PREP Scholars

2023-24 Scholars

	Dalia Cortez Undergraduate: Whittier College Lab Mentor: Jezabel Rodriguez Blanco, Ph.D. Research Role: Attenuating SHH Signaling and Medulloblastoma Growth via the Inhibition of UHRF1 activity Current Position: Ph.D. at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
	Zamantha Manalansan-Roberson Undergraduate: California State University - Fullerton Lab Mentor: Antonis Kourtidis, Ph.D. Research Role: The cell-cell junction component PLEKHA7 acts as an RNA-binding protein by virtue of its Intrinsically Disordered Regions Current Position: Ph.D. (F24) at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
	Janae McCloud Undergraduate: Benedict College Lab Mentor: Stephen Duncan, Ph.D. Research Role: Unnatural Amino Acids to Localize Apolipoprotein B in Hepatocytes Treated With DL-1 Current Position: Ph.D. at Duke University School of Medicine
	Matthew Mondragon Undergraduate: California State University - Monterey Bay Lab Mentor: Mindy Engevik, Ph.D. Research Role: Enterococcus faecalis quorum senses with intestinal mucus and mucin glycans Current Position: Ph.D. at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
	Brady Patterson Undergraduate: Transylvania University Lab Mentor: Lori McMahon, Ph.D. Research Role: Muscarinic Receptor Modulation of Synaptic Transmission in Area Current Position: Ph.D. at University of Kentucky College of Medicine
	Jordan Rucker Undergraduate: Winthrop University Lab Mentor: Amy Engevik, Ph.D. Research Role: Immunohistochemistry techniques identify alterations in epithelial cell composition that result from A. muciniphila Current Position: Ph.D. at University of Wisconsin - Madison
	Kamryn Thomas Undergraduate: Tougaloo College Lab Mentor: Estefania Pereira Cardoso Azevedo, Ph.D. Research Role: Identification of a novel GABAergic Hippocampal DRD2 population Current Position: Ph.D. at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

2022-23 Scholars

	Camille Acevedo Undergraduate: University of Central Florida Lab Mentor: Tim Barnoud, Ph.D. Research Role: Heat shock proteins and p53 mutations in hepatocellular carcinoma. Current Position: Ph.D. at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
	Ian Baranyk Undergraduate: Wingate University Lab Mentor: Richard O'Neil, Ph.D. Research Role: T cells and ways to manipulate adaptive immunity, using engineered T cells as tools for therapy and for discovery. Current Position: Ph.D. at University of Alabama at Birmingham
	Maya Learmonth Undergraduate: Anderson University Lab Mentor: Kristine Deleon-Pennell, Ph.D. Research Role: How CD8+ T-cells are effect the post-MI scar's biomechanical properties. Current Position: Ph.D. Program at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
	Freddie Ortiz Undergraduate: Denison University Lab Mentor: Anand Mehta, D.Phil. Research Role: Characterize and profile N-glycans using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) Imaging Mass Spectrometry (IMS) in Liver disease. Current Position: Ph.D. Program at University of Florida Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology

2021-22 Scholars

	Esteban Castro Undergraduate: Cal Poly Pomona Lab Mentor: Paula Traktman, Ph.D. Research Role: Role of three proteins (A13, A32, and 16) in the Vaccinia encapsidation process Current Position: Ph.D. Program (F22) at UTHSCSA - UT Health Science Center - San Antonio
	Hyland Gonzalez Undergraduate: Presbyterian College Lab Mentor: Jessica Hartman, Ph.D. Research Role: Chronic alcohol consumption's effect on cytochrome P450 in the brainmitochondria leading to increased acetaldehyde production and mitochondrial dysfunction, using C. elegans and mice models Current Position: Ph.D. program (F22) at the Medical University of South Carolina
	Deavian Harvin Undergraduate: Bethune-Cookman University Lab Mentor: Victoria Findlay, Ph.D. Research Role: Examining the role of miR-204 in prostate cancer progression Current Position: Ph.D. program (F22) at University of South Carolina - Columbia
	Amanda Linke Undergraduate: University of Maryland Lab Mentor: Aaron Hobbs, Ph.D. Research Role: Testing the effect of low glucose on KRAS-mutated POAC cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, to see if MEK inhibition can be utilized as a novel treatment therapy Current Position: Ph.D. program (F22) at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
	Ayana Paul Undergraduate: Duke University Lab Mentor: Ozlem Yilmaz, Ph.D. Research Role: Mechanism for transmission and evasion of immune system in intercellular spread of Porphyromonos gingivolis in mouth Current Position: Ph.D. program (F22) at Emory University
	Kion Winston Undergraduate: Charleston Southern University Lab Mentor: James Otis, Ph.D. Research Role: Alcohol usedisorder and the impact on the prefrontal cortex Current Position: Ph.D. program (F22) atICAHN School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai

2020-21 Scholars

Thelma Amoah

Undergraduate: Ohio State University
Lab Mentor: Daria Ilatovskaya, Ph.D.
Research Role: Effects of atrial natriuretic peptide on mitochondrial bioenergetics in cortical collecting duct cells in the kidney
Current Position: Ph.D. program at VCU, Richmond, VA, Fall 2021

Preston Siegler

Undergraduate: Columbia College
Lab Mentor: James Otis, Ph.D.
Research Role: Opioid use disorder causing the change in brain circuitry leading to increased drug seeking behaviors
Current Position: Ph.D. program at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Guadalupe Sanchez

Undergraduate: College of Charleston
Lab Mentor: Catrina Robinson, Ph.D.
Research Role: Insulin and its effects on Cerebral blood flow in post stroke recovery
Current Position: Ph.D. program at Mayo Clinic, FL, Fall 2021

2019-20 Scholars

	Meagan Branch Undergraduate: Elon University Lab Mentor: Takako Makita, Ph.D. Research Role: Embryonic development Current Position: Ph.D. student at Icahn School of Medicine
	Tiffany Dean Undergraduate: Winston-Salem State University Lab Mentor: Amy Bradshaw, Ph.D. Research Role: SPARC and the heart Current Position: Seeking translational lab job, North Carolina
	Dorian Frazier Undergraduate: University of Maryland - Baltimore Lab Mentor: Carl Atkinson, Ph.D. Research Role: Transplantation Current Position: Ph.D. student at Temple University
	Aunay Miller Undergraduate: Lab Mentor: Adviye Ergul, M.D., Ph.D. Research Role: Sexual dimorphism in stroke Current Position: Ph.D. student at Mayo Clinic - Minneapolis
	Isis Thomas Undergraduate: Saint Augustine's University Lab Mentor: Jeffrey Jones, Ph.D. Research Role: Thoracic Aortic aneurism Current Position: Ph.D. student at University of Alabama - Birmingham
	Christina Wang Undergraduate: Vanderbilt University Lab Mentor: Russell Norris, Ph.D. Research Role: Mitral valve formation Current Position: Ph.D. student at Saint Jude Children's Hospital

2018-19 Scholars

	Victoria Alers Undergraduate: University of South Carolina - Columbia Lab Mentor: Steven Carroll, M.D., Ph.D. Research Role: Global analysis of receptor tyrosine kinase action in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors to identify therapeutic targets Current Position: Ph.D. student at University of Texas Health - San Antonio
	Luis Cofresi Undergraduate: University of Puerto Rico - San Juan Lab Mentor: Heather Boger, Ph.D. Research Role: Examining the efficacy of Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease Current Position: M.D./Ph.D. student at Illinois University - Chicago Medical School
	Alexis Carey Undergraduate: Clark Atlanta University Lab Mentor: Besim Ogretmen, Ph.D. Research Role: Role of Sphingosine 1-phoshate(S1P) in histone modification and regulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cell function Current Position: Ph.D. student at Johns Hopkins University
	Nicolas Shealy Undergraduate: College of Charleston Lab Mentor: Amy Bradshaw, Ph.D. Research Role: Investigating the role of seratonylation in the cardiac micro-environment Current Position: Ph.D. student at Vanderbilt University
	Victoria Solis Undergraduate: Reed College Lab Mentor: Jane Joseph, Ph.D. Research Role: Social skills enhancement using neurostimulation in autism (SSENSA) Current Position: Ph.D. student at University of Texas - Dallas
	Darian Thomas Undergraduate: Clemson University Lab Mentor: Amanda LaRue, Ph.D. Research Role: Role of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in breast cancer and the obesity-associated inflammatory state Current Position: Ph.D. student at Vanderbilt University

2017-18 Scholars

	Roger Grant Undergraduate: College of Charleston Lab Mentor: Andrew Shih, Ph.D. Research Role: Multiphoton imaging of the Organizational hierarchy and structural diversity of microvascular pericytes in adult mouse cortex, published in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism 2017 Jan 1:271678, J Neurosci 2017 Jan 4;37(1):129-140 and Cell Rep. 2018 Jan 2;22(1):8-16. Current Position: Ph.D. student at the Medical University of South Carolina
	Lonzie Hedgepeth Undergraduate: University of North Carolina - Pembroke Lab Mentor: Elizabeth Yeh, Ph.D. Research Role: Investigation of a protein kinase called HUNK and its implication in breast cancer, published in Oncotarget. 2018 Nov 13;9(89):35962-35973 Current Position: Employed at FujiFilm Diosyn Biotechnology
	Sheila Parnell Undergraduate: Austin Peay State University Lab Mentor: Carolyn Jenkins, DrPH, MSN Research Role: Community based participatory research on stroke recovery education, published in PLoS One. 2018 Nov 16;13(11):e0206548 Current Position: Employed at Greenwood Genetics Center in North Charleston, SC
	Valeria Calero Undergraduate: University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Lab Mentor: Carl Atkinson, Ph.D. Research Role: Antibody-associated injury during transplantation, published in Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2018 Dec 20. Current Position: Associate Scientist at Sakura Finetek USA, Inc.
	Daniel Salas Undergraduate: University of Guam Lab Mentor: Chrystal Paulos, Ph.D. Research Role: T Cell differentiation using PI3K inhibition in the development of cancer Current Position: Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
	Erica Williams Undergraduate: Furman University Lab Mentor: Paula Traktman, Ph.D. Research Role: Inhibition of pox virus replication Current Position:Ph.D. student at the University of Arizona.

