M.D./Ph.D. Student Profiles

Sether (“Seth”) Johnson

Entering Year:  2024

Hometown:  Waconia, MN

Undergraduate Institution:  St. Olaf College

Degree:  B.A., Biology

Graduate Institution:  University of Minnesota

Degree:  M.S., Stem Cell Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  sejohnson@uchc.edu

Anna Friedman

Entering Year:  2024

Hometown:  San Carlos, CA

Undergraduate Institution:  Wesleyan University

Degree:  B.A., Chemistry, Italian

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  afriedman@uchc.edu

Nikolai Rogalinski

Entering Year:  2024

Hometown:  Berlin, MA

Undergraduate Institution:  Brown University

Degree:  B.S., Neuroscience

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  rogalinski@uchc.edu

Marc Merriman

Entering Year:  2024

Hometown: Slidell, LA

Undergraduate Institution:  Xavier University of Louisiana

Degree:  B.S., Biology

Graduate Institution: University of Connecticut

Degree:  M.S., Biomedical Science

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  mmerriman@uchc.edu

Zijian Li

Entering Year:  2024

Hometown:  Chengde, China

Undergraduate Institution:  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Degree:  B.S., Nutrition, Biochemistry

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  zijli@uchc.edu

Matthew Wan

Entering Year:  2024

Hometown:  Riverside, CT

Undergraduate Institution:  University of Connecticut

Degree:  B.S., Molecular and Cell Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  wan@uchc.edu

Reinier Gonzalez Heredia

Entering Year:  2024

Hometown:  Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico and Meriden, CT

Undergraduate Institution: University of Connecticut

Degree:  B.S., Molecular and Cell Biology, and Biomedical Science

Graduate Institution: University of Connecticut

Degree:  M.S., Biomedical Science

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  gonzalezheredia@uchc.edu

Al Awal Mohammed (“Awal”) Jimah

Entering Year:  2023

Hometown:  Dunkwa-On-Offin, Ghana, Africa

Undergraduate Institution:  Wright State University

Degree:  B.S., Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  jimah@uchc.edu

 

Stephen Li

Entering Year:  2023

Hometown: Cary, NC

Undergraduate: Johns Hopkins University

Degree: B.S., Biomedical Engineering

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email: stli@uchc.edu

 

Ariel Kogan Zajdman

Entering Year:  2023

Hometown:  Akron, OH/Mexico City, Mexico

Undergraduate:  Kent State University

Degree:  B.S., Biotechnology

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email: koganzajdman@uchc.edu

 

 

Kelsey Walsh

Entering Year:  2023

Hometown:Hanover, PA

Undergraduate: University of Pennsylvania

Degree: B.A., Neuroscience

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email: kelwalsh@uchc.edu

 

Marcell Szabo

Entering Year:  2023

Hometown:  Seattle, WA

Undergraduate:  University of Washington

Degree:  B.S., Neuroscience

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email: mszabo@uchc.edu

 

 

Jipeng (JP) Yue

Entering Year:  2023

Hometown: Wynnewood, PA/Qingdao, China

Undergraduate: Emory University

Degree:  Chemistry, BA

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email: jyue@uchc.edu

 

Michael Kann

Entering Year:  2023

Hometown:  Chicago, IL

Undergraduate:  Bowdoin College

Degree:  Biochemistry, BA

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  kann@uchc.edu

 

 

Rei Bufi

 

Entering Year:  2023

Hometown:  Tirana, Albania

Undergraduate: University of Connecticut

Degree:  B.S., Molecular and Cell Biology; B.A., Art, Globalization, and Activism

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email: bufi@uchc.edu

 

Ariana Fantasia-Davis

Entering Year:  2023

Hometown:  Birdsboro, PA

Undergraduate:  Lehigh University

Degree:  B.S., Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts & Sciences

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  fantasiadavis@uchc.edu

 

 

Jacob Brady

Entering Year:  2022

Hometown:  White Plains, NY

Undergraduate:  Swarthmore College

Degree:  B.A., Neuroscience, Political Science

Thesis Advisor: Ephraim F. Trakhtenberg, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Neuroscience

Email:  jabrady@uchc.edu

 

Emma Carlson

Entering Year:  2022

Hometown:  Helena, MT

Undergraduate:  Colorado College

Degree:  B.A., Molecular Biology, Classics

Thesis Advisor:

Sivapriya Kailasan Vanaja, D.V.M., Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Immunology

Email:  emcarlson@uchc.edu

 

 

Sara Halili

Entering Year:  2022

Hometown:  Elbasan, Albania

Undergraduate:  Smith College

Degree:  B.A., Biochemistry

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  halili@uchc.edu

 

Joshua Lee

Entering Year:  2022

Hometown:  Leonia, NJ

Undergraduate:  Rowan University

Degree:  B.S., Biological Science; B.S., Biochemistry

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  joshuaylee@uchc.edu

 

 

Kevin Liu

Entering Year:  2022

Hometown:  Unionville, CT

Undergraduate:  Wesleyan University

Degree:  B.A., Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Science in Society

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  keliu@uchc.edu

 

Clement Ojo

Entering Year:  2022

Hometown:  Provincetown, RI

Undergraduate:  Johns Hopkins University

Graduate:  Johns Hopkins University

Degree:  B.S., Molecular & Cellular Biology; M.S., Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  ojo@uchc.edu

 

 

Ashley Tucker

Entering Year:  2022

Hometown:  Argyle, NY

Undergraduate:  Rochester Institute of Technology

Degree:  B.S., Biomedical Sciences, Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  astucker@uchc.edu

 

Zihuan “Rita” Wang

Entering Year:  2022

Hometown:  Beijing, China and Manhasset, NY

Undergraduate:  Emory University

Graduate:  Harvard Medical School

Degree:  B.S., Biophysics; M.S., Medical Sciences, Immunology

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  zwang@uchc.edu

 

 

Cullen Clairmont

Entering Year:  2021

Hometown:  Cheshire, CT

Undergraduate:  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Degree:  B.S., Brain and Cognitive Sciences

Thesis Advisor:  Ching Lau, MD, PhD JAX-icon

Area of Concentration:  Genetics and Developmental Biology

Email:  clairmont@uchc.edu

 

Itaevia Curry-Chisolm

Entering Year:  2021

Hometown:  Charlotte, NC

Undergraduate:  North Carolina Central University

Degree:  B.S., Biology; B.S., Family and Consumer Science

Thesis Advisor:  Undecided

Area of Concentration:  Undecided

Email:  currychisolm@uchc.edu

 

 

Samantha DeRosa

Entering Year:  2021

Hometown:  Smithtown, NY

Undergraduate:  Northeastern University

Degree:  B.S., Cell and Molecular Biology

Thesis Advisor: Patrick A. Murphy, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Cell Biology

Email:  sderosa@uchc.edu

 

Sadik Karma

Entering Year:  2021

Hometown:  Baghdad, Iraq

Undergraduate:  Northern Virginia Community College, Johns Hopkins University

Degree:  B.A., Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Eric Wang, PhD JAX-icon

Area of Concentration:  Genetics and Developmental Biology

Email:  karma@uchc.edu

 

 

Karen Osei-Boamah

Entering Year:  2021

Hometown:  Ellicott City, MD

Undergraduate:  Xavier University of Louisiana

Degree:  B.S., Biochemistry and Biology

Thesis Advisor: Vanessa Scanlon, Ph.D

Area of Concentration:  Cell Biology

Email:  oseiboamah@uchc.edu

 

Raphael Serna

Entering Year:  2021

Hometown:  Duarte, CA

Undergraduate:  California State University-Northridge

Graduate: University of Southern California
Degree:  B.A., Biology; M.S., Microbiology/Bacteriology

Thesis Advisor: Zhichao Fan, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Immunology

Email:  serna@uchc.edu

 

 

Marta Stetsiv

Entering Year:  2021

Hometown:  Shawnee, KS

Undergraduate:  Kansas State University

Degree:  B.S., Medical Biochemistry

Thesis Advisor:  Archana Sanjay, PhD & Rosa Guzzo, PhD (co-mentored)

Area of Concentration:  Skeletal Biology and Regeneration

Email:  stetsiv@uchc.edu

 

Isha Walawalkar

Entering Year:  2021

Hometown:  Glastonbury, CT

Undergraduate:  Boston University

Graduate: University of Connecticut

Degree:  B.A., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; M.S., Master of Public Health

Thesis Advisor:  Olga Anczukow, PhD JAX-icon

Area of Concentration:  Genetics and Developmental Biology

Email:  walawalkar@uchc.edu

 

 

Titas Grabauskas

Titas Grabauskas headshot

Entering Year:  2020

Hometown:  Vilnius, Lithuania

Undergraduate:  Whittier College

Degree:  B.A., Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Duygu Ucar, Ph.D. JAX-icon

Area of Concentration:  Genetics and Developmental Biology

Email:  tigrabauskas@uchc.edu

 

Caroline Guild

Caroline Guild headshot

Entering Year:  2020

Hometown:  Carlisle, MA

Undergraduate:  Wellesley College

Degree:  B.A., Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Christopher Heinen, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Email:  guild@uchc.edu

 

 

Mian Horvath

Mian Horvath headshot

Entering Year:  2020

Hometown:  Gilford, NH

Undergraduate:  Bryn Mawr College

Degree:  B.A., Anthropology, Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Julia Oh, Ph.D. JAX-icon

Area of Concentration:  Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Email:  horvath@uchc.edu

Justin King

Entering Year:  2020

Hometown:  Idaho Falls, ID

Undergraduate:  University of British Columbia

Degree:  B.S., Honours Biochemistry

Thesis Advisor:  Archana Sanjay, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Skeletal Biology and Regeneration

Email:  juking@uchc.edu

Alexander (Alex) Mitchell

Alex Mitchell

Entering Year: 2020

Hometown:  Wellesley, MA

Undergraduate:  Brandeis University

Degrees:  B.S., M.S., Neuroscience, Biology, Biological Physics

Thesis Advisor: Timothy Spellman, PhD

Area of Concentration: Neuroscience

Email: almitchell@uchc.edu

Christopher (Chris) Pathoulas

Christopher Pathoulas Headshot

Entering Year: 2020

Hometown:  Mantorville, MN

Undergraduate Institution:Saint John’s University (MN)

Degree:  B.A., Biology                 

Thesis Advisor: Patrick Murphy, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Cell Biology

Email:   pathoulas@uchc.edu

Joseph (Joe) Pathoulas

Joseph Pathoulas Headshot

Entering Year: 2020

Hometown: Mantorville, MN

Undergraduate Institution: Saint John’s University (MN)

Degree: B.A., Biology

Thesis Advisor: Riqiang Yan, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Neuroscience

Email: jpathoulas@uchc.edu

Adam Thiesen

Adam Theisen Headshot

Entering Year: 2020

Hometown: Providence, RI

Undergraduate Institution: Occidental College

Degree: B.A., Biochemistry

Thesis Advisor: Jeffrey Chuang, Ph.D. JAX-icon

Area of Concentration: Undecided

Email:  thiesen@uchc.edu

Summit Singharviranon

Summit Singhaviranon Headshot

Hometown: Cheshire, CT

Entering Year: 2020

Undergraduate Institution: University of Connecticut

Degree: B.S., M.S., Chemical Engineering, Molecular Biology

Thesis Advisor: Pramod Srivastava, M.D./Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Immunology

Email: singhaviranon@uchc.edu

 

Keaven Caro

Hometown: Staten Island, NY

Entering Year: 2019

Undergraduate Institution: Marymount Manhattan College

Degree: B.S., Biology, Neuroscience

Thesis Advisor: David Martinelli, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Neuroscience

Email: caro@uchc.edu

Jacob Hudobenko

Jacob Hudobenko

Hometown: New Hartford, CT

Entering Year: 2019

Undergraduate Institution: University of Connecticut

Graduate Institution: University of Texas Health Science Center

Degree:  B.A., Biological Sciences, M.S.

Thesis Advisor: Riqiang Yan, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Neuroscience

Email: jahudobenko@uchc.edu

Keaton Karlinsey

Keaton Karlinsey

Hometown: Lima, Peru

Entering Year: 2019

Undergraduate Institution: Brigham Young University

Degree: B.S., Neuroscience

Thesis Advisor: Beiyan Zhou, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Immunology

Email: karlinsey@uchc.edu

Bianca-Maria Marin

Bianca Marin

Hometown: Bucharest, Romania

Entering Year: 2019

Undergraduate Institution: Northwestern University

Degree: B.A., Biological Sciences, Psychology

Thesis Advisor: Roel Verhaak, Ph.D. JAX-icon

Area of Concentration: Genetics and Developmental Biology

Email: marin@uchc.edu

Omar Omar

Hometown: Alexandria, Egypt

Entering Year: 2019

Undergraduate Institution:  Vanderbilt University

Degree:  B.A., Molecular and Cellular Biology

Thesis Advisor: Patrick Murphy, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Cell Biology

Email: oomar@uchc.edu

Elizabeth Szabo

Elizabeth Szabo

Hometown: Stratford, CT

Entering Year: 2019

Undergraduate Institution:  Fairfield University

Degree: B.S., Biology

Thesis Advisor: Christopher Heinen, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Email:  szabo@uchc.edu

Pearl Sutter

Pearl Sutter

Hometown: Windsor, MA

Entering Year: 2019

Undergraduate Institution:  Drew University

Degree: B.A., Neuroscience

Thesis Advisor:  Stephen Crocker, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Neuroscience

Email:

Rachel Cohn

Rachel Cohn

Hometown:South Windsor, CT

Entering Year: 2018

Undergraduate Institution: Wesleyan University, University of Connecticut (M.S.)

