MSTP PhD/Thesis Years Students
Jenny Alexander-Barker
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cancer Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Targeted Gene Therapy of Murine Stem Cells
Mentor: Dr. Matthew Porteus
jenny.alexander@utsouthwestern.edu
Gina Aloisio
Ohio State University
Mentor: Dr. Diego Castrillon
Graduate Years Student
gina.aloisio@utsouthwestern.edu
Stan Atkin
Oregon State University
Cell Regulation Graduate Program
Research Interest: Central nervous system control of appetite, food intake, and peripheral metabolism.
Mentor: Drs. David Mangelsdorf and Steven Kliewer
stan.atkin@utsouthwestern.edu
Alexander Augustyn
University of Chicago
Cancer Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: MicroRNA regulation of cellular senescence and stem cell fate in lung cancer.
Mentor: Dr. John Minna
alex.augustyn@utsouthwestern.edu
Salman Banani
University of California, Berkeley
Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program
Mentor: Dr. Michael Rosen
salman.banani@utsouthwestern.edu
David Barnett
University of Wisconsin at Madison
Mentor: Dr. James Bibb
Graduate Years Student
david.barnett@utsouthwestern.edu
Jamaal Benjamin
Morehouse College
Molecular Microbiology Graduate Program
Research Interest: The role of autophagy in maintaining homeostasis with the intestinal microbiota.
Mentor: Dr. Lora Hooper
jamaal.benjamin@utsouthwestern.edu
Xin Cai
Harvard University
Mentor: Dr. James Chen
Graduate Years Student
xin.cai@utsouthwestern.edu
Christopher Cano
University of Texas, Pan American
Genetics and Development Graduate Program
Research Interest: Genetics of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Mentor: Dr. Christine Garcia
christopher.cano@utsouthwestern.edu
Bethany Cartwright
Vanderbilt University
Cell Regulation Graduate Program
Research Interest: Biogenesis of the lipid droplet organelle and its role in obesity/lipodystrophy.
Mentor: Dr. Joel Goodman
bethany.cartwright@utsouthwestern.edu
Vincent Chau
Cornell University
Genetics & Development Graduate Program
Research Interest: Drug development for Neurofibromatosis Type 1.
Mentors: Drs . Luis Parada and Lu Le
vincent.chau@utsouthwestern.edu
Angela Collins
Austin College
Immunology Graduate Program
Research Interest: The development of a new platform for identifying β cell epitope mimetics in the form of synthetic peptides, called peptoids.
Mentor: Dr. Ellen Vitetta
angela.collins@utsouthwestern.edu
Angela Desmond
University of Pennsylvania
Immunology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Application of a novel vaccine platform against West Nile virus.
Mentor: Dr. Ellen Vitetta
angela.desmond@utsouthwestern.edu
Mariam El Ashmawy
Arizona State University
Graduate Years Student
mariam.elashmawy@utsouthwestern.edu
Ryan Golden
Mercer University
Graduate Years Student
ryan.golden@utsouthwestern.edu
Christopher Hensley
Rice University
Graduate Years Student
chris.hensley@utsouthwestern.edu
Christopher Inra
Brown University
Graduate Years Student
chris.inra@utsouthwestern.edu
Christopher Javadi
University of Texas, Austin
Integrative Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Central nervous system control of body weight, blood glucose, and circadian rhythms.
Mentor: Dr. Joel Elmquist
chris.javadi@utsouthwestern.edu
Ryan Jones
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Integrative Biology Graduate Program
Mentor: Dr. Joyce Repa
Graduate Years Student
ryan.jones@utsouthwestern.edu
Eric Kildebeck
University of Texas, Dallas
Cancer Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Using Zinc-Finger Nucleases to study the DNA Damage Repair process and to correct mutations causing Severe Combined Immunodeficiency.
Mentor: Dr. Matthew Porteus, Stanford University
eric.kildebeck@utsouthwestern.edu
Mark Kittisopikul
University of Chicago
Molecular Biophysics Graduate Student
Research Interest: Biological role of stochastic noise in genetic regulatory control networks.
Mentor: Dr. Gurol Suel
mark.kittisopikul@utsouthwestern.edu
Jaswinder Kumar
Georgia Institute of Technology
Neuroscience Graduate Program
Research Interest: The role of circadian rhythm abnormalities in mood disorders.
Mentor: Dr. Colleen McClung
jaswinder.kumar@utsouthwestern.edu
Courtney Lane
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Graduate Years Student
courtney.lane@utsouthwestern.edu
Ivan Lee
University of Texas, Arlington
Integrative Biology Graduate Program
Mentors: Drs. Joseph Takahashi and Masashi Yanagisawa
ivan.lee@utsouthwestern.edu
Albert Linden
University of California at Berkeley
Biological Chemistry Graduate Program (Chemistry Track)
Research Interest: Cholesterol uptake, metabolism and transport through the lysosomes
Mentors: Drs. Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein
albert.linden@utsouthwestern.edu
Matthew McFarlane
Harvard University
Research Interest: Regulation of cholesterol uptake and metabolism.