2016-17 Scholars

	Thibaut Garcia Undergraduate: University of Puerto Rico - San Juan Lab Mentor: Peter Kalivas, Ph.D. Research Role: Endocannabinoid system of the brain within the nucleus accumbens, published in Neuroscience 2018 Sep 12 and J Neurosci 2019 Jan 8 Current Position: Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
	Danielle Chappell Undergraduate: Ohio State University Lab Mentor: Eric Bartee, Ph.D. Research Role: Potential of enhancement of T-cell co-stimulation by myxoma virus in cancer treatment Current Position: Ph.D. student at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
	Korey Smith Undergraduate: Johnson C. Smith University Lab Mentor: Jamie Peters, Ph.D. Research Role: Reward-seeking behavior in rodents when exposed to drugs of abuse Current Position: Pursuing non-science related interests
	Melina Acosta Undergraduate: College of Charleston Lab Mentor: Carmela Reichel, Ph.D. Research Role: Gender-related differences in the effects of oxytocin on reinstatement following heroin self-administration Current Position:Ph.D. student at the University of California - Riverside
	Luis Cardenas Undergraduate: University of South Carolina Lab Mentor: Mark Rubinstein, M.D., and John Wrangle, Ph.D. Research Role: Investigation of the role of IFN-γ during combinational therapy with IL-15/Il-15 Rα complexes and anti-DP-1 mAb in a preclinical model of lung cancer. Current Position:

2015-16 Scholars

	Aissatou Ba Undergraduate: College of Charleston Lab Mentor: Kristin Wallace, Ph.D. Research Role: Platelet to lymphocyte ration, race and overall survival in Patients with colorectal cancer, published in Clin Colorectal Cancer. 2017 Sep;16(3):178-186. Current Position: Ph.D. student at the Medical University of South Carolina
	Austin Gray, Ph.D. Undergraduate: The Citadel Lab Mentor: John Pearce, Ph.D. Research Role: Air Pollution patterns within Communities of Charleston, South Carolina Current Position: Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech in the Global Change Center
	Jessica Patterson Undergraduate: Clemson University Lab Mentor: Antonieta Lavin, Ph.D. Research Role: Testing the effect of fingolimod as a treatment to alleviate social and cognitive deficits in a mouse model of schizophrenia Current Position: Pursuing non-science related interests
	Jada Suber Undergraduate: Presbyterian College Lab Mentor: Chenthamarakshan Vasu, Ph.D. Research Role: The effects of Beta-glucans on beneficial bacteria, published in Clin Exp Allergy. 2018 Nov 1. Current Position:Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

	Maria Cova PREP Year: 2024-25
	Janaia Jackson PREP Year: 2024-25
	Ryan Lacey PREP Year: 2024-2025
	Olivia Lopez PREP Year: 2024-2025
	Jayden Martin PREP Year: 2024-2025
	Meris Privette PREP Year: 2024-2025

PREP Scholars

Current Scholars

Maria Cova

Janaia Jackson

Ryan Lacey

Olivia Lopez

Jayden Martin

Meris Privette

Past Scholars

Dalia Cortez

Zamantha Manalansan-Roberson

Janae McCloud

Matthew Mondragon

Brady Patterson

Jordan Rucker

Kamryn Thomas

Camille Acevedo

Ian Baranyk

Maya Learmonth

Freddie Ortiz

Esteban Castro

Hyland Gonzalez

Deavian Harvin

Amanda Linke

Ayana Paul

Kion Winston

Thelma Amoah

Preston Siegler

Guadalupe Sanchez

Meagan Branch

Tiffany Dean

Dorian Frazier

Aunay Miller

Isis Thomas

Christina Wang

Victoria Alers

Luis Cofresi

Alexis Carey

Nicolas Shealy

Victoria Solis

Darian Thomas

Roger Grant

Lonzie Hedgepeth

Sheila Parnell

Valeria Calero

Daniel Salas

Erica Williams

Thibaut Garcia

Danielle Chappell

Korey Smith

Melina Acosta

Luis Cardenas

Aissatou Ba

Austin Gray, Ph.D.

Jessica Patterson

Jada Suber