Alumni

Chan 2011-4-7 ImageDiane Chan, Ph.D. – 2011
Thesis: LRRK2 and HDAC6: Directing Traffic at the Crossroads Between Autophagy, Translation and Neurodegeneration
Advisor: Benjamin Wolozin, M.D./Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology and Neurology
Position: Currently completing the requirements for the M.D. portion of the BUSM M.D./Ph.D. program

Cathy WeiCathy Wei, Ph.D. – 2011
Thesis: The Effect of Brain Region-Specific Adenosine A2A Receptor Knockout on Cognition and Psychomotor Behavior in Mice
Advisor: Jiang-Fan Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Neurology and Pharmacology
Position: Currently completing the requirements for the M.D. portion of the BUSM M.D./Ph.D. program

Bedard ImagePatty Bedard, Ph.D. – 2010
Thesis: Inhibition of Innate Immune Functions by P-Selectin and CXCR1 in Rodent Models of Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity and Insulin Resistance
Advisor: Ruth Gimeno, Ph.D., Adjunct Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Postion: Senior Scientist at Pfizer

MariaMaria Guillily, Ph.D. – 2010
Thesis: Understanding the Function of Parkinson’s Disease Associated Gene Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 in Caenorhabditis elegans: A Systems Biology Guided Approach
Advisor: Benjamin Wolozin, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology and Neurology
Position: Visiting Professor at Quincy College and Framingham State University

Jacobi PhotoJacobi Cunningham, Ph.D. – 2010
Thesis: “The Behavioral and Neurochemical Effects of Chronic Unpredictable Stress in Rats Pre-exposed to (+)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)”
Advisor: Bryan Yamamoto, Ph.D.
Position: Post-doctoral fellow, Life Sciences, Alkermes.

BethannBethann Johnson, Ph.D. – 2010
Thesis: “The Effect of Chronic Stress on +3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Neurotoxicity”
Advisor: Bryan Yamamoto, Ph.D.
Position: Post-doctoral fellow, Center for Neurologic Diseases Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

DesbiensSophie Desbiens, Ph.D. – 2009 (BME)
Thesis: “Therapeutic Agents for Cocaine Addiction: A Systems Pharmacology Approach”
Advisor: David H. Farb, Ph.D.
Position: Associate Consultant, Decision Resources Inc.

GrisetAaron Griset, Ph.D.(BME) – 2009
Thesis: “Delivery of Paclitaxel Via pH-Responsive Polymeric Nanoparticles for Prevention of Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Recurrence”
Advisor: Mark W. Grinstaff, Ph.D.
Position: Formulation Scientist at Selecta Biosciences.

WhittakerMatthew Whittaker, Ph.D – 2009
Thesis: “Pregnenolone Sulfate Modulate Neurotransmitter Release from Iolated Neuron Terminal of the Rate Striatum”
Advisor: David H. Farb, Ph.D.
Position Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Jean Wrathall’s laboratory in the Department of Neuroscience at Georgetown University Medical Center.

WinklerAaron Winkler, Ph.D. – 2009
Thesis: “Smoke Exposure of Primary Human Alveolar Macrophage-like Cells Impairs Nuclear Histone Deacetylase Expression and Results in Increased Cytokine Production”
Advisor: Cara Williams, Ph.D.
Position: Senior Research Scientist, Department of Inflammation, Pfizer Discovery.

Ausaf BariAusaf Bari, M.D., Ph.D. – 2008
Thesis: “The Role of the Nucleus Accumbens, Dopamine, and Glutamate Receptors in Cocaine Reward”
Advisor: R. Chris Pierce, Ph.D.
Position: Neurosurgery Resident at UCLA Medical Center.

Price Blair, Ph.D. – 2008
Thesis: “Stimulation of Toll-like Receptor 2 in Human Platelets Induces a Thrombo-Inflammatory Response”
Advisor: Jane Freedman, M.D.
Position: Research Fellow in Center for Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research under the direction of Barbara Furie, Ph.D., and Bruce Furie, M.D., at Beth Israel Deaconess/Harvard Medical School.

