Alumni

Abdullah Al-Homoudi Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Rational Design of Novel Therapeutics Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Papain-Like Protease.
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Apoorva Rao M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Characterization of Vibrio cholerae Colonization Factors in Zebrafish
Advisor, Dr. Jeffrey Withey

Isabella Cubillejo Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Zebrafish Gut Microbiome and Swim Behavior After Vibrio cholerae Colonization
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey

Taylor Vensko Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: The Way Out Human Cytomegalovirus Multi-Ome and Virion Egress
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett

Fady Bidawit M.S. (IM)
Thesis title: Current Cholera Research with a Focus on the ToxT Transcription Factor
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey

Duncan Smith M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Investigating the Metal Ion Transport and Structure-Function Relationships of Zinc Transporters Using Escherichia Coli
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra

Joseph Engel M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: In silico lead optimization and screening against the SARS-CoV main protease.
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

James Glassbrook Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Identifying Host-Intrinsic Resistance Mechanisms to Therapeutic Anti-Tumor Antibody
Advisor: Dr. Heather Gibson

Olivia Haskin M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: In silico drug discovery methods for SARS-CoV Papain-like protease
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Nathan Kelley Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Characterization of the Novel NLRP10 Inflammasome
Advisor: Dr. Yuan He

Dylan Millikin M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: The Pathogenicity of Ureaplasma Bacteria
Advisor: Dr. Kevin Theis

Vignesh Morappur Pasupathi M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Characterization of Cytochrome c Tyrosine 97 Phosphorylation
Advisor: Dr. Maik Huttemann

Jonathan Panzer Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: From Culture to Metagenomics:  A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Female Reproductive Tract Microbiome in Pregnancy
Advisor: Dr. Kevin Theis

Emiley Swensen M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Optimizing and Validating a System to Investigate Host Intracellular Trafficking Machinery During the Final Stages of Human Cytomegalovirus Infection
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett

Bradley Vandecar M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Analyzing the Impact of ZIP Subfamily II Mutations on the Zinc and Iron Transport of ZupT from Escherichia coli
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra

Susanna Vuljaj M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: : Characterization of Cytochrome c Tyrosine 48 Phosphorylation
Advisor: Advisor: Dr. Maik Huttemann

Madison Walton Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Identifying critical genetic factors in pandemic Vibrio cholerae colonization of the zebrafish natural host
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey

Jillian Green M.S. (BMB) 
Thesis title: Developing a vector to co-express human cytomegalovirus proteins to understand cytoplasmic virion envelopment. 
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett 

Andrew Kulek M.D./Ph.D (BMB)
Thesis title: Mitochondrial Morphosis Events during Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion: are OPA1 and Cristae Integrity at the Heart of the Matter?
Advisor: Drs. Karin Przyklenk & David Evans

Kristie Mitchell Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis Title: Development of a zebrafish model for the study of Vibrio cholerae colonization, pathogenesis, and transmission 
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey 

Ashomathi Mollin M.S. (BMB) 
Thesis title: Vaginal microbiota of recurrent bacterial vaginosis patients under oral Metronidazole therapy: Prognosis based on specific species of Gardnerella and other bacterial vaginosis associated species in association with the vaginal microbiome. 
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins 

Cameron Roberts, Ph.D (BMB)
Thesis title: Investigating the Metal Binding and Transport Properties of ZntA and ZupT
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra 

Ravipaul Singh M.S. (BMB)  
Thesis title: Genetic analysis of Vibrio cholerae during its hyperinfectious state in Danio rerio (Zebrafish) 
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey 

Jacob Sobota M.S. (BMB) 
Thesis title: Effect of Allosteric Site Binding on SMYD2 Conformational Ensemble. 
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang 

Taylor Vensko M.S. (IM)
Thesis title:  Spatial Localization of Markers And 3D-Cell Model for Study of The Human Cytomegalovirus Cytoplasmic Assembly Compartment
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett

Yingxue Zhang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: How the Structural Uniqueness Makes SMYD Proteins so Special
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang 

Farah Al-Hashimi, M.S. (BMB) 
Thesis title:  Insights Into the Role of Human LIV-1 Transporters in Neurodegenerative Diseases using ZUPT from E. Coli as a Model System 
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra 

Bhavita Bhaya, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Determination of V. Cholerae ToxT response to its positive effector, the bicarbonate ion, to control expression of virulence factors.
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey

Dipanwita Dutta Chowdhury, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Structural and Functional Studies of Cytochrome C and SPAG 16 
Advisor: Dr. Brian Edwards 

Kay Ekwuazi, M.S. (BMB) 
Thesis title: Investigating Human ZIP Transporters in the Prostate using ZupT from E.coli as a model system 
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra 

Dustin Farr, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Characterization of the Immune Response to Vibrio Cholerae Infection in a Natural Host Model
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey  

Aliza Fatema, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Mechanism of P2X7R Mediated NLRP3
Advisor: Dr. Yuan He

Emma Graffice, M.S.  (IM)
Thesis title: Identifying and Isolating Microbes Commonly Associated with Microbial Invasion of the Amniotic Cavity
Advisor: Dr. Kevin Theis

Antione Khobeir, M.S. (BMB) 
Thesis title: Functional Characterization of Threonine 49 
Advisor: Dr. Maik Huettemann 

Kaitlyn Martin, M.S. (BMB) 
Thesis title: SMUD5and PEA-15 in the Regulation of MAPK During Metastatic Breast Cancer 
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang 

Kendall Muzzarelli, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Biochemical, Structural, and Drug Design Studies of Coronavirus and Norovirus Proteases
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Rutuja Patil M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Computational Studies of SARS-CoV-2 Papain-Like Protease Inhibitors.
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Detjona Xhaho M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: The Role of KLF2 in B Cell-Mediated Mucosal Immunity
Advisor: Dr. Eric Sebzda

Raniya Abdel Haq M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Investigating the Interaction between the N-terminal Domain ad the Transmembrane Domain of ZntA from E.coli.
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra

Abdullah Al-Homoudi M.S (BMB)
Thesis title: Generation of Neural Stem Cells (NSCs) From Human Fibroblasts Using QQ-Modified SOX2 and Neurodi Protiens.
Advisor: Dr. Jianjun Wang

Ashley Anderson Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Biological and computational studies of the structure and function of pUL103, a human cytomegalovirus tegument protein
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett

Ali-Rida Beydoun M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Drug Design Studies of Zika Virus Protease Inhibitors.
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Paul Breen Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Vibrio cholerae and the Zebrafish Microbiome
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey

Jonathan Greenberg Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Evaluating historical paradigms of sterility in perinatal microbiology and ramifications for pregnancy outcomes.
Advisor: Dr. Kevin Theis

Vanessa Kamdoum M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Studies of the norovirus protease as a target for antiviral therapeutics
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Ian McCusker M.S. (IM)
Thesis title: Exploring Potential Human Cytomegalovirus Cellular Virion Egress Pathways
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett   

Jennifer Reish M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: A robust dual-plasmid system for gene alteration in Staphylococcus aureus using an inducible Cas9 enzyme
Advisor: Dr. Andrew Berti

Maggie Stangis M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Association of Cervical Microbiota with Human Papillomavirus Infection and Progression to Cervical Cancer
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins

Alice Turner M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: The Functional Effects of Cytochrome C Acetylation in Ischemic Skeletal Muscle
Advisor: Dr. Maik Hüttemann

Shruti Amle, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Structural Insights Into Histone Modifying Enzymes
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang

Tetyana Bukavyn, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Discovery and Development of Novel Chikungunya Viral Protease Inhibitors
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Steven Cvetkovski, M.S. (IM)
Thesis title: Single Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Novel Subpopulations and Biomarkers of Musocal Associated Invariant T (Mait) Cells
Advisor: Dr. Qing-Sheng Mi

Matthew Fountain, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Soy Isoflavones Mediate Radioprotection by Regulating Early Endothelial Cell death and Inflammatory Signaling in Radiation-Induced Lung Injury
Advisor: Dr. Gilda Hillman

Lauren Iacobelli, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: The Role of FAM129B in Cancer Metastasis
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Nicholas Kaley, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title:  Structural, Functional and Drug Design Studies of the Zika Virus NS2B-NS3 Protease
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Brandon Kozlowski, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Candida Albicans: Loss of Heterozygosity – An Adaptive Mechanism for Resistance and virulence Mechanism
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins

Aleksander Ochocki, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Computer Aided Drug Design and Development of Inhibibitors Targeting the Human Norovirus GII.4 Protease
Advisor: Ladislau Kovari

Chandni Patel, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Biochemical, Structural, and Drug-Design Studies of Aspartate Transcarbamoylase from Pseudomonas
aeruginosa and Staphyococcus aureus 
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Michael Pawlitz, M.S. (IM)
Thesis title: Immunoglobulin D Undergoes Placental Transfer to the Fetus
Advisor: Dr. Kang Chen

Emerson Perry, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title:  Protein Lysine Methylthransferace SMYD2 Promiscuous Binding and Alternative Inhibition Strategies
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang

Katelyn Silva, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title:  Functional Analysis of Bacillus Anthracis Aspartate Transcarbamoylase and Dihydroorotase
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Neeraja Priyanka Annam, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Effect of endoplasmic reticulum stress on vascular smooth muscle cells and its regulation of SM22a
Advisor: Dr. Li Li

Stephen Barr, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Candida Albicans: Regulated Loss of Heterozygosity as a Means of Adaptation
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins

Maysaa Doughan, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis Title: SMYD4 Subcellular Localization and Nogo-B Receptor Structure and Function
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang

James Glassbrook, M.S. (IM)
Thesis title: Human Cytomegalovirus- A Systems Biology Approach to Elucidating Virus: Host Relationships
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett

Joseph Klavitter, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: The Construction of Bacterial Expression Plasmids with Human CDNAS Encoding Neurofilament Proteins.
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Ackerman

Derek Miller, M.S. (IM)
Thesis Title: Neonatal CD71+ Erythroid Cells: Immunomodulatory Functions and Role in the Pathogenesis of Preterm Labor
Advisor: Dr. Nardhy Gomez-Lopez

Tyler Peters, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: "Methionine Sulfoximine: a Novel Anti-Inflammatory Agent."
Advisor: Dr. William Brusilow

Ruqaiya Siddiqui, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: "Characterizing Gardnerella Vaginalis in Bacterial Vaginosis."
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins

Nicholas Spellmon, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Alternative Stategies to Inhibit Lysine Methyltransferases and Deubiquitinases in Human Cancers
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang

Junmei Wan, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: "The Functional Effects of Cytochrome C Threonine 58 Phosphorylation."
Advisor: Dr. Maik Huttemann 

Yingxue Zhang, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis Title: SMYD Protein Subcellular Localization and the Function of a Novel Secondary Binding Site
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang
Current position: Ph.D. student at Wayne State University

Dulmini Barupala, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Characterization of the yeast cysteine desulfurase complex within the mitochondrial FE-S cluster biogenesis
Advisor(s): Dr. Bharati Mitra and Dr. Timothy Stemmler

Viktoriia Bazyialnska, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: The effect of acetylation of cytochrome C on its functions in prostate cancer.
Advisor:  Dr. Maik Hüttemann
Current positon: Research Assistant at Wayne State University.

William Close, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Navigating Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Envelopment and Egress.
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett

Xiaoqing Guan, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: P120 Catenin regulates Inflammation in Macrophage
Advisor: Dr. Chunying Li

Fatme Hachem, M.S. (BMB) 
Thesis title: FAM129B, a novel adherent junction protein, forms a complex with KEAP1
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Joshua Holcomb, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Structural basis of membrane protein scaffolding and signaling in human disease
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang

Pallavi Joshi, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Investigating the Metal Selectivity of ZupT Using site Directed Mutagenesis
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra

Benjamin Kupier, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Biochemical, structural, and drug design studies of norovirus and zika virus proteases
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Christina Lim, M.S. (IM)
Thesis title: Human Cytomegalovirus Cytoplasmic Virion Assembly Complex: Structure In Vitro and Role of pUL 103 in it's Biogenisis
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett

Prasanna Medapureddy, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Chikungunya Virus Protease Structural Studies and Drug Design
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Rhonda Prince, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Contribution of CX3CR1/Fractalkine (CX3CL1) Axis to the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins

Kristin Slater, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Elucidating structure, function and small molecule interactions of human immunodeficiency virus and chikungunya virus.
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Lakshmi Thompil Somasekharan, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: FAM129B Phosphorylation and its effect on membrane localization in conluent HeLa cells
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Wen Xue, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Expression, purification and characterization of lysine methyltransferase.
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang

Russell D'Souza, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Investigation of Mutations in Nuclear Genes that Affect the ATP Synthase
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Ackerman

Stephen Dzul, Ph.D. (defended S16) (BMB)
Thesis title: Insights into de novo FeS-Cluster Biogenesis via the Eukaryotic FeS-Cluster Pathway (ISC) in vitro
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler
Current position: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Class of 2018

Yuning Hou, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: A critical role of CXCR2 PDZ motif mediated interactions in endothelial progenitor cell homing and angiogenesis
Advisor:  Dr. Chunying Li
Current Position: Research Assistant, Georgia State University, The Center of Molecular and Translational Medicine

Bradley Keusch, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Structure Function Studies of HIV-1 Protease
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Gargi Mahapatara, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Regulation of Cytochrome c Functions by Phosphorylation
Advisor: Dr. Maik Hutteman

Cathy Mcleod, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: A Five Residue Insertion between Codons 28 and 29 of the HIV-1 Protease Gene Reduces the Replicative capacity of the Virus
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Daniel Stafford, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Candida Albicans Genotype and Phenotype in Relation to Niche Tropism, Azole Resistance, and Candidiasis Recurrence
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins
Current position: Pharmaceutical sales representative for inVentiv Health/Eli Lilly(East Central
territory including Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee)

Lisa Abernathy, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: Soy Isoflavones Mediate Radioprotection Of Normal Lung Tissue By Modulating The Radiation-Induced Inflammatory Response.
Advisor: Dr. Gilda Hillman
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Indiana University School of Medicine; and Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan

Aditya Dandekar, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Role Of Crebh In Endotoxin Mediated Modulation Of Hepatic Metabolism.
Advisor: Dr. Kezhong Zhang
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Virginia

Paula Dietz, M.S. (IM)
Advisor: Dr. Jeff Withey

Matthew Fountain, M.S. (IM)
Advisor: Dr. Gilda Hillman
Postgraduate positions: Ph.D. student at Wayne State University in the BMI department

Samah Hachem, M.S. (IM)

Susan John, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Characterization of vaginal microbiota by a novel Lactobacillus relative content qPCR assay in healthy women versus bacterial vaginosis patients
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins
Current position: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Class of 2018

Chelsea Myers, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Characterization of Oral Microbiota in Xerostomic Versus Non-Xerostomic Volunteers and in Daily Samples Following Standard Oral Hygiene Practices
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins
Current position: Indiana University School of Dentistry, Class of 2019

Daniel Ortiz, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: The Roles Of Human Cytomegalovirus Tegument Proteins Pul48 And pUL103 During Lytic Infection.
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Marshfield Clinic

Andria Rodrigues, Ph.D. (thesis defended 2014) (BMB)
Thesis title: Characterization of Initial Iron Binding Location and the Structure/Iron Binding Site on S. Cerevisiae ISU and on D. Melanogaster Frataxin
Advisor: Dr. Tim Stemmler
Current position: Postdoctoral associate, Department of Biochemistry (Redox biology center), the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Kyla Ross, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: "Structural Studies of HIV-1 Integrase Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations"
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari
Current position: Project Chemist, R&D, Sika Corporation U.S., Sika AG, Switzerland

Nicholas Spellmon, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Expression and Purification of Drosophila Melanogaster NFS1- ISD11
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler

Yuanyuan Jiang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Structural Basis of Epigenetic Regulation and Protein Scaffolding in Development and Diseases
Advisor: Dr. Zhe Yang
Current Position: Post-doctoral fellow, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit

Sarah Plecha, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: The Mechanism for Inhibition of Vibrio Cholerae Virulence Gene Expression by Bile and Its Fatty Acid Components.
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toledo

Hannah Rowe, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Cell Envelope Modifications by LCP Family Proteins of Group B Streptococcus and Virulence Signaling by Peptides of the Salivaricin Locus of Streptococcus Pyrogenes.
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toledo

Joshua Thomson, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Mechanisms for Bicarbonate-Mediated Virulence in Vibrio Cholerae.
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey

Shuo Wang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: CXCR2 macromolecular complex in pancreatic cancer: a potential therapeutic target in inhibiting tumor growth
Advisor: Dr. Chunying Li

Ashwathy Varughese, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Characterization and post translational modification of Kidney Cytochrome c
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler

Andi Cani, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Modulation of the Anti-Tumor Immune Response by TGF-β-Inducible Early Gene 1 (TIEG1)
Advisor: Dr. Wei-Zen Wei and Dr. Robert Akins

Tamaria Dewdney, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Biochemical, Structural and Drug Design Studines of Multi-drug Resistant HIV-1 Therapeutic Targets
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

Jennifer Dittmer, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Functional Characterization of the Cholera Toxin Promoter of Vibrio Cholerae
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey

Stephen Gurczynski, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Human Cytomegalovirus US17 Locus Fine-Tunes Innate and Intrinsic Immune Responses.
Advisor: Dr. Philip Pellett
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine – University of Michigan

Fei Nie, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Investigating the Metal Binding Affinity of Bacterial Zinc Transporters: ZUPT and Truncated ZNTA (ZNTA-PINA)
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra
Current Position: Research Assistant, Department of Otolaryngology, SOM, Wayne State University

Rahul Ravindran Nair, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Cysteine Desulfurase and Isd11: A Drosophila Model
Advisor: Dr. Tim Stemmler
Current Position: Process Engineer, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Boston, MA

Kiran Rokkappanavar, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Optimization of Labeling Techniques; Determination of Best Parameter for OMPC Delivery and Study of Effects of Methylene Blue and Polyethylene Glycol in an Animal Model of
Spinal Cord Injury
Advisor: Drs. J. Nelson and Robert Akins

Phillip Selman, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Characterizing Cyclin J by Identifying Conserved Protein-Protein Interactions
Advisor: Dr. Russell Finley
Current Position: Research Assistant, Georgetown University Lombardi Cancer Center

Poorna Subramanian, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Elucidation of the Functional Role of PCBP - The Cytosolic Iron Chaperone Protein Family, in Cellulular Iron Homeostasis THE CYTOSOLIC IRON CHAPERONE PROTEIN FAMILY, IN CELLULAR IRON HOMEOSTASIS
Advisor: Dr. Tim Stemmler
Current Position: Post-Doc, Department of Chemistry, California Inst. of Technology

Caitlin Williams, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: LC3I and LC3II as Autophagy Markers for the Development and Improvement of Products and Techniques used in Research
Advisor: Drs. P. Domanski and Robert Akins
Current position: Clinical Technician, Paradigm, Ann Arbor, MI http://www.paradigmdx.org/

Guan Xiaoqing, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: CXCR5 PDZ-mediated Interactions in B Cell Lymphoma
Advisor: Dr. Chunying Li
Current Position: BMB Ph.D. student, SOM, Wayne State University

Monica Bame, PhD. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Understanding The Gender-based Mechanism of MSO Treatment in ALS mice: A Metabolic Characterization of the SOD1(G93A) Mouse Model
Advisor: Dr. William Brusilow
Current Position: Post-Doc, Comprehensive Depression Center, University of Michigan

Song Chen, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: The Role of Flash and Fam129B in Cancer Cell Survival and Apoptosis
Advisor: Dr. David Evans
Current Position: Post-Doc, University of Michigan

Marcelo Pasquale Castelvetere, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Disrupting CXCR2 Macromolecular Complex PDZ-domain Interactions during Inflammatory Chemotaxis
Advisor: Dr. Chunying Li
Current position: Research Associate, University of Michigan

David Fischer, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Membrane-Bound Immunomodulators as Adjuvants in a Cell Culture-Based Avian Influenza Vaccine.
Advisor: Dr. Roy Sundick
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center – Ohio State University

Brett Hanson, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Analysis of the Streptococcal CpsA Protein in DNA-Binding and Regulation of Capsule and Cell Wall maintenance.
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Postgraduate position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics – University of California-Irvine

Yuning Hou, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Disrupting CXCR2 PDZ-mediated Interaction in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer: A Potential Therapeutic Strategy
Advisor: Dr. Chunying Li
Current Position: Ph.D. student, BMB, SOM, Wayne State University

Suresh Kari, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Examining Autoimmune Sequelae during Cancer Immunotherapy in a Combined Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Tumor Mouse Model.
Advisor: Dr. Yi-Chi Kong
Postgraduate position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Thomas Jefferson University

Samuel Reiter, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: HCV NS3/4 Protease / Ligand Interaction Energies and Binding Characteristics Provide Insight on Drug/Protein Stability in the Active State
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari
Current position: Bone Marrow Transplant Technologist, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit,
MI

Yong Wang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Drug Resistance Mechanisms and Drug Desing Strategies for Human Immunodefieiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Proteases
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari
Current Position: Lecturer, Central South University XiangYa School of Medicine, Hunan, China

Basel Abuaita, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Vibrio Cholerae Virulence Activator ToxT.
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Withey
Postgraduate positions: Research Assistant, University of Michigan

Jonathan Allen, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Pleiotropic Regulatory Function of the Lysr Family Transcriptional Regulator Cpsy During Streptococcus Iniae Systemic Infection.
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Postgraduate position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University

Sudipa Ghimirerijal, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Characterization of Poly (rC) binding protein (PCBP2) and its metal binding properties
Advisor: Dr. Tim Stemmler
Current position: Research Associate, Oakridge National Lab

Heather Gibson Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: CTLA-4 Transcriptional Activation: Regulation of Induced Expression.
Advisor: Dr. Wei-Zen Wei and Henry Wong
Postgraduate position: Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Associate, Wayne State University

Yuefei Huang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: A Novel In Vitro Protein Refolding Technique
Advisor: Dr. Jianjun Wang
Postgraduate Position: Post-Doc, Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical
School at Rutgers University

Amruta Jambekar, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Use Of Methionine Sulfoximine To Dissect the Role Of Glutamine Synthetase and Glutamine In Progression Of Acute Liver Failure
Advisor: Dr. William Brusilow
Current Position: Post-Doc, Division of Molecular Medicine - Clinical Proteomics, St John's Research
Center - St John's Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Iryna King, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: The Role of Zip Superfamily of Metal Transproters In Chronic Diseases, Purification & Characterization of a Bacterial Zip Transporter: ZupT
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra
Postgraduate position: Customer Support Scientist, Business Development, Rubicon Genomics, Ann
Arbor, MI. 
 

Zhigang Liu, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Crystallographic, Molecular Dynamics, and Enzymatic Studies of Multi-Drug Resistant HIV-1 Protease and Implications for Structure Based Drug Design.
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari
Postgraduate position: Cardiology Fellow, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

Victoria Murray, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Development of an in-cell FRET technique to study protein structure inside living cells
Advisor: Dr. Jianjun Wang
Postgraduate Position: Research Fellow - University of Michigan, Manchester, Michigan

Phanramphoei Namprachan-Frantz Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Identification of the Role of the Sal Locus in Streptococcus Pyogenes Virulence During Host-Pathogen Interactions.
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Postgraduate position: Research Scientist, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) – Thailand

Carrie O'Connor, M.S. (BMB)
Thesis title: Generation and Characterization of the Protein-Induced Pluripotent Stem (piPS) Cells
Advisor: Dr. Jianjun Wang

Swati Rawat, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Molecular details of the mitochondrial iron sulfur cluster assembly pathway 
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler

Jeremy D. Cook, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Frataxin, the Mitochondrial Iron Chaperone for FE-S Cluster Bioassembly
Advisor: Dr. Timothy Stemmler
Postgraduate Position: Post-Doc, Dept. of Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA

Damian Kotsis, Ph.D. (thesis defended 2009) (BMB)
Thesis Title: Regulation of De Novo Pyrimidine Biosynthesis by CAD and CTP Synthetase
Advisor: David Evans
Postgraduate position: Patent Attorney, Harness Dickey Intellectual Property Law Firm, Troy, Michigan.

Gitanjali Kundu, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Immunomodulatory Effect of Host and Fungal Eicosanoids During Host- Pathogen Interactions with Candida Albicans.
Advisor: Dr. Mairi Noverr

Sandhya Muralidharan, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Investigating the metal binding sites in ZntA, a Zinc transporting ATPase
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra
Current position: Post-Doctoral Research Associate, University of NY at Stony Brook

Jianbo Yang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Characterization of ArsD: an arsenic chaperone for the ArsAB As(iii)-translocation ATPase
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen
Current Position: Postdoc, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

Govindaraja Atikukke, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: The role of cyclin J in Drosophila oogenesis
Advisor: Dr. Russell Finley
Postgraduate position: Cofounder and Chief Technology Officer, ITOS Oncology, Windsor, Canada
http://www.epicentreuwindsor.ca/incubator-tenant-profile-itos-oncology/

Jianglei Chen, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structural and functional studies of MESD a specialized chaperone protein of LRP5/6 in Wnt signaling
Advisor: Dr. Jianjun Wang

Hsueh-Liang Fu, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Mechanisms of arsenic detoxification
Advisor: Dr. Barry P. Rosen

Xuan Jiang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Properties and Mechanism of Trivalent Arsenicals Transport by Mammalian Glucose Permease GLUT1
Advisor: Dr. Barry P. Rosen

Melphine Harriott, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Effects of Prostaglandin E2 on Candida Albicans Biofilms.
Advisor: Dr. Mairi Noverr
Postgraduate position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Henry Ford Hospital – Infectious Diseases Translational Research Center; Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Oakland University

Fathima Kona, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Structure - Function Studies of Aquifex Aeolicus KDO8P Synthase
Advisor: Dr. Domenico Gatti
Postgraduate position: Department of Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, WSU.

Ann Kotsis (Einarsson), M.S. (BMB)
non-thesis

Arun Sivashanmugam, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structural Studies and Functional Characterization of Exchangeable Apolipoproteins in Lipoprotein Formation and Transport
Advisor: Dr. Jianjun Wang

Ravikiran Yedidi, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structure Based Design of Potent Inhibitors Against Multidrug-Resistant HIV-1 Protease Variants
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari
Postgraduate position: Visiting Fellow, National Institutes of Health

Keith Fusinski, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Adenovirus 36 E4orf1 Gene Induces Differentiation of 3T3-L1 Cells.
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Holland
Postgraduate positions: Medical Laboratory Technologist, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital; Adjunct Professor, Wayne State University; Toxicologist, US Environmental Protection Agency

Taba Kheradmand, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Natural Killer Cells and their Role in the Regulation of T cell Proliferation.
Advisor: Dr. Robert Swanborg
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Northwestern University; Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory Director; University of Chicago Medical Center; Transplant Immunology Laboratory, Gift of Life Michigan

Anne Kizy, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: A genetic exploration reveals novel Streptococcus pyrogenes virulence factors important for in vivo survival and biofilm.
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Post graduate positions: Medical Writer, MMS Holdings Inc.; Scientific Director, Henry Ford Health System; Medical Science Liaison, Theravance Biopharma Inc.

Kalyan Kondapalli, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structure - Function Studies of Frataxin: An Iron Chaperone in the Mitochondrial Fe-S
Cluster and Heme Biosynthetic Pathways
Advisor: Dr. Tim Stemmler
Current Position: Post-Doc, Dept. of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Hung-Chi Yang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Functional and structural studies of a novel arsenic detoxification pathway in the legume
symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti
Advisor: Dr. Barry P. Rosen

Nicholas Brown, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Examination of the Roles of MHC Class ll Molecules and Regulatory T Cells in Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis.
Advisor: Dr. Yi-Chi Kong
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Chicago; Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Transplant Immunology Fellow, University of Chicago

Beth Lowe, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: Analysis of Systematic Dissemination of the Zoonotic Pathogen Streptococcus Iniae and the Importance of Capsule.
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely

Janice Speshock, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Fatal Bacteremia Occurs In Mice Co-Infected with Filamentous Influenza A Virus and Serotype 3 Streptococcus Pneumoniae
Advisor: Dr. Christopher Roberts
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wright –Patterson Air Force Base; Assistant Professor, Tarleton State University

Paula Whittington, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Her-2 Vaccines: Mechanism of Action and Clinical Implications.
Advisor: Dr. Wei-zen Wei

Jiayi Yu, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Interleukin 13 D E2-A Novel Splice Variant of Interleukin-13 with inflammatory Function.
Advisor: Dr. Michael Shaw
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, MD Anderson Cancer Center; Instructor, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Pengfei Zhang Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Cloning, expression, purification and X-ray crystallography of Aquifex aeolicus and human CAD proteins
Advisor: Dr. Brian Edwards

Yao Zhou Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Biochemical and functional studies on the eukaryotic arsenate/antimonate reductases 
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Yung-Feng Lin, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: An arsenic metallochaperone for an arsenic detoxification pump
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Hilary Phelps, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Characterization of Streptococcus Pyogenes Factors Required for Host-Pathogen Interactions
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Michigan State University; Director of Research, TransPharm Preclinical Solutions; Senior Scientist, Zoetis

Keri Schaubert, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: Characterization and exploitation Of the Human T Cell Repertoire to a Potentially Protective HIV-1 Epitope in GAG p24
Advisor: Dr. June Kan-Mitchell
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan; Law Clerk, Daley DeBofsky & Bryant; Associate, Cozen O'Connor

Jesse Miller, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Large Scale Screen Highlights the Importance of Capsule for the Systemic Zoonotic Pathogen, Streptococcus Iniae.
Advisor: Dr. Melody Neely
Postgraduate positions: Marine Biologist, University of Mississippi; Microbiology Specialist, 3M; Research Scientist, NSF International

Quinn Parks, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Determinants of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Ocular Virulence
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Hobden
Postgraduate positions: Microbiology Scientific Research Fellow

Gheorghe Proteasa, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structure-Function Studies of the HIV-1 Protease Multi-Drug Resistant Clinical Isolates
Advisor: Dr. Ladislau Kovari

George Roberts, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: In Yeast, the RSF1 Gene Product Functions in the Transition from Fermentative to Glycerol-Based Respiratory Growth.
Advisor: Dr. Alan Hudson
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Wayne State University; Statistical Analyst/ Data Modeler, Quicken Loans

Frederic Sigoillot, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Phosphorylation of the multifunctional protein CAD by MAP Kinase, PKA and PKC cascades leads to the cellular control of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis and is associated with differential localizations of CAD
Advisor: Dr. Hedeel Guy-Evans

Prachi Trivedi, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Mechanism of Regulation of T Cell Responses by Natural Killer (NK CD3-) Cells.
Advisor: Dr. Robert Swanborg

Yufang Yang, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: A Novel Method to Produce Avian Influenza Vaccine Bearing Membrane-Bound Chil-2.
Advisor: Dr. Roy Sundick

Ayana Hinton, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Probing the mechanisms of Atp11p and Atp12p through biochemical and molecular biological studies
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Ackerman

Yong Jiang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Support for incremental change by using Prolog
Advisor: Dr. Vaclav Rajlich

Mahomed-Yunus Moosa, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Investigation of Virulence and Resistant Gene Expression in Candida Albicans: Studies on Primary Isolates Form Patients' with Acute Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins

Gerald Morris, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Characterization of Regulatory T Cells Mediating Induced Tolerance to Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis.
Advisor: Dr. Yi-Chi Kong
Postgraduate positions: MD/PhD, Instructor – Department of Pathology/Immunology, Washington University; Assistant Professor, University of California-San Diego

Stephanie Conant, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Amino Acid Recognition of Encephalitogenic Myelin Peptides and the Participation of Innate Immunity in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Induction
Advisor: Dr. Robert Swanborg
Postgraduate positions: Associate Professor, University of Detroit Mercy

Bin Fan, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Biochemical and functional studies on COPA: The Escherichia Coli CU(I)-translocating P-type ATPase
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Sonya Greene, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: Characterization of PRFA-Regulated Virulence Gene Expression in Listeria Monocytogenes.
Advisor: Dr. Nancy Freitag
Postgraduate positions: Director of Workforce Development, United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation

Jinzhu Li, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: Immunological Mechanism for Initiation of Relapses of Experimental Allergic Encephalitomyelitis.
Advisor: Dr. Harley Tse
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellowship, Cincinnati Children's Hospital

Ming Liu, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Targets of phenylbutyrate - a differentiating agent in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Advisor: Dr. Richard Needleman

Ye Liu, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Mechanism of enhancer action over a large distance and transcription through the nucleosome by RNA plymerase II
Advisor:  Dr. Vassily Studitsky

Lin Lu, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: RSF1 and RSF2, Nuclear Genes Encoding Proteins Required for Respiratory Growth and Mitochondrial DNA Maintenance in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae.
Advisor: Dr. Alan Hudson
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Children's Memorial Hospital– Chicago; Resident, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Rebecca Morgan, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: Glucose-6-Phosphate and Joint Antigen Reactivity in Two Mouse Models of Autoimmune Arthritis.
Advisor: Dr. Paul Wooley
Postgraduate positions: Lab Manager, Wayne State University; Research Studies Coordinator, National Jewish Medical and Research Center; Sales and Business Analyst, University Physician Inc.

Paramita Mukherjee, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Gene Therapy Influences Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in Collagen Induced Arthritis.
Advisor: Dr. Paul Wooley
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Resident, Nephrology Fellow, University of Washington; Internal Medicine Nocturnist, Group Health Cooperative; Nephrologist, Northwest Hospital & Medical Center; Medical Director, Puget Sound Kidney Center

Suparna Nanua, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: Elucidation of the Mechanism Involved in Oncogenic Murine Leukemia Virus Induced Apoptosis.
Advisor: Dr. Fayth Yoshimura
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University; Pathologist, Saint Luke's Health System

Jian Wang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structure and function of AQUIFEX AEOLICUS 3-Deoxy-D-Manno-Octulosonate-8-Phosphate synthase & protein and ligand dynamics in 4-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase
Advisor: Dr. Domenico Gatti

Ruben Gomez, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Examination of the effects of two mutations in the ampC structural gene of enterobacter cloacae P99 
Advisor: Dr. Steven Lerner

Andrew Grzanowski, Ph.D (BMB)
Thesis title: Phenylbutyrate targets in yeast
Advisor: Dr. William Brusilow

Song Li, Ph.D (BMB)
Thesis title: Role of vicinal cysteine pairs in metalloid binding to the arsd metalloregulatory protein
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Dmitry Sheluho, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Probing the mechanism of proteins that mediate assembly of the mitochondrial ATP synthase
Advisor: Dr. Sharon Ackerman

Yan Sun, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: non-thesis
Advisor: CADC, A Pb(II)/Cd(II)/Zn(II) metal inducible repressor

Yang Xu, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structural and Functional Studies of (S)-mandelate Dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida, a Flavin-Dependent Alpha-Hydroxyacid Dehydrogense
Advisor: Bharati Mitra
Postgraduate position: Senior Scientist, Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism Division, Amgen Inc.

Jian Yang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Structure of connective tissue activating peptide-III complex with polyvinylsulfonic acid and structure comparison of two platelet factor 4 mutants with the wild-type
Advisor: Dr. Brian Edwards

Anupama Ahuja, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Pyrimidine biosynthesis in Aquifex Aeolicus : lessons from an ancestral organism
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Dwayne Baxa, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: The Reduction of NF-kB By Genistein In T-Cell Lymphomas Generated By Mink Cell Focus-Forming Virus.
Advisor: Dr. K.Y. Yoshimura
Postgraduate positions: Assistant Staff Scientist and Technical Director, Infectious Diseases Lab – Henry Ford Hospital; Assistant Professor, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Dana Mahadeo, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: A network model governing spore formation, dormancy, and germinization in Dictyostelium discoideum
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra

Shari Pilon, Ph.D. (IM) 
Thesis title: Anti-Tumor Immunity Induced by ERBB-2 DNA Vaccines.
Advisor: Dr. W.-Z Wei
Postgraduate positions: Postdoctoral Fellow, Comprehensive Cancer Center – University of Michigan; Research Scientist, Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute; Assistant Professor, University of South Florida

Jian Shen, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Nonequivalent arsa nucleotide binding site and preliminary studies of an arsa homolgue in yeast
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Catherine Dimitra White, Ph.D. (IM)
Thesis title: Characterization of the Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Human Reduced Folate Carrier Gene Expression in Human Tissues.
Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Hobden
Postgraduate postitions: Postdoctoral Fellow, UNC SPIRE; Assistant Professor, North Carolina A&T University

