Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine

Signe Caksa (MD/PhD)
Matriculation Term: Summer 2018
Thesis Title: "Investigating the Role of Transglutaminase-2 in Cutaneous Melanoma"
Advisor: Andrew Aplin, PhD

Current Position: MD/PhD 7, JeffMD Phase 2, SKMC 3

Colleen Isabelle (MD/PhD)
Matriculation Term: Summer 2017
Thesis Title: "TBD"
Advisors: Anjali Mishra, PhD

Current Position: MD/PhD 8, JeffMD Phase 2, SKMC 3

Selin Isguven (MD/PhD)
Matriculation Term: Summer 2017
Thesis Title: "Ultrasound-Controlled Drug Delivery for Application in Spinal Surgical Infections"
Advisors: Noreen Hickok, PhD; Flemming Forsberg, PhD

Current Position: MD/PhD 8, JeffMD Phase 3, SKMC 4

Usman Baqai (MD/PhD)
Matriculation Term: Summer 2017
Thesis Title: "Identifying the Novel Effectors of Oncogenic GNAQ/11 and BAP1-Deficiency in Uveal Melanoma"
Advisor: Andrew Aplin, PhD

Current Position: MD/PhD 8, JeffMD Phase 3, SKMC 4

Weelic Chong (MD/PhD)
Matriculation Term: Summer 2016
Thesis Title: "Identifying the Novel Effectors of Oncogenic GNAQ/11 and BAP1-Deficiency in Uveal Melanoma"
Advisor: Hushan Yang, PhD

Current Position: MD/PhD 9, JeffMD Phase 3, SKMC 4

Ariana Entezari
Matriculation Term: Summer 2018
Thesis Title: "APC/β-catenin/TCF signaling suppresses GUCY2C hormone transcription by silencing p38"
Advisor: Scott Waldman, MD, PhD

Rifah Gheyas
Matriculation Term: Fall 2019
Thesis Title: "Mechanisms Involved in the Formation of the Lens Organelle Free Zone"
Advisor: Sue Menko, PhD

Ranakul Islam
Matriculation Term: Summer 2020
Thesis Title: "The Role of TOMM20 in Sarcoma Aggressiveness and Mir-218-5p/EGFR Signaling in Arsenic-Induced Cancer"
Advisor: Ubaldo Martinez-Outschoorn, MD

Alexandra Manchel
Matriculation Term: Summer 2019
Thesis Title: "Genome-scale modeling of metabolic dysregulation in alcohol-associated hepatitis"
Advisor: Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, PhD

Olivia Ottone
Matriculation Term: Fall 2018
Thesis Title: "Modalities of and intervention strategies to mitigate intervertebral disc degeneration"
Advisor: Makarand Risbud, PhD

Neil Zhao (MD/PhD) 
Matriculation Term: Summer 2016
Thesis Title: "REDUCING STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS BURDEN IN SYNOVIAL FLUID"
Advisor: Noreen Hickok, PhD

Current Position: LewisGale Hospital Montgomery, Resident

Morgan Basta
Matriculation Term: Summer 2018
Thesis Title: "The role of post-replicative chromatin structure in the initiation and progression of fibrosis"
Advisor: Janice Walker, PhD

John Han
Matriculation Term: Fall 2017
Thesis Title: "Eye candy: Role of Lactate and Glucose Transporters in Supporting Visual Health and Function"
Advisor: Nancy Philp, PhD

Shira Johnston
Matriculation Term: Fall 2017
Thesis Title: "The Role of HIF-2α in the Intervertebral Disc"
Advisor: Makarand Risbud, PhD

Lauren Langbein 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2014
Thesis Title: "Regulation of the Type I Interferon Pathway by Cancer Genes in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma"
Advisor: Haifeng Yang, PhD

Megan Roche 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2015
Thesis Title:  "Translocase of the Outer Mitochondrial Membrane 20 (TOMM20) and TP53 Inducible Glycolysis and Apoptosis Regulator (TIGAR) Drive Metabolic Reprogramming in Cancer"
Advisor: Ubaldo Martinez-Outschoorn, MD

