COMMENCEMENTThe Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

PLATFORM PARTY• Dr. Reto Asmis, Grand Marshall and Senior Associate Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

• Dr. William Henrich, President, The University of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio

• Dr. David Weiss, Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

• Retired USAA CEO and President Major General Joe Robles Jr., Commencement Speaker

• Dr. Byron Hepburn, Associate Vice President and Director of Military Health Institute

• Dr. M. Lynn Crismon, Dean, College Of Pharmacy, UT-Austin

• Dr. Francisco González-Scarano, Dean, School of Medicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs

• Dr. William Dodge, Dean, School of Dentistry

• Dr. David Shelledy, Dean, School of Health Professions

• Dr. Eileen Breslin, Dean, School of Nursing

• Dr. Andrea Giuffrida, Vice President for Research

• Dr. Jacqueline Mok, Vice President for Academic Faculty and Student Affairs

• Dr. Nicquet Blake, Associate Dean, Admissions and Student Affairs, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

• Dr. Birgit Glass, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, School of Dentistry

• Dr. Sara Gill, Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, School of Nursing

• Dr. José Cavazos, Assistant Dean for the M.D./Ph.D. Program

• Dr. Teresa Evans, Director, Office of Career Development, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

JANE SHEN-GUNTHERGraduate Student Remarks

GENERAL JOE ROBLES JR., Commencement Address

Presenting theGraduating Class

Master of ScienceClass of 2016

Shahad AbudawoodMaster of Science in Dental Science

Dissertation Title: A Comparative Study of Fluoride Release andRe-release from Various Aesthetic Restorative Materials: An in VitroStudy.

Research Interests: Pediatric Dentistry, Dental Materials, Molar-inscisor Hypomineralization.

Notable Awards: Best poster presentation for clinical fellowcategory. IIMS/CTSA 6th Annual Frontiers Translational ScienceResearch Day.

Shahad will be practicing pediatric dentistry in her homeland,Saudi Arabia.

Mentor Name: Kevin Donly, D.D.S., M.S.

Shelrethia O’ Shay Battle-SiatitaMaster of Science in Dental Science

Dissertation Title: Development of a Novel Antimicrobial Dental Resin Root Surface Treatment for Compromised Open Flap Debridement Patients

Research Interests: Periodontal Regeneration

Shelrethia will be teaching periodontics in the United States Air Force AEGD-1 program at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

Mentor Name: Kyumin Whang, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.

Maria Danet Lapiz BluhmMaster of Science in Clinical Investigation

Dissertation Title: Optimization of Salivary Collection Protocol for Biomarker Research

Research Interests: Stress, Mental Health, Biomarkers, Health of Vulnerable Populations

Notable Awards: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars Program, Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA)/Institute of Integration of Medicine and Science KL2 Award, Nursing Advisory Council Award, CTSA/IIMS Pilot Grant

Danet will continue her role as faculty at the School of Nursing.

Mentor Name: Carrie Jo Braden, Ph.D., RN, FAAN

Alessandra ChaconMaster of Science in Dental Science

Dissertation Title: Control Mechanisms of Growth in the Cranial Base

Research Interests: Orthodontics

Alessandra and her husband, Ryan Reyes, are now expecting theirfirst child. Following the completion of her residency, she plans tostart a practice alongside her husband in Laredo, Texas.

Mentor Name: Peter Gakunga, D.D.S., M.S. Ph.D.

Jane ChadwickMaster of Science in Dental Science

Dissertation Title: Clinical and Radiographic Evaluation of Demineralized Freeze-Dried Bone Allograft Versus Platelet-Rich Fibrin for the Treatment of Periodontal Intrabony Defects in Humans

Research Interests: Periodontal Regeneration

Jane will enter private practice in North Carolina.

Mentor Name: Brian Mealey, D.D.S., M.S.

Tsung-pei ChenMaster of Science in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: The Role of Caspase-2 in Ischemic Stroke

Research Interests: Neurology

Tsung-pei plans to work in the pharmaceutical industry.

