Education / Graduate Education / Statistics and Facts / 2022/2023 PhD Recipients Thesis Titles

2022/2023 PhD Recipients Thesis Titles

Jessica Ackerman, B.S. SUNY Geneseo, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology

Thesis: Lineage Tracing and Spatial Transcriptomics Illustrate the Role of Myofibroblasts During Fibrotic Tendon Healing

Advisor: Dr. Alayna Loiselle

David Barnard, B.S. Rochester Institute Of Technology, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Investigating the Role of Mycobacterial DD-carboxypeptidases in the Synthesis of 3-3 Crosslinks

Advisor: Dr. Martin S. Pavelka

Hannah Bell, B.S. Cornell University-Endowed Colleges, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: The Function of Type Three Secretion System Protein VopZZ in Vibrio cholerae Infection

Advisor: Dr. Michelle Dziejman

Tyler Bell, B.S. SUNY College At Geneseo, M.S. University of Rochester; Toxicology

Thesis: Activation of GPR68 as a pH Sensitive Target in Pulmonary Fibrosis

Advisor: Dr. Robert Kottmann

Rachel Bonn, B.S. University of Rochester, B.A. University of Rochester, M.S. University of Rochester; Biochemistry

Thesis: Identification and optimization of cyclic peptides that target viral RNAs

Advisor: Dr. Joseph Wedekind

Jack Chang, B.S. China-Tsinghua University, M.S. Tsinghua University, M.S.George Washington University; Translational Biomedical Science

Thesis: EMR-Based Computational Phenotyping in Multiple Sclerosis Incorporating Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning

Advisor: Dr. Timothy Dye

Udaysankar Chockanathan, B.S. University of Chicago, M.S. University of Rochester; Neurobiology and Anatomy

Thesis: Variations in neuronal population activity across behaviors, brain regions, and disease

Advisor: Dr. Krishnan Padmanabhan

William Consagra, B.S. Rochester Institute Of Technology, M.S. Rochester Institute Of Technology, M.S. University of Rochester; Statistics

Thesis: Methods for Multidimensional Functional Data Analysis in Modern Neuroimaging

Advisor: Dr. Xing Qiu

Adam Cornwell, B.S. Rochester Institute Of Technology, M.S. Rochester Institute Of Technology, M.S. University of Rochester; Genetics

Thesis: Advancing analysis of aging in C. elegans, and identifying the role of the C. elegans Myc-family of transcription factors in coordination of adaptive responses to dietary restriction

Advisor: Dr. Andrew Samuelson

Tyler Couch, B.S. Winthrop University, M.S. University of Rochester; Pharmacology

Thesis: Topography and Motion of the Acid-sensing Ion Channel 1 Intracellular Domains

Advisor: Dr. David MacLean

Derek Crowe, B.S. University of Rochester, M.S. University of Rochester; Genetics

Thesis: Transcriptomic Subtypes of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Share Patterns of Dysregulated Gene Expression and Survival Dependencies

Advisor: Dr. Hartmut Land

Janine Cubello, B.S. Niagara University, M.S. University of Rochester; Toxicology

Thesis: Gestational Iron Deficiency Modulates Lead (Pb) Burden in a Tissue- and Age- Specific Manner

Advisor: Dr. Margot Mayer-Proschel

Ian DeAndrea-Lazarus, B.S. Gallaudet University, M.S. University of Rochester; Translational Biomedical Science

Thesis: Anticipatory Biasing of Visuospatial Attention in Deaf Native Signers

Advisor: Dr. Ed Freedman and Dr. John Foxe

Abdul Karim Embong, B.S. Rochester Institute Of Technology,, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: A Blast from the Past – Recall of Memory B Cell to Fight Future Threats

Advisor: Dr. David Topham

Karl Foley, B.A. Vassar College, M.S. University of Rochester; Neurobiology and Anatomy

Thesis: Protein phosphatase 1 isoforms differentially regulate synaptic transmission and plasticity

Advisor: Dr. Houhui Xia

Zanah Francis, B.A. Cornell University, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Investigating the Role of Mycobacterial L,D-transpeptidases and 3→3 Peptidoglycan Crosslinking in vitro and in vivo

Advisor: Dr. Martin S. Pavelka

David Fraser, B.A. Gordon College, M.S. University of Rochester; Translational Biomedical Science

Thesis: Engineered Extracellular Matrices for Periodontal Tissue Regeneration

Advisor: Dr. Danielle Benoit

Felicia Gilels, B.S. Suny Stony Brook, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology

Thesis: The Role of JAG1-Notch Signaling in the Maturation and Function of the Inner Ear

Advisor: Dr. Amy Kiernan

Cassandra Houser, B.S. Loyola University Maryland, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulation of T follicular helper cell differentiation and function during respiratory viral infection

Advisor: Dr. B. Paige Lawrence

Jeremiah Jones, B.S. Stetson University, M.S. University of Rochester; Statistics

