Recent Graduates
2018 MD/PhD Graduates
20182017201620152014
2018
Samuel Carrell, M.D., Ph.D.
Testing the limits of antisense oligonucleotide treatment for myotonic dystrophy Type 1
Advisor: Charles A. Thornton, M.D.
Neurology Resident: Hospital of the University of PA
Amit Kumar Chowdhry, M.D., Ph.D.
Missing data in Meta-Analysis
Advisor: Michael McDermott, Ph.D.
Radiation Oncology Resident: Univ. Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital
Andrew Cox, M.D., Ph.D.
Increasing the safety of the Live Attenuated Influenza Virus Vaccine
Advisor: Stephen Dewhurst, Ph.D.
Pediatrics Resident: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital MC-OH
Alison Gaylo, M.D., Ph.D.
Mechanisms of CD4+ T cell motility in the inflamed dermal interstitium
Advisor: Deborah Fowell, Ph.D.
Dermatology Resident: UPMC Medical Education – PA
Andrew Shubin, M.D., Ph.D.
Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels for Salivary Gland Regeneration
Advisor: Danielle Benoit, Ph.D.
General Surgery Resident: U. Texas Southwestern Med Sch.-(Dallas)
Aisha Siebert, M.D., Ph.D.
Parasitoid Wasp (Nasonia) Venoms: High Throughput Approach to Functional Characterization and Translational Application to Drug Discovery
Advisor: Jack Werren, Ph.D.
Urology Resident: Northwestern Univ. – Feinberg School (Chicago)
2017
Adrianne Chesser, M.D., Ph.D.
Selectively Enhancing Clearance of Pathological Tau Through the Use of Phytochemical Compounds
Advisor: Gail V. W. Johnson, Ph.D
Resident, Internal Medicine: Allina Health
Youssef Farhat, M.D., Ph.D.
Identification of PAI-1 as a Biological Target for the Promotion of Scarless Flexor Tendon Healing
Advisor: Hani A. Awad, Ph.D.
Pathology Resident: Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals
Jonathan Langdon, M.D., Ph.D.
Development of Single Track Location Shear Wave Viscoelasticity Imaging for Real-Time Characterization of Biological Tissues
Advisor: Stephen A. McAleavey, Ph.D
Medicine Resident: Hofstra Northwell SOM – NY
Rialnat "Bisi" Lawal, M.D., Ph.D.
Osteolineage Notch Ligand Jagged1 Regulates Bon Homeostasis and Parathyroid Hormone-dependent Long Term Hematopoietic Stem Cell Function
Advisor: Laura M. Calvi, M.D.
Internal Medicine Resident: University of Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital
Emily Walters, M.D., Ph.D.
Non-Mutated Mediator Genes in Diverse Epithelial Cancer Types
Advisor: Helene R. McMurray, Ph.D.
Anesthesiology Resident: UCLA Medical Center, CA
2016
Laura Fornarola, M.D., Ph.D.
The Role of PIN1 in Neuronal Programmed Cell Death Following Trophic Factor Deprivation
Advisor: Robert S. Freeman, Ph.D.
Resident, Anesthesiology: University of Rochester
Natasha Golub, M.D., Ph.D.
Longitudinal Health Outcomes in Former Refugees
Advisor: Edwin Van Wijngaarden, Ph.D., M.Sc.
Resident, General Preventive Medicine: Johns Hopkins/Bloomberg, MD
Kevin Makino, M.D., Ph.D.
Income, Public Health Insurance Eligibility, and Children’s Insurance Status: Implications for Parental Distress, Parenting Behaviors and Child Socio-Emotional Health
Advisor: Peter J. Veazie, Ph.D.
Resident in Pediatrics: University of Hawaii
Lisa Niswander, M.D., Ph.D.
Microenvironmental Regulation of Megakaryopoiesis and Thrombopoiesis by SDF-1
Advisor: James Palis, M.D.
MD/PhD Candidate: University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Imran Punekar, M.D., Ph.D.
Impulsivity in Parkinson Disease
Advisor: Jonathan Mink, M.D., Ph.D.
Resident, Anesthesiology: University of Rochester
Danielle deCampo, M.D., Ph.D.
