CMB Alumni

(since 1996 program inception)

2009

Lee Chaves, PhD
Advisor:
Thesis: 
Subsequent Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Jewish Health, Division of Allergy & Clinical Immunology, Denver, CO

Joseph Jude, PhD
Advisor:
Thesis: 
Subsequent Position: Post-doc position in Mathur Kannan's lab, U of MN

Terri Mattila, PhD
Advisor: Pam Skinner
Thesis: 
Subsequent Position: Teaching position at Northwestern College, St. Paul, MN

Amy Treeful, MS
Advisor: Drs. Kent Reed and Jim Mickelson
Thesis: Comparative Whole Chromosome Paint Analysis of Feline Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Subsequent Position: Product Support Specialist, Genetix Corp

2008

Geoff Hirsch, MS
Advisor: Dr. Mike Murtaugh
Thesis: Characterization of novel porcine EST sequences in the jejunal Peyer's patch
Current Position: Employed by Source MDx, Boulder, CO

Juan Li, MS
Advisor: Dr. Mike Murtaugh
Thesis: Characterization of Serum Neutralizing Activity in Porcine Anti-PRRSV Immunity
Subsequent Position: Continuing PhD studies at U of M

Jin Liu, MS, DVM, PhD
Advisors: Drs. Mark Rutherford and Mitchell Abrahamsen
Thesis: Cryptosporidium parvum modulation of apoptotic pathways in human intestinal epithelial cell
Subsequent Position: Postdoctoral research scientist, Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA

Trasida Ployngam, DVM, PhD
Advisor: Dr. John Collister
Thesis: Role of the median preoptic nucleus in chronic blood pressure regulation by angiotensin II
Subsequent Position: Instructor in the Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand.

2007

Bit Na Kang, PhD
Advisor: Dr. Mathur Kannan
Thesis: Regulation of CD38 in Airway Mycocytes
Subsequent Position: Post-doc in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, U of M

Shidong Ma, PhD
Advisor: Dr. Mitch Abrahamsen
Thesis: Expression and Regulation of IL-22 by Bovine Peripheral Blood gamma/delta T Cells
Subsequent Position: Post-doc at the U of WI-Madison Medical School

Cristina Marques, PhD
Advisor: Dr. James Lokensgard
Thesis: Microglia-mediated Immune Responses During the Development of Herpes Encephalitis
Subsequent Position: Post-doc research fellow at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, OH

Molly McCue, DVM, PhD
Advisors: Drs. James Mickelson and Stephanie Valberg
Thesis: The Prevalence and Genetic Basis of Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy
Subsequent Position: Post-doc in Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota

Jessica Meehan, MS
Advisor: Dr. John Collister
Thesis: CNS Sites and Pathways Activated by Angiotensin II: Role of the Subfornical Organ and its Interaction with Downstream Sites
Subsequent Position:

Zhenya Ni, DVM, PhD
Advisor: Dr. Bruce Walcheck
Thesis: Characterization of a Subdivision of Skin Honing T Cells Based on P-Selectin Binding
Subsequent Position: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Minnesota, Dr. Dan Kaufman's lab

Erik Olson, PhD
Advisor: Dr. Cathy Carlson
Thesis: Naturally Occuring and Surgically Induced Animal Models of Osteoarthritis
Awards/Honors: NIH Comparative Medicine and Pathology Fellowship
Subsequent Position: Assistant Clinical Professor, Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, U of M

Zhiming Ouyang, PhD
Advisor: Dr. Richard Isaacson
Thesis: Studies on Function and Regulation of a Novel Gene Cluster Associated with Iron Transport in Escherichia coli
Subsequent Position:  Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

Cholowat Pacharinsak, PhD
Advisors: Drs. Al Beitz and Donald Simone
Thesis: The Role of NK-1 Receptors in the Rostral Ventromedial Medulla in Hyperalgesia Produced by Intraplantar Injection of Capsaicin
Subsequent Position: Faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine

2006

Thamotharampillai Dileepan, Ph.D. 2006
Advisors: Sam Maheswaran and Mathur Kannan
Thesis: Defining the molecular basis of species specific susceptibility to RTX toxins from Mannheimia haemolytica and Aggregatibacter (Actinnobacillus) actinomycetemcomitans
Awards/Honors: Veterinary Medicine Travel Award, 2003
Veterinary Medicine Grant Writing Competition Award, 2003, 2002
Subsequent Position: Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Microbiology, Medical School, University of Minnesota.