Thesis: The Partial Linear Model in Causal Inference: Estimation, Selection, and Inference Leveraging Machine Learning

Advisor: Dr. Ashkan Ertefaie and Dr. Robert Strawderman

Berke Karaahmet, B.S. Bilkent University, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience

Thesis: Immunomodulatory approaches to Alzheimer’s Disease

Advisor: Dr. Kerry O’Banion

Howard Mark Kenney, B.A. University of Rochester, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology

Thesis: Elucidating the Mechanisms of Lymphatic Muscle Cell Dysfunction in Arthritic Flare

Advisor: Dr. Edward Schwarz

Ian Krout, B.S. Marist College, M.S. University of Rochester; Toxicology

Thesis: The Role of Methylmercury Demethylation in Modulating Human Toxicokinetic Outcomes

Advisor: Dr. Matthew Rand

Linxi Liu, B.S. Sichuan University, M.S. University Of Pittsburgh; Epidemiology

Thesis: The Prognostic Role of Eosinophil Count on Mortality Rates and Risk of Pneumonitis in NSCLC Patients Treated with ICI Therapy

Advisor: Dr. David Rich

Michael Lutz, B.S. Le Moyne College, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Mechanisms of Adaptation of the Influenza A Virus through Polymerase PA Mutations

Advisor: Dr. Toru Takimoto

Yunjiao Mao, B.S. Anhui Agricultural University, M.S. University of Science and Technology of China; Health Services Research and Policy

Thesis: Variations in Home Time among Assisted Living Residents: Associations with Resident Characteristics, State Regulations, and Online Ratings

Advisor: Dr. Helena Temkin-Greener

Tyler McCullock, B.S. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, M.S. University of Rochester; Pharmacology

Thesis: A Comprehensive Overview of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Dimer Signaling

Advisor: Dr. Paul Kammermeier

Connor McGuire, B.S. Elmira College, M.S. Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, M.S. University of Rochester; Toxicology

Thesis: Xenopus laevis as an exploratory model organism to determine the effects of thyroid disrupting chemicals on immune development

Advisor: Dr. Jacques Robert

Alexander Milliken, B.S. Wells College, M.S. University of Rochester; Physiology

Thesis: Investigating Succinate and pH Dynamics in Cardiac Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Advisor: Dr. Paul Brookes

Mary Moran, B.S. College of the Holy Cross, M.S. University of Rochester, MPH University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Effects of S. aureus Virulence Factors and Keratinocyte Differentiation State on Cutaneous Viral Susceptibility

Advisor: Dr. Lisa Beck

Isreal Moreno, B.S. Roberts Wesleyan College, M.S. Rochester Institute Of Technology, M.S. University of Rochester; Biochemistry

Thesis: Enolase 2: A novel determinant of Human Cytomegalovirus infection

Advisor: Dr. Joshua Munger

Allison Murphy, B.S. Denison University, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience

Thesis: Structure and Function of Corticogeniculate Feedback

Advisor: Dr. Farran Briggs

Hannah Murphy, B.S. Texas A&M University; Translational Biomedical Science

Thesis: Prenatal Diurnal Salivary Cortisol and Associated Fetal and Postnatal Growth Trajectories

Advisor: Dr. Tom O’Connor

Joseph Murphy, B.S. Maynooth University, M.S. University of Dublin, Trinity College, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Analyzing the Multifaceted Roles of Tumor Associated Neutrophils in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Advisor: Dr. Scott Gerber

Sean Nelson, B.S. Lehigh University, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Harnessing CD4 T cell localization and functional potential to enhance protective immunity to influenza virus

Advisor: Dr. Andrea Sant

Nicholas Nobiletti, B.S. Ursinus College, M.S. University of Rochester; Pharmacology

Thesis: KRIT1-mediated regulation of cellular response to inflammation

Advisor: Dr. Angela Glading

Carlos Ortiz Bonilla, B.S. University Of Puerto Rico-Ponce, M.S. University of Rochester; Pathology

Thesis: Extracellular Vesicles: A Novel Immunomodulator in Bladder Cancer Recurrence and BCG Immunotherapy

Advisor: Dr. Yi-Fen Lee

Mackenzie Palmer, B.S. SUNY Potsdam, New York, M.S. University of Rochester; Toxicology

Thesis: The Role of Lactate in Macrophage Polarization in Radiation-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

Advisor: Dr. Jacob Finkelstein

Mukta Palshikar, B.S. MES Abasaheb Garware College, Savitribai Phule Pune University, M.S. Savitribai Phule Pune University, M.S. University of Rochester; Biophysics

Thesis: Executable models of signaling pathways built using omics data

Advisor: Dr. Juilee Thakar

Catherine Pizzarello, B.S. College Of William And Mary, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Effects of Dietary and Environmental Exposures on Infant Immune Development

