Recent Ph.D. Graduates by Department

Herson Astacio Cuevas
Program: Anatomy and Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Maria Bykhovskaia
Dissertation Title:  "Spontaneous Transmitter Release at Individual Active Zones."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Shreya Banerjee
Program: Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Ryan Thummel
Dissertation Title:  “Myelin and Vision Defects Associated With a Novel Mutation in the Endolysosomal Protein Vps11.” 
Postgraduate Positions: —

Amy Bascom
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Harry Goshgarian
Dissertation title: Unstable Ventilatory Control in Sleep after Spinal Cord Injury: The Contribution of Hypoventilation and Chemosensitivity.
Postgraduate positions: Research Assistant, Detroit Medical Center

Elizabeth Berger
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Linda Hazlett
Dissertation title: Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide: Immunoregulatory Role in Ocular Inflammation.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, Anatomy & Cell Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine

David Bissig
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Bruce Berkowitz
Dissertation title: Predicting Vision Loss In Healthy Aging With Manganese-Enhanced MRI Of The Rat Eye.
Postgraduate positions: Neurology Resident, UC-Davis Health System.

Joshua Brady
Program: Anatomy and Cell Biology
Advisor: Maria Bykhovskaia
Dissertation Title:  "The Mechanism by Which the Synaptic Protein Complein Inhibits Spontaneous Release of Neurotransmitters."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Mirela Cerghet
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Skoff
Dissertation title: Sexual Dimorphism of Neuroglia Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Neurology Resident, Henry Ford Hospital

John Chunta
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr.Rodney Braun
Dissertation title: Radiosensitizing Hypoxic Tumors through Metabolic Inhibition.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, William Beaumont Hospital; Senior Scientist – Imaging Operations and Corporate Radiation Safety Officer, Molecular Imaging Inc.; Senior Scientific Content Manager, TRM Oncology

Shengjie Cui
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Zhuo-Hua Pan
Dissertation title: Improving AAV Transduction Efficiency in Retinal Bipolar Cells for Optogenetic Vision Restoration
Postgraduate positions: -

Megan Foldenauer
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Linda Hazlett
Dissertation title: Substance P and the Host Immune Response.
Postgraduate positions: Multimedia Image-Guided Surgery Specialist-Neurosurgery, University of Michigan

Christopher Gayer
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Marc Basson
Dissertation title: The Role of PI3K, AKT and ERK in Strain-Induced Cell Migration and Proliferation.
Postgraduate positions: Surgery Resident & Pediatric Surgical Fellow, Wayne State University

Tushar Ganjawala
Program: Anatomy and Cell Biology 
Advisor: Dr. Zhuo-Hua Pan
Dissertation Title: Development of More Light Sensitive and Red-Shifted Channelrhodopsin Variants for Optogenetic Vision Restoration.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Chase Hellmer
Program: Anatomy and Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Tomomi Ichinose
Dissertation Title:  "Novel Signaling Mechanisms and Unexpected Adaptation by Neurons in the Retinal Motion Detection Circuit."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Caiping Hu
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Zhuo-Hua Pan
Dissertation title: Voltage Gated Calcium Channels in Retinal Bipolar Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, State University of New York-Buffalo

Yonglu Huang
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Harry G. Goshgarian
Dissertation title: Changes in the Crossed Phrenic Pathway and Crossed Phrenic Activity during Postnatal Development.
Postgraduate positions: Internal Medicine Resident, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

Andrew Jerome
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Susmit Suvas
Dissertation title:  The Role of Neurokinin Receptors and Satellite Glial Cells in Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Latency.
Postgraduate positions: -

Philip Jessmon
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. David Armant
Dissertation title: Human Trophoblast Survival and Invasion in the Developing Placenta: Autocrine Regulation by HBEGF.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Medical Writer II, MMS Holdings; Researcher, Truven Health Analytics

Xiaoyu Jiang
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Linda Hazlett
Dissertation title: VIP and Host Immunity.
Postgraduate positions: Studying for US Medical Licensing Exam

Srinivasu Kallakuri
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Jose Rafols
Dissertation title: The Endothelin Receptor and Axonal Degeneration in a Model of Diffuse Brain Injury.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

David Krolewski
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Walker
Dissertation title: Dopamine D1 and D2 Receptor-Mediated Immediate-Early Gene Expression in the Striatum and Frontal Cortex and Its Relationship to Motor Behaviors in the Rat.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute

Shahrzad Lighvani
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Linda Hazlett
Dissertation title: The Role of Neuropeptides in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Cornell Infection.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Scripps Research Institute

Zitao Liu
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Randell Armant
Dissertation title: Regulations of Trophoblast Differentiation during Implantation and Placentation: The Central Role of Intracellular Calcium as a Second Messenger and Its Transactivation of ERBB Receptor Tyrosine Kinases.
Postgraduate positions: —

Qi Lu
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Zhuo-Hua Pan
Dissertation title: Characterization of High-Voltage-Activated Calcium Channels in Retinal Bipolar Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Andrea Page
Program: Anatomy and Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Jose Rafols
Dissertation title: Differential Phosphorylation of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2-Alpha in Brain Neurons Following Ischemia and Reperfusion and Its Relationship to Mitochondrial Release of Cytochrome c.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor – Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University

Pushpa Rao
Program: Anatomy and Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Susmit Suvas 
Dissertation Title: “Alterations in Ocular Surface Systems During the Pathogenesis of Herpes Stromal Keratitis”
Postgraduate Positions: —

Kajana Satkunendrarajah
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Harry Goshgarian
Dissertation title: 3′, 5′-Cyclic Monophosphate-Mediated Respiratory Recovery Following High Cervical Spinal Cord Hemisection.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University Health Network-Toronto

Haoshen Shi
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Burger
Dissertation Title:“Inflammation in the Pathogenesis of Diabetic Retinopathy”
Postgraduate Positions:—

Muthulekha Swamydas
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Skoff
Dissertation title: Role of Hormones in the Sexual Dimorphism of Oligodendrocytes
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of North Carolina-Charlotte; Biologist/Senior Research Associate, National Institutes of Health

Carrie Tatar
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Skoff
Dissertation title: Determinants of CNS Adult Neurogenesis Are Sex, Hormones, Mouse, Strain, Age, and Brain Region Specific.
Postgraduate positions: Radiology Assistant Professor, Michigan State University-College of Osteopathic Medicine

Jennifer Thomas
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ryan Thummel
Dissertation title: Characterization of Adult Zebrafish Retinal Regeneration Following Two Different Damage Models.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Washington

Janelle Walker
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Harry Goshgarian
Dissertation title: An Analysis of Plasticity in the Rat Respiratory System Following Acute and Chronic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using Nanotechnology to Induce or Enhance Recovery of Diaphragmatic Function.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Zhiyu Wang
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Michelle Kurpakus-Wheater
Dissertation title: The Effect of Hypoxia on the Urokinase Plasminogen Activator System and Cell Adhesion and Migration in Human Corneal Epithelial Cells.
Postgraduate Positions: Resident, Cleveland Clinic; Resident, CHI Franciscan Health

Chaowen Wu
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Zhuo-Hua Pan
Dissertation title: A Expression of Microbial Rhodopsins in Retinal Neurons with Subcellular Targeting Motifs: For the study of the Structure/Function of Aii Amacrine Cells and for Vision Restoration.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Plastic Surgery Resident, Medical College of Wisconsin

Minhao Wu
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Linda Hazlett
Dissertation title: Defensins in Ocular Immunity.
Postgraduate positions: Research Scientist, Guanzho University – China

Bing Xu
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Fu-Shin Yu
Dissertation title: The Innate Immunity of the Cornea Against Microbial Infection.
Postgraduate positions: —

Jia Yin
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Fu-Shin Yu
Dissertation title: Molecular Regulation of Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Resident Physician, Sinai-Grace Hospital; Ophthalmology Resident, Kresge Eye Institute

Gi Sang Yoon
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Fu-Shin Yu
Dissertation title: The Transcriptional Regulation of Flagellin-Induced Protection of the Cornea: Role of IRF1 and ATF3.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan

Lisi Yuan
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Marc Basson
Dissertation title: Molecular Mechanisms of Strain-Stimulated Intestinal Epithelial Cell Differentiation and Migration.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Resident Physician, Cleveland Clinic

Wei Zhang
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Bruce Berkowitz
Dissertation title: Retinal Oxygenation in Experimental Retinopathy of Prematurity.
Postgraduate positions: Research Scientist, University of Texas-San Antonio

Yi Zhang
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Zhuo-Hua Pan
Dissertation title: The Expression, Physiology, Neurotoxicity and Modulation of Microbial-Type Rhodopsins in Retinal Neurons.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, New York University; Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University

Wenjing Zhong
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Dan Rappolee
Dissertation title: Stress and Elevated MAPK8, 9 Phospho Mediate Decreased Growth And Induce Differentiation Of Trophoblast Stem Cell During Implantation.
Postgraduate positions: General Dentist, Bridge Dental Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

Zimei Zhou
Program: Anatomy & Cell Biology
Advisor: Dr. Linda Hazlett
Dissertation title: Apoptosis in Ocular Inflammation
Postdoctoral positions: Ophthalmology Resident, Bronx Lebanon Hospital

Anupama Ahuja
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. David Evans
Dissertation title: Pyrimidine Biosynthesis in Aquifex Aeolicus Lessons from an Ancestral Organism.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University; Associate Research Scientist, Yale University; Associate Director – Office of Technology Licensing, Brandeis University

Govindaraja Atikukke
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Russell Finley
Dissertation title: The Role of Cyclin J in Drosophila Oogenesis: Interactions with the piRNA Pathway.
Postgraduate positions: Cofounder and CTO, ITOS Oncology

Monica Bame
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. William Brusilow
Dissertation title: Understanding the Gender-Specific Effects of MSO Treatment in ALS Mice: A Metabolic Characterization of the SOD1-G93A Mouse Model.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan – IHR-Biotech Life Science Healthcare Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices

Dulmini Barupala 
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler
Dissertation title: Characterization of the Yeast Cysteine Desulfarase Complex within the Mitochondrial Fe-S Cluster Biogenesis.
Postgraduate positions: —

Jianglei Chen
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Jianjun Wang
Dissertation title: Structural and Functional Studies of MESD a Specialized Chaperone Protein of LRP5/6 in Wnt Signaling.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Song Chen
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. David Evans
Dissertation title: The Role of CAD, FLASH and FAM129B in Cancer Cell Survival and Apoptosis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan

Jeremy Cook
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler
Dissertation title: Frataxin, the Mitochondrial Iron Chaperone for Fe-S Cluster Bioassembly.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-Los Angeles

Tamaria Dewdney
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari
Dissertation title: Biochemical, Structural, and Drug Design Studies of Multi-Drug Resistant HIV-1 Therapeutic Targets.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute – Harvard Medical School

Russell D’Souza
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Ackerman Gatti
Dissertation title: Investigation of Mutations in Nuclear Genes that Affect the ATP Synthase
Postgraduate positions: —

Stephen Dzul
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisors: Dr(s): Timothy Stemmler and David Evans
Dissertation Title: “Insights into DeNovo Fe-S Cluster Biogenesis via the Eukaryotic Fe-S Cluster Pathway(ISC) in Vitro”
Postgraduate Positions: —

Bin Fan
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: Biochemical and Functional Studies on Copa: The Escherichia Coli Cu (I)-Translocating P-Type ATPase.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Genentech; Scientist, Avidia Inc.; Senior Scientist, Amgen

Hsueh-Liang Fu
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: Mechanism of Arsenic Detoxification.
Postgraduate position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Xiaoqing Guan
Program: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Chunying Li
Dissertation title: P120 Catenin Regulates Inflammation in Macrophage.
Postgraduate positions: —

Ayana Hinton
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Ackerman
Dissertation title: Probing the Mechanisms of ATP11P and ATP12P through Biochemical and Molecular Biological Studies.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Tufts University; Assistant Professor, Denison University

Yuning Hou
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Chunying Li
Dissertation title: A Critical Role of CXCR2 PDZ-Mediated Interactions in Endothelial Progenitor Cell Homing and Angiogenesis.
Postgraduate positions: —

Yuefei Huang
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Jianjun Wang
Dissertation title: A Novel In Vivo Protein Refolding Technique.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Rutgers University; Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School; Intern, Partners HealthCare Innovation

Amruta Jambekar
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. William Brusilow
Dissertation title: Use of Methionine Sulfoximine to Dissect the Role of Glutamine Synthetase and Glutamine in Progression of Acute Liver Failure.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Molecular Medicine – Clinical Proteomics, St John’s Research
Center – St John’s Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Xuan Jiang
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: Properties and Mechanism of Trivalent Arsenicals Transport by Mammalian Glucose Permease GLUT1.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-Los Angeles; Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Colorado

Yong Jiang
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: Mechanisms of Insulator-Like Element and the Nucleotide Binding Domains of a Resistance Pump.
Postgraduate positions: —

Yuanyuan Jiang
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang
Dissertation title: Structural Basis of Epigenetic Regulation and Protein Scaffolding in Development and Diseases.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Karmanos Cancer Institute

Fatima Kona
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Domenico Gatti
Dissertation title: Structure-Function Studies of Aquafax aeolicus 3-Deoxy-D-Manno Octulosonate 8-Phosphate (KD08P) Synthase.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Karmanos Cancer Center

Kalyan Kondapalli
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Tim Stemmler
Dissertation title: Structure-Function Studies of Frataxin: An Iron Chaperone in the Mitochondrial Fe-S Cluster and Heme Biosynthetic Pathways.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Assistant Professor, University of Michigan-Dearborn

Damian Kotsis
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. David Evans
Dissertation title: Regulation of De Novo Pyrimidine Biosynthesis by CAD and CTP Synthetase.
Postgraduate positions: Reviewer, Kelly Law Registry; Associate Attorney, Harness Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

Yung-Feng Lin
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: An Arsenic Metallochaperone for an Arsenic Detoxification Pump.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Emory University School of Medicine; Assistant Professor, Taipei Medical University

Ming Liu
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Richard Needleman
Dissertation title: Targets of Phenylbutyrate – A Differentiating Agent – In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-Los Angeles

Ye Liu
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Vasily Studitsky
Dissertation title: Mechanism of Enhancer Action over a Large Distance and Transcription through Nucleosome by RNA Polymerase II.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University; Senior Scientist, Novavax; Associate Director of Genetic Engineering, Novavax

Zhigang Liu
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari
Dissertation title: Crystallographic, Molecular Dynamics, and Enzymatic Studies of Multi-Drug Resistant HIV-1 Protease and Implications for Structure Based Drug Design.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Cleveland Clinic; Postdoctoral Fellow Case Western Reserve University; Medical Resident, Harbor Hospital – Maryland

Dana Mahadeo
Program: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Ackerman
Dissertation title: A Network Model Governing Spore Formation, Dormancy, and Germination in Dictoselium Discoideum.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, National Cancer Institute; Associate Patent Agent, MedImmune; Attorney, Mintz Levin

Gargi Mahapatra
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Maik Hutteman
Dissertation title: Regulation of Cytochrome c Functions by Phosphorylation.
Postgraduate positions: —

Sandhya Muralidharan
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra
Dissertation title: Investigating the Metal Binding Sites in ZNTA, a Zinc Transporting ATPase.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, State University of New York, Stony Brook University

Chandni Patel
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. David Evans
Dissertation title: Biochemical, Structural, and Drug Design Studies of Aspartate Transcarbamoylase from Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Staphylococcus Aureus.
Postgraduate positions: —

Kirit Pindolia
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Rafael Fridman
Dissertation title: Topological Characterization of a Transcribing Gene Affinity Purified from Mammalian Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Consultant, Home Healthcare Solutions; Scientist/Lead Investigator, Henry Ford Health System

Tyler Peters
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. William Brusilow
Dissertation title: Methionine sulfoximine: A Novel Anti-Inflammatory Agent
Postgraduate positions: -

Gheorghe Proteasa
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari
Dissertation title: Structure-Function Studies of the HIV-1 Protease Multi-Drug Resistant Clinical Isolates.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, City University of New York

Swati Rawat
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler
Dissertation title: Molecular Details of the Mitochondrial Fe-S Cluster Assembly Pathway.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-Irvine; Executive Committee Member of the Association for Official and Analytical Chemists – Southern California Section

Andria Rodrigues
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler
Dissertation title: Characterization of Initial Iron Binding Location and the Structure/Iron Binding Site on S. Cerevisiae ISU and on D. Melanogaster Frataxin.
Postgraduate positions: —

Jian Shen
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: Nonequivalent Arsa Nucleotide Binding Site and Preliminary Studies of an Arsa Homolgue in Yeast.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Roche; Scientist, ThermoFisher Scientific; Resident Physician, Creighton University

Fredric Sigoillot
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Hedeel Guy-Evans
Dissertation title: Phosphorylation of the Multifunctional Protein CAD by MAP Kinase, PKA and PKC Cascades Leads to the Cellular Control of De Novo Pyrimidine Biosynthesis and is Associated with Differential Localizations of CAD.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School; Investigator II, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research

Arun Sivashanmugam
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Jianjun Wang
Dissertation title: Structural Studies and Functional Characterization of Exchangeable Apolipoproteins in Lipoprotein Formation and Transport.
Postgraduate positions: —

Nicholas Spellmon
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang
Dissertation title: Structural Insights into the Bilobal Regulation of SMYD2 and SMYD3
Postgraduate positions: —

Poorna Subramanian
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler and Dr. Brian Edwards
Dissertation title: Elucidation of the Functional Role of PCBP-The Cytosolic Iron Chaperone Protein Family, in Cellular Iron Homeostasis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University

Jian Wang
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Domenico Gatti
Dissertation title: Structure and Function of Aquifex Aeolicus 3-Deoxy-D-Manno-Octulosonate-8-Phosphate Synthase and Protein and Ligand Dynamics in 4-Hydroxybenzoate Hydroxylase.
Postgraduate positions: —

Shuo Wang
Program: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Chunying Li
Dissertation title: CXCR2 Macromolecular Complex in Pancreatic Cancer: A Potential Therapeutic Target in Tumor Growth.
Postgraduate positions: —

Yong Wang
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari
Dissertation title: Drug Resistance Mechanisms and Drug Design Strategies for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Proteases.
Postgraduate positions: Lecturer, Central South University of China

Marco Wong
Program: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: CADC, A Metalloregulatory Protein of the Cadmium Resistance Operon of Staphylococcus Aureus P1258.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Stowers Institute for Medical Research; Physician Scientist, Proteon Therapeutics; Medical Director, Proteon Therapeutics

Hung-Chi Yang
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: Functional and Structural Studies of a Novel Arsenic Detoxification Pathway in the Legume Symbiont Sinorhizobium Meliloti.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Taiwan

Jianbo Yang
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: Characterization of ArsD: an Arsenic Chaperone for the ArsABAs (III)-translocating ATPase.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Florida International University

Ravikiran Yedidi
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr.Ladislau Kovari
Dissertation title: Structure Based Design of Potent Inhibitors Against Multidrug-resistant HIV-1 Protease Variants.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institutes of Health

Pengfei Zhang
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Brian Edwards
Dissertation title: Structural Studies of Pyrimidine Biosynthesis in Humans and in a Hyperthermophilic Eubacterium, Aquifes Aeolicus
Postgraduate positions: Research Fellow, Harvard University

Yingxue Zhang
Program: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang
Dissertation Title: "How The Structural Uniqueness Makes Smyd Proteins So Special."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Yao Zhou
Program: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Dissertation title: Biochemical and Functional Studies on the Eukaryotic Arsenate/Antimonite Reductases
Postgraduate positions: —

Sidra Ahsan
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Tainsky
Dissertation title: Therapeutic Targeting Of Bmp2 In Nf1-Deficient Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors (mpnsts).
Postgraduate positions: Product Manager, Advaita Bioinformatics; Technology Transfer and Patenting Specialist, National Cancer Institute

Alan Arnold
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ramzi Mohammad
Dissertation title: Small-Molecule Inhibitors targeting survival pathways in B-cell Lymphoma.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Fox Chase Cancer Center; Instructor, City College of New York

Natasha Atanaskova
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Kaladhar Reddy
Dissertation title: The Role of Growth Factor and Estrogen Receptor Cross-Talk in Tumor Progression.
Postgraduate positions: —

Andrea Baillo
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Eithier
Dissertation title: Amphiregulin (AREG) and Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF): Disparate in EGFR Signaling and Trafficking.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Eastern Virginia Medical School; Quality Assurance and Control Lead, Maui Brewing Company

C James Block
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Guojun Wu
Dissertation Title:  "Investigation of the Common Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition Program in Breast Cancer."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Alaina Boyer
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Ethier
Dissertation title: Effects of HER-2 Over Expression in Human Mammary Epithelial Cells: Evidence of Altered HER-2 Signaling and Crosstalk between Insulin and EGF Signaling.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Washington-St. Louis; Research Scientist and Consultant, Jericho Sciences; Research Associate, Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance

Ethan Brock
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Mattingly and Dr. Gen Sheng Wu
Dissertation title: Sprouty4 is a Negative Regulator of ERK/MAPK Signaling in Breast Cancer and Plays a Role in the Transition from in Situ to Invasive Disease. 
Postgraduate positions: —

Aaron Burr
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Sokol Todi
Dissertation title: Hrd1 Partners In Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Medical Writer, MMS Holdings Inc.

John Caldwell
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Taub
Dissertation title: Identifying Mechanisms of Resistance and Potential Therapeutic Targets for Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Postgraduate positions: —

Michelle Castelli
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. David Kessel
Dissertation title: Mechanisms by Which the Bile Acid UDCA Enhances the Efficacy of BCL-2 Targeting Photodynamic Therapy.
Postgraduate positions: —

Gang Chen
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Zora Djuric
Dissertation title: 2, 6-Cyclolycopene-1, 5-Diol: A New Marker of Oxidative Stress.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, Penn State University; Associate Research Professor, Washington State University

David Craig
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Marc Basson
Dissertation title: Mechanical Signaling Mechanisms Underlying Pressure-Stimulated Tumor Cell Adhesion.
Postgraduate positions: —

Rosemarie Chirco
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. H-R. C. Kim
Dissertation title: The Novel Functions of TIMP-1: Regulation of Apoptosis and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Epithelial Cells.
Postgraduate positions: —

Ivory Dean
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Shijie Sheng
Dissertation title: The Tumor-Suppressive Role of Secreted Maspin via the Exosome.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-San Francisco

Yijun Deng
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Larry Matherly
Dissertation title: Structure/function of Folate Transporters and Role in Development of Anti-Cancer Drugs.
Postgraduate positions: —

Lisa Demchik
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Bonnie Sloane
Dissertation title: Trafficking of Cathepsin B-GFP Fusion Proteins in Breast Carcinoma Cells and Cathepsin B Deficient Fibroblasts.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Part-time Instructor, Coastline Community College

Sita Desmoulin
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Larry Matherly
Dissertation title: The Human Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter: Biology and Therapeutic Applications to Cancer.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University – Massachusetts General Hospital

Melissa Dobson
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Rafael Fridman
Dissertation title: Regulatory and Functional Aspects of FoxO3a Transcription Factor and their Implications in Prostate Cancer.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Associate Scientist II, Emergent BioSolutions; Medical Writer I, MMS Holdings Inc.

Christina Downey
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Marc Basson
Dissertation title: Molecular Mechanisms of Pressure-Stimulated Cancer Cell Signaling.
Postgraduate positions: Resident Physician, St. John Providence Health System

Prasanna Ekambaram
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Kenneth Honn
Dissertation title: Role of Thromboxane Receptors-alpha in Prostate Cancer Progression.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Pittsburgh – Children’s Hospital

Daniel Feldmann
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisors: Dr(s). Stephan Patrick and Olivia Merkel
Dissertation Title: “Preparation and Utility of Polymeric Nanoparticles for the Delivery of siRNA as a Cancer Therapy”
Postgraduate Positions:

Farhana Feroze-Merzoug
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Fazlul Sarkar and Yong Chen
Dissertation title: Androgen Regulation of the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and its Receptor in Prostate Cancer.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institutes of Health; Principal Research Scientist, Eli Lilly and Company

Michael Frezza
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ping Dou
Dissertation title: Activation of Tumor Cell Death Program by Targeting the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway: Significance in Cancer Treatment and Prevention.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Karmanos Cancer Institute; Technical Sales Specialist, Helena Laboratories

Aviva L. Fridman
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Tainsky
Dissertation title: Gene Expression Pathways Altered In Cellular Immortalization.
Postgraduate positions: Research Assistant, Karmanos Cancer Institute; Editor, The Larvol Group; Director of Operations, The Larvol Group

Anthony Guastella
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Sandeep Mittal
Dissertation Title: Tryptophan Metabolism in Patient-Derived Brain Tumors: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of the Kynurenine Pathway.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Kelly Haagenson
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Gen Sheng Wu
Dissertation title: The Expression and Regulation of MKPs in Breast Cancer Tamoxifen Sensitivity.
Postgraduate positions: Editorial Board Coordinator, Larval Group; Medical Affairs Consultant, Medtronic

Aimalie Hardaway
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Izabela Podgorski
Dissertation title: Adipocyte-induced inflammation in prostate tumor progression in bone: Role of CXCR2 and osteopontin signaling axes
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Cleveland Clinic

Dawn Hart
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. George Brush
Dissertation title: Meiosis-Specific Phosphorylation of Replication Protein A: A Mechanistic and Functional Analysis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Associate Professor, Grand Valley State University

Joshua Heyza
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Stephan Patrick
Dissertation title: Novel Insights into the Use of ERCC1 as a Biomarker for Response to Platinum-based Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer.
Postgraduate positions:—

