Current Students

PhD Students

CLASS OF 2015

Rumeysa Biyik-Sit

EDUCATION: B.S. (2007), M.S. (2009), Mol Biol and Genetics, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; M.S. Mol. Cell. Dev. Biol., Ohio State University, 2012
MENTOR(S): Dr. Brian Clem
PROJECT: Potential role for a phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 and pyruvate kinase M2 (PSAT1:PKM2) functional interaction in lung cancer cells

CLASS OF 2016

Timothy Audam

EDUCATION: BSc, Microbiology, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria, 2012; M.S. Biochem/Mol. Biol., East Tennessee State University, TN, 2016
MENTOR(S): Dr. Steve Jones
PROJECT: Mechanisms of cell therapy-mediated remodeling of the failing heart

Emily Duderstadt

EDUCATION: B.S., Biochem/Mol. Biol., Wittenberg University (OH), 2016
MENTOR(S): Dr. David Samuelson
PROJECT: Genetic and functional analysis of breast cancer susceptibility genes

Justin Kos

EDUCATION: B.S., Biology, Saint Louis University, 2012; M.S., Cell Mol. Biol., University of Missouri-St. Louis, 2015
MENTOR(S): Dr. Corey Watson
PROJECT: Genetic and epigenetic variation in mouse antibody repertoire development

Robert Monsen

EDUCATION: B.S., Biochemistry, University of Southern Indiana, 2014
MENTOR(S): Dr. John Trent
PROJECT: Characterization of the hTERT promoter quadruplex

Jordan Noe

EDUCATION: B.S., Biology, minor in Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, 2013
MENTOR(S): Dr. Bob Mitchell
PROJECT: The role of MIF in the matabolism of tumor-associated macrophages and the promotion of a protumorigenic microenvironment

CLASS OF 2017

Mark DeLa Cerna

EDUCATION:
B.S/M.S. Chemistry, 2014, Ateneo de Manila Univ., Quezon City, Philippines
MENTOR(S): Dr. Donghan Lee and Dr. Brian Clem
PROJECT: Structural and biophysical characterization of proteins - Defining the role of conformational flexibility in protein function using biomolecular NMR

William Gibson

EDUCATION: B.S., Oregon State University, 2011; M.S., University of Louisville, 2019
MENTOR(S): Dr. Corey Watson
PROJECT: Genetics behind antibody expression and usage in the context of naive and stimulated adaptive immune response. How an individual's germline antibody genes contribute to vaccine and disease response. Novel sequencing techniques to better study the underlying genetic structure of the antibody coding regions in the genome of Humans and Rhesus Macaque.

CLASS OF 2018

Makayla Brady

EDUCATION:
B.S. Biochemistry, 2017 - Bridgewater State Univ. Bridgewater MA
MENTOR(S): David Powell
PROJECT: Understanding the mechanisms of Lupus Nephritis development due to a genetic loss of ABIN1 function.

Annalara Fischer

EDUCATION:
B.S. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology/ Music, 2016 - Centre College, Danville, KY
MENTOR(S): Dr. Joseph Moore IV
PROJECT: The role of matricellular CCN proteins in chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy

Belinda Petri

EDUCATION:
B.S. Biology, 2018 - Indiana Univ. Southeast New Albany, IN
MENTOR(S): Carolyn Klinge
PROJECT: HNRNPA2B1 contributes to endocrine resistance in ERalpha positive breast cancer by dysregulating microRNAs

Muge Sak

EDUCATION:
B.S. Molecular Biology & Genetics, 2017 - Middle East Technical University, Ankara Turkey
MENTOR(S): Norman Lehman
PROJECT: Novel combination therapy approaches against glioblastoma

Alexis Vega

EDUCATION:
B.S. Biotechnology, 2014 - Florida Gulf Coast University, FL; M.S. Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, 2018 - Univ. of Louisville, Louisville, KY
MENTOR(S): Levi Beverly
PROJECT: Understanding the cross-talk between lung adenocarcinoma and lung microbiome

CLASS OF 2019

Danielle Little

EDUCATION: B.S. Biochemistry, 2018 - Oakwood Univ. Huntsville, AL
MENTOR(S): Steven Jones
PROJECT: TBD

Benjamin Rood

EDUCATION: B.S. Biology- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA;B.S. Kinesiology- Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA

MENTOR(S): Michal Hetman, MD, PhD

PROJECT: Induction of cellular senescence after spinal cord injury

Sydney Smith

EDUCATION: B.S. Chemistry, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 2019
MENTOR(S): Matt Cave, M.D., Associate Professor in Med-GastroenterologyHepatology
PROJECT: Understanding the metabolic effects of various exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and polychlorinated-biphenyls (PCBs) as it relates to the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Hieu Vo

EDUCATION: B.S. Molecular Biology & Genetics, 2015 - Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY; M.S. Biochemistry, 2018 - Murray State University, Murray, KY
MENTOR(S): Ben Lovely, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
PROJECT: Tissue Specific BMP Profile

CLASS OF 2020

Raeden Gray

EDUCATION: B.S. in Biology, St. Thomas University, May 2020
MENTOR(S): TBD
PROJECT: TBD

Jonah Stephan

EDUCATION: B.S. in Natural Sciences, Pre-Medicine Emphasis, Pensacola Christian College
MENTOR(S): TBD
PROJECT: TBD

Justin Ventura

EDUCATION: B.S. in Biochemistry, Hanover College, 2020
MENTOR(S): TBD
PROJECT: TBD