2020/2021 PhD Recipients Thesis Titles
2019-2020 PhD Thesis Titles 2018-2019 PhD Thesis Titles 2017-2018 PhD Thesis Titles
2016-2017 PhD Thesis Titles 2015-2016 PhD Thesis Titles 2013-2014 PhD Thesis Titles
2012-2013 PhD Thesis Titles 2011-2012 PhD Thesis Titles 2010-2011 PhD Thesis Titles
Alessandra Araujo, B.S. University of South Florida, M.S. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: IFN--Mediated Death of Metabolically Altered Paneth Cells
Advisor: Dr. Felix Yarovinsky
Jonathan Bartko, B.S. University of Pittsburgh, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology
Thesis: Characterizing Context-Specific Roles for CHOP in ER Stress Signaling and Neurodevelopment
Advisor: Dr. Marc Halterman
Nicholas Battaglia, B.S. Case Western Reserve University, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: Analysis of the effects of scheduling, dexamethasone co-administration, and NKG2A signaling on the anti-tumor immune response elicited by radiotherapy
Advisor: Dr. Edith Lord
Brandon Berry, B.S. SUNY Geneseo, M.S. University of Rochester; Physiology
Thesis: Optogenetic Control of Mitochondria Alters Cellular Energy Sensing and Hypoxia Resistance
Advisor: Dr. Andrew Wojtovich
Katherine Best, B.S. SUNY Geneseo, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology
Thesis: Defining Tendon Cell Localization, Functions, and Fate During Acute Flexor Tendon Injury and Repair
Advisor: Dr. Alayna Loiselle
Chapin Cavender, B.S. University Of Alabama At Birmingham, M.S. University of Rochester; Biophysics
Thesis: Capturing the influence of solvent and local structure in a fixed-charge force field for RNA
Advisor: Dr. David Mathews
Si Chen, B.S. China Pharmaceutical University, M.S. SUNY at Buffalo, M.S. University of Rochester; Pharmacology
Thesis: Regulation, function and mechanism of phosphodiesterase 10A in pathological cardiac remodeling and dysfunction
Advisor: Dr. Yan Chen
Fu-Ju Chou, B.S. Taipei Medical University, M.S. National Cheng Kung University, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology
Thesis: The New Therapeutic Strategies for Improving the Efficacy and Reducing the Adverse Effects of Radiotherapy for Early Stage of Prostate Cancer
Advisor: Dr. Chawnshang Chang
Allison Ciesla, B.S. St. Lawrence University, M.S. Case Western Reserve University; Epidemiology
Thesis: Occupational Contribution to Pesticide Exposure: The General Population and a Survey of Migrant Farmworkers
Advisor: Dr. Edwin van Wijngaarden
Thareendra De Zoysa, B.S. University of Colombo, M.S. University of Rochester, Ph.D. University Of Massachusetts-Lowell; Biochemistry
Thesis: Similarities and differences in tRNA quality control decay pathways in evolutionarily distant yeast species
Advisor: Dr. Eric Phizicky
Lorne Farovitch, B.A. Gallaudet University, B.S. Gallaudet University, M.S. Rochester Institute of Technology; Translational Biomedical Science
Thesis: Surveillance of Global Tick-borne Disease in Ecological Context: Geographic Distribution, Novel Biodiagnostic Testing, and Preventive Strategies for the Deaf Population
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Dye and Dr. Benjamin Miller
Ashley Fields, B.S. Bellarmine College, M.S. University of Rochester; Toxicology
Thesis: Vitamin B6 deficiency during pregnancy: a mouse model to study mechanisms underlying gestational diabetes mellitus
Advisor: Dr. Martha Susiarjo
Elizabeth Greener, B.S. University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Health Services Research and Policy
Thesis: When your Pregnancy is a Crime: How Child Welfare Policy Impacts Healthcare Utilization and Outcomes for Pregnant Women with Substance Use Disorders
Advisor: Dr. Elaine Hill
Booyeon Han, B.A. Princeton University, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: Characterizing and Targeting the Pancreatic Tumor Draining Lymph Node to Enhance Antitumor Responses in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Advisor: Dr. Scott Gerber
Fanfan Hao, B.S. Hunan University, M.S. New York University, M.S. University of Rochester; Biochemistry
Thesis: Identifying Molecular Determinants of the Structure of the Intrinsically Disordered H1.0 Carboxyl-Terminal Domain
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Hayes
