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Masters Students
Ali Imami
Masters Candidate
Project: Modelling Differential Causal Kinase Interaction Networks in Schizophrenia
Advisor: Dr. Robert Smith
Hometown: Multan, Pakistan
Undergraduate University: Nishtar Medical College, University of Health Science
Lahore, Pakistan
ali.imami@utoledo.edu
I received my Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Nishtar Medical
College, Multan. I then did postgraduate training in psychiatry for two years in Multan
as well. I have now joined the Masters Program in Bioinformatics at the University
of Toledo, as a Fulbright Scholar. I am currently part of the Cognitive Disorders
Research Laboratory (CDRL). Currently, I'm responsible of the maintaining the current
RNA Editing Pipeline and developing newer and better ways to call RNA Editing sites.
Hunter Eby
Masters Candidate
Project: Using Text-Mining to enhance ontological analysis
Advisor: Dr. Robert Smith, Dr. Rammohan Shukla
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Undergraduate University: The University of Toledo
hunter.eby@rockets.utoledo.edu
I received my BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry in 2019 from The University
of Toledo. During which time I worked under Dr. Conti studying the effects of cancer
treatment and the effects it had on the progression of oral candidiasis. I then started
my Master program in Bioinformatics at The University of Toledo where I quickly joined
the Cognitive Disorder Research Laboratory (CDRL). My main focus has been looking
at the transcriptional profile of patients with schizophrenia and performing large
scale data analysis. I am also developing software in which I hope to help researchers
find new and unique gene sets with the help of Gene Set Enrichment analysis and Text
mining for hypothesis driving experimentation.
Scott Miruzzi
Masters of Bioinformatics Student
Project: Nuclear Hormone Receptor/RNA-Seq Integration Illustrating Bilirubin as an
Endogenous Hormone
Advisor: Dr. Robert Smith
Hometown: Rochester, MI
Undergraduate University: Michigan State University
scott.miruzzi@rockets.utoledo.edu
I received my BS in Neuroscience in 2016 from Michigan State University. Following,
I did a post-bachelors at Oakland University. I then was accepted into the Neuroscience
PhD program at The University of Toledo. After my first year in the program, I switched
tracked to a Masters in Bioinformatics in The Cognitive Disorders Research Laboratory
(CDRL). I'm currently responsible for integrating a nuclear hormone receptor chip
assessing coregulator recruitment with RNA-Sequencing data in order to provide further
evidence for bilirubin functioning as an endogenous hormone.
Graduate Students, PH.d.
Khaled Alganem
Ph.D. Candidate
Project: TBD
Advisor: Dr. Robert Smith
Hometown:
Undergraduate University: University of Findlay
khaled.alganem@utoledo.edu
I received my BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry in 2017 from The University
of Findlay. I then started the Master's Program in Bioinformatics at The University
of Toledo where I worked on analyzing SNPs distribution across the human genome. In
2018, I switched to The PhD Program in Neuroscience and joined The Cognitive Disorders
Research Laboratory (CDRL). Currently, I'm responsible of the kinome data analysis
as well as developing software to streamline the lab's workflows.
Abdul-rizaq Hamoud
Ph.D. Candidate
Project: Repurposing Antipsychotics
Advisor: Dr. Robert Smith
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Undergraduate University: The Ohio State University
Abdul-rizaq.hamoud@rockets.utoledo.edu
I received my BS in Biology in 2016 from The Ohio State University. I then started
the Master's Program in Biomedical Sciences at The University of Toledo where I worked
on Bilirubin derivatives in enterohepatic circulation and its role in regulating the
gut microbiota. In 2018, I began my Doctoral studies in Neuroscience and Neurological
Disorders and joined The Cognitive Disorders Research Laboratory (CDRL) with Dr. McCullumsmith.
Currently I am working on a project utilizing bioinformatics databases to determine
antipsychotics that can be repurposed to treat other diseases. Additionally, I'm working
on examining the role of various nutrient sensing Kinases in postmortem tissue of
patients with schizophrenia.
