People

The M.D./Ph.D. program at the University of Toledo on the Health Science Campus consists of a diverse group of excellent students, faculty, staff, and alumni. These people are the foundation of our program. We are proud of everyone who contributes to the M.D./Ph.D. program.

The content of this page includes information on the students of the M.D./Ph.D. program, the faculty and staff of the M.D./Ph.D. program, and alumni of the M.D./Ph.D. program.

The Students of the M.D./Ph.D Program

The students of the M.D./Ph.D. program are highly qualified and talented students with interests both in clinical medicine and medical science research. Our students play an active role in the program through participation in numerous events and activities held throughout the year.

Hallie Dolin
Research Project: "Retinoic acid as a down regulator of native inflammatory pathways is a potential novel sepsis treatment"
Advisor and Track: Kevin Pan, M.D., Ph.D.; Infection, Immunity, and Transplantation
Hometown: Bexley, OH
Undergraduate School and Major: Case Western Reserve University; English and Science

Robin Su
Research Project: "Assessment of Injury Markers in the Setting of Microcystin Toxicity"
Advisor and Track: David Kennedy, Ph.D.; Molecular Medicine
Hometown: Hudson, OH
Undergraduate School and Major: Cleveland Institute of Music, Violin Performance

Darren Gordon
Research Project: "Glucocortcoid Receptor Isoforms in Mouse Brain"
Advisor and Track: Terry Hinds, Ph.D.; Molecular Medicine
Hometown: Detroit, MI
Undergraduate School and Major: University of Michigan; Movement Science

Justin Creeden
Research Project: "Determining the Role of the Novel PDX1-BIRC5 Axis in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma"
Advisor and Track: Robert Smith, M.D., Ph.D.; Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders, Surgery
Hometown: Middleboro, MA
Undergraduate School and Major: University of Michigan; Cultural Anthropology

Sara Moore
Research Project: "Implications for Properdin, a Complement Regulatory Protein, in Rheumatoid Arthritis"
Advisor and Track: Viviana Ferreira, D.V.M., Ph.D.; Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Hometown: Cranston, RI
Undergraduate School and Major: Rhode Island College; Biology

Kathryn Becker

Kathryn Becker
Research Project: "The Role of mDia Formins in Glioblastoma Therapy Resistance"
Advisor and Track: Kathryn Eisenmann, Ph.D.; Cell and Cancer Biology
Hometown: Aurora, OH
Undergraduate School and Major: University of Michigan; Anthropology

Nicholas Henkel
Research Project: "Developing strategies to improve cognition in Alzheimer's Disease by assessing protein kinase networks"
Advisor and Track: Robert Smith, M.D., Ph.D.; Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Undergraduate School and Major: Miami University; Zoology & Neuroscience

Justin Franco
Research Project: "An examination of the antiviral properties of Retinoic Acid (RA) treatment during coronavirus infection"
Advisor and Track: Kevin Pan, M.D., Ph.D.; Medical Microbiology & Immunology
Hometown: Miami, FL
Undergraduate School and Major: Florida International University ; Biomedical Engineering

Shumin Fan
Research Project: "Regulation of virus-induced inflammation"
Advisor and Track: Saurabh Chattopadhyay, Ph.D. Medical Microbiology & Immunology
Hometown: East Canton, OH
Undergraduate School & Major: The Ohio State University, Accounting; Sullivan University, Information Technology

Justin Davis
Research Project: TBD
Advisor and Track: Molecular Medicine
Hometown: Bowling Green, OH
Undergraduate School & Major: University of Michigan; Neuroscience

Smita Sahay
Research Project: TBD
Advisor and Track: Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Undergraduate school and major: University of California San Diego; Bioengineering, Bioinformatics

Hunter Eby
Research Project: TBD
Advisor and Track: Bioinformatics, Proteomics, & Genomics
Hometown: Pickerington, OH
Undergraduate school and major: University of Toledo; Biology, Bioinformatics

Ahmad Hegazi
Research Project: TBD
Advisor and Track: Cell and Cancer Biology
Hometown: Dublin, OH
Undergraduate school and major: The Ohio State University; Genetics

David Jaramillo
Research Project: TBD
Advisor and Track: Neuroscience & Neurological Disorders
Hometown: Cambridge, MA
Undergraduate school and major: Williams College; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Emily Otmanowski
Research Project: TBD
Advisor and Track: Molecular Medicine
Hometown: Carbondale, IL
Undergraduate school and major: University of Pittsburg; Psychology & Neuroscience

Caroline Swain
Research Project: TBD
Advisor and Track: Neuroscience & Neurological Disorders
Hometown: Washington, DC
Undergraduate school and major: The Ohio State University; Neuroscience

The Alumni of the M.D./Ph.D. Program

Recent M.D./Ph.D. graduates from UToledo have entered highly competitive residencies, and a few have gone on to distinguished academic careers at such institutions as Henry Ford Health System, Johns Hopkins and Harvard Medical School. Thirty M.D./Ph.D. dual degrees have been awarded since the first student graduated in 1992.

Alumni and friends of the M.D./Ph.D. program of the University of Toledo are encouraged to participate in the University of Toledo Alumni Association, which focuses on developing and implementing ways to keep our graduates in touch with each other as well as their alma mater.

The M.D./Ph.D. program also welcomes and encourages alumni to participate in current M.D./Ph.D. program affairs as well as provide suggestions and services. If an alumnus would like to meet with or speak to current M.D./Ph.D. students, perhaps to share their insights and experiences as a dual-degree holder, s/he should email Dr. Jaume (juan.jaume@utoledo.edu).