Michael Young 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2015
Thesis Title: "IP3R knockout cell models: studies on structure/function and cell physiology"
Advisor: Suresh Joseph, PhD

Grace Tartaglia
Matriculation Term: Summer 2018
Thesis Title: "Anti-Virals as a Novel Fibrosis Preventative in Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa"
Advisor: Andrew South, PhD

Alexus (Kolb) Shirk 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2016
Thesis Title: "OSTEOCLASTOGENESIS AND FACTORS PRODUCED BY THE BONE EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX ARE ALTERED BY EDUCATED OSTEOBLASTS IN A BONE-TUMOR MIMETIC MICROENVIRONMENT"
Advisor: Karen Bussard, PhD

Noor Shaik (MD/PhD) 
Matriculation Term: Summer 2015
Thesis Title: "The Role of Platelets in Remote Organ Injury and Infection After Stroke"
Advisor: Ulhas Naik, PhD

Deborah Gorth (MD/PhD) 
Matriculation Term: Summer 2014
Thesis Title: "The Role of TNFα and IL-1β in Intervertebral Disc Disease and Health"
Advisor: Makarand Risbud, PhD

Sara Bisetto 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2013
Thesis Title: "New insights into the lactate shuttle: lesson learned from the MCT4 knock-out mouse"
Advisor: Nancy Philp, PhD

Hyowon Choi (MD/PhD) 
Matriculation Term: Summer 2013
Thesis Title: "The Role Of Autophagy And Primary Cilia In The Nucleus Pulposis"
Advisor: Makarand Risbud, PhD

Stephen Hurst 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2010
Thesis Title: "Calcium Regulation of the Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore During Ischemia Reperfusion Injury of the Heart"
Advisor: Shey-Shing Sheu, PhD

Elham Javed  
Matriculation Term: Fall 2012
Thesis Title: "Intermediate filaments in bladder smooth muscle dysfunction"
Advisor: Boopathi Ettickan, PhD

Current Position: Thomas Jefferson University, Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Michael Vido (MD/PhD) 
Matriculation Term: Summer 2011
Thesis Title: "Mechanisms Underlying RAF Inhibitor Resistance by BRAF Splice Variants in Melanoma"
Advisor: Andrew Aplin, PhD

Current Position: Resident @ Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

Frederick Arnold 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2012
Thesis Title: "ALTERED TRAFFICKING AND POST-TRANSLATIONAL MODIFICATIONS OF THE POLYGLUTAMINE-EXPANDED ANDROGEN RECEPTOR CONTRIBUTE TO TOXICITY IN SPINAL AND BULBAR MUSCULAR ATROPHY"
Advisor: Diane Merry, PhD

Current Position: University of California-Irvine, Postdoctoral Scholar

Victoria Gennaro 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2013
Thesis Title: "Defining the MYC transcriptional regulatory network in human cancer"
Advisor: Steven McMahon, PhD

Maria Gubbiotti (MD/PhD) 
Matriculation Term: Summer 2010
Thesis Title: "A Novel Role For Decorin In Autophagy And Metabolism"
Advisor: Renato Iozzo, MD

Current Position: Assistant Professor, Neuropathology, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Caitlin Logan (MD/PhD) 
Matriculation Term: Summer 2010
Thesis Title: "Impact of the Loss of  N-cadherin or Microtubules on Lens Development and Immune Surveillance"
Advisor: Sue Menko, PhD

Current Position: Resident @ Standford University

Elizabeth Silagi 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2013
Thesis Title: "Insights into Glycolytic Metabolism and pH Homeostasis in the Hypoxic Intervertebral Disc"
Advisor: Makarand Risbud, PhD

Aditi Swarup 
Matriculation Term: Fall 2014
Thesis Title: "Deletion of GLUT1 from ocular epithelium leads to cataract formation and photoreceptor degeneration in mice"
Advisor: Nancy Philp, PhD