Alumni

Brooks Scull, MS

 Spring 2009

Brooks completed his thesis, "Intestinal regeneration after irradiation: Stem cells and Sox9," in the Lund lab.

Brooks' student bio:

Don’t let the picture fool you! I’ve been really happy here at UNC Chapel Hill for over 10 years and going. I graduated in Biology from UNC in 2002 and during that time I worked in Dr. Pagano’s lab as a Lab Assistant. After graduating, I became a Research Technician in Dr. Lund’s lab here in the Physiology department. In Dr. Lund’s lab, I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of many studies investigating gastrointestinal disease along with diet and obesity. I’ve recently become a graduate student studying intestinal regeneration after irradiation and identifying stem cell markers. Chapel Hill is a really fun place to live, and it’s great to be only hours from the beach and the mountains.

Tiffany Thai, PhD

Spring 2009

Tiffany completed her thesis, "Functional characterization of ADP ribosyl cyclase signaling pathways in the renal microcirculation" under the direction of William Arendshorst, PhD. She and her family have recently relocated to the Atlanta, Georgia area.

Tiffany's student bio:

I am originally from Asheboro , NC and I received my BS in Biology here at UNC. As an undergraduate, I was initially interested in microbiology. My first laboratory work was done to investigate the importance of the Tat pathway in the secretory pathway of Mycobacterium tuberculosis under the direction of Dr. Miriam Braunstein. I quickly found, however, that the complexity of eukaryotic signaling mechanisms was more interesting to me. As a result, I began simultaneously studying the role of Igf-1 in migration and proliferation of aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. In order to continue studying vascular biology, I joined the Cell and Molecular Physiology department here at UNC and began my current work in Dr. Bill Arendshorst's lab where I am currently studying the role of the ADP ribosyl cyclase signaling pathway in renal hemodynamics.

Spring 2009

Xinshuo completed her thesis, "Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 is required for axon growth and development," in the Snider lab in spring of 2009.

Xinshuo's student bio:

Damon Jacobs, PhD
Fall 2008

Damon's doctoral work in the Cheney lab culminated in his thesis, "Myosin Vc is a class V myosin that Functions in Secretory Granule Trafficking."  He defended his thesis in December 2008 and accepted a postdoctoral position at the University of Kansas.  The position is part of the IRACDA (Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award) program that partners the University of Kansas with Haskell Indian Nations University, which is small, all American Indian university located across town in Lawrence, KS.  Postdoctoral fellows are granted a three year appointment with two years working primarily at the bench performing research and 1 year focusing on teaching and mentoring at Haskell.

Damon's student bio:

Unconventional myosins (non-muscle, actin-based molecular motors) are the focus of Dr Cheney’s lab, and my research is mostly focused on a class V myosin, myosin 5c. Myosin 5c associates with secretory organelles and is involved in regulated secretion from epithelial cells.  I am taking a high resolution imaging approach to study the role of Myosin 5c on stimulated secretion in human breast cancer cells. I also research myosin 10, which is a class of myosin involved in filopodia formation, cell adhesion, and possibly guidance during cellular migration, again taking an imaging approach in high spatial and temporal resolution.

I obtained my BS in biology and a minor degree in chemistry from Fort Lewis College, which is a small liberal arts institution in Durango, Colorado (AKA great skiing, mtn biking, hunting, fishing etc.). The Physiology department here at UNC--despite being part of a major, world-class research institution--has a small, very friendly feel to it, much like the small school I came from. Personally, this aspect of the physiology department, in combination with the research, really set it apart from the other schools I interviewed with, and this is a direct reflection of the faculty, staff and students.

I enjoy living in Chapel Hill due to the luxury of being very close to a major city (Raleigh, 25 minutes away), yet still have that “rural” setting, which I like a lot. My recreational activities consist of hiking, biking, hunting and fishing, most of which I am able to do in the Chapel Hill area. Future aspirations include teaching undergraduates at a small college or university and being involved in minority recruitment/retention, while also maintaining a research program.

Christy Stack, MS
Fall 2008

Christy completed her thesis, "The role of palladin in pancreatic cancer," in the Otey lab.

Christy's student bio:

I received my BS from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. While in my freshman year there, I decided that I wanted to go to graduate school and quickly pursued a job in a lab so I could get as much experience as possible. One of the people willing to take such a plucky undergrad was Dr. Brad Shuster, whom I worked with for all four years of college. Initially I had wanted to study Microbiology, but his projects involving cytokinesis in sea urchin embryos lured me away from bacteria, and I have been in love with cell biology ever since.

When it came time for me to choose a graduate school, I leaned toward the East Coast from the start. I have spent most of my life living outside of Philadelphia, PA, and wanted to return to this side of the country. I thought that UNC was the perfect blend for a transplant like me: the climate was milder than in areas further north on the coast, and for someone used to very warm weather, it was a nice transition; also, I thought Chapel Hill had the busy East Coast vibe without being too big and unfriendly. When I interviewed I knew right away that I wanted to go here. I joined the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (IBMS) program in 2006, and joined the lab of Dr. Carol Otey in 2007.

In the Otey lab, we study palladin, a cytoskeletal protein. The interests of the lab are quite diverse and range from studying palladin in astrocytes to examining its role in the promotion of breast and pancreatic cancer. I have found the Cell and Molecular Physiology department to be one of the most welcoming and forthcoming places to work. The environment is very collegial and open, and I have a lot of freedom in terms of curriculum and projects. I am very happy that I chose this department.

Jason Clayton, PhD

Graduated
Fall 2008

Jason completed his thesis work on the “Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A in Collateral Growth and Development” in August 2008 and has returned to medical school to complete the MD requirements of his MD/PhD.

Jason's student bio:

I am an MD/PhD student and after finishing two years of Medical School, I decided to join the Faber lab where we study mechanisms of vascular growth and remodeling. My primary area of interest is in the process of arteriogenesis. Embryologically, specialized arteriole-to-arteriole anastomoses are formed which connect two parallel arteries. In the adult, if one of these parallel arteries becomes stenosed, or blocked, arteriogenesis occurs resulting in the positive (outward) remodeling of these pre-existing arteriole-to-arteriole anastomoses. Arteriogenesis also involves new growth (de novo) of blood vessels and their subsequent maturation into conduit arteries. Unlike angiogenesis, little is known about the mechanism or regulation of arteriogenesis. Because arteriogenesis provides a crucial endogenous bypass system, it is imperative to identify growth pathways that may be potential targets for therapeutic intervention. I am studying the role of VEGF signaling in the growth of these specialized vessels. In the lab, we use genetic and pharmacological approaches, combined with physiological measurements of blood flow, tissue perfusion, and blood pressure, to better understand the mechanism of arteriogenesis.

Graduated
Fall 2008

Rebecca's thesis, entitled “Focal Adhesion Kinase and its Endogenous Inhibitor, FRNK, in Vascular Development and Injury,” was done under the direction of Joan Taylor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.  Rebecca accepted a position as a Medical Writer/Editor at Education and Training Systems International in Chapel Hill, NC.

Rebecca's student bio:

I am in the laboratory of Dr. Joan Taylor, a professor in the Department of Pathology, where my research is focused on investigating the role of FRNK (Focal Adhesion Kinase-Related Non-Kinase) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). FRNK is an endogenously expressed, dominant negative form of FAK (focal adhesion kinase) that is selectively expressed in smooth muscle. This expression is predominantly in conduit arteries and veins and also in the bronchioles of the lung. In particular, I am trying to determine how FRNK expression is regulated in VSMC and the role it plays in controlling cell proliferation and migration in vascular disease.

Before coming to Carolina, I earned my B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. I grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore, but I now enjoy calling Chapel Hill my home. Since moving here, I have taken advantage of what the area has to offer, including trips to the beach, unique shopping, and participating in a variety of music groups.

Alicia Blaker, PhD

Graduated
Spring 2008

Alicia conducted her doctoral research on "Regulation of Smooth Muscle Specific Transcriptions by Serum Response Factor and Formin Homology Domain Containing Protein-1” in the laboratory of Chris Mack in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.  She will pursue her postdoctoral training in the Boston area.

Alicia's student bio:

My current lab focuses on cardiovascular physiology and pathology. I study Serum Response Factor, a transcription factor that is required for expression of nearly all of the vascular smooth muscle genes. We have identified post-translational modifications in SRF that stimulate aberrant changes in the smooth muscle phenotype and have used SRF -/- murine embryonic stem cells to study these changes.

I did my undergraduate work at the University of Northern Kentucky, where I majored in Biology. My initial interests were in marine biology, and I studied marine cave isopods that my mentor discovered on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. Later I became more interested in the molecular aspects of creatures and gained training in the identification of putative magnesium transporting p-type ATPases. The combination of these undergraduate research experiences left me with an appreciation for the whole animal, but wanting an understanding at the molecular level. This appreciation guided me to the Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, where we study both.

During my time at the University of North Carolina I have had many opportunities to participate in focus-related training programs. I am currently a member of the Developmental Biology Training Program, which holds bi-weekly meetings and hosts an annual symposium with nationally recognized, student-invited speakers. The Cell and Molecular Physiology Department also hosts student-invited speakers and weekly seminars with experts in all areas of physiology. The University of North Carolina is an exceptional hub of science and is also rich with cultural diversity, music, and outdoor activities. Living here has been a great experience.