Current Students

Undergraduate Institution: Ball State University & Lewis University 
Research: At Ball State University, I conducted interdisciplinary research on healthcare and informatics under Dr. Chris Davison. My work focused on evaluating a cloud hybrid architecture system designed to enable real-time data exchange for first responders during disaster scenarios. Concurrently, I contributed to an artificial intelligence model that optimized energy usage. Building on this, I transitioned to join Dr. Sarah Powers at Lewis University to investigate cyclin D3-mediated transcriptional regulation using a neutrophil model. Here, I gained experience with bioinformatics platforms, employing them to understand transcription factor binding landscapes. My future aspirations include continuing to leverage computational tools to uncover regulatory mechanisms in cancer biology. I am committed to integrating my background in business, informatics, and biomedical science to pursue translational research that bridges molecular discovery with clinical application.

Undergraduate Institution: Ohio State University
Research: As an undergraduate at Ohio State, I explored antisense oligonucleotide gene therapy approaches for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Huntington’s disease. Additionally, I spent time at the Buck Institute investigating how exogenous ketone esters influence proteostasis in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. I then returned to Columbus and worked full-time in the Samaranch Lab, contributing to research on gene therapy for multiple central nervous system disorders. The projects I worked on included characterizing neurotrophic factor delivery for Parkinsonian models, studying the safety of various AAV delivery regimens, and evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of gene therapy for MAO-A and AADC deficiency. My research experiences have deepened my interest in aging-related neurodegeneration and using molecular therapies to achieve meaningful clinical outcomes. As an MSTP student, I aim to advance treatments for aging-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Undergraduate Institution: Indiana University
Research: As an undergraduate, my research focused on the disulfide bond formation pathway in bacteria as a novel target for antimicrobial development. I developed a fluorescence microscopy protocol to observe and characterize the phenotypes of mycobacteria when components of this pathway were deleted or inhibited. After graduating, I continued in the lab for an additional year, expanding the project to compare phenotypes resulting from cysteine residue mutations in key disulfide-bonded proteins. I also began expressing human and viral VKOR proteins in an E. coli background to establish a model for antimicrobial selectivity and to determine their membrane orientation, respectively. Through the MSTP, I hope to build on these foundational experiences in bacterial pathogenesis and protein function to conduct translational research on antibiotic resistance, host-pathogen interactions, and infectious disease. 

Undergraduate Institution: Butler University
Research: My undergraduate thesis investigated how the G protein-coupled receptor FSHR-1 regulates synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction in Caenorhabditis elegans. I demonstrated that FSHR-1 promotes cholinergic neurotransmission through cell non-autonomous mechanisms involving the intestine, glia, and neurons. These findings support a broader model in which inter-tissue signaling modulates neuronal output and excitation-inhibition balance. I am broadly interested in mechanisms of synaptic regulation and inter-tissue communication in the context of neurodegeneration, especially Alzheimer’s disease. Long-term, I hope to pursue translational work that uncovers therapeutic strategies for preserving synaptic integrity and preventing neural circuit failure.

Undergraduate Institution: Indiana University
Research: As an undergraduate researcher, I investigated the effects of chronic and binge alcohol paradigms on tau pathogenesis and neuroinflammation in mouse models at the MODEL-AD lab. I also worked on a project that utilized dry electroencephalography to characterize frontal alpha asymmetry as a cognitive marker for mood in response to visual stimuli. As a future physician-scientist, I plan to study neurological and neurodegenerative diseases in more depth and work toward potential treatments or therapies.

Undergraduate Institution: University of Notre Dame
Research: As an undergrad, my research focused on pancreatic cancer therapeutics and the optimization of a kinase activity assay, with the goal of identifying novel kinase inhibitors and investigating their anti-tumor efficacy. Following my graduation, I spent two years in the translational small cell lung cancer lab of Dr. Misty Shields, where I focused on biomarker identification/verification and novel therapeutic approaches. As I begin the path to become a physician-scientist, I aim to mitigate the burden of cancer for patients and their families by studying mechanisms of chemoresistance and identifying novel therapeutic vulnerabilities. 

Undergraduate Institution: Purdue University
Research: I began my research journey as an undergraduate assisting in the development of a microphysiological system designed to maintain and evaluate the viability of pancreatic islets. After transitioning into my master’s thesis, I investigated regenerative strategies for volumetric muscle loss (VML)—a trauma induced condition that results in debilitating muscle dysfunction. My thesis focused on how microstructural variations in engineered collagen polymeric scaffolds affect tissue restoration. As part of this work, I also developed a novel computational tool for histological analysis. In parallel with my academic endeavors, I have contributed to multiple medical device projects. Collaborating with Geniphys, I helped develop an anti-clogging injector for in-situ polymerizing collagen materials. Additionally, I worked with a multi-institutional team to improve devices used for neonate bilirubin monitoring. Moving forward, I aim to continue innovating at the intersection of regenerative medicine and device development, with a focus on translational solutions for pressing clinical needs. 

Undergraduate Institution: Goshen College
Research: My research has focused on characterizing human immune responses to viral infections and vaccinations through laboratory and data-driven lenses. As an undergraduate, I contributed to a Distributed Drug Discovery (IU Indy) project in Dr. Doug Schirch’s lab at Goshen College and investigated dengue virus infectivity in Dr. Rushika Perera’s lab at Colorado State University. Following graduation, I completed a postbaccalaureate IRTA research fellowship in Dr. Nan-ping Weng’s lab at the National Institute on Aging, where I studied longitudinal CD8+ T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination using single-cell sequencing, primary human cell culture, and flow cytometry. I then earned a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, concentrating in Epidemiologic and Biostatistical Methods for Public Health Practice and Clinical Research, with additional certification in Health Communication. While at Hopkins, I worked in Dr. Sabra Klein’s lab to examine sex differences in influenza vaccine responses using systems serology data and statistical modeling. As a future physician-scientist, I aim to investigate immune responses in ways that integrate laboratory research, clinical insight, and population health perspectives.

Undergraduate Institution: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire 
Research: As an undergraduate researcher, I used molecular dynamics simulations to analyze SAR-CoV-2 spike protein binding kinetics and compare the strength of protein interaction networks among several virus variants. After graduating, I joined a transplant immunology lab focused on advancing therapeutics for kidney transplant recipients and improving graft survival and function through novel methods of immunosuppression. I worked on multiple projects investigating the efficacy of antibody and cellular-based therapies involving CAR-T cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and xenotransplantation in nonhuman primate and murine models. Currently, I’m interested in continuing research within immunology. I hope to investigate methods of immunomodulation further to enhance patient treatment options and health outcomes. 

Undergraduate Institution: Purdue University 
Research: As an undergraduate, my research involved modeling the different growth kinetics of various bacteria commonly found in the human gut microbiome on several carbohydrate sources. After graduating, I studied the impact of gut microbiome manipulation on proteolytic activity in a humanized mouse model of post-infection irritable bowel syndrome. Broadly, I am interested in future translational work through the manipulation of the microbiome to change gastrointestinal or infectious disease outcomes. 

Undergraduate Institution: Fordham University 
Research: My undergraduate research focused on culture and cognitive aging in East Harlem, NYC. I was trained in community-based participatory research as we studied how HIV affects the brains of aging ethnoculturally diverse older adults. After graduating, I earned my MA in Ethics and Society, specializing in bioethics and health sciences. I also began a lab manager position, and our lab grew to include several NIH/NIA-funded research studies focused on recruiting and engaging underrepresented populations in dementia research. I now hope to further my sociomedical and behavioral research skills in the field of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) so that I may contribute to scientifically rigorous and ethically responsible research and medical practice. 

Undergraduate Institution: Gonzaga University 
Research: While at Gonzaga University, I researched the chemical signals of a newly discovered salamander species. This stimulated my broader interest in marine wildlife and ecology, leading me to research marine ecosystems in the Galápagos Islands. However, after reflecting on my time in the clinic as an undergraduate, I sought to shift my research to more directly benefit human health, guiding me to Merck after getting my degree. Here, I investigated potential drug targets for retinal diseases and the mechanisms of photoreceptor support in retinal pigment epithelial cells. This fostered my interest in the underlying mechanisms of age-related vision loss and neurodegenerative disorders. As an MSTP student and future physician-scientist, I hope to understand these pathologies more deeply through my research and investigate potential avenues for therapeutic intervention. 

Undergraduate Institution: University of Alabama at Birmingham 
Research: As an undergraduate, I eagerly pursued various neuroscience research opportunities, ranging from basic wet lab research on tau pathology in Parkinson’s disease to clinical research on stroke in advanced heart failure patients and functional MRI research on cognitive aging and brain network connectivity. The latter sparked my specific interest in clinical neuroimaging research, leading me to a two-year postbaccalaureate research fellowship at the National Institute on Aging. During this fellowship, I conducted advanced quantitative MRI research on changes in cerebral white matter associated with aging and dementia. As an aspiring physician-scientist, I aim to apply multimodal neuroimaging to develop advanced imaging biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. My goal is to facilitate early diagnosis and inform personalized treatment strategies for these neurological conditions. 

Undergraduate Institution: Southeastern University 
Research: I researched O-GlcNAcylation, a post-translational modification similar to phosphorylation, with Dr. Aimee Franklin. I worked on validating a mouse model knocking down O-GlcNAc levels and studying sex differences in O-GlcNAc expression in the hippocampus. I also interned at Penn State with Dr. Yongsoo Kim during undergrad and studied the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer’s and the use of the Barnes maze to validate spatial memory deficits in this model. Following graduation, I spent two years at the National Institute of Mental Health working with Dr. Ted Usdin, conducting a microscopic anatomy study of the nucleus accumbens in mice and developing new microscopic imaging protocols. I am interested in pursuing neurology and Alzheimer’s disease research and the intersection of this disease with social determinants of health.  

Undergraduate Institution: University of California San Diego 
Research: My research has focused on neuropsychiatric disorders and neurological diseases, from pre-clinical to clinical levels of investigation. During my undergraduate years, I completed projects on the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of seasonally induced bipolar disorder on mice models. In addition, I was also involved in another project that examines the neuropsychological and neurophysiological effects of pro-cognitive drugs in patients with schizophrenia using experimental medicine paradigms. After UCSD, I transitioned to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where my clinical research concentrated on sleep abnormalities and circadian dysregulation in patients with Parkinson’s Disease and its prodrome, REM Sleep Behavior Disorder. I also experienced conducting multisite national clinical trials and international observational and longitudinal research studies at MGH. As a future physician-scientist, I hope to conduct research on the translational neuroscience of sleep abnormalities in relation to psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. 

Undergraduate Institution: University of Michigan 
Research: As an undergraduate, my research primarily focused on isolating and characterizing cancer-derived extracellular vesicles using novel microfluidic devices. I also gained experience in device design and development, utilizing photolithography techniques to fabricate hydrogel-covered silicon microneedles and a micron-scale flow meter. In addition to university research, I also gained industry experience during internships in both the renewable energy and pharmaceutical fields. My current research interests include the use of medical imaging to monitor disease progression and the applications of computer-aided engineering simulations in medicine.

Undergraduate Institution: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 
Research: I was involved in several research projects during my undergraduate years. I first worked in a lab developing 3D placental tissue models to study trophoblast invasion during early development, utilizing different techniques such as microfluidic organoid fabrication and live cell tracking. My later projects were more computational, namely studying spatial transcriptomics in mammalian tissue and simulating bacterial growth using an agent-based model. These different projects have given me a strong foundation in biology, mathematics, and computer science; I plan to utilize these skills to study neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. I am primarily interested in the potential for next-generation sequencing and microscopy techniques to uncover the underlying mechanisms of ADRD. 

Undergraduate Institution: Hanover College
Graduate Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research Mentor: Andrew Templin, PhD

Research: My research focuses on the role of RIPK3-a protein kinase involved in necroptosis, apoptosis, and other cellular stress pathways-and its interactions with human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. More broadly, I am interested in the underlying mechanisms that drive beta-cell dysfunction in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Through this and future work, I hope to advance our understanding of diabetes and contribute to efforts aimed at reducing the inordinate burden of disease management faced by disadvantaged populations.

Undergraduate Institution: Washington University in St. Louis 
Graduate Department: Medical Neuroscience
Research Mentor: Donna M. Wilcock, PhD

Research: With a background in neuroscience and immunology research, I am interested in studying the role of inflammation and the immune response in neurodegenerative diseases. In the Wilcock lab, I will be studying vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID), focusing on neuroimmune responses in the small vessel pathologies of microinfarcts and microhemorrhages. I hope to further our mechanistic understanding of VCID with the potential to develop better therapeutics for patients.

Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Graduate Department: Medical Neuroscience
Research Mentors: Randy Brutkiewicz, PhD and Donna Wilcock, PhD

Research: My interest is in understanding the relationship between Immunology and Neurology. In particular, investigating the role of the immune system in the development and or progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Undergraduate Institution: Purdue University
Graduate Department: Biomedical Engineering
Research Mentor: Joseph Wallace, PhD

Research: My research investigates how chronic diseases-particularly Type 2 Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease-affect bone physiology and material properties using in vivo rodent models. Working at the intersection of biomedical engineering and nephrology, I am guided by Dr. Joseph Wallace and Dr. Sharon Moe to apply experimental and analytical techniques to these systemic diseases. As an aspiring physician-scientist, my goal is to translate research insights into clinical strategies that improve bone health outcomes in patients with renal and metabolic disorders.

Undergraduate Institution: Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
Graduate Department: Microbiology and Immunology
Research Mentors: Dibyadyuti Datta, PhD and Chandy John, MD

Research: My graduate research focuses on elucidating the pathogenesis of neuronal injury in cerebral malaria to better understand its role in long-term neurocognitive impairments among pediatric populations. Building on prior work investigating contributors to cognitive outcomes in Ugandan children with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria, I now use a human iPSC-derived blood-brain barrier model to study how host and parasite factors contribute to endothelial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and neuronal damage. I also aim to identify non-invasive prognostic biomarkers of brain injury to support clinical decision-making in low-resource settings. Broadly, I am committed to translational research in global health and infectious disease, with the goal of developing scalable interventions that improve outcomes for vulnerable pediatric populations.