Sonia Podvin, Ph.D. – 2008
Thesis: “Characterization of the Anti-Aging Protein Klotho in Normal Brain Aging and Neurodegeneration”
Advisor: Carmela Abraham, Ph.D.
Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at UCSD with Dr. Andrew Baird in the department of surgery.

Jamie Raudensky Doyle, Ph.D. – 2008
Thesis: “Neurochemical and Physiological Effects of Chronic Stress on Methamphetamine Toxicity”
Advisor: Bryan Yamamoto, Ph.D.
Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Tufts Medical Center with Alan Kopin, M.D., at the Molecular Cardiology Research Institute.

Dan Roberts, M.D., Ph.D. – 2008
Thesis: “Regulation of Type A GABA Rector Alpha-4 Subunit and the N-Methyl-D Aspartate Receptor Subunit 1 by Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor”
Advisor: Shelley J. Russek, Ph.D.
Position: Dan is an Otolaryngology (ENT) resident in the Harvard Combined Program in Otolarnygology. He hopes that his future research will investigate the basic mechanisms of hearing loss and improve cochlear implantation technology.

Tina Wu, Ph.D. – 2008
Thesis: “Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS) Modification by Hypochlorous Acid and the Development of a Hypochlorous Acid Oxidation Assay”
Advisor: John F. Keaney, Jr, MD
Position: Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate at Clinivation, Inc.

David Eyerman, Ph.D. – 2007
Thesis: “The Role of the Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 and Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Methamphetamine Toxicity to the Rat Striatum”
Advisor: Bryan Yamamoto, Ph.D.
Position: Dave is working for Alkermes of Cambridge, MA as a Scientist III Neuropharmacologist in the Life Sciences Department. In this role he is the Principal Investigator of a microdialysis and neurochemistry program supporting drug discovery efforts for multiple disease areas. In addition, he sits on a leadership committee for psychiatric disease target areas.

YinghuiYinghui Hu, Ph.D. – 2007
Thesis: “Differential Regulation of GABRA1 Gene Expression in the CNS: A Role for  CREB/ICER Transcription Facotrs and their Relevance to Temporal Lobe Epilepsy”
Advisor: Shelley J. Russek, Ph.D.
Position: Scientist, Neuro-Discovery, Biogen Idec

Karla Mark, Ph.D. – 2007
Thesis: “Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity and the Polysynaptic Activation of Glutamatergic Neurons in the Basal Ganglia”
Advisor: Bryan Yamamoto, Ph.D.
Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Buck Institute for Age Research

Heath Schmidt, Ph.D. – 2007
Thesis: “The Limbic Circuitry Underlying the Reinstatement of Cocaine-Seeking Behavior in Rats”
Advisor: R. Chris Pierce, Ph.D.
Position: Research Associate, Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Joseph Breier, Ph.D. – 2006
Thesis: “The Role of L-Tyrosine in the Neurotoxicity of (+) 3,4- Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in the Rate and in a Serotonin Cell Line”
Advisor: Bryan Yamamoto, Ph.D.
Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Neurotoxicology Division, US EPA.

Kelley Burridge, Ph.D. – 2006 (BME)
Thesis: “Targeted Drug Delivery: Effects of Grafted Polyethylene Glycol on Ligand-Receptor Binding Under Flow”
Advisor: Joyce Wong, Ph.D.
Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center.

Snapshot 2010-10-20 16-16-37Lori Fitz, Ph.D. – 2005
Thesis: “Activation-Induced Changes in the Histamine Content of Murine Mast Cells and their Adhesion to NIH-3T3 Fibroblasts”
Advisor: Marion Kasaian, Ph.D.
Position: Principal Research Scientist II, Pfizer BioTherapeutics R&D, Inflammation and Immunology Research Unit.

JeffreySimardPhotoJeffrey Simard, Ph.D. – 2005
Thesis: “Fatty Acid Transport: Binding to Human Serum Albumin and Trafficking in Model and Biological Membranes”
Advisor: James Hamilton, Ph.D.
Position: Project/Sub-Group Leader at Chemical Genomics Centre