ABOUT

Taylan Morcol is a biologist and data scientist with expertise in plant chemistry and advanced statistical analysis. He earned his doctorate from the City University of New York in collaboration with the New York Botanical Garden, where his research focused on the metabolism of hops (Humulus lupulus). Today he leads field crews for the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis program, collecting data across Hawaiʻi and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands to inform forest health, timber management, and conservation efforts.

SKILLS & EXPERTISE

Quantitative Analysis

  • Multivariate statistics, regression, ANOVA, biostatistics
  • Large dataset management and analysis
  • High-throughput data pipeline development

Technical Skills

  • R (advanced), SQL (intermediate)
  • Metabolomics and analytical chemistry (LC-MS, GC-MS)

Research & Publishing

  • Peer-reviewed journal publishing
  • Academic manuscript editing
  • Cross-institutional collaboration (academia, industry, government)

Field & Applied Biology

  • Leading botanical field expeditions in remote locations
  • Greenhouse and plant cultivation experience
  • Mentoring students and early-career researchers

EDUCATION

  • PhD, Biology, 2021, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York [mentor: Dr. Edward Kennelly]
  • MPhil, Biology, 2016, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York
  • BS, Chemical Biology, 2006, University of California, Berkeley

EXPERIENCE

  • 2023–present: Biological Scientist/Natural Resource Specialist, US Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis, Pacific Islands (Hilo, HI, USA)
  • 2022–2023: Adjunct Assistant Professor (biostatistics), Lehman College, City University of New York (Online/Remote)
  • 2021–present: Feelance scientist [data analysis, manuscript editing, and other scientific services]
  • 2014–2021: Graduate Fellow, Hopsteiner, Inc., based at Lehman College, City University of New York (Bronx, NY, USA)
  • 2014–2015: Adjunct Lecturer, Lehman College, City University of New York (Bronx, NY, USA)
  • 2012–2013: Junior Research Scientist, Natural Products Discovery Institute, Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (Doylestown, PA, USA)
  • 2012–2013: Math/Science/SAT Tutor, freelance and A+ Test Prep and Tutoring (Cheltenham, PA, USA)
  • 2011: Organic Farm Worker, Hilltop Ranch (Carpinteria, CA, USA)
  • 2010–2011: Volunteer, Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms/WWOOF, (Paauilo, HI, USA; Hinkley, CA, USA; Ojai, CA, USA)
  • 2010: Trail Crew Member, Southwest Conservation Corps/AmeriCorps, (Salida, CO, USA)
  • 2009–2010: Physical Science Technician, Microbial Ecology Lab [PI: Dr. Cynthia Gilmour], Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (Edgewater, MD, USA)
  • 2009–2010: Volunteer, Meadow Hill Wellness Center (Annapolis, MD)
  • 2008: Research Intern, Plant Ecology Lab [PI: Dr. Dennis Wigham], Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (Edgewater, MD, USA)
  • 2004–2005: Undergraduate Research Assistant, Ludden Lab [PI: Dr. Paul Ludden], University of California (Berkeley, CA, USA)

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

  • Ji, Y., Zhang, R., Bensalel, J., Morcol, T., Gu, R., Gallego-Delgado, J., … & Long, C. (2024). Metabolomic and chemometric analyses of St. John’s wort and related Asian Hypericum species linked to bioactivity. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 329, 118163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2024.118163
  • Li, P., Bai, G., He, J., Liu, B., Long, J., Morcol, T., Peng, W., Quan, F., Luan, X., Wang, Z., Zhao, Y., Cha, Y., Liu, Y., He, J., Wu, L., Yang, Y., Kennelly, E. J., Yang, Q., Sun, L., … Yan, J. (2022). Chromosome-level genome assembly of Amomum tsao-ko provides insights into the biosynthesis of flavor compounds. Horticulture Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhac211
  • Zhang, R., Ji, Y., Morcol, T., Lin, F., Gu, R., Kennelly, E.J., Long, C. (2021). UPLC-QTof-MS Chemical Profiling and Characterization of Antiproliferative and Anti-Inflammatory Compounds from Seven Hypericum Species in China. Industrial Crops and Products, 173: 114156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.114156
  • Morcol, T.B., Matthews, P.D., Kennelly, E.J. (2021). Differences in leaf chemistry and glandular trichome density between wild southwestern American hop (Humulus neomexicanus) and commercial hop cultivars. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 69(27), 7798-7814. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.1c02710
  • Morcol, T.B., Wysocki, K., Sankaran, R.P., Matthews, P.D., Kennelly, E.J. UPLC-QTof-MSE metabolomics reveals changes in leaf primary and secondary metabolism of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) plants under drought stress. (2021) Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 68(49): 14698-14708. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.0c05987
  • Luo, B., Kastrat, E., Morcol, T., Cheng, H., Kennelly, E., Long, C. (2020). Gaultheria longibracteolata, an alternative source of wintergreen oil. Food Chemistry, 321: 126644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128244
  • Easterling, K.A., Pitra, N.J., Morcol, T.B., Aquino, J.R., Lopes, L.G., Bussey, K.C., Matthews, P.D., Bass, H.W. (2020). Identification of tandem repeat families from long-read sequences of Humulus lupulus. PLOS ONE, 15(6): e0233971. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233971
  • Morcol, T.B., Negrin, A., Matthews, P.D., Kennelly, E.J. (2020). Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) terroir has large effect on a glycosylated green leaf volatile but not on other aroma glycosides. Food Chemistry, 321: 126644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126644
  • Gu, R., Morcol, T., Liu, B., Min-jie, S., Kennelly, E.J., Long, C. (2019). GC-MS, UPLC-QTOF-MS, and bioactivity characterization of Acer truncatum seeds. Industrial Crops and Products, 138: 111480. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2019.111480
  • Gu, R., Rybalov, L., Negrin, A., Morcol, T., Long, W., Myers, A.K., Isaac, G., Yuk, J., Kennelly, E.J., Long, C.. (2019) Metabolic profiling of different parts of Acer truncatum from the Mongolian Plateau using UPLC-QTOF-MS with comparative bioactivity assays. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 67: 1585-1597. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b04035
  • Shu, H., Morcol, T., Zheng, J., Zhao, L.D., Kennelly, E.J., & Long, C.L. (2018). 西南少数民族药食两用植物 “茴香菖蒲” 不同部位的挥发油成分研究 [Studies on volatile oils compounds of Acorus macrospadiceus based on GC-MS, an ethnomedicinal and food plant used by local people in southwest China]. 中国中药杂志 [China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica], 43(9):1774-1779. https://doi.org/10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20180119.001
  • Szlavecz, K., McCormick, M.K., Xia, L., Saunders, J., Morcol, T., Whigham, D.F., Filley, T., & Csuzdi, C. (2011). Ecosystem effects of non-native earthworms in Mid-Atlantic deciduous forests. Biological Invasions, 13:1165-1182. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-011-9959-0

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

PUBLICITY