Degree: B.A., Mathematics, Neuroscience & Behavior, M.S., Applied Genomics

Thesis Advisor:  Laura Haynes, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Genetics and Developmental Biology

Email: rcohn@uchc.edu

Benjamin Coleman

Benjamin Coleman

Hometown:  Gray, ME

Entering Year: 2018

Undergraduate:  Cedarville University

Degree:  B.S. Physics with Minors in Bible and Mathematics

Thesis Advisor: Peter Robinson Ph.D. JAX-icon

Area of Concentration: Genetics and Developmental Biology

Email: bcoleman@uchc.edu

Jinhong Dong

Jinhong Dong

Entering Year: 2018

Hometown:   Rochester, MN

Undergraduate:  Carleton College

Degree:  B.A., Biology

Thesis Advisor: Michael Guertin, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Cell Biology

Email: jdong@uchc.edu

Ryan Englander

Ryan Englander

Entering Year: 2018

Hometown:  Suffield, CT

Undergraduate:  University of Connecticut

Degree:  B.S., Biochemistry

Thesis Advisor: Karolina Palucka, M.D./Ph.D., and Olga Anczukow, Ph.D. JAX-icon

Area of Concentration: Immunology

Email:englander@uchc.edu

Nathan Gasek

Nathan Gasek

Entering Year: 2018

Hometown:  Somers, CT

Undergraduate:  University of Vermont

Degree:  B.S., Chemistry, Pharmacology

Thesis Advisor:  Ming Xu Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Genetics and Developmental Biology

Email:  gasek@uchc.edu

 

Skylar Wright

Skylar Wright

Entering Year: 2018

Hometown:  Bristol, CT

Undergraduate:  University of Connecticut

Degrees:  B.S., Biology with Minors in Psychology, Women’s Studies

Thesis Advisor:  Vijay Rathinam, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Immunology

Email:  skywright@uchc.edu

Annie Yao

Annie Yao

Entering Year: 2018

Hometown:  Cambridge, MA

Undergraduate:  Yale University

Degree:  B.S., Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry

Thesis Advisor:  Riqiang Yan Ph.D.

Area of Concentration:  Neuroscience

Email:  ayao@uchc.edu

Marc Benoit

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Hometown: Quincy, MA

Entering Year: 2017

Undergraduate Institution: Clark University

Degree: B.A., Chemistry

Thesis Advisor: Riqiang Yan, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Neuroscience

Email: mbenoit@uchc.edu

Timofey (Tima) Karginov

karginov_timofey_20170809_KWallace_2234-286x400

Hometown: Westmont, IL

Entering Year: 2017

Undergraduate Institution: University of Chicago

Degree: B.S., Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Anthony Vella, Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Immunology

Email: karginov@uchc.edu

Redwan Bhuiyan

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Hometown: Jamaica, NY

Entering Year: 2017

Undergraduate Institution: Wesleyan University

Degree: B.A., Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Neuroscience and Behavior

Thesis Advisor: Michael Stitzel Ph.D. JAX-icon

Area of Concentration: Genetics and Developmental Biology

Email: rbhuiyan@uchc.edu

Joseph (Joe) Masison

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Hometown: Bethesda, MD

Entering Year: 2017

Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland

Degree: B.S., Computer Science, B.S., Physiology & Neurobiology

Thesis Advisor: Pedro Mendes Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Systems Biology

Email: masison@uchc.edu

Rory Geyer

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Hometown: Redding, CT

Entering Year: 2016

Undergraduate Institution: University of Connecticut

Degree: B.S., Molecular and Cell Biology

Thesis Advisor:  Pramod Srivastava Ph.D. M.D.

Area of Concentration: Immunology.

Email: geyer@uchc.edu

Gianluca Arianna

Arianna-Gianluca-372x400

Hometown: Jackson Heights, NY

Entering Year: 2016

Undergraduate Institution: City University of New York Hunter College

Degree: B.A., Chemistry, Special Honors Curriculum

Thesis Advisor: Dmitry Korzhnev Ph.D.

Area of Concentration: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Email: arianna@uchc.edu

JAX-icon = The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine affiliated faculty