Andreana Holowatyj
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Michele Cote
Dissertation title: Clinicopathology and Molecular Determinants Underlying Benign Breast and Breast Cancer Lesions.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Katie Hurrish (Hege)
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Yubin Ge
Dissertation Title:  "Enhancing the Antileukemic Activity of the Bcl-2 Inhibitor, Venetoclax, Against Acute Myeloid Leukemia."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Newton Hurst
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Hygong-Reh Kim
Dissertation title: Molecular Mechanisms of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-CC (PDGF-CC) Activation by Serine Proteases: Implications for Breast Cancer Progression.
Postgraduate positions: Transitional Resident, Crittenton Hospital; Radiation Oncology Resident, Detroit Medical Center

Jonathan Irish 
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Stephen P. Ethier & Dr. Zeng-Quan Yang
Dissertation title: WHSC1L1 Regulates Estrogen Receptor Activity in SUM Breast Cancer Cells.
Postgraduate positions: —

Sriram Krishnamoorthy
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Kenneth Honn
Dissertation title: 12-Lipoxygenase and Prostate Cancer Angiogenesis in the Normoxic and Hypoxic Microenvironment
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Scientist I/II, Biogen Idec

Joseph Krueger
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Kaladhar Reddy
Dissertation title: "The Role of MAPK and PKC in Breast Cancer Progression."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-San Diego; Senior Research Associate, The Scripps Research Institute; Chief Scientific Officer, Flagship Biosciences

Sarah Krueger
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Joiner
Dissertation title: "Regulation of The G2 Cell-Cycle Checkpoints in Response to Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation."
Postgraduate positions: Research Associate I/II, William Beaumont Health System

Katie M. LaComb-Conley
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. H-R. C. Kim
Dissertation title: "Matriptase/PDGF D/—PDGFR Signaling Axis in Human Prostate Cancer: The Role of PTEN in the Regulation of PDGF D Expression."
Postgraduate positions: —

Kristin Landis-Piwowar
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Q. Ping Dou
Dissertation title: "Molecular Studies on Stability, Biotransformation, and Cellular Targets of Dietary Polyphenols: Implications in Human Cancer Prevention and Treatment."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Lecturer, Wayne State University; Assistant Professor, Oakland University

Amanda Larson-Gedman
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Larry Matherly
Dissertation title: "Molecular and Therapeutic Implications of NOTCH1 Signaling in Pediatric T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital; Field Applications Scientist, Illumina

Xiang Liu
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Larry Matherly
Dissertation title: "Characterization of Membrane Topology and Structural and Functional Elements of the Human Reduced Folate Carrier Protein."
Postgraduate positions: —

Daniel Luedtke
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Yubin Ge
Dissertation title: Strategies to Enhance the Anti-leukemic Activity of Venetoclax (ABT-199) in AML Through Targeting of Mcl-1"
Postgraduate positions: —

Julie Madden
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Julie Boerner
Dissertation title: "Combating Resistance to Epidermal Growth Factor Inhibitors in Triple Negative Breast Cancer."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan

Carly Martin
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Karin List
Dissertation Title:  "Characterizing the Post-Translational Modifications of the Pro-Oncogenic Type II Transmembrane Serine Protease TMPRSS13."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Elizabeth Masko
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. David Evans
Dissertation title: "Intracellular regulation of the multifunctional protein CAD in Breast Cancer."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Associate and Research Scientist, Duke University; Project Manager, INC Research

Christopher McHugh
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Anthony Shields
Dissertation title: "Imaging Anti-Proliferative Compounds with FLT-PET."
Postgraduate positions: —

Brooke McKnight
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Nerissa Viola-Villegas
Dissertation Title: "Utilizing ImmunoPET to Monitor Tumor Response to Treatment in Breast Cancer."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Edith Mensah-Osman
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ramzi Mohammed
Dissertation title: "Mechanism of DNA Damage, Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Indolent B-cell Lymphomas."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Assistant Professor, University of Toledo College of Medicine

Vesna Milacic
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Q. Ping Dou
Dissertation title: "The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway as a molecular target for potential anticancer agents."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Michigan; Director of Research Project Management, SARC – Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration

Shermaine Mitchell-Ryan
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Larry Matherly
Dissertation title: "The Therapeutic Targeting of Folate Receptor Alpha Positive Epithelial Ovarian Cancer via Folate Receptor Selective Novel 5- and 6- Substituted Pyrrolo [2,3-D] Pyrimidine Antifolates."
Postgraduate positions: —

Benchamart Moolmuang
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Tainsky
Dissertation title: "CREG1 and its Enhancement of p16INK4a-Induced Senescence."
Postgraduate positions: Researcher, Chulabhorn Research Institute – Laboratory of Chemical Carcinogenesis

Andrew Murray
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Karin List
Dissertation Title: “Identifying the Role in Type-II Transmembrane Serine Protease TMPRSS13 in Breast Cancer”
Postgraduate positions:

Jyoti Nautiyal
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Adhip Majumdar
Dissertation title: "Targeting Multiple Signaling in Breast and Colon Cancers."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Sridhar Nimmagadda
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Anthony Shields
Dissertation title: "Pyrimidine Analogs: Different Roles in PET Imaging."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Associate Professor of Radiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

Pamela Osenkowski
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Rafael Fridman
Dissertation title: "Regulation of Membrane Type 1 – Matrix Metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) on the Cell Surface."
Postgraduate positions: Associate Faculty Member, Loyola University-Chicago

Amy Parman
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. George Brush
Dissertation title: "MEC1 and Replication Protein A: Biochemical and Functional Analysis of an Extraordinary Enzyme and Protein."
Postgraduate positions: Senior Field Applications Specialist II, Promega

Katelyn Powell
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Sreenivasa Chinni
Dissertation title: "TMPRSS2-ERG Regulation of Androgen Biosynthetic Enzyme Expression, DHT Synthesis, and Androgen Receptor Activation in Prostate Cancer."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Moffitt Cancer Center

Michael Price
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. David Kessel
Dissertation title: "A Role for Reactive Oxygen Species in Photodynamic Therapy."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Research Associate National Institute of Health – Perinatology Branch at Hutzel Women’s Hospital

Maggie Purcell
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Tainsky
Dissertation title: "Pathway Profiling of Replicative and Induced Senescence."
Postgraduate positions: Clinical Coordinator, McLaren Health; Toxicology Lab General Supervisor and LC-MS Operator, Comprehensive Pain Specialists

Olga Radkevich
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Wei-Zen Wei
Dissertation title: "Her-2 DNA Vaccination and Intratumoral Immune Modulation."
Postgraduate positions: Dermatology Resident, University of Chicago; Resident Physician, St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital

Stefanie Roshy
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Bonnie Sloane
Dissertation title: "The Role of Proteases During Development and Malignant Progression of the Mammary Acinar Structure In Vitro."
Postgraduate positions:

Jennifer Rothberg
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Bonnie Sloane
Dissertation title: "Acidic Pericellular PH: Effects on Proteolysis and Gene Expression as Determined in 3D Models of Breast Carcinoma."
Postgraduate positions: 

Aaron Sabbota
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Cher
Dissertation title: "Prostate Cancer Progression and Tumor-Induced Osteolysis: Implications of a Tumor-Associated MT1-MMP/RANKL/RANK Signaling Axis."
Postgraduate positions: Resident Physician, University of Rochester Medical Center

Omid Saeed Tehrani
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Anthony Shields
Dissertation title: "Studying kinetics and cellular metabolism of pyrimidine-based analogs as pet imaging agents."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Internal Medicine Resident Doctor, Capital Health System; Postdoctoral Fellow, Karmanos Cancer Institute

Kara Sawarynski
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. George Brush
Dissertation title: "Characterization of a Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor during Meiosis In Yeast."
Postgraduate positions: Adjunct Faculty – Natural Sciences, Lawrence Technological University; Research Associate, William Beaumont Hospital; Assistant Professor Oakland University

Sara Schmitt
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Q. Ping Dou
Dissertation title: "Molecular Studies on the Anti-Tumor Effects of Metal-Based Complexes: Involvement of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome and Apoptotic Pathways."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Rachel Sexton
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Asfar Azmi
Dissertation Title:  "XPO1 as a Therapeutic Target in Gastric Cancer."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Seema Shah
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Mattingly
Dissertation title: "Loss of RAP1GAP: A Driver in the Progression from DCIS of the Breast to IDC."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Claire Soave
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Manohar Ratnam
Dissertation Title: “Investigation of Protein and drug interactions to advance a novel therapy for prostate cancer that targets the Androgen receptor-ELK1 axis.”
Postgraduate Positions: —

Angela Sosin
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ayad Al-Katib
Dissertation title: "HDM2 Small-Molecule Inhibitors for Therapeutic Intervention in B-Cell Lymphoma."
Postgraduate positions: Clinical Research Associate and Clinical Trials Management Coordinator, Karmanos Cancer. Institute at McLaren Flint

Haihao Sun
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Anthony Shields
Dissertation title: Development of the Thymidine Analogs as Positron Emission Tomography Imaging and Antineoplastic Agents.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Officer, Food and Drug Administration

Lin Tang
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Tainsky
Dissertation title: "Study of Promoter Hypermethylation Regulated Interferon Signaling Pathway in Immortalization."
Postgraduate positions: Bioinformatics Scientist, AviaraDx Inc.; Senior Scientist, Sequenom; Senior Computational Biologist, Celgene

Emily Teslow 
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Aliccia Bollig-Fischer
Dissertation title: "Investigation of the Role for Methyl-CpG Binding Protein 2 Variant MBD2_v2 in Cancer Stem Cells and Obesity-Associated Cancers."
Postgraduate positions: —

Elizabeth Tovar
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Kenneth Honn
Dissertation title: "A Novel Role for 12-Lipoxygenase in c-Met and Integrin β4Axis Crosstalk."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Van Andel Institute

Alison Van Dyke
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Ann Schwartz
Dissertation title: "Inflammation in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Associations with Risk and Survival in Women."
Postgraduate positions: Pathology Resident, Yale New Haven Hospital

Jesse Veenstra
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Wei-Zen Wei
Dissertation title: "Impact of Cryoablation on Tumor Immunity."
Postgraduate positions:

Daniela Ventro
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Qingping Dou
Dissertation title: "The Bca2 And Ampk Paradigm: Unraveling The Cancer Connection."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Roswell Park Cancer Institute; Freelance Scientific Editor, Crimson Interactive; Freelance Medical Copy Editor, Graphic World Inc.

Bernadette Victor
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Bonnie Sloane
Dissertation title: "Functional In Vitro Analyses of Lipid Raft-Associated Cathepsin B: Implication for the Invasive Phenotype of Inflammatory Breast Cancer."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Associate, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital

Richard Warner
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Hyeong-Reh Kim
Dissertation title: "Analysis of the Structure and Function of a TIMP-1/CD63 Complex and its Relationship to an MT1-MMP/CD63 Complex."
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Huntsman Cancer Institute – University of Utah

Amy Wesa
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Anne Galy
Dissertation title: "The T Cell Stimulatory Function of Dendritic Cells: Regulation by Cytokines and CD40 Ligand."
Postgraduate positions: Instructor/Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Director of Research & Development, Celsense Inc.; Associate Director of Immuno-Oncology, Intrexon Corporation

Michael Wilson
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Larry Matherly
Dissertation title: "Structural Characterization and Therapeutic Utility of the Proton-Coupled Folate Transporter."
Postgraduate positions:

Gina Zoratti
Program: Cancer Biology
Advisor: Dr. Karin List
Dissertation title: "Matriptase Mediated c-Met Signaling in Breast Cancer."
Postgraduate positions: Clinical Liaison for Biobanking Core, Karmanos Cancer Institute

Dawn Albertson
Program: Cellular & Clinical Neurobiology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Bannon
Dissertation title: Gene Expression Profiles of Drug Abuse: An Analysis of Transcriptome Alterations in the Nucleus Accumbens of Human Cocaine and Heroin Abusers
Postgraduate positions: Associate Professor, Minnesota State University-Mankato

Warren Alilain
Program: Cellular & Clinical Neurobiology
Advisor: Dr. Harry Goshgarian
Dissertation title: NMDA and AMPA Receptor Subunit Plasticity in the Phrenic Motor Nucleus Following Chronicle Upper Cervical Level Spinal Cord Injury in the Rat
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Case Western Reserve University; Staff Scientist, The MetroHealth System

Mays Imad
Program: Cellular & Clinical Neurobiology
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Fischer
Dissertation title: 5-HT2A Receptor Activation Excites a Subpopulation of Pyramidal Cells in Deep Layer V of the Rat Prefrontal Cortex
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Arizona – Department of Neurobiology

Mohammad Khalil
Program: Cellular and Clinical Neurobiology
Advisor: Dr. Gregory Kapatos
Dissertation title: The De Novo Biosynthesis of Tetrahydrobiopterin by the No-Producing Cerebellar Granule Neurons: It's Regulation by cAMP and Potential Ability to Augment Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity.
Postgraduate positions: —

Christian Kreipke
Program: Cellular & Clinical Neurobiology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Walker
Dissertation title: NMDA and D1 Receptor Mechanisms of Movement Control: Differential Regulatory Mechanisms in the Intact and Dopamine Depleted Striatum
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, Wayne State University

Todd Mitchell
Program: Cellular & Clinical Neurobiology
Advisor: Dr. Gregory Moore
Dissertation title: Mood Stabilizers and Neuroprotection.
Postgraduate positions: —

Mahdieh Sadidi
Program: Cellular & Clinical Neurobiology
Advisor: Dr. Donald Kuhn
Dissertation title: Footprints of Neurotoxicity: Posttranslational Modification of Tyrosine Hydroxylase.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan

Mihaela Sin
Program: Cellular & Clinical Neurology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Bannon
Dissertation title: Development of Experimental Models to Study the Expression of the Preprotachykinin-A Gene in the Striatum.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Writer, MMS Holdings Inc.

