DCTP Alumni
Laura Gunther, Ph.D.
Mentors: Takeshi Sakamoto, Ph.D and J.-P Jin, M.D., Ph.D.
Research: The Effects of the N-Terminal Extensions of Cardiac Troponins on the Ca2+ Regulation of Myosin ATPase Kinetics in Cardia Myofibrils
Current Position: Digital Imaging Research Associate, Oakland University
Previous Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Penn State, working in the Huck Institute of Life Science's Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology under the mentorship of Associate Professor, Christopher Yengo, Ph.D. who's research interests focus on molecular motors and the cytoskeleton, protein structure/function and dynamics, enzyme kinetics, molecular mechanisms of myosin based motility.
Dulmini Barupala, Ph.D.
Mentors: Timothy Stemmler, Ph.D.
Research: Characterization of the yeast cysteine Desulfurase complex within the mitochondrial Fe-S cluster biogenesis
Current Position: Program Manager for K-20 programs, University of Michigan College of Engineering
Previous Position: Program Coordinator for the Med-Direct program at Wayne State University, Graduate School.
Christopher Sinkler
Mentors: Maik Huttemann, Ph.D. & Robert Lasley, Ph.D.
Research: COX4-2 as a molecular oxygen sensor and biomarker for lung cancer
Current Position: Research - clinical diagnostics, Bio-Rad Laboratories
Previous Position: Dual Appointment-Senior Research Technician II for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute & Laboratory Services Coordinator for the labs of James Bardwell and Ursula Jakob in the Department for Molecular, Developmental, and Cellular Biology. University of Michigan.
Joseph Wider, Ph.D.
Mentor: Karin Przyklenk Ph.D.
Research: Remote ischemic preconditioning: efficacy in the setting of type 2 diabetes and the role of exosomes
Current Position: Research Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan
Previous Position: Post-doctoral position with Thomas Sanderson, Ph.D. in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan.
Kevin Miles, Ph.D.
Mentor(s): Howard Matthew, Ph.D. and Karin Przyklenk, Ph.D.
Research: Design of a Modular Endothelialized Platform for Bone Regeneration
Current Position: Senior BioProcess Engineer, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
Previous Positions: Chemist at Wacker Chemical Corporation; Post-doctoral position with Dr. Rhima Coleman in the Cartilage Healing and Regeneration Laboratory in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan.
Joshua Holcomb, Ph.D.
Mentor(s): Zhe Yang, Ph.D. and J.-P. Jin, M.D., Ph.D.
Research: Structural and Functional Characterization of the Angiotensin-associated Nogo-B Receptor
Current Position: Scientist III - Bioinformatics/Scientific Curator for ThermoFisher Scientific
Previous Position: Post Doctoral Fellow; Wayne State Univeristy, Department of BIochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology .
Matthew Fountain, Ph.D.
Mentor(s): Gilda Hillman, Ph.D. and J.-P. Jin, M.D., Ph.D.
Research: Soy Isoflavones Mediate Radioprotection by Regulating Early Endothelial Cell Death and Inflammatory Signaling in Radiation-Induced Lung Injury
Current Position: Molecular Science Liaison, Caris Life Science
Previous Position: Post Doc Fellow; MIchigan State University.
Timothy Bryson, Ph.D.
Mentors: Pamela Harding, Ph.D. and Robert Lasley, Ph.D.
Research: The Balance Between Prostaglandin E2 EP3 and EP4 Receptors Determines Severity of Cardiac Damage in Myocardial Infarction and an Angiotensin II-Induced Model of Hypertension.
Current Position: Research Scientist/Instructor, Henry Ford Health System, Division of Hypertension and Vascular Research..
Preious Positions: Post Doc Fellow with Dr. David Lanfear, Center for Individualized and Genomic Medicine Research at Henry Ford; Post Doc Fellow with Dr. Thomas Sanderson, Department of Emergency Medicine, Universty of Michigan
Brianne Lewis, Ph.D.
Mentors:Timothy Stemmler, Ph.D.
Research: The Dynamic Nature and Biophysical Characterization of ISU1, FE-S Cluster Assembly Scaffold Protein in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, and its Significance to Human Disease.
Current Position: Assistant Professor (Biochemistry) College of Medicine, Central Michigan University
Previous Positions: Assistant Professor in the Department of Foundational Medical Studies, Oakland University School of Medicine; Post Doc Fellow with Dr. Ulrike Klueh in Biomedical Engineering @ I-BI
Andrew Kulek, M.D./Ph.D.
Mentor: Karin Przyklenk, Ph.D.
Research: The role of mitochondrial morphosis within the ischemic conditioning paradigm: an exploration of fission and fusion events during cardioprotection
Current Position: Internal Medicine Resident at Stony Brook Teaching Hospital in New York
Joseph Mannozzi, Ph.D.
Mentor: Donal O'Leary, Ph.D.
Research: Relief of muscle metaboreflex vasoconstriction in heart failure by chronic ablation of skeletal muscle afferents
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Research in the Department of Physiology, Wayne State University
Previous Position: Post Doc Fellow at Wayne State University
Cameron Pinnock, Ph.D.
Mentors: Mai Lam, Ph.D. and JP Jin, M.D., Ph.D.
Research: In Vitro Atherosclerosis Disease Model via the Ring Stacking Method
Current Position: Co-Founder, Motion Augmented LLC; Post-doc Fellow, University of Michigan, Internal Medicine, Cardiology Department
Peter Levanovich, Ph.D. Mentor: Noreen Rossi, M.D..
Research: Fructose high-salt diet induces neuronal plasticity within the paraventricular nucleus and contributes to renal morbidity
Current Position: Clinical Research Associate, ICON PLC - Division of Medical Device and Diagnostic Research.
Previous Position: Scientist at MedPace Inc.
Aktham Mestareehi, Ph.D. Mentor: Zhengping Yi, Ph.D.
Research: Protein Phosphatase 2A in Metformin's Action in Primary Human Skeletal Muscle Cells
Current Position: Scientist at Abbott Labs
Kendall Case, Ph.D.
Ph.D. Candidate in Biological Sciences
Mentor: Miriam Greenberg, Ph.D. & Xuequn Chen, Ph.D.
Research: Regulation of inositol synthesis: Phosphoregulation of human and yeast MIPS
Mentors: Robert Wessells, Ph.D.
Research: The Role of Muscle-Specific Secreted Factors in the Exercise Response of Drosophila
Current Position: Science Writer
Kristin Richardson, Ph.D.Mentor: Robert Wessells, Ph.D.
Research: Excitability and Plasticity of Octopaminergic Neurons During Chronic Exercise
Current Position: Post Doc Fellow, Wayne State University, Department of Pharmacology
Bryan Wonski, Ph.D.Mentors: Mai Lam, Ph.D. and Takeshi Sakamoto, Ph.D.
Research: Development of Biologically-Engineered Blood Vessels Towards Clinical Translation
Current Position: Post Doc Fellow, University of Michigan, Department of Biomedical Engineering (Dr. Lonnia Shea)
Mentor: Timothy Stemmler, Ph.D.
Research: Characterizing Metal Loading and Utilization in Iron Sulfur Cluster Assembly Systems
Current Position: Post Doc Fellow
Noah Gleason, Ph.D.Mentora: Anjaneyulu Kowluru, Ph.D. and Xuequn Chen, Ph.D.
Research: Novel Regulators of Small G Proteins in the Pancreatic Beta Cell
Current Position: Post Doc Fellow
Mentora: Marianna Sadagurski, Ph.D. Kezhong Zhang, Ph.D.
Research: Defining a role for IRE1 in microglial inflammation
Current Position: Finishing PhD program
Mentora: Shooshan Danagoulian, Ph.D. & Phillip Levy, M.D.
Research: Effects of Air Pollution on Mother and Infant Health in Wayne County
Current Position: Research Fellow