Nicholas D. Henkel
M.D.-Ph.D Candidate
Project: TBD
Advisor: Dr. Robert Smith
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Undergraduate University: Miami University
nicholas.henkel@rockets.utoledo.edu
Nicholas graduate from Miami University in 2016 with a degree in Zoology and Neuroscience.
He worked under Dr. Lori Isaacson, Ph.D. as an Undergraduate Student and A Laboratory
Technician. There, he studied glial plasticity in the intermediolateral cell column
of spinal cord after sympathetic axotomy. He worked specifically on oligodendrocyte-astrocyte
communication and glial proliferation. Likewise, he studied the impact of attenuating
microglial activation on long-term plasticity after injury.
He is a first-year Graduate Student in the MD-PhD Program at The University of Toledo
College of Medicine and Life Sciences. In the Cognitive Disorders Research Laboratory,
he is currently studying alterations in nutrient sensing by AMPK and AKT in Alzheimer's
Dementia and Schizophrenia.
Rawan Alnafisah
Ph.D. Candidate
Project: The Role of Nitric Oxide in Schizophrenia
Advisor: Dr. Robert Smith
Hometown: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Undergraduate University: King Saud University.
rawan.alnafisah@rockets.utoledo.edu
I received my BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2014 from King Saud University. In
2018, I earned my Master's in Pharmacology and Toxicology at The University of Toledo
where I studied the involvement of cytoskeletal protein drebrin in microglial activation
and inflammation. In 2018, I started my doctoral studies in Neurosciences and Neurological
Disorders and joined the Cognitive Disorders Research Laboratory (CDRL). Currently,
I'm studying the effect of nitric oxide overexpression on synaptic proteome in schizophrenia
pathophysiology.
Nicole A. Bell
Predoctoral Graduate Assistant
Project: TBD
Advisor: Dr. Giovannucci
Hometown: Montague, NJ
Undergraduate University: Wagner College
nicole.bell4@rockets.utoledo.edu
I received my BS in Microbiology with a minor in Chemistry in 2017 from Wagner College.
I then graduate with my Master's Degree in Microbiology from Wagner College in 2019,
where I worked on establishing a tissue culture model for studying traumatic brain
injury. In the fall of 2019, I began a PhD Program in Neuroscience and currently I
am working on academics as a first year PhD student.
Justin Creeden
MD-PhD Candidate
Project: The mechanism by which cardiac glycosides, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors,
and antihyperglycemic drung combinations act as anticancer therapeutics
Advisor: Dr. Robert Smith
Hometown: Middleboro, MA
Undergraduate University: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
justin.creeden@rockets.utoledo.edu
As an undergraduate, I attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. There, i received
a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction from the College of Literature, Science
& the Arts, High Honors in Anthropology (major), Biochemistry (minor), and two years
of classical training in Acting at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Additionally,
I completed an interdisciplinary research fellowship sponsored by the University of
Michigan Honors Program. After graduating, I performed neuropsychiatric research in
the Morrow lab at UM before serving as the Clinical Research Manager at a spine and
brain surgery practice in the greater Detroit area. I am a dual degree student at
the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences and I am currently
in my 4th year of MD-PhD training (2nd year of PhD training). I perform clinical trial
research and basic science research in collaboration with the Department of Internal
Medicine, the Department of Cell and Cancer Biology, and the Department of Neurosciences
with Dr. Robert Smith serving as my primary mentor and chief advisor.
Recent Graduates
Amanda Blaker
Ph.D. candidate
Project: Neurochemical Consequences of Alcohol and Methamphetamine
Advisor: Dr. Bryan Yamamoto
Hometown: Farmington, Michigan
Undergraduate University: Albion College, Albion MI
Amanda.Blaker@rockets.utoledo.edu
I received my BA in Psychology from Albion College in 2012, with a minor in Cellular
& Molecular Biology and a concentration in Neuroscience. My dissertation research
currently focuses on the neurochemical consequences of co-morbid drug abuse, specifically
methamphetamine and alcohol. I am interested in identifying a role for inflammation
in mediating adverse effects in the brain after exposure to these drugs. Outside of
the lab, I enjoy cooking, hiking, and music.
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