Lance Swick
Program: Cellular & Clinical Neurobiology
Advisor: Dr. Gregory Kapatos
Dissertation title: Discovery of Human GTP Cyclohydrolase I Protein Binding Partners.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of North Carolina; Vice President of Research and Development, Chesson Laboratory Associates Inc.

Jennifer Taylor
Program: Cellular & Clinical Neurology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Walker
Dissertation title: The Contribution of Serotonin 2A Receptors to Excessive Motor Behaviors Related to Dopamine Receptor Supersensitivity in a Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Lecturer, University of Michigan; Undergraduate Neuroscience Lab Course Manager, Michigan State University

Lisa Abernathy 
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Gilda Hillman
Dissertation title: Soy Isoflavones Mediate Radioprotection Of Normal Lung Tissue By Modulating The Radiation-Induced Inflammatory Response.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Indiana University School of Medicine.

Basel Abuaita
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey
Dissertation title: Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Vibrio Cholerae Virulence Activator ToxT.
Postgraduate positions: Research Assistant, University of Michigan

Jonathan Allen
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Dissertation title: Pleiotropic Regulatory Function of the Lysr Family Transcriptional Regulator Cpsy During Streptococcus Iniae Systemic Infection.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University

Dwayne Baxa
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. K.Y. Yoshimura
Dissertation title: The Reduction of NF-kB By Genistein In T-Cell Lymphomas Generated By Mink Cell Focus-Forming Virus.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Staff Scientist and Technical Director, Infectious Diseases Lab – Henry Ford Hospital; Assistant Professor, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Nicholas Brown
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Yi-Chi Kong
Dissertation title: Examination of the Roles of MHC Class ll Molecules and Regulatory T Cells in Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Chicago; Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Transplant Immunology Fellow, University of Chicago

Stephanie Conant
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Swanborg
Dissertation title: Amino Acid Recognition of Encephalitogenic Myelin Peptides and the Participation of Innate Immunity in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Induction
Postgraduate positions: Associate Professor, University of Detroit Mercy

Aditya Dandekar
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Kezhong Zhang
Dissertation title: Role Of Crebh In Endotoxin Mediated Modulation Of Hepatic Metabolism.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Virginia

Jennifer Dittmer
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey
Dissertation title: Functional Characterization of the Cholera Toxin Promoter of Vibrio Cholerae.
Postgraduate positions: —

David Fischer
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Roy Sundick
Dissertation title: Membrane-Bound Immunomodulators as Adjuvants in a Cell Culture-Based Avian Influenza Vaccine.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center – Ohio State University

Matthew Fountain
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Gilda Hillman and Dr. Harley Tse
Dissertation title: Soy Isoflavones Mediate Radioprotection by Regulating Early Endothelial Cell Death and Inflammatory Signaling in Radiation-Inducing Lung Injury. 
Postgraduate positions: — Molecular Science Liaison at Caris Life Sciences, Grand Rapids, MI

Keith Fusinski
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Holland
Dissertation title: Adenovirus 36 E4orf1 Gene Induces Differentiation of 3T3-L1 Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Laboratory Technologist, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital; Adjunct Professor, Wayne State University; Toxicologist, US Environmental Protection Agency

Heather Gibson
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Wei-Zen Wei and Henry Wong
Dissertation title: CTLA-4 Transcriptional Activation: Regulation of Induced Expression.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, Wayne State University

James Glassbrook
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Heather Gibson
Dissertation Title:  "Identifying Host-Intrinsic Resistance Mechanisms to Therapeutic Anti-Tumor Antibody."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Sonya Greene
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Nancy Freitag
Dissertation title: Characterization of PRFA-Regulated Virulence Gene Expression in Listeria Monocytogenes.
Postgraduate positions: Director of Workforce Development, United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation

Stephen Gurczynski
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett
Dissertation title: Human Cytomegalovirus US17 Locus Fine-Tunes Innate and Intrinsic Immune Responses.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine – University of Michigan

Brett Hanson
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Dissertation title: Analysis of the Streptococcal CpsA Protein in DNA-Binding and Regulation of Capsule and Cell Wall maintenance.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics – University of California-Irvine

Melphine Harriott
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Mairi Noverr
Dissertation title: Effects of Prostaglandin E2 on Candida Albicans Biofilms.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Henry Ford Hospital – Infectious Diseases Translational Research Center; Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Oakland University

Suresh Kari
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Yi-Chi Kong
Dissertation title: Examining Autoimmune Sequelae during Cancer Immunotherapy in a Combined Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Tumor Mouse Model.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Thomas Jefferson University

Nathan Kelley
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Yuan He
Dissertation Title:  "Characterization of the Novel NLRP10 Inflammasome."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Taba Kheradmand
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Swanborg
Dissertation title: Natural Killer Cells and their Role in the Regulation of T Cell Proliferation.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University; Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory Director; University of Chicago Medical Center; Transplant Immunology Laboratory, Gift of Life Michigan

Anne Kizy
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Dissertation title: A genetic exploration reveals novel Streptococcus pyrogenes virulence factors important for in vivo survival and biofilm.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Writer, MMS Holdings Inc.; Scientific Director, Henry Ford Health System; Medical Science Liaison, Theravance Biopharma Inc.

Gitanjali Kundu
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Mairi Noverr
Dissertation title: Immunomodulatory Effect of Host and Fungal Eicosanoids During Host-Pathogen Interactions with Candida Albicans.
Postgraduate positions: —

Jinzhu Li
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Harley Tse
Dissertation title: Immunological Mechanism for Initiation of Relapses of Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Beth Lowe
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Dissertation title: Analysis of Systematic Dissemination of the Zoonotic Pathogen Streptococcus Iniae and the Importance of Capsule.
Postgraduate positions: —

Lin Lu
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Alan Hudson
Dissertation title: RSF1 and RSF2, Nuclear Genes Encoding Proteins Required for Respiratory Growth and Mitochondrial DNA Maintenance in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Children’s Memorial Hospital– Chicago; Resident, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Jesse Miller
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Dissertation title: Large Scale Screen Highlights the Importance of Capsule for the Systemic Zoonotic Pathogen, Streptococcus Iniae.
Postgraduate positions: Marine Biologist, University of Mississippi; Microbiology Specialist, 3M; Research Scientist, NSF International

Kristie Mitchell
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey
Dissertation Title: "Development Of A Zebrafish Model For The Study Of Vibrio Cholerae Colonization, Pathogenesis, And Transmission."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Mahomed-Yunus Moosa
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Robert Akins
Dissertation title: Investigation of Virulence and Resistant Gene Expression in Candida Albicans: Studies on Primary Isolates Form Patients with Acute Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.
Postgraduate positions: —

Rebecca Morgan
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Wooley
Dissertation title: Glucose-6-Phosphate and Joint Antigen Reactivity in Two Mouse Models of Autoimmune Arthritis.
Postgraduate positions: Lab Manager, Wayne State University; Research Studies Coordinator, National Jewish Medical and Research Center; Sales and Business Analyst, University Physician Inc.

Gerald Morris
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Yi-Chi Kong
Dissertation title: Characterization of Regulatory T Cells Mediating Induced Tolerance to Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Instructor – Department of Pathology/Immunology, Washington University; Assistant Professor, University of California-San Diego

Paramita Mukherjee
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Wooley
Dissertation title: Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Gene Therapy Influences Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in Collagen Induced Arthritis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Resident, Nephrology Fellow, University of Washington; Internal Medicine Nocturnist, Group Health Cooperative; Nephrologist, Northwest Hospital & Medical Center; Medical Director, Puget Sound Kidney Center

Audelia Munguia 
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Roberts
Dissertation title: Host Cell and Viral Determinants Involved in the Formation of Filamentous Influenza a Virus Particles.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Miami; Postdoctoral Fellow, Mayo Clinic; Manager of Medical Writing, MMS Holdings Inc.

Phanramphoei Namprachan-Frantz
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Dissertation title: Identification of the Role of the Sal Locus in Streptococcus Pyogenes Virulence During Host-Pathogen Interactions.
Postgraduate positions: Research Scientist, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) – Thailand

Suparna Nanua
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Fayth Yoshimura
Dissertation title: Elucidation of the Mechanism Involved in Oncogenic Murine Leukemia Virus Induced Apoptosis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University; Pathologist, Saint Luke’s Health System

Daniel Ortiz
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellet
Dissertation title: The Roles Of Human Cytomegalovirus Tegument Proteins Pul48 And Pul103 During Lytic Infection.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Marshfield Clinic

Quinn Parks
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Hobden
Dissertation title: Determinants of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Ocular Virulence
Postgraduate positions: Microbiology Scientific Research Fellow

Hilary Phelps
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Dissertation title: Characterization of Streptococcus Pyogenes Factors Required for Host-Pathogen Interactions
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Michigan State University; Director of Research, TransPharm Preclinical Solutions; Senior Scientist, Zoetis

Shari Pilon
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. W.-Z Wei
Dissertation title: Anti-Tumor Immunity Induced by ERBB-2 DNA Vaccines.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Comprehensive Cancer Center – University of Michigan; Research Scientist, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute; Assistant Professor, University of South Florida

Sarah Plecha
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey
Dissertation title: The Mechanism for Inhibition of Vibrio Cholerae Virulence Gene Expression by Bile and Its Fatty Acid Components.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toledo

George Roberts
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Alan Hudson
Dissertation title: In Yeast, the RSF1 Gene Product Functions in the Transition from Fermentative to Glycerol-Based Respiratory Growth.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Statistical Analyst/ Data Modeler, Quicken Loans

Hannah Rowe
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Dissertation title: Cell Envelope Modifications by LCP Family Proteins of Group B Streptococcus and Virulence Signaling by Peptides of the Salivaricin Locus of Streptococcus Pyrogenes.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toledo

Keri Schaubert
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. June Kan-Mitchell
Dissertation title: Characterization and exploitation Of the Human T Cell Repertoire to a Potentially Protective HIV-1 Epitope in GAG p24
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Law Clerk, Daley DeBofsky & Bryant; Associate, Cozen O’Connor

Janice Speshock
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr.Christopher Roberts
Dissertation title: Fatal Bacteremia Occurs In Mice Co-Infected with Filamentous Influenza A Virus and Serotype 3 Streptococcus Pneumoniae
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wright –Patterson Air Force Base; Assistant Professor, Tarleton State University

Joshua Thomson
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey
Dissertation title: Mechanisms for Bicarbonate-Mediated Virulence in Vibrio Cholerae.
Postgraduate positions: —

Prachi Trivedi
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Swanborg
Dissertation title: Mechanism of Regulation of T Cell Responses by Natural Killer (NK CD3-) Cells.
Postgraduate positions: —

Madison Walton
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Jeffrey Withey
Dissertation Title:  "Identifying Critical Genetic Factors in Pandemic Vibrio Cholerae Colonization of the Zebrafish Natural Host."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Catherine Dinitra White
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Hobden
Dissertation title: Quorum Sensing and Virulence in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Ocular Infection.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, UNC SPIRE; Assistant Professor, North Carolina A&T University;

Paula Whittington
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Wei-zen Wei
Dissertation title: Her-2 Vaccines: Mechanism of Action and Clinical Implications.
Postgraduate positions: —

Yufang Yang
Program: Immunology and Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Roy Sundick
Dissertation title: A Novel Method to Produce Avian Influenza Vaccine Bearing Membrane-Bound Chil-2.
Postgraduate positions: —

Jiayi Yu
Program: Immunology & Microbiology
Advisor: Dr. Michael Shaw
Dissertation title: Interleukin 13 D E2-A Novel Splice Variant of Interleukin-13 with inflammatory Function.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center; Instructor, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Justus Adamson
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Qiuwen Wu & Dr. Jay Burmeister
Dissertation title: Prostate Intrafraction Motion Assessed by Simultaneous kV Fluoroscopy at MV Delivery.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Physics Resident, Duke University Medical Center; Assistant Professor, Duke University – Department of Radiation Oncology

Khalid Alyousef
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Mark Yudelev
Dissertation title: A Novel Approach to Mixed Field Dosimetry Utilizing a Prototype Silicon Based P-1-N Diodes
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, King Abdul-Aziz Medical Center

Janice Campbell
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Jay Burmeister
Dissertation title: Development of Dose Response to Y-90 Microsphere Treatment of Metastatic Liver Cancer by Quantitative Analysis of Spect and Pet Images.
Postgraduate Positions: Nuclear Medicine Physicist, William Beaumont Hospital

