Current Graduate Students

Integrative Physiology & Molecular Medicine (IPMM) students


Weilun Ai
– 4th year PhD IPMM student Weilun Ai
BS (Medicine), Jianghan University; MSc (Cell Biology), Capital Medical University
Supervisor:  Saraswathi Viswanathan
Research Interest: Alcohol-associated liver disease and alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

  • Viswanathan Saraswathi, Narendra Kumar, Thiyagarajan Gopal, Saumya Bhatt, Weilun Ai, Carmen Ma, Geoffrey A Talmon , Cyrus Desouza. Lauric Acid versus Palmitic Acid: Effects on Adipose Tissue Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obesity.  Biology (Basel). 2020 Oct 22; 9(11):346.  Abstract

Shaurav BhattaraiShaurav Bhattarai – 2nd year PhD IPMM student
BVetMed, Tribhuvan University; MS (Microbiology), South Dakota State University
Supervisor: Howard E. Gendelman
Research Interest: Studying role of immune cells in myocardial infraction.

Kwadwo BoatengKwadwo Boateng – 1st year PhD IPMM student
OD (Optometry), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology
Research Interest: Ocular pathophysiology and retinal neurodegeneration

Deepan Chatterjee - 2nd year PhD IPMM studentDeepan Chatterjee
BS/MS (Biotechnology), St. Xavier's College Kolkata
Supervisor: Robert E. Lewis
Research Interest: Understanding the potential roles of molecular scaffolds Kinase Suppressor of Ras 1 (KSR1) and KSR2 in Small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Adrian Flores - 4th year PhD IPMM StudentAdrian Flores
BA (Biology), Roosevelt University
Supervisor: Gurudutt Pendyala
Research Interest: The vulnerability of pre and postnatal oxycodone exposed offspring to nicotine abuse.

  • Onajole OK, Lun S, Yun YJ, Langue DY, Jaskula-Dybka M, Flores A, Frazier E, Scurry AC, Zavala A, Arreola KR, Pierzchalski B, Ayitou AJ, Bishai WR. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinecarboxamides as potent anti-tuberculosis agents. Chem Biol Drug Des. 2020 Dec; 96(6):1362-1371. PMID: 32515129. Abstract
  • Odegaard KE, Chand S, Wheeler S, Tiwari S, Flores A, Hernandez J, Savine M, Gowen A, Pendyala G, Yelamanchili SV. Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Substance Abuse and HIV-Related Neurological Pathologies. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Sep 15; 21(18):E6765. PMID: 32942668.  Abstract

Flobater GawargiFlobater Gawargi - 2nd year PhD IPMM Student
BS (Biology-concentration in Molecular Cell Physiology), Monmouth Univ
Supervisor: Paras Kumar Mishra 
Research Interest: Diabetic cardiomyopathy and RNA biology

Austin Gowen - 3rd year PhD IPMM StudentAustin Gowen
BS (Biology), University of Nebraska - Omaha
Supervisor: Sowmya Yelamanchili
Research Interest: Pre-natal drug exposure and its impact on mild traumatic brain injury-related biological and behavioral sequelae

  • Shahjin F, Guda RS, Schaal VL, Odegaard K, Clark A, Gowen A, Xiao P, Lisco SJ, Pendyala G, Yelamanchili SV. Brain-Derived Extracellular Vesicle microRNA Signatures Associated with In Utero and Postnatal Oxycodone Exposure.  Cells 2019 Dec 19; 9(1):21.  Abstract
  • Gowen A, Shahjin F, Chand S, Odegaard KE, Yelamanchili SV. Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Challenges in Clinical Applications.  Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020 Mar 12; 8:149.  Abstract
  • Azadmanesh J, Gowen AM, Creger PE, Schafer ND, Blankenship JR. Filamentation Involves Two Overlapping, but Distinct, Programs of Filamentation in the Pathogenic Fungus Candida albicans.  G3 (Bethesda). 2017 Nov 6; 7(11):3797-3808.  Abstract
Taija Hahka - 4th year PhD IPMM StudentTaija Hahka
BS/MS (Biology), Michigan Technological University
Supervisor: Ann Anderson-Berry
Research Interest: Omega-3 fatty acids derived specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) in mitigating mitochondrial dysfunction in human hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). Bioengineered artificial tissue stiffness in vitro modeling to mimic in vivo human placental stiffness.
  • Chapp AD, Behnke JE, Driscoll KM, Hahka T, LaLonde Z, Shan Z, Chen QH.  Elevated L-lactate Promotes Major Cellular Pathologies Associated with Neurodegenerative Diseases. Neurosci Bull. 2021 Mar; 37(3):380-384. Abstract
  • Hong J, Adam RJ, Gao L, Hahka T, Xia Z, Wang D, Nicholas TA, Zucker IH, Lisco SJ, Wang HJ. Macrophage activation in stellate ganglia contributes to lung injury-induced arrhythmogenesis in male rats. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2021 Jun; 232(2):e13657. Abstract
Rana Kadry - 2nd year PhD IPMM StudentRana Kadry
BPHARM, Zagazig University; BCCCP & MS (Pharmacy), University of Georgia
Supervisor: Howard E. Gendelman
Research Interest
: Cell signaling, Proteomics, Pulmonary diseases and clinical therapeutics
Kajal Kamra - 4th year PhD IPMM StudentKamra Kajal
BS (Zoology), University of Delhi; MS (Physiology & Neuroscience), Wright State University
Supervisor: Hanjun Wang
Research Interest: Physiology and neural mechanisms that regulate breathe abnormality in acute lung injury condition.
Mane Polite Roneldine Mesidor - 3rd year PhD IPMM StudentMane Mesidor
BS (Biochemistry), Oklahoma Baptist University
Supervisor: Rebekah L. Gundry
Research Interest: Immunology and molecular biology
  • Wojtkiewicz M, Linda Berg Luecke L, Castro C, Burkovetskaya M, Mesidor  R, Gundry RL.  Bottom-up proteomic analysis of human adult cardiac tissue and isolated cardiomyocytes. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2021 Aug 24; 162:20-31. PMID: 34437879.  Abstract

Corrine Monaco - 4th year PhD IPMM StudentCorrine Monaco
BS (Zoology), State University of New York at Oswego
Supervisor: John S. Davis
Research Interest: Microenvironment of the ovarian corpus luteum and its changes during cyclic regression.
  • Van Hook MJ, Monaco C, Bierlein ER, Smith JC. Neuronal and Synaptic Plasticity in the Visual Thalamus in Mouse Models of Glaucoma. Front Cell Neurosci. 2020; 14:626056.  Abstract
Delia Omar - 2nd year PhD IPMM StudentDelia Omar
BS (Pharmacy); MS (Clinical Pharmacy) University of Jordan
Supervisor: TBD
Research Interest
: Regenerative Medicine Applications in Cardiovascular Diseases, Stem Cell Therapy

Molly Schieber - 4th year MD/PhD IPMM StudentMolly Schieber
MS, University of Nebraska-Omaha
Supervisor: Iraklis Pipinos
Research Interest: Peripheral Artery Disease and Capillaries in Chronic Disease
Dalton StallerDalton Staller - 2nd year PhD IPMM Student
BS (Biology), Midland University
Supervisor: Ram Mahato
Research Interest: Alcohol-associated and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease