The University of Toledo

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Health Science Campus

Block Health Science Building, Room # 209, Mail Stop #1008

3000 Arlington Avenue
Toledo, OH 43614
Phone: 419.383.4182
Fax: 419.383.2871

Graduates of the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Track

Varunkumar Pandey, M.Sc., B.Sc. PhD defense August 28, 2013 Project: The effect of glucocorticoids on regulation of the human angiotensinogen gene and blood pressure. Advisor: Dr. Ashok Kumar E-mail: Varunkumar.Pandey@utoledo.edu
Sumit Ranjan Monu, DVM PhD defense June 13, 2013 Project: Heme oxygenase system in myocardial infarction and post ischemic renal dysfunction. Advisor: Dr. Nader Abraham E-mail: Sumit.Monu@rockets.utoledo.edu Dr. Monu accepted a postdoctoral fellow position in the lab of Dr. Oscar Carretero at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI.
Xiaoliang Qiu PhD defense June 11, 2013 Project: Kiss1 neurons and metabolic sensing. Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Hill E-mail: Xiaoliang.Qiu@rockets.utoledo.edu
Lance Stechschulte PhD defense June 4, 2013 Project: The Co-chaperones FKBP51 and PP5 control nuclear receptor phosphorylation and adipogenesis. Advisor: Dr. Edwin Sanchez E-mail:Lance.Stechschulte@rockets.utoledo.edu
Kristine Angevine PhD defense October 30, 2012 Project: The interaction of endothelial cells and mesenchymal stem cells. Advisor: Dr. Mensah-Osman E-mail: Kristine.Angevine@rockets.utoledo.edu Dr. Angevine is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biological Chemistry at the University of Michigan.
Jean-Yves Tano PhD defense November 2, 2012 Project: The role of TRPC3 channels in macrophage survival: Potential implications in atherogenesis. Advisor: Dr. Guillermo Vazquez E-mail: Jean-Yves.Tano@rockets.utoledo.edu In April 2013, Dr. Tano, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Guillermo Vazquez, was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from the Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation to perform studies at Dr. Maik Gollasch's lab at the Max Delbrueck Center in Berlin for two years.
Leah Wuescher Ph.D. defense November 1, 2012 Project: The role of the menin protein in hepatic metabolism. Advisor: Dr. Mensah-Osman E-mail: Leah.Palladino@rockets.utoledo.edu Dr. Wuescher has joined the UT Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Randall Worth's laboratory.
Qiqi Ye PhD defense May 18, 2012 Project: Regulation of SRC by alpha 1 Na/K-ATPase Advisor: Dr. Zi-Jian Xie E-mail: Qiqi.Ye@rockets.utoledo.edu Dr. Ye will be a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Choi's lab at Yale University, New Haven, CT.
Yanling Yan PhD defense May 25, 2012 Project: Na/K-ATPase signaling mediates renal sodium handling Advisor: Dr. Joseph Shapiro E-mail: Yanling.Yan@utoledo.edu Dr. Yanling accepted a postdoctoral fellow position in Dr. Shapiro's lab at Marshall University, Huntington, WV.
Sumona Ghosh PhD March 16, 2012 Project: A novel role for CEACAM1 in hepatic stellate cell activation in the progression of non-alcoholic steatopepatitis Advisor: Dr. Sonia Najjar (CeDER) E-mail: Sumona.Ghosh@rockets.utoledo.edu
Steven Haller PhD Graduated 2012 Project: Marinobufagenin Induced Uremic Cardiomyopathy: The role of passive immunization, rapamycin, and CD40 signaling in the generation of renal fibrosis Advisor: Dr. Joseph Shapiro E-mail: Steven.Haller@utoledo.edu Dr. Haller is a postdoctoral fellow in the UT Department of Medicine.
Sadeesh Kumar Ramakrishnan PhD March 16, 2012 Project: Dietary fat regulates metabolic and mitogenic effects of insulin Advisor: Dr. Sonia Najjar (CeDER) E-mail: Sadeesh.Ramakrishnan@utoledo.edu
Kathryn Smedlund PhD defense January 20, 2012 Project: The role of TRPC3 channels in the molecular and cellular events associated to atherogenesis Advisor: Dr. Guillermo Vazquez E-mail: Kathryn.Smedlund@rockets.utoledo.edu Dr. Smedlund is a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Guillermo Vazquez, UT Department of Physiology and Pharmacology.