Research: My research focuses on the pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes, particularly identifying changes in microRNA activity and calcium homeostasis that contribute to pancreatic beta cell dysfunction. In pursuing this research, I hope to further the understanding of beta cell physiology so it may be leveraged to prevent progression of Type 2 Diabetes.

Undergraduate Institution: Brigham Young University
Graduate Department: Biomedical Engineering (Purdue University) 
Research Mentors: Sherry Harbin, PhD and Stacey Halum, MD

Research: My research focuses on developing a regenerative implant to treat unilateral vocal fold paralysis. We aim to produce an implant that improves acute symptoms of vocal fold paralysis (Dysphonia, dysphagia, and aspiration) and restores vocal fold innervation and function. This regenerative implant combines a polymeric collagen biomaterial that persists and remodels into native tissue without immune-mediated bioresorption as well as autologous motor-endplate expressing cells that induce neuromuscular junction formation within the denervated muscle, increasing muscle innervation and bulk. We anticipate this regenerative implant to be the first curative treatment for persistent unilateral vocal fold paralysis, consistently restoring voice-related quality of life in these patients.

Undergraduate Institution: Indiana University
Graduate Department: Biomedical Engineering 
Research Mentor: Elsje Pienaar, PhD 

Research: I am broadly interested in mechanistic modeling of biological systems, including collective cell dynamics and cell-environment interactions. My current research is focused on agent-based modeling of T cell exhaustion in non-tuberculous mycobacteria infection. As an aspiring physician-scientist, I am interested in applying computational tools to study disease progression and treatment, working towards digital twins to predict individual patients' prognoses and optimize therapeutic approaches.

Undergraduate Institution: Case Western Reserve University
Graduate Department: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Research Mentor: Elizabeth Yeh, PhD 

Research: As an undergraduate, my research focused on the role of iron in the pathogenesis of and relationship between ocular and neurodegenerative disorders. Now, I am working with Dr. Liz Yeh to understand the role of HUNK (hormonally upregulated Neu-associated kinase) in triple-negative breast cancer. HUNK is a relatively newly discovered kinase that has been shown to promote breast cancer tumor growth and metastasis in mouse models. Using spatial transcriptomics and proteomics on sections of mouse tumors, I will further explore the role of HUNK in triple-negative breast cancer and its interaction with the immune system and tumor microenvironment. 

Research: With a background in Neurobiology and Biochemistry, I am extremely interested in studying neurodegenerative diseases from a biochemical standpoint. Previously my research focused on studying the implication of the dysregulation of human deubiquitinate enzymes in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. As a future physician-scientist, I hope to contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration and advance our therapeutic strategies for neurologic disease. 

Undergraduate Institution: University of Kentucky 
Graduate Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 
Research Mentor: Carmella Evans-Molina, MD, PhD 

Research: I am interested in better understanding why the immune system attacks pancreatic beta cells in Type 1 Diabetes. My research focuses on how alterations in both lymphocytes and beta cells can contribute to the development of autoimmune diabetes, specifically focusing on calcium signaling. By pursuing this research, I hope to contribute to a better understanding of mechanisms of diabetes development that can be exploited to prevent and treat this disease. 

Undergraduate Institution: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate Department: Medical Neuroscience 
Research Mentor: Jungsu Kim, PhD 

Research: My previous research has focused on fetal neurodevelopment in the context of maternal immune activation and the gut microbiome, which have been epidemiologically linked to autistic and schizophrenia-like behavior in offspring. I have also performed research on the brain-gut axis, focusing on the impact of dietary fiber on pro-inflammatory microglia in an aged mouse model. Currently, I study the role of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease, and I hope to better elucidate its mechanism of pathology as well as develop potential therapeutics that can be brought to the patients' bedside.

Research: My current research under Dr. Matthew Ward is centered around novel biomodulatory therapeutics and diagnostics for understudied and undertreated conditions. More specifically my research focuses on wearable based diagnostics and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) in areas of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, POTS, and tinnitus. I hope to develop or at least lay much groundwork for a new wearable device aimed at personalized treatment and detection of these patients' conditions. 

Undergraduate Institution: Cornell University
Graduate Department: Medical Neuroscience 
Research Mentor: Brian Pierchala, PhD 

Research: I'm interested in understanding the genetic pathways of motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). My research with Dr. Pierchala uses mouse models to study disease pathology and evaluate potential therapeutics. I'm excited to continue pursuing neuroscience from a genetic and molecular perspective with translational goals.