Denise Herr, B.S. Duquesne, M.S. Duquesne; Toxicology
Thesis: Effects of concentrated ambient ultrafine particulate matter on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease-related pathology in the 3xTgAD mouse model
Advisor: Dr. Alison Elder
Joshua Hinkle, B.A. SUNY Stony Brook, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience
Thesis: Cranial irradiation causes dendritic spine loss that is microglial complement receptor 3-dependent and associated with cognitive impairment
Advisor: Dr. Kerry O’Banion and Dr. John Olschowka
Ashley Holub, B.S. SUNY at Buffalo, M.A. Medaille College; Epidemiology
Thesis: Stress, Health Behaviors, and Health Outcomes in Caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Advisor: Dr. Edwin van Wijngaarden
Yeunkyung Kim, B.A. University of Wisconsin-Madison; Health Services Research and Policy
Thesis: Impact of Medicare Shared Savings Program on 30-day Rehospitalization, Post-Acute Care Use, and Variations by Payer Status and Race/Ethnicity
Advisor: Dr. Yue Li
Lianlian Lei, B.A. Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, M.A. Shanghai University of Finance and Economics; Health Services Research and Policy
Thesis: Continuity of Care and Health Care Utilization and Cost among Community-dwelling Older Veterans with Dementia
Advisor: Dr. Orna Intrator
Elizabeth Lindsay, B.S. SUNY Brockport, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: Dynamic Regulation in Streptococcus mutans by the Transcriptional Regulator TreR
Advisor: Dr. Robert Quivey
Colin Lockwood, B.S. Vanderbilt University, M.S. University of Rochester; Neurobiology and Anatomy
Thesis: Task Modulation of Optic Flow Responses: Neural and Neuronal Mechanisms
Advisor: Dr. Charles Duffy
Lingfeng Luo, B.S. Zhejiang University, M.S. University of Rochester; Biochemistry
Thesis: Roles of Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases in Smooth Muscle Cells and the Pathogenesis of Vascular Restenosis
Advisor: Dr. Chen Yan
Luke Marr, B.S. SUNY Geneseo, M.S. University of Rochester; Biochemistry
Thesis: Probing genome-wide native chromatin structure via histone surface accessibilities
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Hayes
Philip Meacham, B.S. Rochester Institute of Technology, M.S. Georgetown University; Epidemiology
Thesis: Evaluating the risk of second lymphoid malignancies
Advisor: Dr. David Rich
Monique Mendes, B.S. University of Florida, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience
Thesis: The kinetics of microglial ontogeny and maturation in the adult brain
Advisor: Dr. Ania Majewska
Humberto Mestre Payne, B.S. Anahuac University, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience
Thesis: Fluid transport in the brain
Advisor: Dr. Maiken Nedergaard
Kathleen Miller-Rhodes, B.S. St Lawrence University, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience
Thesis: SOD3 effects on lung-brain coupling and reperfusion injury following acute ischemic stroke
Advisor: Dr. Marc Halterman
Patrick Miller-Rhodes, B.A. SUNY Geneseo, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience
Thesis: The Mixed-lineage Kinase 3 Inhibitor URMC-099 Exhibits Broad-Spectrum Activity in Mouse Models of Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders
Advisor: Dr. Harris Gelbard
Stephanie Monticelli, B.S. University Of Missouri-Columbia, M.S. University of Rochester, M.P.H. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: Characterization of the Role of the Poxvirus Extracellular Virion-Specific Glycoproteins A33, A34, and B5 for Infectivity and Pathogenesis
Advisor: Dr. Brian Ward
Jessica Orth, B.A. University of Minnesotra-Morris, M.S. University of Iowa, M.P.H. University of North Dakota; Health Services Research and Policy
Thesis: Quality of End-of-Life Care among Nursing Home Residents with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia: Impact of Patient Safety Culture and State Regulations
Advisor: Dr. Helena Temkin-Greener
Laura Owlett, B.S. SUNY Geneseo, B.S. SUNY Geneseo, M.S. University of Rochester; Neurobiology and Anatomy
Thesis: Modulation of acute inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease pathology by Gas6-Axl interaction
Advisor: Dr. Kerry O’Banion
Rohith Palli, B.S. University of Pittsburgh, M.S. University of Rochester; Biophysics
