Current Students

Sabareesh Sundarraj

Undergraduate institution: Saint Louis University

Research: "My undergraduate research was conducted under Dr. Ryan Teague in SLU’s Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. In the Teague lab, I investigated how parental obesity may affect the development of the offspring immune system. I was able to develop and optimize multiple in vitro assays to mimic the bone marrow to test how maturation of hematopoietic progenitors would develop in the presence of obesity-associated inflammatory cytokines. I also investigated how obesity influences CD8 T cell function in tumors and whether elevated secondary bile acids contributed to CD8 T cell dysfunction in obese mice.

At SLU SOM, I hope to continue investigating cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Currently, I am rotating in the lab of Dr. Stephen Ferris, and I aim to learn more about chimeric antigen receptor cell-based therapies with a goal of incorporating multiple immunotherapies to better target and treat cancers."

Erol Ikiz

Undergraduate institution: University of Illinois

Research: "I am conducting my doctoral research in Dr. Reza Dastvan’s lab in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. My research focuses on Spns1, a lysophospholipid transporter, and understanding the conformational dynamics that underlie its function. More broadly, I am interested in membrane protein biophysics and structural biology as well as the role of lipid transporters in human health and disease.

As I continue through my training, I hope to keep an open mind about where these interests may lead. I am interested in a career that allows me to connect scientific discovery with improvements in human health, whether as a physician-scientist in academic medicine or potentially through opportunities in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry."

Jacob (JJ) Adler

Undergraduate institution: New York University
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Research mentor: Long Ping Victor Tse, Ph.D.

Research: "My undergraduate research was in computational chemistry and chemical biology in the Arora Group at New York University. I developed a quantum mechanics computational workflow to design catalysts for efficient peptide synthesis.

At SLU, I am pursuing my Ph.D. in the lab of Victor Tse in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. We study multiple topics related to dengue virus including novel vaccine development, virus structure and biology, and the immune response following exposure. My main project focuses on what components of polyclonal sera lead to protective and enhancing responses following infection by utilizing a novel protein library for antibody mapping and serum fingerprinting.

I eventually hope to pursue a career in academic medicine which integrates three key pillars: research, patient care and teaching. My broad research and clinical interests include immunology, infectious disease and vaccinology. I am passionate about pursuing research questions that are challenging to address with the currently-available technology through developing novel tools to better characterize molecular interactions." 

Yasser Hussaini

Undergraduate institution: University of Washington, Seattle
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research mentor: Enrico Di Cera, M.D.

Research: "Previously, in the Bruce Clurman lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, I investigated cancer therapeutics and biochemistry at the intersection of the cell cycle. Our group rectified an incomplete model of c-MYC degradation by the E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXW7, the former being a notorious proto-oncogene. My work also involved assessing therapeutic responses in-vitro and in-vivo to targeted therapies, for example against the WEE1 kinase (whose dysregulation is implicated in a number of cancers), as well as any corresponding inflammatory signaling changes in murine tumor grafts.

At SLU, I'm currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry with the Di Cera Lab, where I'm using protein engineering and structural biology tools to target and treat disease. For example, clotting-factor coagulopathies like the Factor V Leiden phenotype can be rectified by targeted proteolysis, provided a protein can be designed to attack the disease-causing mutation. Additionally, in what will likely be my principal thesis, several blood cancers and diseases remain vulnerable to targeted protein therapies that leverage coagulation pathways, enabling broad-spectrum disease coverage while maintaining specificity and minimizing side-effects."

Lily McMorrow

Undergraduate institution: Georgetown University
Department of Health and Clinical Outcomes Research
Graduate mentor: Leslie Hinyard, Ph.D.

Research: "I am currently completing an NIH Fogarty LAUNCH Fellowship through the ACHIEVE Consortium, based at the Uganda Cancer Institute in Kampala, Uganda, where I am investigating the impact of international funding disruptions on cervical cancer screening efforts using mixed-methods and implementation science approaches to generate evidence that is actionable at the policy and systems level. My long-term interests lie at the intersection of global health, women's health and policy, with a particular focus on contexts of political instability and natural disaster.

I hope to pursue a career with an NGO or multilateral organization working to advance health equity for women in both acute and long-term settings, bringing both a clinical and research perspective to the problems I care most about."

Samantha Cooke

Undergraduate institution: Carleton College
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Research mentor: Elise Alspach, Ph.D.

Research: "I am currently working with Dr. Elise Alspach in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology I where we are studying sex differences in tumorigenesis and mechanisms, such as T-cell responses, which may be driving these differences."

Zachary Foulks

Undergraduate institution: Missouri University of Science and Technology
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research mentor: Kyle McCommis, Ph.D.

