2011 HHMI Med into Grad Scholars

Adam Coster, Cell Regulation GP
PhD research: The development of high-throughput live-cell imaging technologies for quantifying the heterogeneity of gene expression in cell populations (S. Altschuler & L. Wu) 
Summer clinical research: Differentiate the contributions of the RYG bariatric surgery and its requisite drastic dietary changes on the amelioration of diabetes (I. Lingvay)

Patrick Dospoy, Cancer Biology GP
PhD research: Elucidating the potential of c-myc as a novel therapeutic target in non-small cell lung cancer (J. Minna)
Summer clinical research: I-SPY 2 Trial, a phase II, adaptive clinical trial for locally advanced breast cancer (D. Euhus)

Ryan McNamara, Molecular Microbiology GP
PhD research: Transcriptional regulation of the human immunodeficiency virus as a function of post-translational modifications to the HIV viral protein tat (I. D’Orso). 
Summer clinical research: Evaluate the efficacy of the addition of protease and/or polymerase inhibitors to the current standard of care treatment for patients infected with the hepatitis C virus (W. Lee)

Jessica Perez, Neuroscience GP
PhD research: Activity-dependent synaptic strengthening between the dentate gyrus and CA3 in schizophrenic vs. nonschizophrenic post mortum tissue (C. Tamminga
Summer clinical research: Diffusion tensor imaging to identify patients with diffuse axonal injury (R. Diaz-Arrastia)

Lacy Reynolds, Cancer Biology GP
PhD research: How the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can be administered intravenously in high doses using a biocompatible low density lipoprotein (LDL) nanoparticle platform to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (I. Corbin)
Summer clinical research: Retrospective analysis of a database of nephrolianthisis and osteoporosis patients (O. Moe)

Katie Schaukowitch, Neuroscience GP
PhD research: Looking at the role of non-coding RNA in activity-dependent gene expression (T. Kim)
Summer clinical research: Determining the underlying mechanisms of schizophrenia (C. Tamminga)

Linda Williams, Genetics & Development GP
PhD research: Following up on a possible novel source of adipocyte progenitors (J. Graff)
Summer clinical research: Lipodystrophy (A. Garg)

Lu Zhang, Cancer Biology GP
PhD research: Development of therapeutics targeting truncated Adenomatous polyposis coli (J. Shay)
Summer clinical research: To determine whether exposure to high sodium dialysate or fluid removal during hemodialysis will cause intradialytic hypertension (R. Toto)

2010 HHMI Med into Grad Scholars


Chi-Lun Chang, Integrative Biology GP
Dissertation research: Study the mechanisms of store-operated calcium entry and endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane junction formation (J. Liou); Committee: O. Moe, M. Roth, H. Yin
Summer clinical research: Retrospective analysis to understand the etiology increased uric acid kidney stone formation in Hmongs in Minnesota (O. Moe).

Maithili Dalvi, Cancer Biology GP
Dissertation research: Cancer stem cells (J. Minna); Committee: R. Kittler, M. Roth, J. Shay
Summer clinical research: Validate the use of subcutaneous injection of non-radioiodinated Iothalamate for measurement of glomerular filtration rate (R. Toto)

Cyndi Morales, Integrative Biology GP
Dissertation research: Autophagy and cardiac remodeling (J. Hill); Committee: B. Rothermel, B. Levine, A. Turer, H. Yin
Summer clinical research: Cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary and cerebrovascular studies in the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine (B. Levine)

Rohin Moza, Biomedical Engineering GP, Division of Applied Science
Dissertation research: Deep tissue optical imaging of normal and pathologic samples (M. DiMaio)

Y. Nguyen, Molecular Microbiology GP
Dissertation research: Quorum sensing regulation of virulence genes in enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (V. Sperandio); Committee: N. Alto, K., Gardner, L. Hooper
Summer clinical research: Renal failure in cirrhosis (D. Rockey)

Austin Potts, Integrative Biology GP 
Dissertation research: The role of small intestinal gluconeogenesis in Reux en Y gastric bypass mediated resolution of type II diabetes mellitus (S. Burgess); Committee:
Summer clinical research: Changes in insulin sensitivity, glucose processing, and adipose distribution in bariatric surgery patients with and without type 2 diabetes (I. Lingvay)

Anju Sreelatha, Biological Chemistry GP
Dissertation research: Characterization of vibrio parahaemolyticus effector, VopQ (K. Orth); Committee: B. Tu, J. Goodman, M. Shiloh
Summer clinical research: Hepatitis and acute liver injury (W. Lee)

Yinxin Zhang, Integrative Biology GP
Dissertation research: Intracellular cholesterol transport and regulation (M. Brown, J. Goldstein); Committee: P. Thomas, J. Seeman, M. Roth