Mikhail Chetvertkov
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Indrin Chetty
Dissertation title: Principal Component Analysis-Based Anatomical Motion Models for Use in Adaptive Radiation Therapy of Head and Neck Cancer Patients.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Physics Resident, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Alberto Delazerda
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Colin Orton
Dissertation title: Inverse Planning for Low-Dose-Rate Prostate Brachytherapy by Simulated Annealing under Fuzzy Expert Control.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, University of Miami

Charles Dodge
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Michael Flynn and Dr. Jay Burmeister
Dissertation title: A Rapid Method for the Simulation of Filtered X-Ray Spectra in Diagnostic Imaging Systems.
Postgraduate positions: Research Physicist, NASA; Medical and Health Physicist, St. Luke’s; Director of Imaging Physics, Houston Methodist Hospital

Jonathon Farr
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Mark Yudelev
Dissertation title: A Fast Neutron Multi-Leaf collimator (MLC) for Intensity Modulated Neutron Radiotherapy (IMNRT).
Postgraduate position: Chief of Radiation Physics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Hector Garnica
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Frank Van den Heuvel
Dissertation title: Radiation Source Modeling for Monte Carlo-Based Treatment Planning Systems.
Postgraduate positions: Investigator, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, University of Monterrey

Carri Glide
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Neb Duric
Dissertation title: A Novel Approach to Evaluating Breast Density Using Ultrasound Tomography.
Postgraduate positions: Research Medical Physicist, William Beaumont Hospital; Senior Staff Physicist, Henry Ford Health System; Associate Professor, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Tongming He
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Frank van De Huevel
Dissertation title: Implementation of Amonter Carlo Based Inverse Planning Model for Clinical IMRT with MCNP Code.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Physicist and Clinical Associate Professor, Oregon Health and Science University; Medical Physicist, Swedish Medical Center

Ching-Yi Hsieh
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Jacob Burmeister
Dissertation title: Quantifying Magnetic Moments and Susceptibilities of Small Cylindrical and Spherical Objects in MRI.
Postgraduate positions: —

Brian Loughery
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Michael Snyder
Dissertation title: Kilovoltage Intensity Modulated RadioTherapy
Postgraduate positions: —

Ina Marina Sala 
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Jay Burmeister and Dr. Thomas Guerrero
Dissertation title: High Frequency Percussive Ventilation for Tumor Motion Immobilization.
Postgraduate positions: —

Nicholas Myziuk 
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Guerrero and Dr. Jay Burmeister
Dissertation title: Quantification of Respiratory Induced Pulmonary Blood Flow from 4DCT
Postgraduate positions: —

Adrian Nalichowski
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Jacob Burmeister
Dissertation title: Clinical Applications of Advanced Rotational Radiation Therapy
Postgraduate positions: —

Ryan Price
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Carrie Glide-Hurst
Dissertation title: Toward Magnetic Resonance Only Treatment Planning: Distortion Mitigation and Image-Guided Radiation Therapy Validation.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Physics Resident, University of Washington

Mark Sak
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Neb Duric
Dissertation title: The Use of Sound Speed Measurements Made by Ultrasound Tomography as a Measure of Breast Density.
Postgraduate Positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Karmanos Cancer Center

Lakshmi Santanam
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Jay Burmeister
Dissertation title: Clinical Applications of IMRT to Adenocarcinoma of Prostate: Portal Dose Verification and Intensity Modulated Neutron Radiotherapy.
Postgraduate positions: Associate Professor, Washington University

Mark Smyczynski
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Michael King and Dr. Otto Muzik
Dissertation title: An Investigation of the Impact and Correction of Respiratory Motion on the Detection of Small Lung Lesions in SPECT Imaging.
Postgraduate positions: Radiation Oncologist, University of Massachusetts Medical Center

Carl Stanhope
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Di Yan and Dr. Michael Snyder
Dissertation title: Utilizing Log Files for Treatment Planning and Delivery QA in Radiotherapy.
Postgraduate positions: —

Ning Wen
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Teamour Nurushev
Dissertation title: The Strategy of Adaptive Radiation Therapy.
Postgraduate positions: Clinical Assistant Professor, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Chief Medical Physicist, Henry Ford Health System

Bo Zhao
Program: Medical Physics
Advisor: Dr. Jacob Burmeister
Dissertation title: Beyond The Dvh – Spatial And Biological Radiotherapy Treatment Planning.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Physicist Resident, Karmanos Cancer Institute; Senior Associate Physicist, Henry Ford Health System

Mohamed Abdelmegeed
Program: Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Novak
Dissertation title: The Activation of Signaling Pathways and the Regulation of Heme-Oxygenase 1 and Cytochrome P450 2E1 by Ketone Bodies in Primary Cultured Rat Hepatocytes.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California San Francisco; NIRTA Fellow, NIAAA/NIH

Nicholas Carruthers
Program: Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Stemmer
Dissertation title: Methionine Oxidation in Calmodulin-Binding Domains.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Western Ontario

Althea Elliott
Program: Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
Advisor: Dr. John Reiners
Dissertation title: Regulation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor by Ubiquitin Conjugating Enzyme Inhibitor P-Anilinoaniline.
Postgraduate positions: —

Jiaqi Fu
Program: Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
Advisor: Dr. Melissa Runge-Morris
Dissertation title: Estrogen Sulfotransferase (SULT1E1) Expression and Function in MCF10A-Series Breast Epithelial Cells: Role as a Modifier of Breast Carcinogenesis and Regulation by Proliferation State
Postgraduate position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan

Miriam Kleinman
Program: Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
Advisor: Dr. John Reiners Jr.
Dissertation title: Cationic Amphiphilic Drug-Induced Autophagosome Sequestration Within Vimentin Itermediate Filament Networks Results in Prolonged Autophagosome Half-Life.
Postgraduate positions: President and Founder of Teava, LLC; Founder and CEO of Karo Rx, LLC

Stephanie Lomonaco
Program: Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
Advisor: Dr. Gan Wang
Dissertation title: The Role of Nucleotide Excision Repair in DNA Damage Mediated Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Regulation.
Postgraduate positions: —

Bryan Thibodeau
Program: Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
Advisor: Dr. Fred Miller
Dissertation title: , Identification and Characterization of CXCR4 as a Modulator of Progression in the MCF10AT Model of Proliferative Breast Disease.
Postgraduate positions: Research Associate, William Beaumont Hospital

Luan Wang
Program: Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
Advisor: Dr. Douglas Ruden
Dissertation title: A Protective Role Of Autophagy In A Drosophila Model Of Friedreich’s Ataxia (frda).
Postgraduate positions: —

Jie Zheng
Program: Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Novak
Dissertation title: Cross-Talk Between the TGF-Beta/Smad and PI3K/Akt Pathways in the Human Breast Epithelial MCF10A Cell Lineage – Implication of Signaling Inhibitors.
Postgraduate positions: —

Batoul Abdallah
Program: Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Advisor: Dr. Henry Heng
Dissertation title: Fuzzy Inheritance: A Novel Form of Somatic Cell Inheritance that Regulates Cell Population Heterogeneity.
Postgraduate positions: —

Paul Albosta
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Russell Finley
Dissertation title: Drosophila Cyclin J and the Somatic piRNA Pathway Cooperate to Regulate Germline Stem Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Shruti Bagla
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: Linking the Molecular, Electrical and Anatomical Properties of Human Epileptic Brain.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Children’s Hospital of Michigan – Department of Pediatric Neurology

Daniel Barkmeier
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: The Interictal State in Epilepsy.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Transitional Year Resident, Spectrum Health System

Thomas Beaumont
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: Defining the Human Epileptic Transcriptome.
Postgraduate positions: Neurological Surgery Resident, Washington University

Amy Boddy
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Derek Wildman
Dissertation title: Insights into Human Brain Evolution through Phylogenetic Analysis and Comparative Genomics.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Evolution and Cancer at University of California-San Francisco; Postdoctoral Fellow, Arizona State University

Rayanne Burl
Program: Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Advisor: Dr. James Granneman
Dissertation Title: "Deconstructing Brown Adipocyte Neogenesis In Brown And White Adipose Tissue."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Maria Cypher
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Leon Carlock
Dissertation title: Novel Synthesis and Degradation Pathways for the Myelin Proteolipid Proteins.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Founder and Director of Research, GliaGen; Founder, CaCy Therapeutics, LLC

Gurdip Daffu
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. John Kamholz
Dissertation title: An Investigation of the Role of the Proteolipid Protein Specific Domain in Central Nervous System Myelin.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Columbia University Medical Center; Postdoctoral Fellow, New York University School of Medicine

Raymond Esper
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: Neuregulin, Neurotrophic Factors, and Protein Kinase C in Axoglial Signaling
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Physician, University of Michigan Health System; Physician, Florida Cancer Specialists

Molly Estill 
Program: Molecular Genetics & Genomics
Advisor: Dr. Stephen A. Krawetz
Dissertation title: Defining the Effect of Environmental Perturbation on the Male Germline.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Anthony Findley
Program: Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Advisor: Roger Pique-Regi and Francesca Luca
Dissertation Title:  "Gene-Environment Interactions in the Cardiovascular System."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Nermin Gerges
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Russell Finley
Dissertation title: Functional Analysis of a Highly Conserved Cyclin, Cyclin Y, in Drosophila Melanogaster.
Postgraduate positions: Cell Therapy Development Specialist, Moffitt Cancer Center

Scott Henry
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Scott Dulchavsky
Dissertation title: Biolistic Augmentation of Wound Healing in Diabetic and Steroid Treated Rats.
Postgraduate position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Detroit Medical Center, University of Louisville

Steven Horne
Program: Molecular Genetics & Genomics
Advisor: Dr. Henry Heng
Dissertation title: Effective Drug Treatment Induces Drug Resistance Through Rapid Genome Alteration-Mediated Cancer Evolution.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Natalie Jameson
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Derek Wildman
Dissertation title: Callitrichine Life History Adaptations.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Scientist I, Progenity Inc.

Graham Johnson
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Krawetz
Dissertation title: Towards A Unified Model Of Sperm Chromatin Structure.
Postgraduate positions: —

Cynthia Kalita
Program: Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Advisor: Dr. Francesca Luca and Dr. Roger Pique-Regi
Dissertation title: Validating Functional Mechanisms for Non-Coding Genetic Variants Associated with Complex Traits.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Najla Kfoury
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Gregory Kapatos
Dissertation title: Differential target gene recruitment and cellular distribution of CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Proteins alpha, beta and delta in the rodent brain.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Associate, Washington University – St. Louis

Jeremy Laukka
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. John Kamholz
Dissertation title: Application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Understanding the Pathogenesis of the X-linked Leukodystrophy Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, Michigan State University; Adjunct Faculty, Detroit Medical Center – Department of Neurology, Assistant Professor, University of Toledo

Lesley Lawrenson
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Hong-Qiang Heng
Dissertation title: Tracking Profiles of Genomic Instability in Spontaneous Transformation and Tumorigenesis.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Year 3 Medical School Student, Wayne State University

Guy Lenk
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Helena Kuivaniemi
Dissertation title: Refinement of the Genetic Susceptibility Loci for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Research Investigator, University of Michigan

Qunfang Li
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: Neuregulin-Extracellular Matrix Interactions in Synaptic Development and Cancer.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Karmanos Cancer Institute

John Lillvis
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Wayne Lancaster and Dr. Helena Kuivaniemi
Dissertation title: Towards an Understanding of the Etiology of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Identification of Genes Implicated in AAA Risk and Development.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Ophthalmology Resident, Kresge Eye Institute

Amelia Linnemann
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Krawetz
Dissertation title: Analysis of Nuclear Scaffold/Matrix Attachment: The Role of Genome Organization in Transcription.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Assistant Scientist, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dongmei Liu
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Russell Finley
Dissertation title: Determination of the Essential Functions of a Conserved Cyclin, Cyclin Y, In Drosophila.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-La Jolla

Zhenzhong Ma
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: Axogial Communication Mediated by Soluble Neuregulin-1 and BDNF.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center

Kathleen Maheras
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Alexander Gow
Dissertation title: Neural Circuitry Deficits Associated With Dysfunctional Myelin.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Dumrong Mairiang
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Russell Finley
Dissertation title: Characterization of Intracellular Interactions between Dengue Virus and Host Proteins.
Postgraduate positions: Researcher, Medical Biotechnology Unit- Siriraj Hospital, Thailand

Rui Martins
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Krawetz
Dissertation title: Toward an Understanding of the Molecular Events that Precede Transcription of the Protamine Cluster.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, The Gurdon Institute-Cambridge University; Researcher Development Advisor for Postdoctoral Fellows, Centre for Academic and Professional Development.