Thesis: Executable models of signaling pathways and application to HIV
Advisor: Dr. Juilee Thakar
Daphne Pariser, B.S. Flagler College, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: Lung Megakaryocytes are a Novel Immune Modulatory Cell and Present Antigen to CD4+ T
Advisor: Dr. Craig Morrell
Sarah Phelan, B.S. Roberts Wesleyan College, M.S. University of Rochester; Toxicology
Thesis: The Off-Target Effects of the Ultraviolet Radiation Filter Octinoxate in Skin
Advisor: Dr. Lisa DeLouise
Jonathan Pinney, B.A. Hamilton College, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: Discovery of macrophage hypophagia as a critical regulator of antibody mediated cellular cytotoxicity
Advisor: Dr. Michael Elliott
Priyanka Saminathan, B.S. VIT University, M.S. SUNY College at Buffalo, M.S. University of Edinburgh; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: An Investigation Into The Effects Of URMC-099 On Peripheral Immune Cells In Neuroinflammatory Disease Models
Advisor: Dr. Harris Gelbard
Jerry Saunders, B.S. Brandeis University, B.A. Brandeis University, M.S. Mount Sinai School of Medicine, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology
Thesis: 16, 16-Dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2) and lisinopril cooperatively improve survival and mitigate injury in hematopoietic-acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS)
Advisor: Dr. James Palis
Sydney Simpson, B.S. University of Rochester, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: Characterization of Two Disparate Modes by which Viruses Exploit Hostfactors to Promote their own Dissemination and Replication
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Dewhurst
Louis Smith, B.S. University of Chicago, M.S. University of Rochester; Biophysics
Thesis: RNA Molecular Interactions Studied Through Simulation and Experiment
Advisor: Dr. David Mathews
Jiatong Sui, B.S. Xiamen University, M.A. University of Rochester; Statistics
Thesis: Generalized Reduced Rank Correlation Structure in Statistical Inference and Multi-Type Data Integration
Advisor: Dr. Xing Qiu
Matthew Tanner, B.S. University of Oregon, M.S. University of Rochester; Genetics
Thesis: mRNA splicing is a marker of molecular pathology and response to therapeutics in myotonic muscular dystrophy
Advisor: Dr. Charles Thornton
Janelle Veazey, B.S. Messiah College, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: Protein Kinase D- A Key Regulator of Pulmonary Barrier and Early Innate Immunity in the Lung
Advisor: Dr. Steve Georas
Denisse Vega Ocasio, B.S. University of Puerto Rico, M.P.H. Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science; Translational Biomedical Science
Thesis: Psychosocial distress and its impact on immune modulation of arbovirus infection in Machala, Ecuador
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Dye and Dr. Craig Morrell
Jesse Wang, B.S. University Of Connecticut; Translational Biomedical Science
Thesis: A Patient-Centered Digital Scribe
Advisor: Dr. Henry Kautz
Ronghao Wang, B.S. Xiamen University, M.S. Xiamen University, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology
Thesis: The roles of AR variants in Enzalutamide resistant prostate cancer
Advisor: Dr. Chawnshang Chang
Sijiu Wang, B.S. Peking University, M.S. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Health Services Research and Policy
Thesis: The Impact of Medicaid HCBS Generosity On Transitions from Skilled Nursing Facilities to Community and Beyond
Advisor: Dr. Shubing Cai
Emily Weber, B.S. Augustana College, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology
Thesis: Investigating the Role of Tetherin in Monocyte Derived Microparticle Regulation during HIV Infection
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Dewhurst
Candace Wong, B.S. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, M.S. University of Rochester; Toxicology
Thesis: The Effect of Alzheimer’s Disease State and Environmental Exposures on Nanoparticle Biodistribution
Advisor: Dr. Alison Elder
Chao Xue, B.S. Peking University Health Science Center, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology
Thesis: Cyclophilin A is a Novel Mediator of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Advisor: Dr. Bradford Berk