Current Graduate Students

2017
Incoming Graduate Student Class

1st Row:  Joseph Panushka, Sydney Alexander Muck, Srishti Baid, Oindrila De, Cory Jenkinson

2nd Row:  Pratik Koirala, Cindy Ly, Shivani JagannathanMurali


 

Name:  Rhea G. Abisado
Advisor:  Josephine Chandler
Email:  rabisado@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biology (major in Microbiology) - University of the Phillipines Los Baños (2007), M.S. in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology - University of the Philippines Los Baños (2011)
Hometown:  Sorsogon, Philippines
Research Interests:  Microbiology

Name:  Haifa Alhadyian   
Advisor:  Rob Ward
Email:  haifaalhadyian@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.S. in Zoology - College of Science, University of Dammam (2012), M.A. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology - Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas (2016)
Hometown:  Dammam, Saudi Arabia 
Research Interests:  Genetics, cell biology, and developmental biology
Awards/Honors:  K-INBRE Excellence Award for Best Poster Presentation (2017), Molecular Biosciences Travel Award (2016), King Abdullah Scholarship for Outstanding Academic Achievement (2013-2016)
 

Name:  Hikmat Al Hashimi 
Advisor:  Matthew Buechner
Email:  hikmat@ku.edu          
Educational Background:  Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering - Jordan University of Science and Technology (2005), Master’s Degree in Biotechnology - Northumbria University (2007)
Hometown:  Baghdad, Iraq and Irbid, Jordan
Research Interests:  Biological tube structures can be found in many organs in our body, such as the nephrons of the kidney and the blood vessels. We are interested in studying the properties of these biological tube structures, specifically, the mechanism by which a tube maintains its diameter and length. In our research, we use the Caenorhabditis elegans excretory canal as a model of the tube structure.  Our research group identified genes that play a role in maintaining the tube structure of the canal, the exc genes. I am studying exc-2 using genetic approaches to understand its function in the cell.    

Name:  Nan Bai
Advisor:  Eric Deeds
Email:  n206b214@ku.edu
Educational Background:  M.S. in Biology - Illinois Institute of Technology (2014)
Hometown:  China
Research Interests:  Microbiology and Cancer Biology

Name:  Srishti Baid
Advisor:  Scott Hefty
Email:  srishtib@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.S. in Microbiology - University of Calcutta (2013), M.S. in Medical Biotechnology - Manipal University (2015)
Hometown:  Kolkata, India
Research Interests:  Infectious Diseases, Immunology, Molecular Biology and Developmental Biology
 

Name:  Anuja Bhatta
Advisor:  Steve Benedict
Email:  a751b166@ku.edu 
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biology - University of New Orleans (2012)
Hometown:  Kathmandu, Nepal
Research Interests:  T cell Biology

Name:  Molly Birrer
Advisor:  Brian Ackley
Email:  mbirrer@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biology - Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI (2014)
Hometown:  Indianapolis, Indiana
Research Interests:  Genetics and Cancer Biology
 

Name: Oindrila De
Advisor: Robert Ward
Email: oindrila_de31@ku.edu
Educational Background:B.S. in Biotechnology - Ramnarain Ruia College - University of Mumbai (2014), M.S. in Biotechnology - St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Mumbai (2016)
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Research Interests: Cell and developmental biology, Molecular biology

 

Name:  Rik Dhar
Advisor:  Joanna Slusky
Email:  rdhar@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.Tech. in Biotechnology - Heritage Institute of Technology, India (2013); M.Tech in Biotechnology - National Institute of Technology-Rourkela, India (2015)
Hometown:  Kolkata, India
Research Interests:  Cancer Biology and Biochemistry

Name:  Zoe Dimond
Advisor:  Scott Hefty
Educational Background:  B.S in Biology, Chemistry minor - Oregon State University (2014)
Hometown:  Portland, Oregon
Research Interests:  Using whole genome sequencing and genetics to explore mechanisms in infectious disease

Name:  Amanda Dunbar
Advisor:  Steve Benedict
Email:  a223d891@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.A. in Biology and Biochemistry - University of Minnesota-Morris (2011)
Hometown:  Rochester, Minnesota
Research Interests:  T cell biology and the development of autoimmunity​
Awards/Honors:  Morris Scholar 

Name:  Dianarys Hernandez-Aquino
Advisor:  Stuart Macdonald
Email:  dianarys.hernandez@gmail.com
Educational Background:  B.S. in Microbiology - University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo (2014)
Hometown:  San Sebastian, Puerto Rico
Research Interests:  Cellular and molecular biology, Protein-protein interactions, Biochemistry, Developmental biology and Microbiology

Name:  Kara Hinshaw
Advisor:  Josephine Chandler
Email:  k699h433@ku.edu 
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biology with minor in Chemistry - Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri (2012)
Hometown:  Ankeny, Iowa
Research Interests:  Our group is interested in a type of cell-cell communication called quorum sensing that plays a vital role for some bacteria during interspecies competition.  My research seeks to identify novel quorum sensing-controlled antibiotics and antibiotic resistance mechanisms and to understand how quorum sensing control of these genes is important for bacterial competition.
Awards/Honors:  Graduated Summa Cum Laude, NIH Training Grant in Dynamic Aspects of Chemical Biology

Name:  David Ingham
Advisor:  Chris Gamblin
Email:  inghamd002@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biology - Missouri Southern State University (2016)
Hometown:  Leeds, England
Research Interests:  ​The normal function of the tau protein is to associate and stabilize microtubules within the neuronal cytoskeleton. However, hyperphosphorylation of tau can dissociate from microtubules and lead to the formation of tau aggregates forming pathological structures such as neurofibrillary tangles and paired helical filaments. These structures have been identified in multiple neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. I am interested in how small compounds can be used to not only inhibit the formation of these pathological structures, but also cause the disassembly of aggregates that have already formed.

Name:  Jittasak (Jake) Khowsathit
Advisor:  Eric Deeds    
Email:  jkhow@ku.edu              
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biochemistry - Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok (2011)
Hometown:  Bangkok, Thailand
Research Interests:  Computational Protein Design

Name:  Haeyoung Kim
Advisor:  Mizuki Azuma
Email:  kyh426@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biological Science - Incheon National University (2013), M.S. in Life Science - Incheon National University (2015)
Hometown:  Incheon, South Korea
Research Interests:  Cellular/Molecular/Cancer Biology
 

Name:  Jennifer Klaus
Advisor:  Josephine Chandler
Email:  jennklaus@ku.edu            
Educational Background:  B.S. and M.S. in Biology - Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS (2011 and 2014)
Hometown:  Hays, Kansas
Research Interests: Our group is interested in a type of cell-to-cell signaling in bacteria called quorum sensing, which is important for many bacteria to compete and survive in different environments including the host. My research seeks to understand how quorum sensing promotes survival of the gram-negative opportunistic human lung pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei.
Awards/Honors:  2014 K-INBRE Award of Excellence for poster presentation; 2013 Outstanding GTA Award, Fort Hays State University Graduate School​, 2015 Chemical Biology 21st Annual Symposium Pre-orals Graduate Researcher Poster Presentation Award

Name:  Pratik Koirala
Advisor:  Josephine Chandler
Email: pratikkoirala@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.Tech. in Biotechnology - Asian Institute of Technology and Management, Purbanchal University (2016)
Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal
Research Interests: Microbiology and Immunology
 

Name:  Meagan Kurland
Advisor:  Brian Ackley
Email:  meagankurland@gmail.com
Hometown:  Etters, Pennsylvania
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biology - Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA (2015)
Research Interests:  Development and Cellular Biology, Immunology

Name:  Lingfei Liang
Advisor:  Susan Egan
Email:  luphy0320@hotmail.com
Educational Background:  B.S. in Bioengineering - Beijing Institute of Technology (2013)
Hometown:  Shandong, China
Research Interests:  Study the structure and assembly of macromolecules from viruses so as to understand the DNA-packaging or other process in these viruses

Name:  Cindy Ly
Advisor:  David Davido
Email:  cly724@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Chemistry (Biochemistry concentration) - Florida International University (2016)
Hometown:  Miami, Florida
Research Interests:  Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Drug Development, and Instrumental Analysis
 

Name:  Snehal Mahadik
Advisor:  Erik Lundquist
Email: snehal@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.S. in Biotechnology - Ruia College, Mumbai (2010), M.S. in Bioanalytical Sciences - Ruia College, Mumbai (2012)
Hometown:  Mumbai, India
Research Interests:  Developmental neurobiology and cell biology
 

Name:  Vaishnavi Nagarajan
Advisor:  Lisa Timmons
Email:  v612n423@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.Tech. in Biotechnology - Vellore Institute Technology, India (2010)
Hometown:  Chennai, India
Research Interests:  Biomolecules & mechanisms in molecular biology.

Name:  Shoichi Tachiyama
Advisor:  Bill Picking
Email:  s818t598@ku.edu
Educational Background:  B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan (2012), License to Practice Pharmacy (granted in Japan, 2012)
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Research Interests:  The mechanism of the infection to develop antibiotics in terms of biochemistry and pharmaceuticals
 

2016 Graduate Student Class

2015 Graduate Student Class

1^st Row:  Victoria Vande Griend, Molly Birrer, Stacie Eliades-Becker, Megan McKinney
2^nd Row:  Elizabeth Grotemeyer, Meagan Kurland, Katelyn Soules
3^rd Row:  Taybor Parker, Jeff McFarlane, Nicole Massa, Scott LaBrie
​4^th Row:  Dianarys Hernandez-Aquino, Amritangshu Chakravarty, Srivatsan Parthasarathy, Matthew Ochs, Alex Bowman, Reid McLean

2014 Graduate Student Class

1^st Row:  Jennifer Klaus,Nan Bai,Haifa Alhadyian, Anupama Kante, Sikta Patnaik
2^nd Row:  Thelma Chiremba, Jin Niu
3^rd Row:  Robert Wilkerson, Bryce Blankenfeld, Kelly Harrison, Nootan Pandey
​4^th Row:  Nikola Kenjic, Aaron Bart, Sudeep Shakya, Olivia Arizmendi

2013 Graduate Student Class

1st Row:  Erin Suderman, Kara Hinshaw
2nd Row:  Yuxiao Guo, Anuja Bhatta, Lingfei Liang, Sanjay Yadava
3rd Row:  Christian Gomez, Luke Wenger, Zhe Yang, Dwight Deay