Ann Bouvier, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Subdomain organization and function in the carbamoyl phosphate synthetase of E. coli and mammalian CAD
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Isabelle Lehoux, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Mechanistic studies of (S)-mandelate dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida, a flavin-dependent alpha-hydroxy acid dehydrogenase
Advisor: Dr. Bharati Mitra

Anura Hewagama, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Mechanism of glutamine hydrolysis and interdomain communication by mammalian carbamoyl phosphate
synthetase
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Askar Kuchumov, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: The role of linker subunits in the reassembly of hexagonal bilayer structure of Lumbricus hemoglobin
Advisor: Dr. Serge Vinogradov

Jiaxin Li, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structural and functional characterization of the ARSA ATPASE, the catalytic subunit of the arsenic resistance pump
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Nisha Sahay, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Characterization of the regulatory domain of the mammalian multifunctional De Novo pyrimidne biosynthetic enzyme CAD
Advisor:  Dr. David Evans

Yanxiang Chen, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Mechanisms of arsenical resistance in Escherichia Coli: the roles of ARSD and ARSB in metalloregulation and
transport of arsenite
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Diane Deutsch, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Characterization of a₂HSG, a natural inhibitor of human insulin receptor tyrosine kinase
Advisor: Dr. Marilynn Doscher

Jiyang Liu, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structure/function relationship study in ARSC arsenate reductase of Escherichia Coli plasmid R773
Advisor:  Barry Rosen

Michael Malkowski, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Structural insight into the receptor binding differences exhibited by a-Chemokines and the changes that occur in bovine a-Thrombin upon ligand binding using x-ray crystallographic methods
Advisor: Dr. Brain Edwards

Lisa Polin, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Characterization of the gene regulatory properties of B- and C- ring analogues of estradiol-17B
Advisor: Dr. Samuel Brooks

Jianfan Wang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Glucose repression of MAL6 gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Advisor: Dr. Richard Needleman

Chun Xu, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Dimerization is essential for DNA binding and repression by the ARSR metalloregulatory protein of ESCHERICHIA COLI
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Siting Chen, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Transcriptional regulation of the mammalian CAD gene
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Carmen Kelly, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Kinetic studies of three analogs of the RNASE 1-118: 111-124 semisynthetic complex in which aspartic acid-121 has been replaced by asparagine, alanine or cysteic acid
Advisor: Dr. Marilynn Doscher

Weiping Shi, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Identification of a metal binding site of the ARSR metalloregulatory protein
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Xia Wang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Fractionation of drosophila RNA polymerase II transcription factors and molecular cloning of RNAP II transcription factor dtfiie
Advisor: Dr. William Zehring

Michael Davis, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Examination of the effect of Ligand Structure on Estrogen mediated transcription and estrogen receptor
phosphorylatron in MCF-7 cells
Advisor: Dr. Samuel Brooks

Junli Feng, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Mechanism of transcriptional regulation of the nitrogen-regulated promoters in the enteric bacteria
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Mikehl Hafner, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Examination of the Effect of Estrogen Structure on Transcriptional Activation of Cathepsis D and Reporter Genes in MCF7 Cells
Advisor: Dr. Samuel Brooks

Jeanne Ohrnberger (Duffeck), Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Cloning and characterization of a heterokaryon incompatibility suppressor locus
Advisor: Dr. Robert Akins

Randy Schemidt, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Assembly and function of the ESCHERICHIA COLI F1Fo ATPASE B and c subunits
Advisor: Dr. William Brusilow

Thomas Wiese, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Characterization of ligand specific regulation of the estrogen receptor
Advisor: Dr. Samuel Brooks

Man Chang, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: A study on the unusual complementation for maltose fermentation at the Mal6 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Advisor: Dr. Richard Needleman

Saibal Dey, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: The relationship of arsenite efflux systems to arsenite resistance in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Xin Liu, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: An arsenic metallochaperone for an arsenic detoxification pump
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Jose Molina, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: Cloning, expression, and characterization of the ATCASE domain of the multifunctional protein CA
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

MaryJo Pilat, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: Studies on gene induction by estradiol and its analogues in neoplastic and immortalized human breast epithelial
cell lines
Advisor: Dr. Samuel Brooks

Kan-Jen Tsai, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: Biochemical characterization of the cadA cadmium resistance determinant from staphylococcal plasmid pI258
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Joyce Vanderkuur, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: Influence of estrogen structure on nuclear binding and gene induction by the receptor complex
Advisor: Dr. Samuel Brooks

Mona Wahby, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: Early biochemical events in the captan induction of rat gastrointestinal cell proliferation
Advisor: Dr. Adhip Majumdar

Barna Dey, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: Chaperone function of YDJ1 in P60 v-src-Mediated lethality and cell cycle progression in yeast
Advisor: Dr. Frank Boschelli

Michele Glinn, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Lipid peroxidation in the mitochondrial inner membrane
Advisor: Dr. C.P. Lee

Robert Monticello, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Assembly of the Escherichia coli F(1)F(0) proton -translocating ATPase
Advisor: Dr. William Brusilow

Michele Sciamanna (Fabi), Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion induced injury to forebrain mitochondrial energy transducing systems
Advisor: Dr. C.P. Lee

Baofu Ni, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Regulation of MAL6 gene expression in yeast
Advisor: Dr. Richard Needleman

Jeanne Stuckey, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: The structural refinement of native bovine platelet factor 4 and recombinant human platelet factor 4
Advisor: Dr. Brian Edwards

Ding Wang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Purification of band 7.2b, a 31k integral phosphoprotein absent in hereditary stomatocytosis
Advisor: Dr. Robert Johnson

Jianhua Wu Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Molecular analysis of the arsenical resistance operon
Advisor: Dr. Barry Rosen

Kiflai Bein, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: Molecular cloning of the CAD cDNA and the regulation of CAD exression
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Michael Chaparian, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: De Novo pyrimidine biosynthesis : the significance of biological organization in mammalian cells
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Aziz Qabar, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis Title: Studies on the subunit structure of invertebrate extracellular chlorocruorin from the marine polychaete eudistylia vancouverii : a hierarchy of globin complexes
Advisor: Dr. Serge Vinogradov