Roberto Mendez
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Kezhong Zhang
Dissertation title: The Role of CREBH in Hepatic Energy Regulation under Metabolic Stress.
Postgraduate positions: —

Gregory Moyerbrailean
Program: Molecular Genetics & Genomics
Advisor: Dr. Francesca Luca
Dissertation title: Modeling the Mechanism Underlying Environmental and Genetic Determinants of Gene Expression and Complex Traits.
Postgraduate positions: —-

Thilakam Murali
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Russell Finley
Dissertation title: The Drosophila Interactions Database: Integrating the Interactome and Transcriptome.
Postgraduate positions: Research Technician, Wayne State University

David O’Hagan
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Geradus Tromp
Dissertation title: mRNA Surveillance and Human Disease.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Burnham Institute; Staff Scientist, Karmanos Cancer Institute; Adjunct Faculty, Schoolcraft College

Mark Pankonin
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: Specific Heparan Sulfate Interactions Target and Potentiate Neuregulin-1 Signaling.
Postgraduate positions: Gastroenterology Physician, Covenant Digestive Care Center

Zachary Papper
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Derek Wildman
Dissertation title: Evolution of Lactate Dehydrogenase Genes in Primates, with Special Consideration of Nucleotide Organization in Mammalian Promoters.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Columbia University Medical Center; City Research Scientist and Director of Data Intelligence Group, New York City Department of Finance

Kirit Pindolia
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Rafael Fridman
Dissertation title: Topological Characterization of a Transcribing Gene Affinity Purified from Mammalian Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Consultant, Home Healthcare Solutions; Scientist/Lead Investigator, Henry Ford Health System

Neeraja Purandare
Program: Molecular Genetics & Genomics
Advisor: Dr. Lawrence Grossman
Dissertation title: Chchd10 a Novel Bi-Organellar Regulator of Cellular Metabolism: Implications for Neurodegeneration
Postgraduate positions: -

Daniel Radecki 
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Alexander Gow
Dissertation title: Analysis of the Secondary Neurodegenerative Consequences of Primary Oligodendrocyte Stress Through the Use of the Novel O Biden Mouse Model.
Postgraduate positions: —

Sanjay Rakhade
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: Activity-Dependent Gene Expression in Human Neocortical Epilepsy.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School; Instructor, Harvard Medical School; Medical Director of Neurology and Clinical Development, Genzyme (a Sanofi Company)

Raquel Ritchie
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Li Li
Dissertation title: Understanding the Transcriptional Regulatory Network of Smooth Muscle Genes in Response to TGF-Beta Signaling.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Assistant Professor, Michigan State University

Stacey Sakowski
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Donald Kuhn
Dissertation title: Tryptophan Hydroxylase Isoforms 1 and 2: Functional Characterization, Tissue Distribution and Posttranslational Modification.
Postgraduate positions: Adjunct Professor, University of Michigan-Dearborn; Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Adjunct Professor, Madonna University; Deputy Managing Director, A.Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute

Levant Sipahi
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Derek Wildman and Dr. Monica Uddin
Dissertation title: Proximate and Evolutionary Insights into the Epigenetics of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.
Postgraduate positions: —

Ramaswamy Sharma
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Alexander Gow
Dissertation title: Roles of ATF3 and Caspase-12 in Neurodegeneration.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, The Forsyth Institute; Research Associate, Harvard University; Assistant Professor, University of Texas-San Antonio Health Science Center

Jianbin Shen
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Li Li
Dissertation title: Identifying SM22 as a Key Player in Arterial Diseases.
Postgraduate positions: Internal Medicine Resident, Yale University

Jaime Stafford
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Michael Tainsky
Dissertation title: Missing Heritability and Novel Germline Risk Loci in Hereditary Ovarian Cancer: Insights from Whole Exome Sequencing and Functional Analyses.
Postgraduate Positions:—

Joshua Stevens
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Henry Heng
Dissertation title: Mitotic Cell Death by Chromosome Fragmentation: Discovery, Analysis and Applications.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Daochun Sun
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Michael Tainsky
Dissertation title: Identification of Transcriptional Mechanisms Downstream of NF1 Gene Deficiency in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Nataliya Turchyn
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Aleksandar Popadic
Dissertation title: The Cellular and Genetic Mechanisms Underlying the Morphological Diversity of Insects.
Postgraduate positions: Lecturer; Wayne State University

JiaJing Wang
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: Role of Neuregulin1 in Neuromuscular Junction Development.
Postgraduate positions: Research Assistant, Department of Pathology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Shantel Weinsheimer
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Geradus Tromp
Dissertation title: Identification of Positional and Functional Candidate Genes in Intracranial Aneurysm
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-San Francisco

Shannon Wills
Program: Molecular Biology & Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Geradus Tromp
Dissertation title: —
Postgraduate positions: Clinical Research Associate, William Beaumont Hospital; Clinical Research Associate, Barrett’s Esophagus and Thoracic Research; Hospitalist, Cancer Care Associates; Hematology Oncology Hospitalist, Henry Ford Health System; Principle Investigator CCDR, Beaumont Health System

Susan Wykes
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Stephen Krawetz
Dissertation title: Dynamic Chromatin: The Organization and Regulation of Haploid-Specific Domains.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Li Yang
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Li Li
Dissertation title: Study of a Novel Gene Hemogen/EDAG in Hematopoiesis and Spermatogenesis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California-Los Angeles; Associate Professor, East Carolina University

Zhao Yang
Program: Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Advisor: Dr. Kezhong Zhang 
Dissertation title: Proteomics Study of Crebh Interaction Partners in Hepatic Lipid Metabolism and Fatty Liver Disease.
Postgraduate Positions:—

Ze Zheng
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Kezhong Zhang
Dissertation title: CREBH, A Novel Liver Clock Keeper for Energy Metabolism.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Columbia University

Jinhui Zhong
Program: Molecular Biology and Genetics
Advisor: Dr. Russell Finley
Dissertation title: Development of High Throughput Yeast Two-Hybrid Strategies for Proteome-Wide Protein-Protein Interaction Maps.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institutes of Health-Baltimore

Olga Astapova
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Todd Leff
Dissertation title: Mechanistic Studies of a Novel PPAR-gamma Mutant that Causes Lipodystrophy and Diabetes.
Postgraduate Positions: MD/PhD, Internal Medicine Resident, University of Rochester

Hector Biliran
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Shijie Sheng
Dissertation title: Complex Regulation of Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator by Tumor Suppressive Maspin.
Postgraduate positions: Associate Professor, Xavier University of Louisiana

Alyssa Bottrell
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Hyeong-Reh Kim
Dissertation title: The Role of PDGF C and Its Splice Variant in Breast Cancer.
Postgraduate positions: —

Jinah Cho
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Rafael Fridman
Dissertation title: Biochemical and Biological Studies on the Regulation of MT1-MMP (MMP-14) at the Tumor Cell Surface.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Boston Children’s Hospital

Rahul Deshmukh
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Qingping Dou
Dissertation title: Proteasome Inhibition as a Potential Anti-Breast Cancer Therapy: Mechanisms of Action and Resistance-Reversing Strategies.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences; Ad hoc Reviewer, European Journal of Medical Chemistry

Allison Gartung
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Menq-Jer Lee
Dissertation title: —
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Barani Govindarajan
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Sreenivasa Chinni
Dissertation Title:  "Novel Interaction Of Cxcr4 And Pi4kiia In Prostate Cancer."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Wei Huang
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. James Thomas
Dissertation title: Platelet-Derived Growth Factor D (PDGF D) Signaling and Human Prostate Cancer Progression.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Associate, Wayne State University

Sangeeta Joshi
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Kenneth Honn
Dissertation title: A Novel Interaction Between 12-Lipoxygenase and 4 Integrin Plays a Role in Cancer Progression.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Roswell Park Cancer Institute; Scientist, OncoTartis Inc.

Seaho Kim
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Rafael Fridman
Dissertation title: Regulation of Membrane Type-Matrix Metalloproteinases (Mt-Mmps) in Non-Malignant and Malignant Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Albert Einstein Medical Center; Postdoctoral Associate, Weill Cornell Medical College

Yun-Hee Lee
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr.Todd Leff
Dissertation title: Cellular Plasticity in White Adipose Tissue: In Vivo Identification of Bipotent Adipocyte Progenitors in Adult White Adipose Tissue.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Deborah Leicht
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Guri Tzivion
Dissertation title: RAF-1 Regulation By Its Downstream Effectors, MEK and ERK.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan

Gang Li
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Todd Leff
Dissertation title: Molecular Analysis of PPARy Mutations Associated with Diabetes and Lipodystrophy
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Postdoctoral Fellow, Columbia University Medical Center; Staff Scientist, Genzyme – A Sanofi Company; Senior Scientist, Acceleron Pharma

Jaron Lockett
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr.Shijie Sheng
Dissertation title: Maspin as a Regulator of Extracellular Matrix Proteolysis
Postgraduate positions: Management Intern, National Institutes of Health; Program Analyst, National Institute for General Medical Science – NIH

Ma’in Maitah
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Fazlul Sarkar
Dissertation title: Hedgehog Signaling: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Postgraduate positions: —-

Emilio Mottillo
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. James Granneman
Dissertation title: Fatty Acid Fate in Determining Inflammation and Oxidation in Adipose Tissue.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Guelph-Canada; Postdoctoral Fellow, McMaster University – Department of Medicine

Christopher Pierson
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Anders Sima
Dissertation title: Diabetic Neuropathy: A Heterogeneous, Dynamic, And Progressive Disorder.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard – Brigham & Women’s Hospital; Postdoctoral Fellow, Boston Children’s Hospital; Assistant Professor, Ohio State University College of Medicine; Neuropathologist, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Megan Schober
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Yong Chen Hyeong Reh Kim
Dissertation title: Effects of Hormonal Environment on Prostate Cancer Progression.
Postgraduate positions: MD/ PhD, Urology Resident, William Beaumont Hospital; Urologist, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Jinghua Shi
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Lucia Schuger
Dissertation title: P311 Induces Myofibroblast Amoeboid-Like Migration through Rala Activation
Postgraduate positions: Medical Practice Professional in San Francisco

Qing Sun
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Rafael Fridman
Dissertation title: Biochemical and Biological Characterization of Membrane Type 6-Matrix Metalloproteinase.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute; Assay Development Scientist, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

Jannifer Tyrrell
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Todd Leff
Dissertation title: Linking Environmental Toxicant Exposure to Diabetes Susceptibility.
Postgraduate positions: Teaching, Grand Valley State University

Zhiwei Wang
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr.Fazlul Sarkar
Dissertation title: Notch Signaling: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Pancreatic Cancer
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Instructor, Harvard Medical School

Lin Zhang
Program: Pathology
Advisor: Dr. Todd Leff
Dissertation title: A direct link between cellular metabolism and gene expression: AMP-activated protein kinase as a transcriptional co-repressor.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Oakridge National Lab

Kadija Abounit
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Roy McCauley
Dissertation title: The Process of Autophagy in an In Vitro Model of Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research; Intern, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield; Senior Associate, Optimity Advisors

Bavneet Benipal
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Lawrence H. Lash
Dissertation title: Renal Compensatory Hypertrophy, Mitochondria and Redox Status
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral fellow, Univ. of Pennsylvania

Grant Blouse
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Joseph Shore
Dissertation title: Protein Engineering of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Provides New Insights into the Inhibition Mechanism of Serpins.
Postgraduate positions: Adjunct Instructor in Pharmacology, Wayne State University

Wei Cao
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Ray Matherly
Dissertation title: Characterization of Membrane Topology and a Substrate-Binding Domain of the Human Reduced Folate Carrier.
Postgraduate positions: —

Sreenivasa Chandana
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Diane Chugani
Dissertation title: Functional Neuroimaging of Autism Using Positron Emission Tomography.
Postgraduate positions: Hematologist/ Medical Oncologist, West Michigan Cancer Center & Institute for Blood Disorders

Linyi Chen
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Nicholas Davis
Dissertation title: Ligand-Induced Endocytosis and Recycling of the Yeast a-Factor Receptor.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Associate Professor, Department of Medical Science – National Tsing Hua University                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Chien-Chung Chen                                                                                                                                              Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr.Hai-Young Wu
Dissertation title: —
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Senior Editor, Medjaden Bioscience Limited; Assistant Professor, Chang Gung University; Senior Scientist, WuXi Apptec

Joshua Dilworth
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Mattingly
Dissertation title: The EGFR: RAS Axis in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Resident Physician in Radiation Oncology, William Beaumont Hospital

Bee Ding
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Larry Matherly
Dissertation title: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of the Human Reduced Folate Carrier.
Postgraduate positions: —

Sarah Dubaisi
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Melissa Runge-Morris
Dissertation title: Characterization of Cytosolic Sulfotransferase Expression and Regulation in Human Liver and Intestine.
Postgraduate positions: —

Ying Feng
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Nicholas Davis
Dissertation title: Regulation of the Yeast a-Factor Receptor (Ste3p) by Phosphorylation, Ubiquitination, and Endocytosis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Assistant Research Scientist, National Tsing Hua University

Courtney Giordano
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Stanley R. Terlecky
Dissertation title: Effects of Altering the Peroxisomal Redox State in Models of Degenerative Disease.
Postgraduate positions: —

Eric Hales
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Hai-Young Wu
Dissertation title: The Chromosome Architectural Role of LeuO in Transcriptional Regulation.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Karmanos Cancer Institute; Regulatory Affairs, FDA

Alexandria Haimbaugh
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Sokol Todi
Dissertation Title: "Persistent Transcriptomic Effects Of Brief Developmental Exposure To Environmental Contaminants."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Mary Irwin
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Julie Boerner
Dissertation title: A Role for Lipid Rafts in EGFR TKI Resistance in Breast Cancer.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas – MD Anderson Cancer Center

Christopher Jedeszko
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Bonnie Sloane
Dissertation title: 3D Organotypic Cultures of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ Model the Effects of Stroma on Breast Cancer Progression.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toronto; Principal Scientist – Bioproduction, Xagenic Inc.