Yeshavanth Banasavadi-Siddegowda Ph.D. defense November 10, 2011 Project: Functional dissection of FKBP38 in the biogenesis of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in the endoplasmic reticulum Advisor: Dr. Xiaodong Wang E-mail: Yeshavanthkumar.BanasavadiSiddegowda@rockets.utoledo.edu
Ashwin Prakash Ph.D. defense November 4, 2011 Project: Evolution and function of compositional patterns in mammalian genomes Advisor: Dr. Alexei Fedorov Advisor: E-mail: Ashwin.Prakash@utoledo.edu
Sima Rahman Ph.D. Graduated 2011 Project: Role of PPARγ2 in Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Lineage Allocation and Regulation of Bone Mass Advisor: Beata Lecka-Czernik, Ph.D. E-mail: Sima.Rahman@rockets.utoledo.edu	picture not available
Vipula Petluru Ph.D. defense June 21, 2011 Project: Selective modulation of PPARγ activities in marrow mesenchymal stem cells and their effects on bone Advisor: Beata Lecka-Czernik, Ph.D. E-mail: Vipula.Petluru@rockets.utoledo.edu
Shuai Dong M.S. Graduated 2011 Project: The Na/K-ATPase/Caveolin-1 Interaction Regulates Cell Growth via a Cholesterol-Dependent Mechanism. Advisor: Zi-Jian Xie, Ph.D. E-Mail: Shuai.Dong@rockets.utoledo.edu
Thomas Bowman Ph.D. Graduated 2010 Project: Hepatic CEACAM1 Protects Against Diet-Induced Obesity Advisor: Sonia Najjar, Ph.D. E-mail: Thomas.Bowman@rockets.utoledo.edu Dr. Bowman will do his post-dcotoral work with Dr. Andrew Greenberg at the Human Nutrition Research Center of Tufts University in Boston.
Garrett Heinrich Ph.D. Graduated 2010 Project: A Role for CEACAM2 in Energy Balance and Peripheral Insulin Action Advisor: Sonia Najjar, Ph.D. E-mail: Garrett.Heinrich@rockets.utoledo.edu Dr. Heinrich is now doing post-doctoral work in the laboratory of Domenico Accili, M.D., in the Dept. of Medicine at Columbia University in New York City.
Terry Hinds Ph.D. Graduated 2010 Project: Fatty Acid and Glucocorticoid Regulation of Lipid Storage and Obesity via Protein Phosphatase 5 Advisor: Edwin Sanchez, Ph.D. E-mail: Terry.Hinds@rockets.utoledo.edu Dr. Hinds, Assistant Professor in research and teaching, is a member of the UT Department of Physiology/Pharmacology.
Kelly Ledford Ph.D. Graduated 2010 Project: The Role of CEACAM1 in Cardiovascular Complications Associated with Metabolic Diseases Advisor: Sonia Najjar, Ph.D. E-mail: Kelly.Ledford@rockets.utoledo.edu
Jehnan Liu M.D., Ph.D. graduated PhD 2010 Project: Correlation Between Visceral Obesity and Cancer Development Advisor: Sonia Najjar, Ph.D. E-mail: Jehnan.Liu@rockets.utoledo.edu
Payal Patel Ph.D. Graduated 2010 Project: Free Fatty Acid Regulation of CEACAM1 Advisor: Sonia Najjar, Ph.D. E-mail: Payal.Patel@rockets.utoledo.edu Dr. Patel has accepted a postdoctoral position in Dr. Jason Kim's lab at University of Massachusetts Medical School.
Gargi Roy Ph.D. Graduated 2010 Project: Sorting Signals, Domain Conformation and Interdomain Interactions in CFTR Misprocessing and Rescue Advisor: Xiaodong Robert Wang, Ph.D. Dr. Roy is doing post-doctoral work with Dr. James Douglas Engel, Ph.D., G. Carl Huber Professor of Developmental Biology, Chair, Cell & Developmental Biology, and Co-Director of the Center for Organogenesis, at the University of Michigan
Rudel Saunders Ph.D. Graduated 2009 Project: Characterization of the Anti-Obesity and Antiadipogenic Effects of the Limonoid Prieurianin Advisor: Khew-Voon Chin, Ph.D. E-mail: Rudel.Saunders@utoledo.edu Dr. Saunders is a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Mark Wooten in the Dept. of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at UT.
Anita Saxena Ph.D. Graduated 2010 Project: Hsp105 Plays an Important Role in the ER Associated Folding and Conformational Maturation of DF508-CFTR Thereby Increasing its Export at the Cell Surface Advisor: Xiaodong Robert Wang, Ph.D. E-mail: Anita.Saxena@rockets.utoledo.edu
Samuel Shepard Ph.D. Graduated 2010 Project: Pattern Formation and Self-Organization in the Human Genome and Other Species Advisor: Alexei Fedorov, Ph.D. E-mail: Samuel.Shepard@utoledo.edu
Maria Szkudlarek Ph.D. Graduated 2010 Project: Transcriptional Regulation of Adipogenesis by Prieurianin Advisor: Khew-Voon Chin, Ph.D. E-mail: Maria.szkudlarek@utoledo.edu
Shadi Zahedi M.S.B.S. Graduated 2010 Advisor: David Giovannucci, Ph.D. E-mail: Shadi.Zahedi@rockets.utoledo.edu