Current Trainees

My research focuses on how coordinated metabolic signals regulate surface attachment and biofilm formation in Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Fun Fact: I played the harp for 10 years.

Degree Program: Microbiology

Lab: Fuqua

Undergrad Institution: The University of Puget Sound

My research focuses on studying methodology for the synthesis of fluorinated unnatural amino acids and other fluorinated biological moieties

Fun Fact: My hobbies include playing disc golf and watching the Detroit Red Wings

Degree Program: Chemistry

Lab: Snaddon

Undergrad Institution: Alma College

My research focuses on the role of ADARs (Adenosine Deaminases that Act on RNA) and Adenosine-to-Inosine RNA editing in the germline of C. elegans.

Fun Fact: I love cooking and baking.

Degree Program: Biology

Lab: Hundley

Undergrad Institution: Illinois Wesleyan University

My research focuses on the intersection of metabolism and cell wall synthesis in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Fun Fact: I have climbed Mt. Fuji and have danced for 20+ years.

Degree Program: Microbiology

Lab: Winkler

Undergrad Institution: Bucknell University

My research focuses on investigating the phosphate starvation response and its role on biofilm formation in the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumafaciens.

Fun Fact: I started the wave at Dodger stadium.

Degree Program: Microbiology

Lab: Fuqua

Undergrad Institution: California State University - LA

My research focuses on polyploid contributions to genome instability.

Fun Fact: I have been running track for 10 years and now do marathons.

Degree Program: Cell, Molecular, and Cancer Biology

Lab: Walczak

Undergrad Institution: Penn State

My research focuses on cell signaling mechanisms in the unicellular protozoan Capsaspora owczarzaki and its link to the parasitic disease schistosomiasis.

Fun Fact: I love rock hounding and lapidary.

Degree Program: Chemistry

Lab: Gerdt

Undergrad Institution: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

My research focuses on the role of phase separation and disordered domains in oncogenic transcriptional co-activators.

Fun Fact: My favorite movie is Shrek

Degree Program: Cell, Molecular, and Cancer Biology

Lab: Hollenhorst

Undergrad Institution: Michigan State University

My research focuses on the structure and assembly of SARS-Cov-2 Nucleocapsid protein.

Fun Fact: I love skiing, gardening, and birdwatching.

Degree Program: Biochemistry

Lab: Zlotnick

Undergrad Institution: Indiana University Bloomington

My research uses fruit fly larvae to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of nociception, the sensory process that encodes painful/noxious stimuli.

Fun Fact: I like to collect mugs

Degree Program: Genome, Cell, and Developmental Biology (GCDB) Program in Neuroscience

Lab: Tracey

Undergrad Institution: Roosevelt University

My research focuses on protein interactions, structure-function, and dynamics necessary for cell wall synthesis in the pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Fun Fact: I had a dislocated clavicle for 5 months that was repositioned using a cadaver ligament. I have yet to break a bone though.

Degree Program: Microbiology

Lab: Winkler

Undergrad Institution: Idaho State University

My research focuses on using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to study metal-dependent biological systems found in pathogenic bacteria

Fun Fact: I have free-dived and scuba-dived with sharks multiple times!

Degree Program: Chemistry

Lab: Giedroc

Undergrad Institution: UC Berkeley

My research focuses on developing and understanding cancer therapeutics that specifically target diseased tissue inhibiting one-carbon metabolism, and more specifically purine synthesis pathway, within the cell.

Fun Fact: I am a big fan of Jurassic Park.

Degree Program: Chemistry

Lab: Dann

Undergrad Institution: Gannon University

My research focuses on exploring metal-dependent responses in bacteria such as Acinetobacter baumannii and discover their role regarding survival within vertebrate hosts.

Fun Fact: I like playing guitar and drawing.

Degree Program: Chemistry

Lab: Giedroc

Undergrad Institution: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

My research focuses on creating optical traps inside microfluidic devices and using them for bio-particle trapping, sorting, and directing. We hypothesize that we can create these optical traps using extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) through subwavelength apertures in a metal film.

Fun Fact: I love to cook for my wife and daughter. It's like chemistry I can eat. I grew up watching cooking shows that focus on the science behind food and cooking. So if this Ph.D. doesn't work out, look for me on Iron Chef.

Degree Program: Chemistry

Lab: Jacobson

Undergrad Institution: Brigham Young University

My research focuses on macrophage phagosome maturation.

Fun Fact: I play Magic the Gathering

Degree Program: Materials Chemistry

Lab: Yu

Undergrad Institution: Indiana University - South Bend

My research focuses on developing mass spectrometry detection methods for the post-translational modification tyrosine sulfation and expanding the understanding of the enzyme responsible, tyrosylrprotein sulfotransferase.

Fun Fact: I am a lover of dogs with two of my own, and I can solve a Rubik's cube.

Degree Program: Chemistry

Lab: Dann

Undergrad Institution: Columbus State University