Mian Zhou, Integrative Biology GP
Dissertation research: Circadian rhythm (Y. Liu); Committee: B. Tu, J. Takahashi, A. Zinn
Summer clinical research: Magnetic resonance imaging markers in traumatic brain injury (R. Diaz-Arrastia)

2009 HHMI Med into Grad Scholars

Ling Cai, Integrative Biology GP
Dissertation research: Use yeast metabolic cycle (YMC) as a system to study metabolic control of growth and proliferation (B. Tu); Committee: Y. Liu, B. Li, R. DeBerardinis, E. Ross
Summer clinical research: Diabetic nephropathy (R. Toto)
Bench to Bedside: Renal cell carcinoma (J. Brugarolas)

Qiuyue Chen, Integrative Biology GP
Dissertation research: Host factors involved in Hepatitis C virus replication and cholesterol metabolism (J. Ye); Committee: G. Liang, J. Pfeiffer, Z. Chen, M. Jain
Summer clinical research: Long term Hepatitis C antiviral treatment against cirrohosis (W. Lee)
Bench to Bedside: HIV vaccine trial (M. Jain)

Matthew Cummings, Integrative Biology GP
Dissertation research: Treatment of multiple sclerosis by modulating Notch and cell surface signaling in cells of the immune system (T. Eagar); Committee: D. Farrar, A. Eisch, N. Karandikar
Summer clinical research: Early events in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease (N. Olsen)
Bench to Bedside: Multiple sclerosis diagnosis and treatment (A. Courtney, W. Castro, D. Graves)

Adebimpe Kasumu, Neuroscience GP
Dissertation research: The role of deranged calcium signaling in the pathgenesis of spinocerebllar ataxia type 2 (I. Bezprozvanny); Committee: S. Cannon, R. Joho, E. Kavalali;
Summer clinical research: Biomarkers and behavioral assessment of schizophrenia (C. Tamminga)
Bench to Bedside: Parkinson’s disease, cerebellar ataxias (R. Dewey)

Victoria Ulrich, Integrative Biology GP
Dissertation research: Determine the role of ApoER2 in the endothelial phenotype in Cardiovascular Disease (P. Shaul, C Mineo); Committee: P. Thorpe, J. Herz, H. Yanagisawa
Summer clinical research: Changes in insulin sensitivity, glucose processing, and adipose distribution in bariatric surgery patients with and without type 2 diabetes (I. Lingvay)
Bench to Bedside: Cardiovascular disease (A. Khera, A. Rohatgi)

Xi Wu, Integrative Biology GP; graduated: Aug. 2011 (time to degree: 3 yrs. 11 months)
Dissertation research: Molecular mechanism of mitochondria turnover (B. Tu); Committee: Y. Liu, R. DeBerardinis, S. McKnight 
Summer clinical research: Congenital lipidystrophy (A. Garg)
Bench to Bedside: Pediatric metabolic diseases (R. DeBerardinis)

2008 HHMI Med into Grad Scholars

Khrishen Cunnusamy, Integrative Biology GP; graduated April 2011 (time to degree: 3 yrs. 7 months)
Dissertation research: Role of interleukin 17A in the maintenance of corneal immune privilege (J. Niederkorn); Committee: N. Karandikar, P. Chen, N. Street, H. Yin. 
Summer clinical research: Acetominophen induced hepatotoxicity (W. Lee)
Bench to Bedside: Age-related macular degeneration (R. Ufret-Vincenty)

Michael Fine, Integrative Biology GP; graduated Nov. 2011 (time to degree: 4 yrs. 3 months)
Dissertation research: Investigate and determine mechanisms by which large-scale massive endocytic responses (MEND) may occur (D. Hilgemann); Committee: S. Cannon, J. Albanesi, R. Hiesinger, H. Yin
Summer clinical research: Pathophysiology of kidney stone formation (O. Moe)
Bench to Bedside: Heart failure (J. Hill)

Julio Ruiz, Integrative Biology GP
Dissertation research: Define the molecular basis for iron- and oxygen-dependent regulation of IRP2; define the biological role for Fbx15 (R. Bruick); Committee: J. Garcia, S. Burgess, B. Tu 
Summer clinical research: Physical training at low oxygen level (Ben Levine)
Bench to Bedside: Iron deficiency anemia (G. Buchanan)

Misty Shields Integrative Biology GP; graduated Nov. 2011 (time to degree: 4 yrs. 3 months)
Dissertation research: Identification and validation of response signatures for first-line adjuvant chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer xenografts (J. Minna); Committee: R. Brekken, M. Cobb, P. Thorpe, H. Yin 
Summer clinical research: Targeted therapy for primary biliary cirrhosis patients (M. Mayo)
Bench to Bedside: Lung cancer (J. Schiller)