Mentor Name: James D. Lechleiter, Ph.D.

Thomas ChiltonMaster of Science in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: Examination of Variations in the Azygos Venous System

Research Interests: Anatomy

Thomas would like to thank his family and friends for their continued support and making this all possible.

Mentor Name: Omid Rahimi, Ph.D.

Melinda ChiuMaster of Science in Dental HygieneMentor Name: Melanie V. Taverna, MSDH, RDH

Dissertation Title: Texas Dental Hygienists’ Attitude About a Childhood Abuse Question on a Standard Health History: A Pilot Study

Research Interests: Understanding Healthcare Providers Attitude about a Childhood Abuse Question within a Standard Form

Melinda’s future plans include research, clinical practice, and a doctorate degree.

Leah ChodroffMaster of Science in Clinical Investigation and Translational Science

Dissertation Title: The Efficacy of Image Enhancement Tools in The Diagnosis of Root Fractures

Research Interests: Cancer Pain

Leah will be returning to her general surgery residency at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Kenneth Hargreaves, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Ruth ConnMaster of Science in Dental Hygiene

Dissertation Title: Comparison of Two Manual Toothbrushes in Effectiveness of Plaque Removal: A Pilot Study

Research Interests: Oral Health, Pediatric Dental Hygiene and Student Self-Assessment

Ruth is an assistant professor in the Department of Periodontics and Dental Hygiene at the School of Dentistry at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Mentor Name: Emelda Hernandez, RDH, M.S.

Saba Ghazal Master of Science in Dental Science

Dissertation Title: Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes up to 12 Months of 3.3 mm and 4.1 mm Diameter Zirconium Alloy Implants with a Chemically Modified Hydrophilic Surface; A Randomized, Controlled, Multi-Center Clinical TrialResearch Interests: Periodontics and Implantology

Saba will be involved in teaching and clinical research in periodontics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Guy Huynh-Ba, D.D.S., M.S.

Evan GrodinMaster of Science in Dental Science

Thesis Title: A Comparative, Randomized, Prospective, Clinical Study to Evaluate the Facial Bone and Esthetic Outcome of Buccal Augmentation Bone Grafting Techniques in Early (Type 2) Implant Placement

Research Interests: Periodontics and Prosthodontics

Evan will enter private practice in Atlanta, Georgia.

Mentor Name: David Cochran, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Minire Hasi-ZogajMaster of Science in Clinical Investigation

Dissertation Title: A Review of 18p Deletions

Research Interests: Chromosome 18 Abnormalities

“Mimi” will continue working at the Chromosome 18 Clinical Research Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Jannine Cody, Ph.D.

Blake HoedebeckeMaster of Science in Dental Science

Thesis Title: A Novel Oxirane/Acrylate Restorative System with Multifunctional Acrylate

Research Interests: Periodontics

Blake will serve as a periodontist with the United States Air Force and will be stationed at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mentor Name: H. Ralph Rawls, Ph.D.

Martina Parrone Master of Science in Dental Science

Dissertation Title: CBCT Image Optimization to Detect Root Fractures in Endodontically Treated Teeth: An In vitro Study

Research Interests: Communication between dental professionals and fractures

Martina will be teaching Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.

Mentor Name: Marcel Noujeim, D.D.S., M.S.

Ryan ReyesMaster of Science in Dental Science

Thesis Title: The Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Desmocranial Growth

Research Interests: Orthodontics, Craniofacial Growth and Development

Ryan will be starting an orthodontics practice in Laredo, Texas alongside his wife Alessandra, who is also graduating today with her Master’s. They are expecting their first child in September!

Mentor Name: Peter T. Gakunga, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.

Paul RussellMaster of Science in Dental Science

Thesis Title: The Development of a Quality Assurance Protocol for CBCT Machines within UTHSCSA School of Dentistry

Research Interests: Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology

Paul is currently active duty Navy and his new duty station will be in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Mentor Name: S. Thomas Deahl II, D.D.S., M.S.

