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Recent Graduates

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2024

Hannah Bell

Hannah Bell, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.

Adviser: Michelle Dziejman, Ph.D.

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

Udaysankar "Uday" Chockanathan

Udaysankar "Uday" Chockanathan, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Krishnan Padmanabhan, Ph.D.

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

Ian DeAndrea-Lazarus

Ian DeAndrea-Lazarus, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Edward Freedman, Ph.D. & John Foxe, Ph.D.

Thesis: Anticipatory Biasing of Visuospatial Attention in Deaf Native Signers

Karl Foley

Karl Foley, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.

Adviser: Houhui Xia, M.Sc., Ph.D.

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

Howard "Mark" Kenney

Howard "Mark" Kenney, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.

Adviser: Edward Schwarz, Ph.D.

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

Shuyang "Sue" Qin

Shuyang "Sue" Qin, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Peter Prieto, M.D., M.P.H. & Scott Gerber, Ph.D.

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

Keshov Sharma

Keshov Sharma, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Lizabeth Romanski, Ph.D. & Julie Fudge, M.D.

Thesis: Amygdala-Prefrontal Circuits Implicated in Expression Perception

Farangis "Fara" Zakusilo

Farangis "Fara" (Tolibzoda) Zakusilo, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.

Adviser: Vera Gorbunova, Ph.D.

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

2023

Ranran "Annette" French

Ranran "Annette" French, M.D., Ph.D

Adviser: Greg DeAngelis, Ph.D.

Thesis: Perceptual Processes Underlying Depth Judgement of Moving Object During Self-Motion

Adwiteeya "Aditi" Misra

Adwiteeya "Aditi" Misra, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Eric Small, Ph.D.

Thesis: Transcriptomic Analysis of Neonatal Cardiac Regeneration and Scar Resolution

Keshia Mora

Keshia Mora, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Mark Buckley, Ph.D. & Alayna Loiselle, Ph.D.

Thesis: Multiaxial and multiscale strain assessment of the impinged Achilles tendon insertion

Jerry Saunders

Jerry Saunders, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: James Palis, M.D.

Thesis: A novel combination therapy enhances recovery following radiation exposure

Arun Venkataraman

Arun Venkataraman, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Jianhui Zhong, Ph.D.

Thesis: How fast can we go? Optimizing Diffusion MRI (dMRI) Acquisition

Jesse Wang

Jesse Wang, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Henry Kautz, Ph.D.

Thesis: A Patient-Centered Digital Scribe

Brendan Whitelaw

Brendan Whitelaw, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Ania Majewska, Ph.D.

Thesis: Mechanisms of ATP-dependent microglial process motility

2022

Jonathan Bartko

Jonathan Bartko, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Marc Halterman, M.D., Ph.D.

Thesis: Characterizing Context-Specific Roles for CHOP in ER Stress Signaling and Neurodevelopment

Michael-John Beltejar

Michael-John Beltejar, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Cheryl Ackert-Bicknell, Ph.D.

Thesis: Understanding the Genetic Basis for Bone-Matrix Quality

Booyeon Han

Booyeon Han, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: David Linehan, M.D. & Scott Gerber, Ph.D.

Thesis: Characterizing and Targeting the Pancreatic Tumor Draining Lymph Node to Enhance Antitumor Responses in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Laura Owlett

Laura Owlett, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: M. Kerry O'Banion, M.D., Ph.D. & John Olschowka, Ph.D.

Thesis: Modulation of acute inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease pathology by Gas6-Axl interaction

Rohith Palli

Rohith Palli, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Juilee Thakar, Ph.D.

Thesis: Executable models of signaling pathways and application to HIV

Resident: Internal Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center

Elizabeth Saionz

Elizabeth Saionz, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Krystel Huxlin, Ph.D.

Thesis: Time is Vision: Properties of Vision Early after Occipital Stroke and Capacity for Recovery

Colleen Schneider

Colleen Schneider, M.D., Ph.D.

