DEA & Hughes Winners

2024:

Biochemistry

Nicholas Venetos

Nicholas received a PhD in Biochemistry under the mentorship of Dr. Jonathan Stamler.  

Thesis:

Regulation of Lipid Metabolism by S-Nitrosylation and the S-Nitroso-Coenzyme A Reductase SCoR2

 

Bioethics
Eric Blackstone

Eric received a PhD in Biochemistry under the mentorship of Dr. Sana Loue.  

Thesis:

Stakeholder Perspectives on Family Caregiver Involvement in Oncology Clinical Trial Decision-Making

Biomedical Engineering
Siyuan Hu

Siyuan received a PhD in Biomedical Engineering under the mentorship of Dr. Dan Ma.  

Thesis:

Towards fast, robust, and accurate magnetic resonance fingerprinting

Clinical Translational Science
Morgan McGrath Lewis

Morgan received a PhD in Clinical Translational Science under the mentorship of Dr. Jay Alberts.  

Thesis:

Leveraging Advancements in Virtual Reality Technology for the Evaluation of Neurological Disease

Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Noah Lorincz-Comi

Noah received a PhD in Epidemiology & Biostatistics under the mentorship of Dr. Xiaofeng Zhu.  

Thesis:

Developing and applying new tools to study complex disease risk

Genetics & Genome Sciences
Yi Fan Chen

Yi Fan received a PhD in Genetics & Genome Sciences under the mentorship of Dr. Drew Adams.  

Thesis:

Beyond Nuclear Export: Expanding the Biology and Chemical Biology of Exportin-1

Molecular Biology & Microbiology
Andrew Mack

Andrew received a PhD in Molecular Biology & Microbiology under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Bonomo.  

Thesis:

From Nomenclature to Inhibition: Elucidating Mechanisms of Oxyimino-Cephalosporin Resistance mediated by Pseudomonas-derived Cephalosporinase

Molecular Medicine
W. Dean Pontius

W. Dean received a PhD in Molecular Medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Peter Scacheri.  

Thesis:

The Role of Dynamic Transcriptional States in Osteosarcoma Lung Metastasis

Pathology
Hannah Kondolf

Hannah received a PhD in Pathology under the mentorship of Dr. Derek Abbott.  

Thesis:

Engineering Gasdermins for Investigative and Translational Utility

Pharmacology
Kristy Rochon

Kristy received a PhD in Pharmacology under the mentorship of Dr. Jason Mears.  

Thesis:

Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) structure: its regulatory domains, conformational flexibility, 
and assembly

Physiology & Biophysics
Alethia Dixon

Alethia received a PhD in Physiology & Biophysics under the mentorship of Dr. Patrick Osei-Owusu.

Thesis:

Interaction between Aging, Ovarian Hormones, and Elastin Haploinsufficiency on
Cardiovascular Regulation by the Kidney

Systems Biology & Biophysics
Davis Weaver

Davis received a PhD in Systems Biology & Biophysics under the mentorship of Dr. Jacob Scott.  

Thesis:

Novel Approaches for Optimal Therapy Design in Drug-Resistant Populations

Arthur F.W. Hughes Award
Erin Cohn 

Erin received a PhD in Genetics & Genome Sciences under the mentorship of Dr. Paul Tesar.  

Thesis:

Oligodendrocyte dysfunction and resilience amidst environmental stress

Past Winners

2023:

Biochemistry
Mohammed Rubayyi Alzahrani

Mohammed received a PhD in Biochemistry under the mentorship of Dr. Maria Hatzoglou.  

Thesis:

Newly Synthesized mRNA Escapes Translational Repression During the Acute Phase of the Mammalian Unfolded Protein Response

 

Biomedical Engineering
Michaela Briana Cooley

Michaela received a PhD in Biomedical Engineering under the mentorship of Dr. Agata Exner.  

Thesis:

Nanobubble Utrasound-Contrast Agents as a Strategy to Assess Tumor Microenvironment Characteristics and Nanoparticle Extravasation

Clinical Translational Science
Carli J. Lehr

Carli received a PhD in Clinical Translational Science under the mentorship of Dr. Maryam Valapour.  

Thesis:

Updating Risk Predictions for Lung Transplant Candidates Bridged With Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Using Novel National Data

Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Wyatt P. Bensken

Wyatt received a PhD in Epidemiology & Biostatistics under the mentorship of Dr. Siran Koroukian.  

Thesis:

Disparities and Inequities in Health, Health Care, and Outcomes Among People Living with Epilepsy

Genetics & Genome Sciences
Shanshan Zhang

Shanshan received a PhD in Genetics & Genome Sciences under the mentorship of Dr. Fulai Jin.  

Thesis:

Deciphering the Role of Chromatin Loops in Gene Regulatory Circuits

Molecular Biology & Microbiology
Stephanie Swedik

Stephanie received a PhD in Molecular Virology under the mentorship of Dr. Alan Levine.  

Thesis:

The regulation of expression of IL-17C in the human colonic epithelium in the presence of Th17 stimulatory cytokines

Molecular Medicine
Jessica Castrillon

Jessica received a PhD in Molecular Medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Feixiong Cheng.  

Thesis:

Network-based Multi-Omics Approaches for Precision Cardio-Oncology: Pathobiology, Drug Repurposing
and Functional Testing

Neurosciences
Alicia Nicole Vagnozzi

Alicia received a PhD in Neurosciences under the mentorship of Dr. Polyxeni (Pola) Philippidou.  

Thesis:

A Hox5-dependent genetic program shapes respiratory motor output

Pathology
Derek Perseus Wong

Derek received a PhD in Pathology under the mentorship of Dr. Reshmi Parameswaran.  

Thesis:

Improving NK and T Cell Immunotherapies for Hematologic Malignancies

Pharmacology
Jean Moon

Jean received a PhD in Pharmacology under the mentorship of Dr. Johannes von Lintig.  

Thesis:

Characterization of Mechanisms Regulating Vitamin A Homeostasis

Physiology & Biophysics
Solomiia Boyko

Solomiia received a PhD in Physiology & Biophysics under the mentorship of Dr. Witold Surewicz.  

Thesis:

Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation as a Modulator of Pathological Aggregation of TAU

Systems Biology & Biophysics
Filipa Blasco Tavares Pereira Lopes

Filipa received a PhD in Systems Biology & Biophysics under the mentorship of Dr. Mark Chance.  

Thesis:

Towards curing an Alzheimer's Disease mouse model

Arthur F.W. Hughes Award
Alicia Nicole Vagnozzi

Alicia received a PhD in Neurosciences under the mentorship of Dr. Polyxeni (Pola) Philippidou.  

Thesis:

A Hox5-dependent genetic program shapes respiratory motor output