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Current Students

Monica Moore

Year 7, Clinicals

Lab: Dr. Ozlem Guzeloglu-Kayisli

Research Interests: I study the stress-responsive protein FKBP51 and its role in the effects of prenatal stress on the development of the ovary and how this impacts ovarian health throughout the reproductive life course.

Email: monicamoore@usf.edu

Sarah Lulu

Year 6, Dissertation Research

Lab: Dr. Patrick Hwu

Research Interests: I have a background in cancer genetics and neurobiology. Currently, I am modifying the immunosuppressive micro-environment of Glioblastoma through chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy.

Email: sarahlulu@usf.edu 

Evan Potts

Year 5, Dissertation Research

Lab: Dr. Jolan Walter

Email: davidevanpotts@usf.edu

Natasha Ram

Year 5, Dissertation Research

Lab: Dr. Gopal Thinakaran

Research Interests: Neuroinflammation, neurodegenerative disease/ TBI and health disparities. For my PhD work, my overall objective is to identify genetic markers in chronic subdural hematomas through bioinformatic and molecular biology approaches to better understand disease prognosis and recurrence. 

Email: natasharam@usf.edu

Vincent Lok

Year 4, Dissertation Research

Lab: Dr. Brian Czerniecki

Research Interests: Leveraging dendritic cell-based immunotherapy to break immune tolerance in breast cancer.

Email: vlok@usf.edu

Emily Otmanowski

Year 4, Dissertation Research

Lab: Dr. Jasenka Zubcevic

Jacob Connolly

Year 3, Dissertation Research

Lab: Dr. Nathan Schilaty

Research Interests: My research interests are in the fields of biomechanics, neuromechanics, and medical imaging of the effects of non-surgical spinal decompression as a treatment alternative to surgery.

Email: connolly45@usf.edu

Derek Jacobs

Year 3, Dissertation Research

Lab: Dr. Zachary Porterfield

Research Interests: I am studying HIV reservoirs in lymphatic tissue and working towards an HIV cure. The Porterfield lab also has a strong focus on global health.

Email: derekjacobs@usf.edu

Melis Yilmaz

Year 2, Pre-Clinical

Research Interests: I have a background in neuroimmunology and although I have not joined a lab yet, I am interested in working on immune cell dysregulation and autoreactive B-cells in different organ system diseases.

Email: melisyilmaz@usf.edu

Aahir Srinath

Year 1, Pre-Clinical

Christina Dabrowski

Year 1, Pre-Clinical