Nilam SoniMaster of Science in Clinical Investigation and Translational Science

Thesis Title: Use of Ultrasound Guidance for Central Venous Catheterization (US-CVC): A National Survey of Intensivists & Hospitalists

Research Interests: Point-Of-Care Ultrasonography

Notable Awards: 2015 British Medical Association President’s Choice Book Award; Young Investigator Award, World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine

Nilam will continue as faculty in the Department of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Marcos Restrepo, M.D., M.Sc

Santosh TimilsinaMaster of Science in Cellular and Structural Biology

Thesis Title: EZH2 Promotes Breast Cancer Growth and Progression by Negatively Regulating Hsa-miR-486-5p Expression and it’s Tumor Suppressive Function

Research Interests: Cancer Biology, Molecular Biology

Santosh will be working as a research assistant.

Mentor Name: Manjeet K. Rao, Ph.D.

Shiva ToghyaniMaster of Science in Dental Science

Thesis Title: The Effect of Image Resolution and Compression on Fractal Analysis of the Periapical Bone

Research Interests: Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology

Shiva will be working as an assistant professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at The University of Louisville.

Mentor Name: Marcel Noujeim, D.D.S., M.S.

Andrew VerrettMaster of Science in Dental Science

Thesis Title: Epidermal Growth Factor and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 Interactions in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Research Interests: Periodontics

Notable Awards: John F. Prichard Research Award Finalist

Andrew will be stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska.

Mentor Name: Cara Gonzales, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Christopher WalkerMaster of Science in Dental Science

Thesis Title: Evaluation of Healing in Molar Sites with and without Ridge Preservation

Research Interests: Bone and Tissue Grafting in Dentistry

Christopher will be starting his own private practice of periodontics in San Antonio, Texas.

Mentor Name: Guy Huynh-Ba, D.D.S., M.S.

Jeremiah Whetman Master of Science in Dental Science

Thesis Title: Effect of Healing Time on New Bone Formation Following Tooth Extraction and Ridge Preservation with Demineralized Freeze-Dried Bone Allograft

Research Interests: Periodontics, Dental Implants

Notable Awards: John F. Prichard Research Finalist

Jeremiah will be joining AZPerio in June of this year in Gilbert, Arizona.

Mentor Name: Brian L. Mealey, D.D.S., M.S.

Marjorie Molina WilkinsMaster of Science in Clinical Investigation

Research Interests: Cardiology – Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

Notable Awards: American Diabetes Association Research Travel Award 2012

Marjorie is the clinical director at Schnitzler Cardiovascular Consultants/San Antonio Wellness Institute and Research Director of Mercury Medical L.L.C.

Mentor Name: Michael Lichtenstein, M.D., M.Sc. | Ralph DeFronzo, M.D.

Erin WyrickMaster of Science in Dental Science

Dissertation Title: Genes Expressed in the Junctional Epithelium During Development

Research Interests: Periodontics

Notable Awards: John F. Prichard Research Award

Erin will be a periodontist for the United States Air Force at Kadena Air Force Base, Japan.

Mentor Name: Yong-Hee Chun, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D

Doctor of PharmacyClass of 2016

Stefan AllenDoctor of Pharmacy

Research Interests: Pharmacogenomic Testing and Adverse Drug Events

Notable Awards: SGA student awards for Research/Scholarship and Leadership, TSHP award for best Pharm.D. student abstract/poster presentation

Stefan will begin a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with the UTCollege of Pharmacy in the Pharmacotherapy Division in San Antonio.

Stephanie HufnagelDoctor of Pharmacy

Research Interests: Theranostics related to tumor targeting through external stimuli and nanoparticle engineering

Notable Awards: Phi Lambda Sigma American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education First Year Graduate Student Fellow

Stephanie will pursue a Ph.D. at The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy in the Department of Pharmaceutics under Dr. Zhengrong Cui.

Scott KarpowiczDoctor of Pharmacy

Research Interests: Hospital Pharmacy Operations, Informatics, Hematology/Oncology

Notable Awards: Metroplex Society of Health-System Pharmacists Scholarship, Alan and Nancy Hamm Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Pharmacy, Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society

After graduation, Scott will be completing a two year, health system pharmacy administration residency at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.

Mentor: Tony Dasher, Pharm.D.

Gentry KuehnDoctor of Pharmacy

Pharmacy Involvement: San Antonio Student Pharmacists Association, Kappa Epsilon, American Pharmacists Association, National Community Pharmacists Association

Previous Education: B.A. in Business Administration; M.S. in Health and Kinesiology

Gentry will be working in the community/retail pharmacy setting.

Diana LoffgrenDoctor of Pharmacy

Clinical and Research Interests: Psychiatry and Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacy

Extracurricular: Diana continues to serve in the US Navy Reserves Medical Service Corps as a Lieutenant Commander

Diana will be completing a PGY 1 pharmacy residency at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System in Temple, Texas.

Sarah McDanielDoctor of Pharmacy

Leadership and Involvement: San Antonio Student Pharmacists Association President, Phi Delta Chi Scholarship Chair, Pharmacy Council New Student Interview Chair

Awards and Honors: Alumni Endowment Scholarship, Josefine Lesvia Falcon Scholarship, Clinical Skills Competition Finalist

Sarah will be completing a postgraduate residency at Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital of South Texas at San Antonio.

Doctor of PhilosophyClass of 2016

David AguilarDoctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology

Dissertation Title: Effects of Endogenous and Exogenous Cannabinoids on Animal Models of Schizophrenia

Research Interests: Schizophrenia, THC, Electrophysiology

Notable Awards: F31 Fellowship Award MH105166

Dave will be continue his research on schizophrenia as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Robert McCarley’s lab at Harvard University.

Mentor Name: Daniel Lodge, Ph.D.

Damon CárdenasDoctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering

Dissertation Title: Baseline and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment in Rats

Research Interests: Signal and Image Processing, Biomedical Devices, Medical Diagnostics

Notable Awards: Sloan Scholar, Beldon Scholar, NIH supplement awardee, MBRS-RISE Fellow

Damon is currently a research scientist and engineer with Brain Sentinel. At Brain Sentinel, he is helping to develop novel algorithms for seizure detection, classification, and semiology using sEMG.

Mentor Name: Timothy Q. Duong, Ph.D.

Divya ChakravarthyDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: Palmatine in Pancreatic Stellate Cell and Cancer Cell Interaction

Research Interests: Pancreatic Cancer

Notable Awards: Young Investigator Award-American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research-2013

Divya enjoyed learning about the drug discovery process and challenges in cancer treatment.

Mentor Name: Addanki Pratap Kumar, Ph.D.

Alison Doyungan ClarkDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: Mediator Kinase Module is a Transducer of Oncogenic Wnt/β-catenin Signaling

Research Interests: Cell/Molecular Biology, Cancer Biology, Signal Transduction

Notable Awards: COSTAR T32 Training Grant, Dean’s Excellence Award, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Travel Award, Greg Treibs Memorial Scholarship

Alison is excited to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship in the lab of Dr. Susan Mooberry at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Thomas G. Boyer, Ph.D

Yilun DengDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: Function of the Transmembrane Protein 127 Tumor Suppressor Gene in the Endosome and Lysosome

Research Interests: Cancer Biology

Yilun will be a postdoctoral research fellow in the lab of Dr. Patricia Dahia at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Patricia Dahia, M.D., Ph.D.

Amanda Galán-DavilaDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: The Role of a Novel APPL1 Isoform in Adiponectin Signaling and Liver Metabolism

Research Interests: Molecular Biology, Signal Transduction, Metabolism, Type 2 Diabetes

Notable Awards: Joe H. Ward Jr. and Bettie B. Ward Award for Excellence in the Study of the Biology of Aging (UTHSCSA) and F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Fellowship (NIH/NIDDK)

Amanda will begin her postdoctoral position in June.

Mentor Name: Lily Q. Dong, Ph.D.

Ryan GilleyDoctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology

Dissertation Title: Streptococcus Pneumoniae Kills Cardiomyocytes During Myocardial Invasion Via a New Cell Death Mechanism: Caspase-Associated Necroptosis

Research Interests: Microbial pathogenesis, Host-pathogen interactions, Cell death mechanisms

Ryan plans to pursue a postdoctoral position with Dr. William J. Kaiser in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Carlos J. Orihuela, Ph.D.

Aparna GorthiDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: BRCA1, R-loops and Recombination Defects in Ewing Sarcoma

Research Interests: Cancer Biology, DNA Damage Response and Repair

Notable Awards: Edward Rennels Memorial Award, GreeheyFellowship, CPRIT Training Grant, Translational Science Training Across Disciplines Award

Aparna is pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship at the GreeheyChildren's Cancer Research Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Alexander J.R. Bishop, D.Phil

Kelly GrimesDoctor of Philosophy in Physiology

Dissertation Title: Sustained and Protected Cardiac Form and Function in the Naked Mole-rat, the Longest-lived Rodent

Research Interests: Cardiac Aging and Stress Resistance

Notable Awards: • Scholarship for Excellence in Women’s Health• Translational Science Training Award• Student Data Blitz Winner American Aging Association• Gerontological Society of America Travel Award• Barshop T32 Training Grant Predoctoral Fellow

Kelly is now a postdoctoral fellow at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in the lab of Dr. Jeffery Molkentin.

Mentor Name: Rochelle Buffenstein, Ph.D.

Nisha HariharanDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: The Role of Obesity in Bladder Cancer

Research Interests: Cancer Biology, Tumor Immunology

Notable Awards: Young Investigator Award, AAISCR, 2014

Nisha enjoyed working on translational research, grant applications, attending conferences, the Office of Career Development workshops, and the friendly student life at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Robin J Leach, Ph.D. | Teresa Johnson-Pais, Ph.D.

Ya-Ting HsuDoctor of Philosophy in Molecular Medicine

Dissertation Title: Roles of EpCAM in EndometrialCancer Progression

Research Interests: Epigenetics, Endometrial Cancer

Notable Awards: CPRIT Pre-doctoral TrainingFellowship

Ya-Ting will continue her research in breast cancer at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Tim Hui-Ming Huang, Ph.D.

Mariam Ishaque Doctor of Philosophy in Radiological Sciences

Dissertation Title: Investigation of Pediatric Anoxic Brain Injury with Nonfatal Drowning Using MRI

Research Interests: Brain Mapping

Notable Awards: Translational Science Training TL1 Award

Mariam is in the M.D./ Ph.D program and will complete her final two years of medical school at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio School of Medicine.

Mentor Name: Peter T. Fox, M.D.

Blaine JacobsDoctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology

Dissertation Title: Delta Opioid Receptor - Kappa Opioid Receptor (DOR-KOR) Heteromers in Peripheral Pain-Sensing Neurons: Novel Targets for Improved Pain Pharmacotherapy?

Research Interests: Migraine Pathophysiology

Notable Awards: The Council for Excellence in Women’s Health Scholarship

Blaine is currently working as a postdoctoral research associate for Drs. Gregory Dussor and Theodore Price at The University of Texas at Dallas.

Mentor Name: Kelly A. Berg, Ph.D.

Rohit JadhavDoctor of Philosophy in Molecular Medicine

Dissertation Title: Identifying Cancer-Type-Specific DNA Methylomes using Computational and Experimental Approaches.

Research Interests: Bioinformatics, Epigenetics, Cancer Research

Notable Awards: CPRIT Pre-doctoral Fellowship

Rohit will work as postdoctoral fellow at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio before pursuing career opportunities in the field of bioinformatics.

Mentor Name: Tim Hui Ming Huang, Ph.D. | Victor X. Jin, Ph.D.

Saul JaimeDoctor of Philosophy in Physiology

Dissertation Title: Investigating the Role of Local Field Potentials on the Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signal

Research Interests: Brain Function

Notable Awards: Pre-doctoral Intramural Research Training Award, NIH

Saul is finalizing a postdoctoral fellowship at The University of Texas-Austin.

Mentor Name: José E. Cavazos, M.D., Ph.D.

Ines-Ana JurkovicDoctor of Philosophy in Radiological Sciences

Dissertation Title: Novel Approach to Lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Plan Evaluation and Delivery

Research Interests: Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy, Radiation Biology, Imaging

Ines-Ana plans to continue doing research in all aspects of radiation therapy combined with clinical work.

Mentor Name: Nikos Papanikolaou, Ph.D.

Karl LiDoctor of Philosophy in Radiological Sciences

Dissertation Title: Quantifying Default Mode Network Connectivity for Biomarker Generation Using Structural Equation Modeling

Research Interests: Modeling Neural Networks

Notable Awards: Travel honorarium to teach at University of Shenzhen, China

Karl will be returning to third year medical school to continue his M.D./Ph.D. training.

Mentor Name: Peter Fox, M.D.

Miljenko MarkovicDoctor of Philosophy in Radiological Sciences

Dissertation Title: Evaluation of Detectors for the Small Field Measurements Used for Clinical Radiation Dosimetry

Research Interests: Small Field Dosimetry

Miljenko plans to continue doing research in small field dosimetry combined with clinical work.

Mentor Name: Sotirios Stathakis, Ph.D. | Nikos Papanikolaou, Ph.D.

David MeltonDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: miRNA Regulation of Macrophage Polarization

Research Interests: Inflammation and Tissue Regeneration

Notable Awards: Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Individual Predoctoral M.D./Ph.D. Fellowship (F30)

David is an M.D./Ph.D. student. He will be pursuing a Neurology clinical residency and a fellowship in Neuroimmunology.

Mentor Name: Paula K. Shireman, M.D., M.S.

Rosa Mino-ZambranoDoctor of Philosophy in Physiology

Dissertation Title: Neuron-glial Interactions and the Role of a Novel Microtubule-Associated Protein in the Development and Maintenance of the Drosophila Nervous System

Research Interests: Glia, Axon Guidance, and Cytoskeleton

Notable Awards: Physiology Travel Grant

Rosa will be taking a postdoctoral position to extend her knowledge and skills in biomedical research focused on cellular and developmental biology.

Mentor Name: Manzoor A. Bhat, M.S., Ph.D.

Megan MoerkeDoctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology

Dissertation Title: Pharmacological Mechanisms Underlying the Behavioral Effects of Direct- and Indirect- Acting Nicotinic Agonists in Rhesus Monkeys

Research Interests: Behavioral Pharmacology, Drug Addiction

Notable Achievements: Invited symposium speaker for Experimental Biology, 2016

Megan is pursuing postdoctoral appointments in the field of drug addiction and continuing to focus on behavior in non-human primates.

Mentor Name: Lance R. McMahon, Ph.D.

Noel MontgomeryDoctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering

Dissertation Title: Model of Electric Conductivity of White Matter Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data

Research Interests: Bioelectromagnetics

Noel will be researching biological effects of radio frequency and microwave exposure at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Mentor Name: Jack Lancaster, Ph.D.

Neelam MukherjeeDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: Deregulation of NF-κB by SETD6 in Bladder Cancer

Research Interests: Bladder Cancer Biology, Epigenetics, Immunology

Notable Awards: GSBS Travel Award

Neelam has joined the lab of Dr. Robert Svatek as a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Rita Ghosh, Ph.D.

Claudia OglivieDoctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science

Dissertation Title: Older Hispanic Women with Health Care Provider Diagnosed Osteoarthritis: Experience & Perception of Culturally Competent Care

Research Interests: Minority Research

Claudia is waiting to hear confirmation on a job offer.

