, and her two grandchildren, Sophia and Alexander.  

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 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 Cantwell

Graduate Research Assistant

Matthew Estrada

Master's Candidate

B.S. Biology, The Ohio State University

Email: estrada.78@buckeyemail.osu.edu

Matthew grew up in a small town in Lucas County, Ohio. He enjoyed being out on the water, playing soccer, and woodworking. Matthew received a B.S. in Biology from The Ohio State University. As an undergraduate, he was involved in leading DEI initiatives in multiple organizations, mainly focusing on the Latin community. Matthew researched in multiple labs on topics ranging from water ecology to Natural Killer Cells in Immunology. As the second author, he has published research focusing on the inhibition of eIF4A1-mediated translation in triple-negative breast cancer cells. He joined the Ohio State University’s Microbiology Master's program in the Fall of 2023. He is interested in studying the role of bacterial glycans in affecting host immune cells.