An Extended Amygdala Path with Implications for Early Life Stress
Advisor: Julie L. Fudge, M.D.
Resident, Child Neurology: Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
2015
Laura DiChiacchio, M.D., Ph.D.
Computational Prediction of RNA Secondary Structure with Applications to RNA Viruses
Advisor: David H. Mathews, M.D., Ph.D.
Intern and Resident: General Surgery, Research for 2 years at end of residency: University of Maryland Medical Center.
Anat Kohn, M.D., Ph.D.
The Role of RBPjk-Dependent Notch Signaling During Cartilage Development of the Limb Skeleton
Advisor: Matthew J. Hilton, Ph.D.
Intern and Resident : Internal Medicine, Univ. Rochester/SMH
Daniel Marker, M.D., Ph.D.
URMC-099, a Novel Kinase Inhibitor with Drug-like Properties, is Neuroprotective in Models of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Associated Neurocognitive Disorders
Advisor: Harris A. Gelbard, M.D., Ph.D.
Resident in Pathology: Univ. of Pennsylvania Medical Center
Tristan Nicholson, M.D., Ph.D.
Estrogen receptor-alpha is a key mediator and therapeutic target in benign prostatic hyperplasia
Advisor: William Ricke, Ph.D.
Resident Physician: Univ. Wash. Urology Residency Res. Track
Salvatore Priore, M.D., Ph.D.
Discovery and Characterization of Influenza Virus RNA Secondary Structure
Advisor: Douglas H. Turner, Ph.D.
Intern and Resident: Pathology (Anatomic/Clinical), Research at end, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Jharon Silva, M.D., Ph.D.
Modeling the Effect of HIV-1 Induced Neuroinflammation on the Cerebral Vasculature: Acute Intracranial Exposure to HIV-1 Tat Leads to Dysregulation of Cerebrovascular Reactivity, While Chronic Tat Exposure Results in Reduced Vascular Density
Advisor: Stephen Dewhurst, Ph.D.
Intern and Resident: Emergency Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine
2014
Melisa Carrasco, M.D., Ph.D.
Cognitive Role of Medial PFC in Error Processing: Lessons Learned from Healthy Children and Pediatric OCD, Anxiety, and ASD
Advisor: William J. Gehring, Ph.D.
Resident in Preliminary Pediatrics/Child Neurology: University of Maryland Medical Center, Johns Hopkins, Hospital, Baltimore, MD
Joanna Olsen, M.D., Ph.D.
SEVI, A Natural Enhancer of HIV Infection, as a Novel Target to Prevent HIV Transmission
Advisor: Stephen Dewhurst, Ph.D.
Resident in Anesthesiology/Critical Care Medicine: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
Scott A. Peslak, M.D., Ph.D.
Erythropoiesis: Injury and Recovery
Advisor: James Palis, M.D.
Resident in Internal Medicine-ABIM Research Pathway followed by Hematology/Oncology Fellowship: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Phillip Rappold, M.D., Ph.D.
Pathogenic mechanisms and novel therapeutic strategies in Parkinson disease
Advisor: Kim Tieu, Ph.D.
Resident in Urology: Univ. of Rochester Medical Center
Danny A. Rogers, M.D., Ph.D.
Novel Approaches for Targeting Undifferentiated Cells in Neuroblastoma
Advisor: Nina F. Schor, M.D., Ph.D.
Resident in Pediatrics-Preliminary/Child Neurology: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Mercedes Szpunar, M.D., Ph.D.
Evidence for Sympathetic Nervous System Regulation of Breast Cancer Progression
Advisor: Edward Brown, Ph.D.
Resident in Psychiatry (Research Track): University California San Diego Medical Center
Edward Vuong, M.D., Ph.D.
lep-5: a long noncoding RNA is a novel heterochronic regulator in C. elegans
Advisor: Douglas Portman, Ph.D.
Resident in Internal Medicine: North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Manhasset, NY
Ethan Winkler, M.D., Ph.D.
Vascular-mediated neuronal injury: the role of blood-spinal cord barrier disruption in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Advisor: Berislav Zlokovic, M.D., Ph.D.
Advisor: M. Kerry O'Banion, M.D., Ph.D.
Resident in Neurological Surgery: Univ. of California, San Francisco