Mentors: Drs. Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein
matthew.mcfarlane@utsouthwestern.edu
William McKean
University of Utah
Biological Chemistry Graduate Program
Mentor: Dr. Jay Horton
william.mckean@utsouthwestern.edu
Imran Mohiuddin
University of Florida
Immunology Graduate Program
Research Interest: CD4 Regulatory T cells and their role in Multiple Sclerosis.
Mentor: Dr. Nitin Karandikar
imran.mohiuddin@utsouthwestern.edu
Suong Nguyen
University of Tulsa
Biological Chemistry Graduate Program
Research Interest: Characterizing novel drug targets for Human African Trypanosomiasis.
Mentor: Dr. Meg Phillips
suong.nguyen@utsouthwestern.edu
Jacob Orme
Brigham Young University
Mentor: Dr. Chandra Mohan
Graduate Years Student
jacob.orme@utsouthwestern.edu
Joshua Owen
Texas A&M University
Integrative Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Metabolism and insulin resistance.
Mentors: Drs. Michael Brown and Joe Goldstein
joshua.owen@utsouthwestern.edu
Nam Pham
Stanford University
Cell Regulation Graduate Program
Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Kohler
nam.pham@utsouthwestern.edu
David Pyle
Texas A&M University
Immunology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Response of Human Monocytes to Allergic Conditions.
Mentor: Dr. Michelle Gill
david.pyle@utsouthwestern.edu
Daniel Quiat
University of Texas, Austin
Genetics and Development Graduate Program
Research Interest: The role of microRNAs in cardiac pathophysiology.
Mentor: Dr. Eric Olson
daniel.quiat@utsouthwestern.edu
Kartik Rajagopalan
University of Texas, Austin
Cancer Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Identifying metabolic pathways that might contribute to cancer progression.
Mentor: Dr. Ralph Deberardinis
kartik.rajagopalan@utsouthwestern.edu
Arjun Raman
University of Chicago
Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program
Mentor: Dr. Rama Ranganathan
arjun.raman@utsouthwestern.edu
Oktay Rifki
North Carolina State University
Integrative Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Molecular mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.
Mentor: Dr. Joseph Hill
oktay.rifki@utsouthwestern.edu
Victor Salinas
Harvard University
Cell Regulation Graduate Program
Research Interest: Evolution of allosteric and protein-protein interactions in signaling and metabolic pathways.
Mentor: Dr. Rama Ranganathan
victor.salinas@utsouthwestern.edu
Nathaniel Schaffer
Washington University
Integrative Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Nuclear hormone receptors in parasitic and free-living nematodes.
Mentor: Dr. David Mangelsdorf
nathaniel.schaffer@utsouthwestern.edu
Jeremy Semeiks
State University of New York, Albany
Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program
Research Interest: The relationship between DNA repair, metabolism, and aging.
Mentor: Dr. Nick Grishin
jeremy.semeiks@utsouthwestern.edu
Benjamin Shields
Rice University
Cancer Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Using microRNAs to identify novel drug targets for ovarian cancer.
Mentor: Dr. Mike White
benjamin.shields@utsouthwestern.edu
Varun Sondhi
Colgate University
Cell Regulation Graduate Program
Research Interest: Intestinal regulation of cholesterol metabolism by a Novel LXR ligand
Mentor: Drs. David Mangelsdorf and Steven Kliewer
varun.sondhi@utsouthwestern.edu
Caroline Sung
University of California, Los Angeles
Genetics & Development Graduate Program
Research Interest: Bipotency and lineage-specification of epicardial progenitors.
Mentor: Dr. Michelle Tallquist-Seidel
caroline.sung@utsouthwestern.edu
Rachel Thomas
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
Mentor: Dr. James Bibb
Graduate Years Student
rachel.thomas1@utsouthwestern.edu
Andrew Tyler
Harvard University
Immunology Graduate Program
Research Interest: CD8 T cell-mediated suppression of autoimmune CNS inflammation.
Mentor: Dr. Nitin Karandikar
andrew.tyler@utsouthwestern.edu
Swalpa Udit
University of Texas at Arlington
Integrative Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: Neural Regulation of Metabolism
Mentor: Dr. Joel Elmquist
swalpa.udit@utsouthwestern.edu
Richard Voit
University of Texas, Dallas
Cell Regulation Graduate Program
Research Interest: Using targeted DNA double strand breaks and homologous recombination to correct genetic mutations.
Mentor: Dr. Matthew Porteus, Stanford University
richard.voit@utsouthwestern.edu
Koriand'r Conyers Williams
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Integrative Biology Graduate Program
Research Interest: The role of microRNAs in Pregnancy and Labor.
Mentor: Dr. Carole Mendelson
koriandr.conyers@utsouthwestern.edu
Dongbo Yu
Harvard University
Cell Regulation Graduate Program
Mentor: Dr. David Corey
dongbo.yu@utsouthwestern.edu
Yuanyuan Zhang
Cornell University
Mentors: Drs. Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein
Graduate Years Student
yuanyuan.zhang@utsouthwestern.edu
Amy Zhou
University of British Columbia
Molecular Biophysics Graduate Program
Mentor: Dr. Jose Rizo-Rey
amy.zhou@utsouthwestern.edu