Mentor Name: Kay Avant, Ph.D.

Jennifer ParrottDoctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology

Dissertation Title: Inflammation-Induced Depressive-Like Behaviors: Influence of Kynurenine Metabolism and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic factor

Research Interests: Inflammation and Depression

Notable Awards: NRSA (F31) and TST Fellowship

Jennifer will be a postdoctoral scholar in the laboratory of Dr. Jacqueline Crawley at the MIND Institute at The University of California Davis Health System in Sacramento, California.

Mentor Name: Jason C. O’Connor, Ph.D.

Erika RipleyDoctor of Philosophy in Radiological Sciences

Dissertation Title: Quantitative Mitochondrial Dynamics in Skeletal Muscle of Type 2 Diabetes Subjects using 31-Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Research Interests: Type 2 Diabetes mellitus

Notable Awards: Julio C. Palmaz Endowment for Excellence in Radiology Research – Academic Grant. Steunebrink Scholarship.

Erika will be joining a clinical diagnostic medical physics consulting practice in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

Mentor Name: Geoffrey Clarke, Ph.D.

Andrew RoblesDoctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology

Dissertation Title: Identification of Lead Molecules for the Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Molecular Subtypes from Natural Sources

Research Interests: Natural Products, Drug Discovery, Molecular Pharmacology, Breast Cancer, Pediatric Solid Tumors

Notable Awards: 2016 Graduate Student of the Year, Department of Pharmacology

Andrew will be conducting research as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Susan Mooberry’s laboratory at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Susan L. Mooberry, Ph.D.

Caleb RothDoctor of Philosophy in Radiological Sciences

Dissertation Title: The Role of Nanosecond Electric Pulse-Induced Mechanical Stress in Cellular Nanoporation

Research Interests: Probe Beam Deflection, Acoustic Pressure Transients

Notable Awards: Palmaz Travel Award 2014

Caleb will be working as a civilian with the Air Force Research Laboratories, 711th HPW, Radiofrequency Bioeffects Branch at Joint Base San Antonio at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Mentor Name: Randolph D. Glickman Ph.D.

Anastasia RugelDoctor of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology

Dissertation Title: Characterization of Schistosome Sulfotransferase and its Interactions with Oxamniquine Derived Anti-Schistosomal Drugs

Research Interests: Schistosomiasis, Drug Development, Parasitology, Translational Science

Notable Awards: TST TL1 Scholar, UTHSCSA Department of Microbiology Student of the Year, 3 Travel Awards, 10+ 1st Place poster/oral presentations

Anastasia will be pursuing a commission with The United States Army.

Mentor Name: Philip T. LoVerde, Ph.D.

Jane Shen-GuntherDoctor of Philosophy in Translational Science

Dissertation Title: Next-Gen Pap Smear: HPV Genotyping and Epigenetic Profiling of Cervical Cytology for Biomarker Discovery

Research Interests: Human Papillomavirus, Viral Evolution, Epigenetics, Molecular Oncology

Notable Awards: 2014 Frontiers of Translational Science Research Award

Jane will continue to serve as chief of the Dept. of Clinical Investigation and practice Gynecology Oncology at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Mentor Name: Tim Hui-Ming Huang, Ph.D.

Mi Young SonDoctor of Philosophy in Molecular Medicine

Dissertation Title: 1,4-Benzoquinone Causes Chromosome and Replication Fork Instability through Type 1 Topoisomerase Inhibition that is Suppressed by Double Strand Break Repair and Fanconi Anemia Pathway

Research Interests: DNA Repair and Replication

As a postdoctoral fellow, Mi Young will work on multiple projects including the analysis of essential proteins on replication fork in Dr. Paul Hasty’s lab at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: E. Paul Hasty, Ph.D.