Advisor: Dr. Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo

Shuyang Qin, B.S. California Institute Of Technology, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Effects of Intertumoral Heterogeneity on Immunosuppression and Immunotherapy Resistance in Synchronous Melanoma

Advisor: Dr. Peter Prieto

Matthew Rook, B.S. SUNY University at Buffalo, M.S. University of Rochester; Pharmacology

Thesis: Interrogation into Molecular Mechanisms of Activation and Desensitization in Acid-Sensing Ion Channel 1a

Advisor: Dr. David MacLean

Garrick Salois, B.S. Saginaw Valley State University, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience

Thesis: Iron deficiency alters inhibitory neuron precursor population dynamics in human ventral forebrain organoids

Advisor: Dr. Margot Mayer-Proschel

Rubens Sautchuk, Junior, B.S. Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Parana, M.S. Faculdade Sao Leopoldo Mandic; Translational Biomedical Science

Thesis: The Role and Regulation of Cyclophilin D and Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore During Osteogenic Differentiation

Advisor: Dr. Roman Eliseev

Griffin Schroeder, B.S. Saint Johns University, M.S. University of Rochester; Biochemistry

Thesis: Structural Basis of Translational Regulation by Bacterial Riboswitches

Advisor: Dr. Joseph Wedekind

Neal Shah, B.S. Allegheny College, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience

Thesis: c-Cbl Inhibition in Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Pathway Analysis

Advisor: Dr. Mark Noble

Shraddha Shah, B.S. Sardar Institute of Technology, M.S. Dartmouth College, M.S. University of Rochester; Neuroscience

Thesis: Linking Attentional Modulation To Neuronal Feature-Selectivity In Macaque V1

Advisor: Dr. Farran Briggs

Keshov Sharma, B.S. Duke University, M.S. University of Rochester; Neurobiology and Anatomy

Thesis: Amygdala-Prefrontal Circuits Implicated in Expression Perception

Advisor: Dr. Lizabeth Romanski

Monika Tasak, B.S. University Of Connecticut, M.S. University of Rochester; Biochemistry

Thesis: The Biology of 1-Methyladenosine and Initiator tRNA in Evolutionarily Distant Yeast Species, and Other Aspects of tRNA Modification Biology

Advisor: Dr. Eric Phizicky

Katharine Tomberlin, B.S. University Of Minnesota-Duluth, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Defining the Genetic and Functional Requirements for Type III Secretion System-Mediated Colonization in Vibrio cholerae

Advisor: Dr. Michelle Dziejman

Taylor Uccello, B.S. Stonehill College, M.S. University of Rochester; Microbiology and Immunology

Thesis: Identifying Factors that Mediate the Anti-Tumor Immune Response to Rectal Cancer Following Short Course Radiotherapy

Advisor: Dr. Scott Gerber

Arica VanderWal, B.S. University of St. Thomas, M.S. University of Rochester; Biochemistry

Thesis: The Role of CRISPR-Csx28 in CRISPR-Cas Anti-Phage Immunity

Advisor: Dr. Mitchell O'Connell

Ethan Walker, B.S. SUNY Oswego, M.S. University of Rochester; Biochemistry

Thesis: Global Analysis of the Interplay Between Protein Folding Stabilities and Methionine Oxidation

Advisor: Dr. Sina Ghaemmaghami

Huiying Wang, B.S. Southern Medical University; Health Services Research and Policy

Thesis: Trend in Opioid Administration and Fall Related Injuries Among Veterans with Dementia Residing in Department of Veterans Affairs’ Nursing Homes

Advisor: Dr. Orna Intrator

Xiaolu Wei, B.S. Shandong University, M.S. Peking University, M.S. University of Rochester; Genetics

Thesis: Segregation Distorter and satellite DNA regulation in Drosophila melanogaster

Advisor: Dr. Amanda Larracuente

Samuel Weisenthal, B.A. Hamilton College, M.S. University of Rochester, M.A. University of Rochester; Statistics

Thesis: Relative Sparsity and Optimality-based Reward Learning with Applications to Medical Decisions and Toxicology

Advisor: Dr. Sally Thurston and Dr. Ashkan Ertefaie

Li Xie, B.S. Fudan University, M.S. National University of Singapore, M.S. University of Rochester; Genetics

Thesis: Deciphering EIF2B5 deficiency in Vanishing White Matter disease

Advisor: Dr. Chris Proschel

Di Yan, B.A. Peking University Health Science Center, M.S. Peking University; Health Services Research & Policy

Thesis: Effects of Minimum Wage Policy on Direct Care Workers and Quality of Care in Nursing Homes

Advisor: Dr. Shubing Cai

Frances Zakusilo, B.A. Cuny Hunter College, M.S. University of Rochester; Neurobiology and Anatomy

Thesis: Protective mechanisms in Naked Mole Rat CNS: roles of extracellular matrix and astroglia

Advisor: Dr. Kerry O’Banion

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