Barbara Shelley Jetton

About

Hello, my name is Barbara, but you can call me Babs! I am an independent researcher at Utah Valley University, exploring the genomic landscape of Diptera. Additionally, I am a part of a virology lab, where I am gaining hands-on experience in pathogen identification. Outside of school, I am a lab technician conducting water toxicity testing. I am pursuing graduate school, where I aim to investigate how genetic factors contribute to disease and help develop new treatments and diagnostic tools.

Researcher

Science has been a part of my life for as long as I remember. As a child I explored the geology and biodiversity of Utah, and later, as a teenager, the ecosystem and marine life of Florida. My love for biology was formed by the natural world as I explored, asked questions, and got my hands dirty. From the ages of nine to fourteen I participated in robotics where I developed my passion for coding. Now my study in bioinformatics combines my favorite subjects into one degree! Outside of school, you can find me reading a good horror or sci-fi book, playing piano, or hanging out with family and friends.

Email: BarbaraJetton@outlook.com
City: Orem, UT

Major: Bioinformatics
Minor: Computer Science

Projects

R Package

Developing an R package used to aid in the creation of phylogenetic trees. The package includes functions that allow the user to scrape GenBank for sequence data using lists of species and genes. It also enables the user to piece together mitochondrial sequences for species lacking a completed genome.

Chromosome Evolution

I created an order-level phylogeny for Diptera, containing over 800 species. I am performing various statistical analyses to explore chromosomal evolution across dipteran families and suborders.

Pathogen Identification

Using virological techniques such as PCR, cloning, and DNA/RNA extractions, I am working to identify an unknown pathogen in butterfly bush.

Resume

Summary

Barbara Shelley Jetton

Dedicated and Passionate researcher with a keen ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team, I thrive on tackling challenges with enthusiasm and curiosity. My commitment to excellence, coupled with a strong work ethic, has been the driving force in my academic and professional endeavors.

Education

BS of Bioinformatics w/ minor of Computer Science

2021 - 2025

Utah Valley University, UT

Major GPA: 3.74 | Minor GPA: 3.36

Experience

Lab Technician

2024 - Present

Water and Environmental Testing Inc.

Conduct acute and chronic water toxicity tests using Fathead minnows and Ceriodaphnia
Maintain and monitor aquatic cultures, tracking survival and reproduction
Perform chemical analyses to determine hardness, conductivity, pH, and dissolved oxygen levels within test and lab samples
Follow lab protocol and safety to ensure quality results

Independent Researcher

2023 - Present

Utah Valley University

Creating a phylogeny to study chromosomal rate evolution
Exploring evolutionary histories and relationships of Diptera
Employing the scientific method to establish proper hypothesis testing and reproducibility
Collaborating with lab team to ensure project success and foster a supportive environment