Hitchintan Kaur
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Mattingly
Dissertation title: Analysis of Gene Expression Alterations in Premalignant Progression from Normal Mammary Epithelium to Ductal Carcinoma in Situ by Multiple Orthogonal Tools.
Postgraduate positions: Pharmacist, Community Pharmacy; Scientist-Medical Writing, MMS Holding Inc.

Jay Koepke
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Stanley R. Terlecky
Dissertation title: Peroxisome Senescence and the Role of Catalase Import in Cellular Aging
Postgraduate positions: Staff Scientist EXT Life Sciences Inc.; Professor, Florida Southwestern State College

Julie E. Legakis
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Stanley R. Terlecky
Dissertation title: Peroxisome Biogenesis in Human Health, Disease, and Aging
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan – Life Sciences Institute; Research Associate and Protocol Coordinator – NIH Perinatology Research Branch

Laureen Marinetti
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Randall Commissaris
Dissertation title: The Pharmacology of Gamma Valerolactone (GVL) as Compared to Gamma Hydroxybutrate (GHB), Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), 1,4, Butanediol (1,4 BD), Ethanol (EtOH) and Baclofen (BAC) in the Rat.
Postgraduate positions: Chief Forensic Toxicologist, Montgomery County Coroner’s Office; Laboratory Director of Forensic Toxicology, Redwood Toxicology

Heather McClung
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Sandra Rempel
Dissertation title: The Role of SPARC Acidic Domain and EGF-like Module in Glioma Migration, Invasion, and Signaling.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Van Andel Institute; Researcher, Helen Devos Children’s Hospital; Laboratory Manager, Van Andel Institute

Kelly McGregor
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Rodrigo Andrade
Dissertation title: Using A Novel Optogenetic Approach To Directly Assess 5-Ht1a Somatodendritic Autoreceptor Function In Response To Chronic Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Treatment.
Postgraduate positions: —

Raymond Menard
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Mattingly
Dissertation title: The Role of P21-Activated Kinase in Cell Signaling.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Chicago Instructor, St. Petersburg College

Michelle Milstein
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Steven Cala
Dissertation title: Triadin Glycosylation and Calcium-Release Complexes in Heart.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Postdoctoral Research Fellow/Investigator and Lab Specialist, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Research Associate, Oakland University

Nicole Najor
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. George Brush
Dissertation title: Meiotic DNA Re-replication and the Recombination Checkpoint.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University – Feinberg School of Medicine

Asmita Pant
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Kocarek
Dissertation title: Farnesol-Mediated Regulation of Hepatic Lipid Metabolism in Heparg Cells.
Postgraduate positions: —

Irene Papanayotou
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Nicholas Davis
Dissertation title: Palmitoylation and the Yeast Casein Kinase, Yck2.
Postgraduate positions: Medical Writer, MMS Holdings Inc.

Scott Payton
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Larry Matherly
Dissertation title: Transcriptional and Post-Transcriptional Regulation of the Human Reduced Folate Carrier Gene.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Associate Medical Director, Big Communications; Director of Scientific Strategy; Conisus LLC; Scientific Director, Articulate Science –Nucleus Global Company

Margaret Prior
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Nicholas Davis
Dissertation title: Search for the Functions that Mediation Protein Palmitoylation and Depalmitoylation.
Postgraduate positions: Resident Physician, William Beaumont Hospital

Wen Qu 
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Douglas Ruden
Dissertation title: Identification of Lead-Sensitive Expression QTLs and Splicing QTLs in Drosophila Melanogaster by Analysis of RNA-SEQ Data.
Postgraduate positions: —

Komal Sane
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Mattingly
Dissertation title: Induction and Regulation of Autophagy by Novel Prenylation Inhibitors in Sts-26t Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor (MPNST) Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute – Harvard Medical School; Director of Content, Cypher Genomics

Arko Sen
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Douglas Ruden
Dissertation title: Epigenome is an Early Biomarker for Environmental Stress and Activate Protective Transcriptional Changes.
Postgraduate positions: —

Monazza Shahab
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Samson Jamesdaniel
Dissertation Title:  "Role of Nitrative Stress in Cisplatin Induced Ototoxicity and Synaptic Dysfunction."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Min Shen
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Q. Ping Dou
Dissertation title: Overcoming Tumor Drug Resistance by Activating Amp-Activated Protein Kinase and Destabilizing Oncoproteins.
Postgraduate positions: —

Beimeng Sun
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Nicholas Davis
Dissertation title: Ligand-Induced Endocytosis and Recycling of the Yeast a-Factor Receptor.
Postgraduate positions: Research Scientist, DuPont Pioneer

Joanna Sutton
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Sokol Todi
Dissertation title: The Influence of Protein Context on Polyglutamine Toxicity in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3.

Fausto Varela
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Karin List and Dr. Sokol Todi
Dissertation Title: The Role of the Cell-Surface Protease TMPRSS13 in Colorectal Cancer.
Postgraduate positions: —

Claudio Villalobos
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Rodrigo Andrade
Dissertation title: Regulation of Neuronal Excitability: New Mechanisms for Slow after Hyperpolarization Activation and Modulation.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Chile – Santiago

Johnathan Whetstine
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Larry Matherly
Dissertation title: Characterization of the Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Human Reduced Folate Carrier Gene Expression in Human Tissues.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School

Jonathon Wojtkowiak
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Raymond Mattingly
Dissertation title: The Induction of Apoptosis and Autophagy in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells by a Combination of Prenylation Inhibitors.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Scientist, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center; Medical Science Liaison – Oncology, Eli Lilly and Company

Christopher Wood
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Stanley R. Terlecky
Dissertation title: Cellular Characterization of Human Hypocatalasemia and the Role of PEX14p Phosphorylation in Peroxisome Biogenesis
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania – Cell and Developmental Biology

Qing Zhong
Program: Pharmacology
Advisor: Dr. Lawrence Lash
Dissertation title: Redox Regulation of Diabetic Nephropathy.
Postgraduate positions: —

Rania Abu-Hamdah
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Jena Bhanu
Dissertation title: Regulation of the Water Channel Aquaporin 1and Aquaporin 6: Isolation and Reconstitution of the Regulatory Complex.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University, Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Assistant Professor, Birzeit University-Palestine

Neha Aggarwal
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Douglas Yingst
Dissertation title: Photodynamic Therapy As An Effective Therapeutic Approach In Mame Models Of Triple Negative And Inflammatory Breast Cancers
Postgraduate positions: Science Communications Specialist, The Journal of Clinical Investigation

Ali Alhousseini
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Kevin Theis and Robert Lasley
Dissertation title: Assessment of Presumed Sterility of the Human Placenta and Maternal Bladder.

Jamie Anderson
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Barry Franklin
Dissertation title: Comparison of Thrombotic and Fibrinolytic Responses to Submaximal and Maximal Arm Versus Leg Exercise in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.
Postgraduate positions: Teacher, South Lyon Co-op Preschool

Eric Ansorge
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donal O’Leary
Dissertation title: Muscle Metaboreflex Control of Coronary Blood Flow and Ventricular Function.
Postgraduate positions: Major, U.S. Army

Douglas Atchison
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. William Beierwaltes
Dissertation title: The Modulation of Renin Secretion by Renal Cortical Interstitial Calcium.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Internal Medicine Resident, University of Michigan

Cesar Barrabi
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Xuequn Chen
Dissertation Title: "The Regulation of Proinsulin Folding By ER Co-Chaperones in Pancreatic Beta Cells."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Jimmy Belotte
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Ghassan Saed
Dissertation title: The Role of Oxidative Stress in the Establishment of Resistance to Cisplatin in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells.

Mark Britton
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Joseph Dunbar
Dissertation title: The Effects of Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusions on CNS Apoptotic Events in Normal and Diabetic Rats.

Timothy Bryson
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Pamela Harding
Dissertation title: The Balance Between Prostaglandin E2 EP3 and EP4 Receptors Determines Severity of Cardiac Damage in Myocardial Infarction and an Angiotensin II-induced Model of Hypertension.

Paulo Caceres
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Pablo Ortiz
Dissertation title: Regulation of NKCC2 Trafficking by Vesicle Fusion Proteins VAMP2 and VAMP3 in the Thick Ascending Limb.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Henry Ford Health System

Tyler Cobb
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Robert Wessells
Dissertation Title:  "Iditarod, Homolog of FNDC5/Irisin, is a Novel Regulator of Exercise Performance and Cold Stress in Drosophila."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Chaim Colen
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Andrew Sloan
Dissertation title: Gene Therapy and Radiation of Malignant Glioma by Targeting Glioma Specific Lactate Transporter.
Postgraduate positions: CEO, Colen Publishing LLC; Founder/CEO Colen Ventures; Neurosurgeon, McLaren Northern Michigan

Matthew Coutsos
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donal O’Leary
Dissertation title: Muscle Metaboreflex Control of Coronary Blood Flow and Ventricular Contractility during Dynamic Exerciese in Normal and Heart Failure Conditions.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Ottawa

Maryetta Dombrowski
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Patrick Mueller
Dissertation title: Investigation Of Whether Sedentary And Physically Active Conditions Lead To Altered Gabaergic Signaling In The Rvlm.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Yi Dong
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Karin Przyklenk
Dissertation title: Mitochondrial Dynamics: Exploring a Novel Target against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.
Postgraduate positions: Resident in Internal Medicine, Detroit Medical Center

Catherine DuPont
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Carol Brenner
Dissertation title: Incidence and Mechanisms of Chromosomal Anomalies during Early Development of Rhesus Macaques.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Erasmus Medical Center-University of Rotterdam

Sijana Dzinic
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Ram
Dissertation title: Chemotaxis and Mechanisms Mediating Escherichia Coli-Host Specificity.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Samuel Edwin
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Marappa Subramanian
Dissertation title: Matrix Metalloproteinase in Pregnancy and Parturition.

Amanda Flack
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Bhanu Jena
Dissertation title: Altered Morphology and Compositions of Zymogen Granules in Acute Pancreatitis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Todd Francis
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. James Rillema, Ph.D. and Saroj Mathupala, Ph.D.
Dissertation title: Metabolic Targeting of Malignant Glioma: Modulation of Glycolytic Flux by Erythropoietic Factors.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow Cleveland Clinic Center for Spine Health; Staff Neurosurgeon, Cleveland Center

Michael Franklin
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Dixon Woodbury
Dissertation title: Calculation, Comparison and Modeling of Single Channel Proton Flux across Reconstituted Wildtype and Lutnat Fo of the F1F0 Atpase From Eschichia Coli.
Postgraduate positions: Vice President of IS, The Bartech Group

Rani Fritz
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. David Armant
Dissertation title: Trophoblast Retrieval And Isolation From The Cervix (tric) For Non-Invasive Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis And Prediction Of Abnormal Pregnancy Outcome.
Postgraduate positions: Reproductive Endocrinology an Infertility Fellow, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Tiffini Gibson
Program: Physiology with a Reproductive Science Concentration
Advisor: Dr. Carol Brenner, Ph.D.
Dissertation title: The Impact of the Mitochondrial DNA Genome on Skeletal Muscle and Preimplantation Development in the Rhesus Macaque.
Postgraduate positions: Laboratory Director, Reproductive Medicine Associates of Texas

Juan Gonzalez Velez
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Sokol
Dissertation title: Cervical Remodeling/Ripening at Term and Preterm Delivery: The Same Mechanism Initiated by Different Mediators and Different Effector Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Perinatology Physician, University of California-San Francisco

Kevin Gordish
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. William Beierwaltes
Dissertation title: The Acute And Chronic Effects Of Resveratrol On Renal Function And Blood Pressure.
Postgraduate positions: Research Analyst; Henry Ford Health System

Crystal Hill-Pryor
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Joseph Dunbar
Dissertation title: The Leptin-Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) Regulation of Cardiovascular Dynamics in Rats.
Postgraduate positions: Combat Casualty Care-Medical Research, Fort Detrick

Judith Ingles
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Condon
Dissertation Title: “Appropriate Conditioning of the Uterine Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response Inhibits Preterm Birth”

Jennell Jackson
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Ghassan Saed
Dissertation title: —
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Jill Jamison
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr.Donald DeGracia
Dissertation title: Mechanisms of Persistent Retranslation Arrest Following Global Brain Ischemia and Reperfusion.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Adjunct Professor, St. Clair Community College; Medical Science Liaison, Teva Pharmaceuticals

Chandni Jain
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Randall Armant
Dissertation title: Molecular Regulation of Trophoblast Survival during Placentation and Pathologies of Placental Insufficiency.