Thesis: The post-stroke brain: A comprehensive, longitudinal assessment of vascular, neural, and perceptual changes

Matthew Tanner

Matthew Tanner, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Charles Thornton, M.D.

Thesis: mRNA splicing is a marker of molecular pathology and response to therapeutics in myotonic muscular dystrophy

2021

Dawling Dionisio-Santos

Dawling Dionisio-Santos, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: M. Kerry O'Banion, M.D., Ph.D. & John Olschowka, Ph.D.

Thesis: Ameliorating Alzheimer’s Disease tau pathology through immunomodulation: A novel role for interleukin 4 and glatiramer acetate

Scott Friedland

Scott Friedland, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Aram Hezel, M.D.

Thesis: Arid1a, a subunit of the SWI/SNG chromatin remodeling complex, is a barrier to KrasG12D-driven tumorigenesis

Allison Li

Allison Li, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Laura Calvi, M.D.

Thesis: Regulation of hematopoiesis in the bone marrow microenvironment

Hayley Martin

Hayley Martin, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Ann Dozier, RN, Ph.D., FAAN

Thesis: Assessing the impact of Group Prenatal Care on Breastfeeding Behavior and Motivation

Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Stephen Dewhurst, Ph.D.

Thesis: Role of a polymerase defect in function of the live attenuated influenza A virus

Emily Wu

Emily Wu, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Edward Schwarz, Ph.D.

Thesis: The Role of TNF-α in the Genesis of Inflammatory Interstitial Lung Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis

2020

Andrew Allbee

Andrew Allbee, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Benoit Biteau, Ph.D.

Thesis: Lmx1a is required for Drosophila ovary stem cell niche formation and organogenesis

Resident, Pathology-Anatomic and Clinical: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Nicolas Goldstein

Nicolas Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Peter Veazie, Ph.D.

Thesis: Disproportionate Premature Birth in Women of Low Socioeconomic Status: A Psychological and Physiological Stress Explanation of Financial Risk Removal

Resident, Pediatrics: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Adnan Hirad

Adnan Hirad, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Jeffrey Bazarian, M.D., M.P.H. & Edwin van Wijngaarden, Ph.D., M.Sc.

Thesis: Midbrain Axonal Injury is the Signature Neurotrauma of Subconcussion and Concussion

Maxime Jean

Maxime Jean, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Jian Zhu, Ph.D.

Thesis: The Dichotomy of Curaxin Compounds in HIV-1 Latency

Resident, Neurology: University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital

Irina Lerman

Irina Lerman, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Stephen Hammes, M.D., Ph.D.

Thesis: Neutrophil Elastase and SERPINB1 are Critical Regulators of Prostate Cancer Progression

Resident Physician: Univ. Rochester, Rochester, NY

Aimee Morris

Aimee Morris, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Jonathan Mink, M.D., Ph.D.

Thesis: Functional Brain Network Structure in Focal Embouchure Dystonia and Related Disorders

Resident, Child Neurology: St. Louis Children’s Hospital

Daniel Savage

Daniel Savage, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Krystel Huxlin, Ph.D. & Wayne Knox, Ph.D.

Thesis: A Novel Non-Ablative Technique for Femtosecond Laser-Based Refractive Correction

Intern/Resident, Internal Medicine/Ophthalmology: University of Rochester Flaum Eye Institute

Stephanie Syc-Mazurek

Stephanie Syc-Mazurek, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Richard Libby, Ph.D.

Thesis: The Molecular Signaling Pathways Controlling Apoptotic Retinal Ganglion Cell Death after Axonal Injury

Resident, Neurology: Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education

Jomy Varghese

Jomy Varghese, Ph.D.

Adviser: Danielle Benoit, Ph.D.

Thesis: Salivary Gland Radiation Protection

Resident, Anesthesiology: University of Michigan Hospital – Ann Arbor

Jimmy Zhang

Jimmy Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.

Adviser: Paul Brookes, Ph.D.

Thesis: Mitochondrial Metabolism in Cardiac Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Resident, Internal Medicine: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY