IMSD Scholars

Current scholars: 

Maxwell Campbell
Prior Education: MS in Molecular & Cell Biology, UMass Amherst; BS in Biology, UMass Amherst
Mentor: Zhiping Weng, PhD 

Jessica Caouette
Prior Education: MS in Nutrition, Boston University; BS in Human Nutrition, UMass Amherst 
Mentor: Stephenie Lemon, PhD 

Michael-Anthony Card
Prior Education: BS in Biology, Worcester State University
Mentor: Leslie Shaw, PhD

Joshua Harvey
Prior Education: Master of Public Health, Boston University; BS in Nutrition & Dietetics, West Chester University
Mentor: Kate Lapane, PhD

Oscar Lam
Prior Education: BA in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Boston University; Postbaccalaureate Fellow, NIH Intramural Research Program
Mentor: Sean Ryder, PhD

Natalia Nielsen
Prior Education: Master of Public Health, University of Utah; BS in Public Health, Brigham Young University
Mentor: Maira Castañeda-Avila, PhD & Kate Lapane, PhD

Nhi Tran
Prior Education: BS in Biology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, UMass Amherst
Mentor: Kuang Shen, PhD

Joshuel Velasco
Prior Education: BS in Biochemistry, SUNY Fredonia; PREP Scholar, UMass Chan Medical School
Mentor: Heidi Tissenbaum, PhD

Previous scholars still in training: 

Ellen Acheampong
Prior Education: BS in Biomedical Sciences, Salem State University
Mentor: Samuel Behar, MD, PhD
Research Project: Does CD4 T ‘Help’ prevent CD8 T cell exhaustion?

Amina Bradley
Prior Education: BS in Biology, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; PREP Scholar, UMass Chan Medical School
Mentor: Elizabeth Shank, PhD
Research Project: Investigating Cryptic Biosynthetic Gene Cluster Activation In Bacilli

Kha Dam
Prior Education: BS in Biochemistry, UMass Boston
Mentor: Rachael Sirianni, PhD
Research Project: How the shape of a nanoparticle impacts its distribution through the subarachnoid space and parenchymal tissues

Brianna Dominguez
Prior Education: BS in Biology, Lehigh University; PREP, Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Beth McCormick, PhD
Research Project: Identifying the role of Serine Protease Autotransporters of Shigella during pathogenesis

Sydney Fischer
Prior Education: BA in Neuroscience, Washington and Jefferson College
Mentor: Sumeda Nandadasa, PhD
Research Project: The role of ADAMTS20-mediated cleavage of TMEM67 in ciliary transition zone

Alejandro Felix Mejia
Prior Education: BS in Biochemistry/Molecular Genetics, Arizona State University
Mentor: Li Li, PhD
Research Project: Engineering Group 1 intron for making fully N1- Methylpseudouridine- modified circular mRNAs

Lauren Intravaia
Prior Education: BS in Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island
Mentor: Celia Schiffer, PhD
Research Project: Integration of machine learning and molecular dynamics to avoid resistance in structure-based drug design

Calvin Johnson
Prior Education: BS in Microbiology, UMass Amherst
Mentor: Jason Pitarresi, PhD
Research Project: Mechanistic interrogation of tumor-derived factors molding the immune milieu of pancreatic tumors

Jafira Johnson
Prior Education: BS in Biology, University of Maryland Baltimore County
Mentor: Megan Orzalli, PhD
Research Project: Tonic Epidermal and Dermal communication in antiviral defense

Helen Magana
Prior Education: BS in Biology, Rhode Island College
Mentor: Mary Munson, PhD
Research Project: Regulation of endosomal SNARE complex assembly by VPS45 and its neutropenia- associated mutants 

Shayla Newman-Toledo
Prior Education: BS in Biology, UMass Boston; PREP Scholar, UMass Chan Medical School
Mentor: Gabriella Boulting, PhD
Research Project: What is The Evolutionary Purpose of Osteocrin Expression in The Brain?

Rebecca Pavchinskiy
Prior Education: BA in Neuroscience, Northwestern University; PREP Scholar, UMass Chan Medical School
Mentor: Andrew Tapper, PhD
Research Project: Investigating the Role of the Septofimbrial Nucleus in Innate Fear

Claudia Perez
Prior Education: BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology, The Johns Hopkins University; MS in Biomedical Sciences, Virginia Tech
Mentor: Elizabeth Shank, PhD 

Marta Pérez Vázquez
Prior Education: BS in Biotechnology; MS in Biology, Towson University
Mentor: Lee Quinton, PhD
Research Project: LIF-dependent modulation of lung endothelial cells during pneumonia

Carolyn Senneca
Prior Education: BA in Cellular Neuroscience and Literature, Colgate University; Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow, NIH
Mentor: Haley Melikian, PhD
Research Project: The role of presynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 in cocaine addiction

Kristen Woods
Mentor: Charles Emerson, PhD
Research Project: Investigating Translational Reprogramming and Cell Death in FSHD