Patricia Dranchak, Ph.D. 2006
Advisor: Jim Mickelson
Thesis: Mapping the Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyosis Gene in Thoroughbred Horses
Awards/Honors: CMB Travel Grant Award, 2003
CMB Travel Grant Award, 2004
Subsequent Position: Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Benetic Medicine, University of Southern California

Michael Hendel, Ph.D. 2006
Advisor: John Collister
Thesis: Chronic Effects of Angiotensin II at the Subfornical Organ-A Central Integration Site of Cardiovascular Homeostasis
Awards/Honors: CMB Travel Award, 2002, 2005
American Heart Association Pre-Doctoral Fellowship
Current Position: Medical School at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

Polly Mattila, Ph.D. 2006
Advisor: Bruce Walcheck
Thesis: Mechanisms Involved in the Regulation of L-selectin Function
Awards/Honors: CMB Travel Award, 2001, 2003
Seminar Speaker Coordinator, 2004-2005
CMB Graduate Student Recruiting, 2003
Current Position: Postdoc (Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Fellowship recipient), PI is Dr. Ora Weisz, University of Pittsburgh

Prasad Ratna, M.S. 2006
Advisor: Mike Murtaugh
Thesis: Characterization of B-cell Responses to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSv) Infection in Pigs
Current Position: PhD student with Rafi Ahmed, Emory University

2005

Lisa Herron-Olson, Ph.D. 2005
Advisor: Vivek Kapur
Thesis: Molecular Correlates of Host-Specific Adaptation of Staphylococcus aureus Associated with Bovine Mastitis and Human Toxic Shock Syndrome
Awards/Honors: CMB Travel Grants for conference attendance and research presentation; 2002, 2005
Training Fellowship, Biological Processes Technology Institute, National Institutes of Health
William E. Praeger Prize for Scholarship in Biology
Diebold Scholar Award for Achievement in Biological Research
Subsequent position: Research Associate, Syntiron, Minneapolis, MN

Rebecca LaRue, M.S. 2005
Advisor: Moses Njenga
Thesis: Molecular Characterization of Xenozoonotic Picornaviruses
Awards/Honors: CMB Travel Award for conference attendance and research presentation, 2004
Subsequent Position: Ph.D. program in Molecular and Comparative Biosciences, University of Minnesota

2004

Erin Annandale, M.S. 2004
Advisors: Stephanie Valberg and James Mickelson
Thesis: Glucose Transport Mechanisms and Purine Necleotide Metabolism in Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy
Subsequent position: Research Associate, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology

Mary Baddorf, M.S. 2004
Advisor: Al Bietz
Thesis: The Use of Microarrays and Real-time RT-PCR to Analyze Changes in Spinal Cord Gene Expression in a Mouse Model of Cancer Pain
Subsequent Position: Research Associate, R & D Systems, Minneapolis, MN

Laurie Brewer, Ph.D. 2004
Advisor: Moses Njenga
Thesis: Risk Posed By Porcine Encephalomyocarditis Virus in Xenotransplantation
Awards/Honors: Points of Pride Poster Award for "The Risk of Porcine Encephalomyocarditis Virus in Xenotransplantation". Brewer L, LaRue R, Myers S, Hering B, Njenga M. University of Minnesota, March 2004
Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, September 2003-May 2004, University of Minnesota Graduate School
MVB Student Travel Award for conference attendance and research presentation. University of Minnesota Molecular Veterinary Biosciences Graduate Program. May 2002
Student Travel Award to attend 20th annual American Society of Virology Conference, Madison, WI, 2001
Don Kahn Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Presentation; Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases Conference, 2000
Alvin Weber Veterinary Medicine Scholarship, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1998-2000
Subsequent Position: Veterinarian at Brewer Veterinary Clinic in Brewer, Maine

Deepak Deshpande, Ph.D. 2004
Advisor: Mathur Kannan
Thesis: Role of CD38/cADPR Mediated Calcium Signaling in Airway Smooth Muscle Hyperresponsiveness
Awards/Honors: MVB Travel Award for the American Biophysical Society Meeting in San Francisco, February 2002
Gold Medal (for having secured highest cumulative grade point average in D.V.M. curricular) University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India. 1989-1994
Subsequent position: Post-Doctoral Scientist, Bowman-Grey School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Wake Forest, North Carolina
Current position:Assistant Professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine

Laura Eikmeier, Ph.D. 2004
Advisor: Alvin Beitz
Thesis: The Contribution of Sex Hormones and Tumor-derived Algogens to the Development of Mechanical Hyperalgesia in a Mouse Model of Cancer Pain
Awards/Honors: Points of Pride Research Day Best Poster Award: "A novel technique for investigating tumor-secreted algogens related to cancer pain," University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. 2002
Subsequent Position: Resident in pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota

Kendra Hyland, Ph.D. 2004
Advisor: Michael Murtaugh
Thesis: Innate Immune Response of Porcine Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue to Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis Infection
Awards/Honors: NIH NeuroBehavior/ NeuroImmune Addiction Research Training Grant Fellow at the University of Minnesota. 2001–present
USDA National Needs Training Grant Fellow, University of Minnesota. 1999–2001
Science and Engineering Research Semester (SERS) Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington. 1997–1999
Subsequent position: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota

Nicole (London) Hoft, Ph.D. 2004
Advisor: Yang Da
Thesis: Statistical Theory and Methods for Mapping Gender Affected Genes and QTL
Subsequent position: Assistant Professor, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Current position: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado-Boulder

Humphrey Lwamba, M.S. 2004 
Advisor: Moses Njenga
Thesis: Antigenic Characterization and Full-Genome Sequence Analysis of Avian Metapneumovirus

Praveen Thumbikat, Ph.D. 2004
Advisor: Sam Maheswaran
Thesis: Characterization of the Mannheimia Haemolytica Leukotoxin - Receptor Interaction and its Molecular Consequences
Awards/Honors: Veterinary Medicine Graduate program grant writing award, 2001
Veterinary Medicine Graduate program grant writing award, 2000
Veterinary Medicine Graduate program travel grant, 2000
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Urology, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois

Tara Nahey, D.V.M., Ph.D. 2004
Advisor: James Mickelson
Thesis: Biochemical and Molecular Basis for Inherited Muscle Disease in the Horse
Awards/Honors: Graduate Student Presentation Award, American Association of Veterinary Physiologists and Pharmocologists, Conference of Research Workers in Animal Disease, 1997
Alvin Weber Scholarship, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, 1998–1999
Center for Muscle Disorders Fellowship, 1999–2000
National Institute of Health Fellowship, 2001–2002
Subsequent position: Surgical Research Scientist, Medtronic, Brooklyn Center, MN

Zhengguo Xiao, Ph.D. 2004
Advisor: Michael Murtaugh
Thesis: Mechanism of Control of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) Infection in Pigs
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Trainee, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
 

2003

Antoinette Bennaars, M.S. 2003
Advisor: Michael Murtaugh
Thesis: Cloning and Expression of Porcine Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor
Subsequent position: Research Scientist, R&D Systems, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Benedict Green, Ph.D. 2003
Advisor: David Brown
Thesis: Neuropharmacology of Host Defense in the Porcine Intestine
Awards/Honors: MVB Travel Award for the American Society for Microbiology General Meeting in Salt Lake City, May 2002
Young Investigator Travel Award to attend the "Neuroimmune Circuits and Infectious Disease" Conference 2001, Atlanta
Food Animal Biotechnology Center Travel Award for travel to American Society for Microbiology 2001, Orlando
Fellowship NIDA/Psychoneuroimmunology Training Grant, 1997–2003
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska
Current Position: Research pharmacologist, USDA-ARS, Logan, UT

Kimberley Ham, D.V.M., Ph.D. 2003
Advisor: Cathy Carlson
Thesis: Estrogen replacement therapy and osteoarthritits in cynomolgus monkeys
Awards/Honors: University of Minnesota Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, 2002–2003
Agnes Hansen Travel Award for travel to the 48th Annual Orthopaedic Research Society Meeting, February 2002
Alvin F. Weber Scholarship, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, 1997–1999
USDA Graduate Student Fellowship, 1999–2001
MVB Travel Award for the 47th Annual Orthopaedic Research Society Meeting, Feb. 2001
Member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
Current Position: Study Director, Integra Group

So-Yeong Lee, Ph.D. 2003
Advisor: Scott O'Grady
Thesis: P2Y Receptor Regulation of Ion Channel Function in Xenopus Oocytes
Subsequent Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea

Monica Roberts, Ph.D. 2003
Advisor: James Mickelson
Thesis: Mapping Neurological and Neuromuscular Disease Genes in Dogs
Awards/Honors: University of Minnesota Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, 2002–2003
Best Poster Award, Points of Pride Research Day, University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. 2001
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Research Scientist, Jackson Laboratories, Bar Harbor, Maine

DeWayne Townsend, Ph.D. 2003
Advisor: David Brown
Thesis: Characterization of delta opioid receptors in the porcine intestine
Awards/Honors: Merck Award, St. Olaf College, 1995
Alvin F. Weber Fellowship, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, 1996, 2001
Caleb Dorr Award, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, 1997
NIDA Neuroscience Fellow, 1997–2001
Friends of the College of Veterinary Medicine grant: "Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy Associated with Recurrent Exertional Rhabdomyolysis," 1996
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Research Scientist, Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, University of Minnesota

Tom White, Ph.D. 2003
Advisor: Mathur Kannan
Thesis: Regulation of Intracellular Calcium in Porcine Airway Smooth Muscle
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

Laurie Yunker, M.S. 2003
Advisor: Laura Mauro
Thesis: Spatial and temporal expression of the receptor tyrosine phosphatase, Osteotesticular Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, during skeletogenesis
Subsequent Position: Junior Scientist, Animal Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul

2002

Barbara May, Ph.D. 2002
Advisor: Vivek Kapur
Thesis: Comprehensive genetic analysis of an avian isolate of Pasteurella multocida
A wards/Honors: National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Training Grant in Biotechnology, 1999–2002
Travel Award from the American Society for Microbiology to attend the Genomes 2000 Conference in Paris, April 2000
Best Poster Award, Graduate Student Poster Session in the Molecular Veterinary Biosciences Program, October 1999
Travel Award from the Conference Committee for the 7th Annual Conference on Small Genomes, Washington D.C., November 1999
Travel Award from the Food Animal Biotechnology Center for the 7th Annual Conference on Small Genomes, November 1999
Subsequent Position: Visiting Assistant Professor, St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota

2001

Samithamby Jeyaseelan, Ph.D. 2001
Advisor: Sam Maheswaran
Thesis: Molecular basis for cellular and species specificity of Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin
Awards/Honors: Liz Atac Award for Graduate School Excellence and Community Service, 2000
Don Kahn Award, 1999
CVM Best Poster Award, 2001
American Society of Microbiology Poster Award, 2001
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA

Chang (Charlie) Liu, Ph.D. 2001
Advisor: Mitch Abrahamsen
Thesis: Identification and characterization of Cryptosporidium parvum telomeric DNA sequences, telomerase, and a single-stranded telomeric binding protein
Awards/Honors: Food Animal Biotechnology (FAB) Center Travel Award, 1998–1999, Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, 1999–2000
Subsequent position: Senior System Analyst, GlaxoSmithKline Inc

James Wellehan, M.S. 2001
Advisor: Vivek Kapur
Thesis: Mycoplasma infections of wild passerine birds in Minnesota
Awards/Honors: American Association of Avian Pathologists Travel Award, 1997
Subsequent Position: Avian/Exotics/Wildlife Intern, Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, Ontario