Research: "My undergraduate research, conducted in the lab of Honglan Shi, Ph.D., primarily involved characterizing the biosynthetic pathway of pteridines in human epithelial breast cells with the final goal of identifying trends of these compounds in urine that can be used to detect and diagnose breast cancer. I also led a project to identify pheromones and other signaling biomolecules used by brown recluse spiders with an ultimate goal of spider population control. At SLU, I am in the lab of Kyle McCommis, Ph.D., where I am using cellular and mice models to investigate the role of diet and mitochondrial pyruvate carrier protein mutations in the development of liver and heart disease."

Robert Kousnetsov, Ph.D.

Undergraduate institution: Santa Clara University
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Research mentor: Daniel Hawiger, M.D., Ph.D.

Research: "I am interested in a research-oriented career geared towards immunology and precision medicine."

Spencer Schmid, Ph.D.

Undergraduate institution: University of Michigan
Department of Health Care Ethics 
Research mentor: Erica Salter, Ph.D.

Research: "My undergraduate research was conducted at the University of Michigan's Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine. I was fortunate enough to be engaged in a wide variety of research projects, including studying gendered differences in health care-provider burnout, end-of-life care policies involving terminally ill cancer patients, community-based participatory research initiatives studying allocation of scarce health care resources, and educational outreach related to chronic kidney disease.

At SLU, I am pursuing my Ph.D. in health care ethics and am hoping to build upon the work I did in my undergraduate philosophy degree in the spheres of end-of-life decision-making, the appropriate role of genetic technologies in preventative medical care, deontological approaches to public health and more."

Di (Andy) Wu, Ph.D.

Undergraduate institution: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Research mentor: Rajeev Aurora, Ph.D.

Research: "My thesis focused on the mechanism of T-cell mediated inflammation on bone quality and how it contributes to the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis. I utilized ovariectomize (OVX) mice as a model for the post-menopausal state and combined both immunology and bone histopathology techniques. My work showed that inflammation compromises bone quality in the form of disorganized bone matrix and diminished mechanical sensing of osteocytes before detectable changes in bone density. Additional work also showed that induction of CD8+ regulatory T-cells (Tcreg) has the potential to restore homeostatic bone remodeling in an estrogen-depleted state.

I am applying to pathology residency, and I'm deeply committed to medical education. I hope to remain in academic medicine, mentoring future physician scientists while continuing my research interests in the role of the immune systems in homeostasis."

Elisabeth DeMarco, Ph.D.

Undergraduate institution: Purdue University
Department of Health and Clinical Outcomes Research
Research mentor: Leslie Hinyard, Ph.D.

About Me: I'm applying to internal medicine residency programs with a strong interest in geriatric medicine. I envision a career where I care for a range of older adults, focusing my practice on supporting and improving their functional status and ability to live their best lives. I am excited to explore questions that arise in my clinical practice through the lens gained from my Ph.D. in health and clinical outcomes research, ultimately serving both the patient in front of me and a much broader group of people. I'm supported in my research endeavors by my research assistant (Maggie, my dog, whose primary skill is sleeping under my desk). 

Research: "My dissertation work with the AHEAD institute and Department of Health and Clinical Outcomes Research focused on the measurement, progression and phenomenology of affective disorders among people with Parkinson's Disease. Through this work, I explored commonly used rating scales for anxiety and depression to find a new way of characterizing these symptoms that may better align with new schools of thought in psychological research and more readily discriminate mood symptoms from the somatic experiences and sleep disturbances that characterize Parkinson's Disease. Along the way, I collaborated with numerous faculty mentors --- including my dissertation chair, Dr. Hinyard --- and peers in a variety of disciplines to develop a well-rounded appreciation of study design, statistical analysis, literature review and appraisal, and academic writing."

Stella Hoft, Ph.D.

Undergraduate institution: Pitzer College
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Research mentor: Richard DiPaolo, Ph.D.

Research: "My thesis work focused on understanding how chronic inflammation in the stomach, driven by autoimmune disease or infection, promotes the development of gastric cancer. Using transcriptomic and proteomic approaches, I discovered a novel biomarker that can identify precancerous cells in patients with gastric disease.

My long-term career goal is to become a pediatrician-scientist. I hope to pursue clinical research within the field of mucosal immunology. I am interested in investigating how mucosal routes of vaccination and immunomodulation can be harnessed to promote protective yet balanced immune responses, limiting tissue damage in the settings of infection, autoimmunity or allergic disease in children. My training in the M.D./Ph.D. program at SLU has well prepared me to pursue this vocation."

Reagan McGuffee, Ph.D.

Undergraduate institution: Millsaps College
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research mentor: David Ford, Ph.D.

Research: "My dissertation utilized LC-MS-based lipidomics techniques to investigate changes in plasmalogen phospholipids in sepsis. My studies revealed a decline in these lipids in the plasma of human sepsis patients. We attributed this to endothelial injury based on an in vitro endothelial endotoxemia model mirroring plasmalogen losses seen in vivo. Supplementation with plasmalogen precursors in this model rapidly replenished plasmalogen pools and appeared to confer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Future studies will search for improved sepsis outcomes with the utilization of plasmalogen precursors alongside the standard of care."