Alumni

Chioma (Helen) Aloh, PhD (2023)
Advisor: Holly Ellis, PhD
Dissertation: “THE π-HELIX IN FMN-DEPENDENT REDUCTASES PROMOTES OLIGOMERIC CHANGES TO COORDINATE THE MECHANISMS OF THE ALKANESULFONATE MONOOXYGENASE SYSTEMS”

Mohammed Dorgham, PhD (2023)
Advisor: Kyle Mansfield, PhD
Dissertation: “m6A’s Unique and Dynamic Role in Breast Cancer Progression”

Bhavin Patel, PhD ( 2023)
Advisor: Brian Shewchuk, PhD
Dissertation Title: “Regulatory Linkage and Coordinated Expression of the CHKB and CPT1B Genes: Implications for an Elevated Metabolic Capacity and the Origin of Brown Adipose Tissue”

Shruti Somai, PhD (2023)
Advisor: Holly Ellis, PhD
Dissertation: “Mechanistic Strategies of Two-component Flavin-dependent Monooxygenases Involved in Sulfur Acquisition”

Emily Satterwhite, PhD (2022)
Advisor: Kyle Mansfield, PhD
Dissertation: “Human RNA Methyltransferase METTL16 Affects Multiple Cell Processes through Differential Function of its Domains”

Hayden Huggins, PhD (2020)
Advisor: Dr. Brett Keiper
Dissertation: “The Distinct roles of two eIF4E isoforms and their cognate 4EIPs in the germline of C. elegans”

Miranda Crouch, PhD ( 2019)
Advisor: Raz Shaikh

Dylan Johnson, PhD ( 2019)
Advisor: Joseph Chalovich
Dissertation: “The C-terminus of Troponin T Modulates Calcium Regulation of Actin-Myosin Interactions

Ross Pennington, PhD (2018)
Advisor: Raz Shaikh

Nate Fry, PhD ( 2017)
Advisor: Kyle Mansfield, PhD

Elizabeth Madison Sullivan, PhD (2017)
Advisor: Raz Shaikh

Dylan Johnson, MS ( 2016)
Advisor: Joseph Chalovich, PhD
MS Thesis: “Defining the Role of the C-Terminal Region of Troponin T by Analysis of a Series of Truncation Mutants”

Andrew Friday, PhD ( 2015)
Advisor: Brett Keiper, PhD

Jessica Vscomi , MS (2015)
Advisor: Tonya Zeczycki, PhD

Lei Wang, PhD ( 2015)
Advisor: Lance Bridges

Nathaniel Kingsbury, MS (2014)
Advisor: Joseph Chalovich, PhD
Oral Examination: “Fesselin an Intrinsically Disordered Smooth Muscle Protein Organizers and Stabilizes Actin‐Myosin and Myosin”

J. Kaitlin Morrison, PhD (2014)
Advisor: Brett Keiper, PhD
Dissertation: “The Involvement of Cap‐Independent mRNA Translation in Cell Fate Decisions”

Heather Teague, PhD (2014)
Advisor: Saame Raza Shaikh, PhD
Dissertation: “N‐3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Differentially Enhance B‐cell Mediated Immunity in Lean & Obese Mice”

Xiaofei Chen, PhD (2013)
Advisor: Maria Ruiz-Eschevarria

Tamra L. Hunsaker, PhD (2012)
Advisor: Brian Shewchuk, PhD
Dissertation: “Resolving the Role of POU1F1 in Human Growth Hormone Locus Activation”
Postdoctoral: Bert O’Malley, MD, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine

Alona O. Nakonechnaya, PhD (2012)
Advisor: Brian Shewchuk, PhD
Dissertation: Effects of Exogenous and Autocrine Growth Hormone (hGH) on Prostate Cancer Cell Function
Postdoctoral: Cynthia G. Goodyer, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, McGill University

Ryan F. Overcash, PhD (2012)
Advisor: Maria J. Ruiz‐Echevarria, PhD
Dissertation: “An examination of the functional role of TMEFF2 in prostate cancer and the translational regulatory mechanisms controlling its expression”
Postdoctoral: Laboratory of Ann Marie Pendergast, PhD; Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine

Drew Rockett, PhD (2012)
Advisor: S. Raza Shaikh, PhD
Dissertation: “Fish oil disrupts B cell plasma membrane lateral organization and immunological synapse formation”
Postdoctoral: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology and the East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, East Carolina University

Vince Contreras, PhD (2010)
Advisor: Brett D. Keiper, PhD
Dissertation: “Multiple Translational Factor eIF4G (IFG-1) Isoforms Regulate Germ Cell Apoptosis”
Postdoctoral: Licensing and Patenting Manager, Office of Technology Transfer at National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD

Svetlana S. Khaymina Hamden, PhD (2010)
Advisor: Joseph M. Chalovich, PhD
Dissertation: “Fesselin and Caldesmon: Natively Unfolded Proteins in Smooth Muscule Regulation”

Vesna Ann Karschner, PhD (2010)
Advisor: Phillip Pekala, PhD
Dissertation: “Post-Transcriptional Regulation of mRNA Metabolism during Differentiation of 3T3-L1 Cells: Role of HuR”
Postdoctoral: Christopher Geyer, PhD, Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University

Tara Ann Cartwright, PhD (2009)
Advisor: Ruth A. Schwalbe, PhD
Dissertation: “The Biochemical Characterization of Neuronal K+ Channel NGlycans and their Role in Regulating K+ Channel Function”
Postdoctoral: David L. Armstrong, PhD, Laboratory of Neurobiology, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC

Melissa Anne Henderson, PhD (2009)
Advisor: Brett D. Keiper, PhD
Dissertation: “The Unique Roles of IFE-1, a Germline-Specific Isoform of Eukaryotic Translation Factor 4E, During Gametogenisis”
Postdoctoral: Steve L’Hernault, PhD, O. Wayne Rollins Research Center, Emory University

Mohit C. Mathur, PhD (2009)
Advisor: Joseph M. Chalovich, PhD
Dissertation: “The Distribution of Regulated Actomyosin States is Central to Cardiac Muscle Regulation and Disturbance of this Distribution Leads to Congenital Cardiomyopathies”

Brent M. Beall, PhD (2002)
Advisor: Joseph M. Chalovich, PhD
Dissertation: “The Effect of Fesselin, a Synaptopodin-Like Protein on Actin Dynamics”

Steven C. Pohnert, PhD (2002)
Advisor: James A. McCubrey, PhD
Dissertation: “Abrogation of Cytokine Dependency in Hematopoetic Cells by RAF and PI3K/AKT”
Postdoctoral: Sanders Williams, MD, Duke University

Joseph Francis Bower, PhD (2001)
Advisor: Hisham Barakat, PhD
Dissertation: “Ethnic Differences in Glyceride Synthesis in Adipose Tissue”
Postdoctoral: Ted M. Ross, PhD, East Carolina University

Samar Itani, PhD (2000)
Advisor: G. Lynis Dohm, PhD
Dissertation: “Involvement of Protein Kinase C in Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance and Type II Diabetes”
Postdoctoral: Neil Rudermann, MD, Dphil. Boston Medical Center, Boston University

Paul MacLean, PhD (1999)
Advisor: Hisham Barakat, PhD
Dissertation: “The Role of Insulin and Insulin Resistance in the Regulation of Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein (CETP)”
Postdoctoral: G. Lynis Dohm, PhD, East Carolina University

Lilla Sommerville, PhD (1999)
Advisor: Joseph G. Cory, PhD
Dissertation: “P53 – independent Cell Cycle Block and Apoptotic Signaling Pathways”
Postdoctoral: William E. Evans, PharmD, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Ai Wu He, PhD (1997)
Advisor: Joseph G. Cory, PhD
Dissertation: “Cellular Responses of Drug-Resistant Cells that Lack P-53”
Postdoctoral: Simon Taylor, MD, National Institutes of Health

Renu Jain, PhD (1997)
Advisor: Phillip Pekala, PhD
Dissertation: “Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha Mediated Activation of Signal Transduction Cascades and Transcription Factors in the 3T3-L1 Adipocytes”
Postdoctoral: Channing Der, PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Jared Jones, PhD (1997)
Advisor: G. Lynis Dohm, PhD
Dissertation: “Transcriptional Regulation of Glucose Transporter GLUT-4 and Hexokinase II Genes in Skeletal Muscle”
Postdoctoral: Hisham Barakat, East Carolina University

Barbara D. Leinweber, PhD (1997)*
Advisor: Robert Thurber, PhD and Joseph Chalovich, PhD
Dissertation: “Maintaining the Localization of Actin in Smooth Muscle: αActinin, Filamin, Calponin and SM85/SM95”
Postdoctoral: Kathleen Morgan, PhD, Boston Biomedical Research Institute, Harvard University
*Although a graduate of the Department of Physiology the thesis research was all performed in the laboratory of Dr. Chalovich

Anindita Sen, PhD (1997)
Advisor: Joseph Chalovich, PhD
Dissertation: “The Role of the Competition Between Caldesmon & Myosin-S1 in the Regulation of Actomyosin Interactions”
Postdoctoral: Van Bennet, PhD, Duke University

Qian Zhou, PhD (1997)
Advisor: G. Lynis Dohm, PhD
Dissertation: “Mechanisms Regulating Insulin Sensitivity in Skeletal Muscle”

Ivan Shibley, PhD (1996)
Advisor: Sam N. Pennington, PhD
Dissertation: “The Molecular Basis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Ethanol-Induced Alterations in Kinase-Mediated Regulation of Mitogenic and Metabolic Functions in the Developing Embryo”

Sheree Long, PhD (1995)
Advisor: Phillip Pekala, PhD
Dissertation: “Lipid Mediators of Insulin Resistance”
Postdoctoral: Yusuf Hannun, PhD, Duke University

Wei Min Lu, PhD (1995)
Advisor: Joseph Chalovich, PhD
Dissertation: “Caldesmon and Calponin Effects on the Myosin-Actin Interactions”
Postdoctoral: John Hammer, PhD, Duke University

Kevin McGowan, PhD (1995)
Advisor: Phillip Pekala, PhD
Dissertation: “Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Regulation of Glucose Transporter (GLUT1) mRNA Turnover: Contribution of the 3’-Untranslated Region of the GLUT1 Message”
Postdoctoral: Pierre Collumb, PhD, Johns Hopkins University

Christopher Torrance, PhD (1995)
Advisor: G. Lynis Dohm, PhD
Dissertation: “Effects of Thyroid Hormone Transporter (GLUT4) Gene Expression and NIDDM”
Postdoctoral: Bert Vogelstein, PhD, Johns Hopkins University

Julie Carey, PhD (1994)
Advisor: G. Lynis Dohm, PhD
Dissertation: “Mechanism(s) of Insulin Resistance in Skeletal Muscle”
Postdoctoral: Kirk Ways, MD, East Carolina University

Darrell Neufer, PhD (1993)
Advisor: G. Lynis Dohm, PhD
Dissertation: “The Regulation of GLUT4 Glucose Transporter Expression in Skeletal Muscle”
Postdoctoral: Sanders Williams, MD, Southwest Medical Center

Jackie Stephens, PhD (1992)
Advisor: Phillip Pekala, PhD
Dissertation: “The Regulation of Glucose Transporter Gene Expression in 3T3-L1 Cells by Tumor Necrosis Factor”
Postdoctoral: Paul Pilch, PhD, Boston University

Laly Valez, PhD (1991)
Advisor: Joseph Chalovich, PhD
Dissertation: “Regulation of the Interaction Between Myosin & Actin by Caldesmon and Its Subfragments”
Postdoctoral: Fred Schachat, PhD, Duke University

Mark Hemric, PhD (1990)
Advisor: Joseph Chalovich, PhD
Dissertation: “A Catalytically Inactive Myosin-Caldesmon-Actin Complex”
Postdoctoral: Joe Haeberle, PhD, University of Vermont

Peter Cornelius, PhD (1989)
Advisor: Phillip Pekala, PhD
Dissertation: “Monokine Regulation of Lipoprotein Lipase and Glucose Transporter Gene Expression”
Postdoctoral: Daniel Lane, PhD, Johns Hopkins University

Russ Price, PhD (1984)
Advisor: Phillip Pekala, PhD
Dissertation: “The Regulation of Lipoprotein Lipase Synthesis in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes by Endotoxin-Induced Macrophage Monokines”
Postdoctoral: Martha Vaughan, PhD and Joel Moss, PhD, National Institutes of Health