School of Medicine

Wayne State University School of Medicine

Student Profiles

 Masters-Students 
    PhD in Reproductive Sciences-Students
  PhD Students:


Douglas Atchison

 Doug started his academic career as an economics major at Michigan State University. It wasn’t long before he realized his true calling was working “towards a higher and nobler goal” and changed his major.
He spent time volunteering at the Cristo Rey Clinic in Lansing, Michigan confirming medical school was in his future, but he’d also spent considerable time doing research in his father’s pharmacology research lab and in Dr. Gregory Fink's lab (both at Michigan State University), which fascinated him as well. “Working in a research environment has helped me develop attributes that would benefit me as a physician. It has forced me to develop higher-level critical thinking and complex problem solving skills. Problem solving in a research environment is far more difficult than many problems in the classroom setting because I had to learn to discern patterns from large amounts of diffuse data while attempting to find an explanation for why a data trend occurred. Furthermore, I had to develop a sense of independence along with self motivation. I have grown to enjoy learning about the ideas presented in lecture in a more in-depth manner while having to apply what I know to generate new or insightful ideas.”
To resolve this dilemma, Doug joined the MD/PhD program here at Wayne State in 2006. After completing his first two years of med school, he selected to do the PhD portion of his program in Physiology, under the mentorship of Dr. William Beierwaltes.  Doug's research interest is hypertension. 
 

Zhihui Chen		 Zhihui immigrated to Windsor from Beijing China. She has a B.S. from HeBei Medical University and an M.S. degree in Cardiology from Shanghai Second Military Medical University. She has functioned as a physician of Cardiovascular Medicine (1993-1995), a teaching assistant in the Department of Pathophysiology at Beijing Medical University (1996-1998) and Peking University (2002-2003), and a research assistant in the Physiology Department at Peking University Health Science Center (1998-2004). She has one published paper and two pending. She was awarded an IBS Fellowship and enjoys the cell & molecular physiology research she's doing under the mentorship of Dr. Bhanu Jena.
 

Matt Coutsos		 Matthew was born and raised in Windsor. He received his Hon. BSc. in Kinesiology from Laurentian University (in the ice and cold of Sudbury Ontario). He is finishing a MS in Human Development at Laurentian, while beginning his PhD here at Wayne State. Matt enjoys long walks on the beach, whenever he is at a beach, just as he enjoys many forms of physical activity. As a matter of fact, Matt’s athletic background includes competitive swimming, which has lead him to compete both nationally and internationally, as well has allowed him to receive Laurentian’s Academic All Canadian Athlete award in 2002.
As you may have guessed, Matt’s research interest lies in Exercise Physiology and he's working with Dr. Donal O’Leary.
 

 


Todd Francis, M.D.

 Todd has been in school for a long time! He started at U of M where he earned a BS in cellular and molecular biology. He joined Wayne State in 1998 when he was accepted into the BMS program. After earning his MS, his next logical move was medical school which he completed in 2004. He was offered a residency in Neurosurgery Department and he’s been training diligently.
But during his undergraduate and graduate studies, Todd was able to participate in several research projects and that apparently lit enough of a spark because when he started working on a molecular oncology research project with Dr. Mathupala (a requirement of his residency) Todd decided to take it up a notch. He applied to and was accepted into our PhD program in winter 2007. He’s currently co-investigator on an NIH grant which is investigating human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), in particular the lactate transporters that are highly expressed on the tumor cell surface.
“… my (PhD) research project will be broadly applicable in a clinical setting… and as I plan to pursue a career as a clinician/scientist when my residency training is complete… it will be translational in the long term. I hope to pursue a fellowship in neuro-oncology… and my hope is that this PhD program will provide me with the necessary qualifications towards that goal.”
 

Jill Jamison		 Jill is from Port Huron, MI. Her bachelors is in psychology from Arizona State University. Her research interests started in both OB/GYN and neuroscience areas, but upon doing a rotation with Dr. Don DeGracia, she found her niche. 
Jill was originally admitted into our M.S. program in fall 2006 but has recently decided to pursue a PhD instead.  
 

Tori Kramer		 “I went to Penn State University knowing that science was my future, but I didn’t know to which field of science I belonged. My senior physiology class was eye-opening for me, in that I found a subject that excited me and made me want to go beyond simply memorizing facts for a test. I knew I wanted to learn more.”
Tori knew she had two main choices: medical school or graduate school. She had a good idea were she would be after medical school but wasn’t really sure what was beyond graduate school so before making this major choice, she decided to find out what the world of research was like. She found a position as a research assistant in the lab of Drs. DiCarlo and Lujan, promising to give it one year. At the end of a year she’d either love it or hate it but either way she’d know which path to walk.
(Developing a protocol to prove/disprove a hypothesis… hmm… makes a person wonder.)
Tori was awarded an IBS fellowship and is starting our PhD program in September.
 

 


Kelley LaBonty

 Kelley comes to our program as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) on staff at Detroit Receiving Hospital where she functions as both a clinical investigator and as an adjunct faculty member of the School of Anesthesia.
Kelley has a BS in nursing & an MS in Anesthesia, both from Wayne State. She finds her professional life very rewarding but never forgot the interest her previous physiology courses sparked, so last fall she decided to take some classes.
While enrolled in advanced cardiovascular physiology and seminar, she found herself appreciating not only the “attainment of knowledge but the application to clinical practice in my career. This is where it all comes together for the benefit of our patients.”
Kelley decided to apply to our program and she became an official PhD student this past winter semester.
 

Chris Ladipo		 Chris is originally from Lagos, Nigeria. He received a BS in Physiology from the University of Lagos and an MS in Human Physiology from the University of Jos (University of Jos is privilege to produce the 12th Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services among other distinguished scholars). Giving it a great deal of thought and consideration, Chris immigrated to Canada and applied to our PhD program. He was accepted for fall 2007 and was awarded an IBS Fellowship.
“Curiosity; the willingness to learn; taking up challenges; and sharing ideas with others have been my most motivating factors. As a young boy I had the privilege of developing these attributes because my parents were teachers and encouraged me to discover. ...over the years I’ve seen the great necessity to advance the sciences, especially in developing countries but the means to do so… is very limited. I hope Wayne State University through the Physiology Department will help me achieve my dream.”
 

Monique Lewis (nee: Marshall)		 Monique is working with Dr. DeGracia in the area of neurophysiology. She completed a BA in sociology at the University of Michigan, and an MS in the BMS program here at Wayne State. She’s been awarded an IMSD Fellowship for her studies in Physiology.
Monique had the opportunity to work as a clinical research assistant, investigating the use of multisystemic therapy on adolescent type-1 diabetes. This resulted in desire to learn more about diabetes and hopefully, to do more.
“Making the link and breaking down the complex nature of diabetes and reducing its impact could be right around the corner, so I choose right now to get involved.”
 

Katherine Massey		 Katherine hails from the beautiful state of Maine by way of Texas and though she’s lived in Michigan for more then 10 years, you can still hear that Texas drawl (but she’ll tell you that you’re the one with the accent). She received a BS in biology from the University of Texas, masters in cellular and molecular biology from Eastern Michigan and is currently working on her PhD while a full time research assistant with Dr. Yingst.
Katherine’s got a great sense of humor and if you ever receive an email from her make sure you read it. Not only will you be amused, you’ll also get a glimpse into life working in the private sector. The funniest emails by far, come from her husband. 
 

Joe McClure		 Joe earned his BS in Biology from Oakland University. He's interested in cardiovascular and neural research, and is working with Drs. Scislo and O’Leary. He studies classical guitar. He is a marathon runner.

 


Tim McFarland

 Tim completed a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology/Biotechnology at the Michigan State University. He’s also a certified pharmacy technician.
Tim’s initial research interest was in molecular physiology but decided that he also liked cardiovascular physiology once he rotated in Dr. Cala’s lab. He’s been there ever since.
When asked what he planned to do with his education, Tim answered, “I’m interested in the health care industry and would like to do something to improve that field.”
 

David Mohan, M.D.		 David completed a B.A. at Indiana University with a neuroscience concentration. He completed an additional graduate year at Purdue studying immunology before attending the Rosalind Franklin University (Chicago) for his M.S. in Applied Physiology.  He attended Wayne State University School of Medicine and graduated MD in 2001.  He finished a residency in Family Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Family Medicine.  He completed a second residency in Internal Medicine and is currently pursuing sequential fellowships in sleep medicine and pulmonary medicine.  He joined our PhD program in Fall 2007 and is interested in studying medullary pacemaker regulation of breathing and the mathematical modeling of upper airway resistance. 
He is an avid horseman, sabreur, and musician. He has a special interest in the history and literature of France and Britain, and in the ancient Latin Church liturgy. He is committed to popularizing the French culture in Detroit-formerly a part of "New France," and a greater understanding of the French tradition and the cultural heritage of the French monarchy. 
 

Samar Nasser		 Samar has a BS in Nutrition and Food Science from Wayne State, and two MS degrees; one from the Physician’s Assistant program at Wayne State University; and one from the University of Michigan in Public Health, with a concentration in Epidemiology. She’s currently employed as a Physician Assistant at WSU/DMC where she takes care of patients in the Hypertension and Vascular Disease Clinic. She’s also Assistant Medical Director at the Center for Urban and African American Health (CUAAH), as well as Sub-Investigator/Co-Investigator of several ongoing clinical research trials in the Division of Translational Research and Clinical Epidemiology in the Department of Internal Medicine. She co-authored numerous journal articles and several book chapters with a concentration in cardiovascular disease/hypertension and ethinic disparities. She is currently completing her dissertation research under the guidance of her supervisor and mentor Dr. John M. Flack, Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine.
Samar's goal in life is to continue learning because there is always something new to be discovered…
 

Jessie Peng		 Jessie says her childhood dream was always to be a health care worker. She attended Shanghai Medical University in China and was a practicing physician in internal medicine for 5 years before her husband was transferred to the United States in 1999.
“I was fascinated by the modern surgical interventions and the critical role of anesthesiology… I decided to become a nurse anesthetist.” Jessie applied to and was accepted into the CRNA program here at Wayne State.
As a part of her degree “I was required to that PSL 7010 and 7030 through the physiology department. These courses opened a brilliant world for me. A lot of questions that I had pondered over the years of clinical practice got answered, and there are a lot more questions/topics I want to further explore.”
Jessie joined our program in fall 2007 and will continue to work toward her SRNA degree while also pursuing a PhD. She’s eager to do her dissertation research in neurophysiology. “As an CRNA, I will work with people’s nerves. I feel that I’m obligated to have a better understanding of how the nervous system works.” 

Brandon Riley		 Brandon, from Lithonia, Georgia, completed his BS in Biology from Alcorn State University (Dr. Dunbar’s alma mater) in May 2007 but his ‘career’ started long before college.
While still in high school, Brandon was apart of the Morehouse School of Medicine Summer Science Institute which is a mentoring group designed to increase the numbers of African-American males choosing careers in the biomedical sciences. As a result of his work in the program, he was one of four individuals chosen to be a member of Youth Leadership in Global Health which took him to South Africa for two weeks.
“For two weeks we interacted with other youths in this diverse, international setting and observed a variety of intervention programs for community health related issues, such as hunger, teen pregnancy, violence, HIV/AIDS, and homelessness. It’s purpose was to build leadership skills that encourage… participation in community health issues.”
During his college years, Brandon was also involved in the Minority Access to Research Scholars Program; was involved in the Waterways Research and Development Project in Vicksburg Mississippi; was Ronald McNair Biomedical Research intern at Kent State University in Ohio; and played baseball for 3 years.
 

Leah Shin		  “All disciplines whether in the arts, religion, or science develop from the same fundamental derivation. Each field’s ambition is rooted in the desire to advance the condition of the human experience and to give significance to our existence. I believe that the medical field, both in its research and clinical aspects, is the quintessential archetype of learning and the application of knowledge.”
Leah received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Michigan. While investigating the options of a career in medicine, she applied to our Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) and spent the summer of 2007 conducting research on the process of cellular secretion in synaptic vesicle with Dr. Bhanu Jena. She applied to our PhD program and officially started in winter 2008.
“To truly be an expert of your practice, you must always remain a student of your craft and continually systematically investigate your observations.”


Jill Slater 

 Jill has two undergraduate degrees: a BS in environmental engineering from the University of Michigan; and a BA in computer science from Wayne State University. She has been a computer consultant, high school teacher, and most recently a lecturer in mammalian physiology at the University of Michigan-Flint. She’s a PhD candidate with and IBS fellowship and joined Dr. Rappolee’s lab to do her research.
Jill is married with 3 children. Some of her favorite things are: long walks in the outdoors, reading, football, backrubs, cookies, movies and plays, laughing out loud, deepening friendships.
 

Jeffrey Szymanski		 Jeff received his BS in Biochemistry from Northern Michigan University. While at Northern he was given the opportunity to conduct research in the chemistry department under the supervision of Dr. Suzanne Williams. Jeff says that when he first went looking for a research advisor, the more professors he talked with, the more his interest in research faded until he stopped in Dr. Williams’ office.
“…instead of telling me about all the mundane work she could have me do, she actually explained to me why her research was important. She told me about the techniques she used and the results she was getting. In short, she treated me like a potential collaborator, like the real researcher I was aspiring to be.” So what was suppose to be a semester research project turned into a four year venture investigating the use of nematodes as a model system for the study of human lipoprotein receptor implicated in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Jeff also traveled to Honduras with a group from his church and a group from Georgia to build a church in the remote mountain village of Los Almendras. Since there was a nurse and a physician in the group they decided to build the church and set up small medical clinic to service the local people who otherwise, would have to walk hours to see a doctor.
Jeff is an MD/PhD student and after completing his first two years of medical school, he’s chosen to do the PhD portion of his program with physiology, working with Dr. Don DeGracia
 

Abdul Tarbichi, M.D.		 Abdul is from Aleppo, Syria. He graduated from the Aleppo University School of Medicine in 2000. He got an MS in Medical Research from Wayne State in 2002; and did a medical residency in Rochester, NY before returning to Wayne State in 2005 to start his fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
Abdul’s research interest is in the field of respiratory physiology. He is currently working with Dr. Badr on studying the upper airway mechanics during sleep and its relationship to sleep disorders.
 

Anna Valina Toth		 Anna is from the Philippines but she grew up in Jamaica where she enjoyed hiking and camping during her years in the Cadet Force. Currently, she enjoys traveling and sightseeing. On top of being in the MD/PhD program, Anna is also learning to cook
She got a BS from Wayne State in Honors Chemistry and a MS in Biochemistry from UC-Santa Barbara. She returned to Wayne two years ago to being her MD/PhD program. She’s chosen Dr. Flack to be her advisor and is interested in clinical research.