Shishan Yuan, Ph.D. 2001
Advisor: Michael Murtaugh, Kay Faaberg
Thesis: RNA recombination in porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
Awards/Honors: Food Animal Biotechnology (FAB) Center Travel Award, 1997–1999
Subsequent Position: Research Scientist, Protatek Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota

2000

Arshud Dar, Ph.D. 2000
Advisor: Vivek Kapur
Thesis: Molecular characterization of a novel avian pneumovirus
Awards/Honors: M.S. Hofstad Award for student achievment in the field of avian science, 1998
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Cancer Care and Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology, Winnipeg, Cananda

Linnea R. Lentz, DVM, Ph.D. 2000
Advisor: Esther Gallant
Thesis: The cellular basis for recurrent exertional rhabdomyoloysis in Thoroughbred horses
Subsequent Position: Veterinary Surgeon, Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota

1999

John Collister, Ph.D. 1999
Advisor: John Osborn
Thesis: Angiotensin IIneural interactions in cardiovascular control
Awards/Honors: Graduate School Fellowship, 1994
Liz Atac Award for Graduate School Excellence and Community Service, 1997
American Physiological Society Neural Control & Autonomic Regulation SectionMichael J. Brody Young Investigator Award, 1999
Subsequent Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota
Current Position: Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota

Shih-Ling Hsuan, Ph.D. 1999
Advisor: Sam Maheswaran
Thesis: Molecular characterization of Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin-receptor interaction
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Washington, School of Medicine
Current Position: Associate Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Vaccinology, Taiwan University, Taiwan, China

Tracey Papenfuss, M.S. 1999
Advisor: Tom Molitor
Thesis: Development and Application of a Fluorogenic RT-PCR Taqman Assay to Detect Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus in Porcine Tissue Samples
Subsequent Position:
Current Position: Assistant Professor,Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University

Xuexian Zhang, Ph.D. 1999
Advisor: Mark Rutherford
Thesis: Molecular response of alveolar macrophages to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection
Awards/Honors: American Society of Virology Travel Award, 1998–1999
Food Animal Biotechnology (FAB) Center Travel Award, 1998–1999
FAB Center Symposium Best Poster Award, 1998
Subsequent Position: Scientist, Veterans Administration, Minneapolis, MN
Current Position: Research scientist, Protatek International, Inc., St. Paul, MN

1998

Arindam Bhattacharjee, Ph.D. 1998
Advisor: Mark Rutherford
Thesis: Mechanisms of dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver injury
Awards/Honors: Graduate School Fellowship Travel Award, 1996
Subsequent Position: Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Dana Farber Cancer Center, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
Current Position: Scientist, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, CA

Dennis Foss, Ph.D. 1998
Advisor: Michael Murtaugh
Thesis: Mucosal adjuvanticity of cholera toxin in swine
Awards/Honors: Graduate Student Council Excellence in Teaching Award, 1995
AAVI Student Presentation Award, 1994
Subsequent Position: Scientist, Pfizer Central Research, Groton, CT

Rhonda Miller, Ph.D. 1998
Advisor: Sam Maheswaran, Mitch Abrahamsen
Thesis: Characterization of bovine IL-8 expression in alveoloar macrophages
Subsequent Position: Scientist 11, Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation

1997

Susan L. Giovengo, Ph.D. 1997
Advisor: Alice Larson
Thesis: Kainic Acid-Induced Hyperalgesia in the Mouse
Awards/Honors: Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, 1997–1998
NIDA Director's Travel Award, 1996
Biological Sciences Policy & Review Committee, 1993–1997, Chair, 1993–1995
Coalition of Women Graduate Students, 1993–1997
Council of Graduate Students, 1993–1997, Executive Vice President, 1995–1996
Graduate & Professional Student Assembly, 1993–1997
CVM Graduate Student Council, 1994–1997
Subsequent Position: Research Scientist, The Proctor and Gamble Company, Mason, Ohio
Current Position: Manager, Professional Relations, P & G Pet Care, Proctor and Gamble Company