Saori Lobbia
Research Assistant, Entomology
Saori studies phorid flies from around the world and the BioSCAN samples from urban backyards across Los Angeles. Using a large-scale DNA barcoding technique in addition to morphological approach, she is contributing to the discovery of phorid species new to science.
Born and raised in Japan, she always liked to catch insects in her city home garden, as well as at her family summer house in the mountains. She studied developmental biology during metamorphosis and sexual dimorphism in moths and flies. She obtained her Ph. D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Tokyo. She volunteers at the museum gallery and shares the wonder of natural history with the guests.