Dennis StanleyDoctor of Philosophy in Radiological Sciences

Dissertation Title: Characterization and Evaluation of Ionizing and Non-ionizing Imaging Systems Used in State of the Art Image-Guided Radiation Therapy Techniques

Research Interests: Quality Assurance, Surface Image-Guided Radiation Therapy, Stereotactic Radiation delivery

Notable Awards: Julio C. Palmaz Endowment for Excellence in Radiology Research, Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas(CPRIT) predoctoral Fellowship

Dennis has been accepted into a residency in therapy medical physics with the

Department of Radiation Oncology at the Cancer Therapy Research Center at

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Alonso N. Gutierrez, Ph.D.

Sina TavakoliDoctor of Philosophy in Radiological Sciences

Dissertation Title: Metabolic Divergence of Polarized Macrophages: Implications for Non-Invasive Imaging of Vessel Wall Inflammation

Research Interests: Molecular Imaging of Vascular Diseases

Notable Awards: RSNA Research Resident Grant (2011); RSNA Editorial Fellowship (2013); Radiology Editor’s Recognition Award for Reviewing with Distinction (2015); Julio Palmaz Academic Awards & Pilot Grants (2013 & 2015); Filed Patent (Method to Non-Invasively Detect Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaques & Arterial Aneurysm, 2016)

Sina will be a cardiothoracic radiology fellow & acting instructor at University of Washington, Seattle, starting July 2016.

Mentor Name: Reto Asmis, Ph.D.

Yash TiwariDoctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering

Dissertation Title: MRI of Blood Brain Barrier Integrity and Hemorrhagic Transformation in Ischemic Stroke

Research Interests: MRI, Neurological Disorders

Notable Awards: ISMRM Summa Cum Laude, Valero Research Scholar

Yash will continue to work in research and development of novel neuroimaging biomarkers for neurological diseases.

Mentor Name: Timothy Duong, Ph.D.

Sonal TonapiDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular & Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: Consequences of Endogenous Stress with Deficiencies in the DNA Damage Response Pathway

Research Interests: DNA Damage Repair, Cancer Biology

Notable Awards: Dean’s Excellence Award, NCI T32 Pre Doctoral Training Award

Sonal has recently started her postdoctoral research at Caris Life Sciences in Phoenix, Arizona.

Mentor Name: Alexander J. R. Bishop, D.Phil.

Wenrui YeDoctor of Philosophy in Physiology

Dissertation Title: The Impact of Maternal Malnutrition on the Central Serotonin System: Increased Risk for Mood Dysregulation

Research Interests: Environmental and Genetic Factors that Determine Brain Function and Behavior

Wenrui will continue her scientific training in human diagnostic genetics at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Mentor Name: Julie G. Hensler, Ph.D.

Huiyoung (Jimmy) YunDoctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology

Dissertation Title: Estrogen Receptor Beta and COBRA1 in Prostate Cancer: Friend or Foe?

Research Interests: Therapeutic Approach in Cancer

Notable Awards: Fulbright Award

Huiyoung will be working as a postdoctoral fellow in Pediatric Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at HarvardUniversity.

Mentor Name: Addanki Pratap Kumar, Ph.D.

Jessica ZavadilDoctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Structural Biology

Dissertation Title: New Therapeutics For Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using The C3HeB/FeJ Mouse Model

Research Interests: Cancer Therapeutics, Mouse Modeling of Cancer

Notable Awards: CPRIT Predoctoral Fellowship George W. Brackenridge M.D./Ph.D. Endowed Scholarship

Jessica is an M.D./Ph.D. student. She will return to medical school to complete her final two years towards her medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.

Mentor Name: Christi A. Walter, Ph.D.

Wei ZhouDoctor of Philosophy in Radiological Sciences

Dissertation Title: MRI of the Visual Pathway in Glaucoma

Research Interests: Diagnostic Imaging, MRI, Medical Physics

Notable Awards: Julio Palmaz Endowment Research Award, 1st Prize of Poster in 2015 SWAAPM

Wei will be working as an imaging physics resident at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Mentor Name: Timothy Q. Duong, Ph.D.

CONGRATULATIONS Class of 2016!