Ms. Colella has received grants from the Joseph Gaudin Fellowship in Mammalogy and the Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology at the University of New Mexico and the American Society of Mammalogists, in addition to substantial state and federal agency support of her work. Ms. Colella has published in journals such as Nature Communications Biology, Journal of Mammalogy, Canadian Journal of Zoology, and Arctic Science. She is an active member of ASM, serving as the student board member and an active member on the Biodiversity Committee. Ms. Colella presented at ASM conferences 4 times since 2013.
Ms. Colella's dissertation research focuses on understanding how dynamic episodes of climate change in the Late Quaternary have led to recurrent bouts of admixture that impacts the evolution of high-latitude meso-carnivores; specifically, marten (Martes americana and Martes caurina) and ermine (Mustela erminea). By synthesizing genomics and morphometrics, she strives to increase our understanding of the role of hybridization in mammals, and also to provide new information and tools to managers for use in conservation. Ms. Colella plans to use funds from the Albert R. and Alma Shadle Fellowship to complete genomic sequencing for Martes.