Jasdeep Kaur
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donal O’Leary
Dissertation title: Muscle Metaboreflex and Arterial Baroreflex: Action, Interaction and Altered Control in Heart Failure

Foaz Kayali
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donald DeGracia
Dissertation title: The Role of Stress Granules in Persistent Translation Arrest in the Post Ischemic Hippocampus.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Mt. Sinai-NYC; Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Chicago; General Surgery Resident, Baystate Health Center; Radiology Resident, Richmond University Medical Center

Tiffany Kent
Program: Physiology
Advisors: Dr. Raymond Iezzi and Dr. James Rillema
Dissertation title: Drug Delivery Methods & Pharmacological Approaches for Treatment of Retinal Degenerative Diseases and its Applicability for Improving Visual Function as Mediated by Artificial Approaches.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Ophthalmology Resident, Washington University; Ophthalmologist, Ophthalmic Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Center – Missouri

Keyona King-Medina
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr.Pablo Ortiz
Dissertation title: The Role of Alstrom Syndrome 1 (ALMS1) in Hypertenson, Salt Sensitivity and Metabolic Syndrome
Postgraduate positions: -

Jong-Kyung Kim
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donal O’Leary
Dissertation title: Interaction between the Arterial Baroreflex and Muscle Metaboreflex.
Postgraduate positions: Associate Professor, Kyung-Hee University-Suwon

Nicole Fletcher-King
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Ghassan Saed
Dissertation title: The Role of Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Ovarian Cancer.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Adjunct Faculty, Macomb Community College

Kelley LaBonty
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donald O’Leary
Dissertation title: The Effect of Body Positions on Cerebral Blood Flow, Cognition, Cardiac Output, Mean Arterial Blood Pressure, and Motor Function in Patients Undergoing Shoulder Surgery: Lateral Versus Beach Chair Positions Under General Anesthesia.
Postgraduate positions: Clinical Instructor and Assistant Director, University of Michigan

Kenneth Lewis
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Bhanu Jena
Dissertation Title: “Understanding the Molecular Structure, Composition, and Regulation of the Neuronal Porosome Complex”

Monique Lewis
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donald DeGracia
Dissertation title: Mechanisms of Translation Arrest Following Focal Brain Ischemia.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Wayne State University Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Rong Liu
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Jian-Ping Jin
Dissertation title: Calponin and Cytoskeleton Dynamics in Macrophage Functions and the Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis.

Dhiman Maitra
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Husam Abu-Soud
Dissertation title:Destruction of Biological Tetrapyrrole Macrocycles by Hypochlorous Acid and its Scavenging by Lycopene.
Postgraduate positions: Research Associate, Wayne State University; Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Katherine Massey
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Douglas Yingst
Dissertation title: Role of Phosphorylation of the Alpha-subunit in Mechanisms Regulating the Activity of the Rate Kidney Na, K-ATPase by Angiotensin II.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Henry Ford Hospital; Instructor, ITT-Tech; Director, Michigan Neonatal Bank

Joseph McClure
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Tadeusz Scislo
Dissertation title: Neural and Humoral Control of Regional Vascular Beds via A1 Adenosine Receptors Located in the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract.
Postgraduate positions: Founder of McClure’s Pickles

Timothy McFarland
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Steven Cala
Dissertation title: Cardiac Calsequestrin Phosphorylation and Trafficking in the Mammalian Cardiomyocyte.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Scientist-Bioassay Operations and Quality Control, Emergent BioSolutions

Victoria McIntosh
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Lasley
Dissertation title: Sex Differences in the Cardiac β-Adrenergic Receptor Contractile Response.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Janet Miller
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. J.P. McAllister
Dissertation title: Gene Expression in Congenital Hydrocephalus and the Subsequent Effects of Gliosis.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Research scientist, Central Michigan University

Zeljka Minic
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Tadeusz Scislo
Dissertation title:  Mechanisms Mediating Modulation Of The Cardiopulmonary Chemoreflex Control Of Regional Sympathetic Outputs By Adenosine A1 And A2a Receptors In The Nts.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Co-founder, Detroit Sock and Stocking Company

Nicholas Mischel
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Patrick Mueller
Dissertation title: Physical Inactivity versus Activity Enhances Sympathetic Nervous System Activation from Neurons in the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla (RVLM).
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Wayne State University

Heather Montie
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donald DeGracia
Dissertation title: The Unfolded Protein Response: Differentiation, Nitric Oxide and Ischemic Injury.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Thomas Jefferson University; Assistant Professor, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Alina Murariu
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Jonathon Sullivan
Dissertation title: Survival Signaling by Insulin in Early Brian Reperfusion.
Postgraduate positions: Internal Medicine Resident, Rochester Medical Group – William Beaumont Hospital; Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Samar Nasser
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. John Flack
Dissertation title: Effect of Dimethylarginine Dimethylaminohydrolase in the Development of Salt Sensitivity.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, George Washington University; Director of Research Partnership, University of Michigan- Dearborn/ Oakwood Healthcare Research Partnership

Jessica Ouyang
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Steven Cala
Dissertation title: Blast-Induced Tinnitus: A Combined Behavioral, Memri and Electrophysiology Study.
Postgraduate positions: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Detroit Medical Center

Cheri Owen
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Blaine White
Dissertation title: Mechanisms Regulating Phosphorylation of the a-Subunit of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2 during Post-Ischemic Brain Reperfusion.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University School of Medicine;
Independent Representative; Richard Wolf Medical Instruments Corporation; Independent Representative, Medical Innovations Inc.

Julie Pilitsis
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. John Phillis
Dissertation title: The Effect of Stroke and Other Cerebral Insults on the Release of Free Fatty Acids.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Medical School; Associate Professor, Albany Medical Center

Olesya Plazyo
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
Dissertation title: The Role of Alarmins, Invariant NKT Cells and Senescence in the Pathophysiology of Sterile Intra-Amniotic Inflammation.

Carthic Rajagopalan
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Xuequn Chen and Dr. Fei Sun
Dissertation title: Molecular Mechanisms in CFTR-F508del Degradation and the Functional Defect of CFTR Absence in Rabbits.

Akshata Ramesh Naik
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Bhanu P. Jena
Dissertation title: Molecular Machinery for the Kiss and Run Mechanism of Insulin Secretion.

Vanesa Ramseyer
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Gar.vin
Dissertation title: Thick Ascending Limb Nitric Oxide Production and Inhibition of NKCC2 Activity are Impaired in Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University

Christian Reynolds
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Karin Przyklenk
Dissertation title: Preclinical Evaluation Of Infrared Light Therapy In A Rat Model Of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.
Postgraduate positions: —

Richard Rhiew
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. John Phillis
Dissertation title: Gene Expression Profiling of Chemoresistance in Human Malignant Gliomas.
Postgraduate positions: Neurosurgery Resident, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Neurosurgeon, University Hospitals Case Medical Center

Natalie Rizk
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Joseph Dunbar
Dissertation title: Cerebral Ischemia Induced Apoptosis and Necrosis in Normal and Diabetic Rats.
Postgraduate positions: MD/ PhD, Resident in Otolaryngology, Detroit Medical Center; General Surgery Resident, Akron General Medical Center, General Surgery Resident, William Beaumont Hospital

David Rodenbaugh
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Stephen DiCarlo
Dissertation title: The Influence of Paraplegia on Blood Pressure Related Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and the Susceptibility to Ventricular Arrhythmias.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Faculty Member, Minnesota State University; Assistant Professor – Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Bipradas Roy
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Xuequn Chen
Dissertation Title:  "Role of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in the decrease in coronary angiogenesis in type 2 diabetes."
Postgraduate Positions: —

Javier Sala Mercado
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donal O’Leary
Dissertation title: Muscle Metaboreflex Control of Ventricular Contractility During Dynamic Exercise in Normal and Heart Failure Conditions.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor of Research, Wayne State University-Cardiovascular Research Institute

Thomas Sanderson
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Gary Krause
Dissertation title: Insulin-Mediated Suppression of Cytochrome C Release from Mitochondria after Transient Brain Ischemia.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Associate Professor, Wayne State University

Abdulghani Sankari
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Safwan Badr
Dissertation title: Effect of ventilatory motor Output on Upper Airway Mechanics during Sleep.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center; Assistant Professor, Wayne State University

Aasef Shaikh
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Finlayson
Dissertation title: Pharmacological Modulation of Superior Olivary Complex Neural Excitability.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University; Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University; Neurologist, Cleveland Clinic

Christos Strubakos
Program: Physiology
Advisors: Dr. Thomas Sanderson and Dr. Malik Huttemann
Dissertation title: Non-invasive Mitochondrial Modulation with Near-infrared Light Reduces Brain Injury after Stroke.
Postgraduate positions: -

hysiology
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Husam Abu-Soud
Dissertation title: The Impact of Myeloperoxidase and its Related Oxidants on Metaphase Ii Mouse Oocyte Quality.
Postgraduate positions: —

Aasef Shaikh
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Paul Finlayson
Dissertation title: Pharmacological Modulation of Superior Olivary Complex Neural Excitability.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University; Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University; Neurologist, Cleveland Clinic

Jill Slater
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Daniel Rappolee
Dissertation title: Hyperosmotic Stress Enzyme Signaling Modulates OCT4, NANOG, and REX1 Expression and Induces Prioritized Differentiation of Murine Embryonic Stem Cells.
Postgraduate positions: Lecturer, University of Michigan-Flint

Na’ama Sleiman
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Steven Cala
Dissertation title: Junctional Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Protein Processing and Trafficking in Cardiac Tissue and Primary Cultured Cardiomyocytes.
Postgraduate positions: Instructor/Clinical Research Project Coordinator, University of Detroit-Mercy

Marty Spranger
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donal O’Leary
Dissertation title: Muscle Metaboreflex Control of Cardiovascular Function in Hypertension.
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Professor of Physiology, Michigan State University

John Steele III
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. J Pat McAlliester
Dissertation title: Patterns of Neuronal Degeneration in a New Muring Model of Diffuse Closed Head Injury (CHI).
Postgraduate positions: Neurosurgeon, Wilford Hall US Airforce Medical Center

Jeffrey Szymanski
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donald DeGracia
Dissertation title: Investigation of Post-transcriptional Regulation after Global Brain Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD Pathology Resident, Washington University

Anna Valina-Toth
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. John Flack
Dissertation title: Vitamin D and Parathyroid Hormone Relationships with Obesity, Nitric Oxide Metabolites, Oxidative Stress, Blood Pressure, Vascular Function and Salt Sensitivity in African Americans.
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Completing MD portion of MD/PhD program, Case Western University

Haihui Wang
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Donald DeGracia
Dissertation title: Ribonomic Control During Global Brain Ischemia and Reperfusion.
Postgraduate positions: —

Chen-Ning Young
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. L. Boyd Savoy and Dr. Stanley R. Terlecky
Dissertation title: Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in the – Activated Human Primary Keratinocytes: Implication for Psoriasis.
Postgraduate positions: Health Science Specialist, John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Enbo Zhan
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Robert Lasley
Dissertation title: Adenosine A2B Receptor Effects on Post-MI Remodeling and Cardiac Fibroblast Function.
Postgraduate positions: Cardiologist, Harbin Medical University

Leah Zhang
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Bhanu Jena
Dissertation title: Molecular Mechanisms of Snare Assembly and Expulsion of Intravesicular Contents in Cell Secretion.
Postgraduate positions: Professor, Wayne State University

Sichang Zhou
Program: Physiology
Advisor: Dr. Daniel Rappolee
Dissertation title: Cell Lineage Choice During Differentiation of Trophoblast Stem Cells (tsc) is Dependent on Oxygen Levels, and Mediated by Stress Enzyme Pathways and Mitochondrial Function.
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Denise Briggs
Program: Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences
Advisor: Dr. Donald Kuhn
Dissertation title: Cognitive, Psychiatric, and Neuropathological Manifestations of Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Erik Brown
Program: Translational Neuroscience
Advisor: Dr. Eishi Asano
Postgraduate Positions: —

Dhruman Goradia
Program: Translational Neuroscience
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Stanley
Dissertation title: Evidence Of Distinctive Structural Alterations That Differentiate ADHD Boys With And Without A Co-morbid Reading Disability.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Hilary Marusak
Program: Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences
Advisor: Dr. Moriah Thomason
Dissertation title: Childhood Trauma and Emotion Processing Neurocircuitry.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Brianne Mohl
Program: Translational Neuroscience
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Stanley
Dissertation title: Neural Alterations Influencing Skilled Reading in ADHD: A Task-Based FMRI Study.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Andrew Neff
Program: Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences
Advisor: Dr. Paul Burghardt
Dissertation Title: Intestinal Bacteria and Their Relationship with Dietary Fiber, Tryptophan Metabolism, and Appetite.
Postgraduate Positions: —

Helen Wu
Program: Translational Neuroscience
Advisors: Dr. Jeffrey Stanley and Dr. Jeffrey Loeb
Dissertation title: “Identification of Metabolite Biomarkers in Epilepsy using H MRS”
Postgraduate Positions: —

Nicole Zabik
Program: Translational Neuroscience Program
Advisor: Dr. Christine Rabinak and Dr. Mark Greenwald
Dissertation Title: "Neural and Behavioral Mechanisms of PTSD: Impact of endocannabinoid modulation on extinction recall and avoidance behaviors."
Postgraduate Positions: —