Joshua Scully, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Comparative modeling of the mammalian aspartate transcarbamoylase domain
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Pengfei Zhang, Ph.D.
Thesis Title: Structural Studies of Pyrimidine Biosynthesis in Humans and in a Hyperthermophilic
Eubacterium, Aquifes Aeolicus
Advisor: Dr. Brian Edwards

Hyesook Kim, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: The structural organization of the multifunctional protein, CAD, and its ATP binding sites 
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Andrea Kohn, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Position effects at the MAL6 locus in saccharomyces
Advisor: Dr. Robert Needleman

James Simmer, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: The DNA sequence of the coding region of the multifunctional protein CAD 
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Eric Wohlfeil, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Synthesis and characterization of a heterobifunctional mercurial reagent, its incorporation into cobratoxin and subsequent studies with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Robert St. Charles, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: The crystal structure of bovine platelet factor 4
Advisor: Dr. Brian Edwards

Edward Perkins, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Genetic analysis of the MAL6 locus in Saccharomyces.
Advisor: Dr. Robert Needleman

William Prass, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: n/a
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Mary Stern, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Aspartic Acid - 121 functions at the active site of Bovine Pancreatic Ribonuclease 
Advisor: Dr. M. Doscher

Robert Farrer, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Studies on the biosynthesis an dintracellular transport of gangliosides
Advisor: Dr. J. Benjamins

Douglas Forrest, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Maltose fermentation in MAL6 strains of saccharomyces / by Douglas B. Forrest.
Advisor: Dr. Robert Needleman

Vinod Kumar, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: n/a
Advisor: n/a

Mark Mainwaring, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Studies of the dissociation of the extracellular hemoglobin of Lumbricus Terrestris at acid pH and its reassociation at neutral pH 
Advisor: Dr. S. Vinogradov

Ruth Kelly, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: The structural organization of the chimeric protein, CAD
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Nancy Kemling, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Regulation of the multifunctional protein, CAD
Advisor: Dr. Brian Edwards

Dennis Bozimowski, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Spectrophotometric analysis of dilute fluids
Advisor: Dr. B. Zak

Young Chang, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: n/a
Advisor: n/a

Carl Christensen, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: n/a
Advisor: n/a

Dwight Saunders, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: n/a
Advisor: n/a

Matthew Andrews, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: The organization of histone genes in ARTEMIA 
Advisor: Dr. J. Bagrah

Dennis Grayson, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: The aspartate transcarbamylase domain of the multifunctional protein : CAD 
Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Kyriacos Petratos, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: The crystal structure of the oxidized "Blue Protein" from Alcaligenes Faecalis strain S-6
Advisor: Dr. D. Tsernoglou

Charissa Dyer, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Immunochemical evidence of multiple H-2D[superscript]s gene products in SJL/J mice and their loss in transplantable lymphomas 
Advisor: Dr. J. Lightbody

Celestine Harrigan, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Alterations in primary and secondary hemostasis and fibrinolysis following massive transfusion for injury
Advisor: Dr. E. Mammen

David Johnson, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Photochemical probes of protein topography
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. R. Brown

Michael McGowan, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Development, modification, and application of sensitive enzymatic methods for the determination of the major lipid classes of biological fluids
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. B. Zak

Brian Nickoloff, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Quaternary ammonium catechols as affinity reagents for the acetylcholine receptor 
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. R. Hudson

Larry Taylor, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Synthetic studies on the mode of action of erabutoxin B 
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. M. Doscher

Naji Batayneh, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Interaction of long alkyl-chain compounds with the respiratory chain-linked energy transducing system of submitochondrial membranes 
Advisor: Dr. C.P. Lee

Thomas Beck, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: In Vitro Transcription of Herpes Simplex Virus Genes:  Purification and Properties of RNA Polymerase II froom Uninfected and Infected Hep-2 Cells
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. R. Millette

Pamela Harve, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Structural proteins of the bovine nuclear envelope
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Kathleen Johnson (Tatti), Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Dr. Lawrence Grossman
​​​​​​​Advisor: The fine structure restriction endonuclease mapping of the var1 region on saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial DNA and improved methods of mitochondrial DNA isolation 

Oscar Kapp, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Dr. S. Vinogradov
​​​​​​​Advisor: Studies of the extracellular hemoglobin of Lumbricus terrestris

Martin Mally, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Functional and structural characterization of the multifunctional protein CAD 
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. David Evans

Eileen Pydyn, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Autoantigenic determinants of thyroglobulin 
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. R. Brown

Raymond Rapaport, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Assembly of glycoprotein P₋b ₋s into peripheral nerve myelin
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. J. Benjamins

John Russo, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Properties of the mitochondrial intermediate phosphate=water oxygen exchange
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. R. Mitchell

Diane Saski, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: n/a
​​​​​​​Advisor: n/a

Jerald Shlom, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: The subunit structure of the extracellular hemoglobin of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. S. Vinogradov

David Mueller, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Photoaffinity labeling of submitochondrial membranes with an azido derivative of quinacrine : the interactions of aminoacridines with the membranes
Advisor: Dr. CP. Lee

Ronald Pisoni, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Characterization of new collagenase activities from human skin fibroblasts 
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. R. Brown

James Dzandu, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Comparative biochemical studies of membrane autophosphorylation in intact normal human and sickle erythrocytes
Advisor: Dr. R. Johnson

Evelyn Hansen, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Characteristics of nuclear estrogen binding in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. S. Brooks

Ruth Homsher, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Research aspects of methods development and troubleshooting in a clinical biochemistry laboratory 
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. B. Zak

Samuel Kelly, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: A biochemical study of the relaxation complex of colicinogenic factor E1 
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. D. Johnson

Margaret Martens, Ph.D. (BMB)
Thesis title: Energy metabolism in mitochondria from strain 129/ReJ-dy dystrophic mice 
​​​​​​​Advisor: Dr. R. Mitchell

1977

Roger Acey, Ph.D. (BMB)
John Brown, Ph.D. (BMB)​
Mary Caspers, Ph.D. (BMB)
James Dalessio, Ph.D. (BMB)

1976

Larry Anderson, Ph.D. (BMB)
Susan Brown, Ph.D. (BMB)
Joseph Uberti, Ph.D. (BMB)

1973

Thomas Brown, Ph.D. (BMB)