Our Alumni
Discovery PREP started at The Ohio State University in 2010. After completing the PREP program, these scholars have moved on to do great things. Past Discovery PREP scholars have gone on to graduate school at institutions such as Dartmouth College, Georgetown University, Case Western Reserve University, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and the University of Pennsylvania. Many of our past scholars have also stayed in Columbus to join one of the many Graduate Programs here at The Ohio State University, including the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program and the Neuroscience Graduate Program. PREP Scholars have then gone on to hold prestigious postdoctoral research positions at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and The Ohio State University. OSU PREP scholars have published their research as first authors in journals such as: Neuroinflammation, Neuroscience, Brain Research, Science Reports, Protein Expression and Purification, Wiley Interdisciplinary Review: RNA and Free Radical Biology & Medicine. Below you will meet several of these scholars and read about their achievements.
2022-2023
(Top Row, L. to R.) Co-Director Dr. Candice Askwith, Kiara Bahamonde, Brianna Gardner
(Bottom Row, L. to R.) Sara Justiniano, Lisbeth Disla, Co-Director Dr. Erica Glasper
Kiara Bahamonde
Undergraduate Institution: University of Dayton
PREP Project: Therapy to improve cognitive recovery following traumatic brain injury combined with hemorrhagic shock
P.I.: Dr. Paco Herson
Position Directly After PREP: Neuroscience Graduate Program (PhD), The Ohio State University
Lisbeth Disla
Undergraduate Institution: The College of New Jersey
PREP Project: Interferon-lambda modulates dendritic cell IL-10 production and CD8 T cell immunity during influenza A virus infection
P.I.: Dr. Emily Hemann
Position Directly After PREP: Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Graduate Program (PhD), Duke University
Sara Justiniano
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
PREP Project: Examining the Consequences of losing Chitinase Function in Histoplasma capsulatum
P.I.: Dr. Chad Rappleye
Position Directly After PREP: Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (PhD), The Ohio State University
2021-2022
(Top Row, L. to R.) Gisselle Prida Ajo, Yulian Mercado, Andrew Karp
(Bottom Row, L. to R.) Love Moore, Paola Acosta-Crespo, Deborah Olagbenro
Paola Acosta-Crespo
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
PREP Project: Novel targets to limit inflammation associated with multiple sclerosis
P.I.: Dr. Mireia Guerau
Position Directly After PREP: In progress
Andrew Karp
Undergraduate Institution: Trinity University (San Antonio, TX)
PREP Project: ERK5 Activity is Required for Mucosal Antiviral Responses
P.I.: Dr. Adriana Forero
Position Directly After PREP: Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Pre-doc trainee (PhD), Washington University in St. Louis, MI
Yulian Mercado
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
PREP Project: Molecular mechanisms of pain suppression in cutaneous Leishmania
P.I.: Dr. Abhay Satoskar
Position Directly After PREP: Biological Sciences in Public Health Graduate Program (PhD), Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Love Moore
Undergraduate Institution: Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
PREP Project: Role of IL17A in asthma
P.I.: Dr. Rodney Britt
Position Directly After PREP: Graduate Group of Immunology (PhD), University of California, Davis
Deborah Olagbenro
Undergraduate Institution: The Ohio State University
PREP Project: Regulatory Mechanisms of TRPM2 in Microglial Cells
P.I.: Dr. Santiago Partida-Sanchez
Position Directly After PREP: Continuing work in the Partida-Sanchez lab at Nationwide Children's
Gisselle Prida Ajo
Undergraduate Institution: Florida International University
PREP Project: Mitosis Phase-Specific Degradation Signal in BRCA1
P.I.: Dr. Jeffrey Parvin
Position Directly After PREP: Biological and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (PhD), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
2020-2021
(Left to right) Nashalí Massa, Nahara Vargas Maldonado, David Akanonu, Erika Mendoza Mendoza, and Rodnie Colón-Ortiz
David Akanonu
Undergraduate Institution: SUNY Geneseo, with a B.A. in Biology
PREP Project: Role of EZH2 in Mueller Gial Progenitor Cell production
P.I.: Dr. Andy Fischer
Position Directly After PREP: Program in Biomedical Sciences (PhD), University of Michigan
Rodnie Colón-Ortiz
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Cayey with a B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: The impact of SCI on Proliferation of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells
P.I.: Dr. Dana McTigue
Position Directly After PREP: Neuroscience Graduate Program (PhD), Johns Hopkins
Nashalí Massa
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras with a B.S. in Psychology
PREP Project: High Fat Diet and Gut Inflammation
P.I.: Dr. Ruth Barrientos
Position Directly After PREP: Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience (PhD), Mayo Clinic
Erika Mendoza Mendoza
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla with a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences
PREP Project: BRCA1 Variant Protein Stability
P.I.: Dr. Jeffrey Parvin
Position Directly After PREP: Cancer and Cell Biology Program at Baylor College of Medicine (PhD), Baylor
Nahara Vargas Maldonado
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla Campus with a B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: Viral Tropism on Influenza Infection of the Heart
P.I.: Dr. Jacob Yount
Position Directly After PREP: Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis Graduate Program (PhD), Emory
2019-2020
Bryce White
Undergraduate Institution: North Carolina A&T State University, B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: Performed cardiac physiology research in the Bob and Corrine Frick Center for Heart Failure and Arrhythmia
P.I.: Dr. Sakima Smith
Position Directly after PREP: PhD program in Pharmacology at Georgetown University
Dayron Levya Rodriguez
Undergraduate Institution: Niagara University, B.S Biology
PREP Project: Designed molecular laboratory experiments to clarify Ibrutinib’s pathway in cardiomyocytes which account for its side effects on the heart.
P.I.: Dr. Sakima Smith
Position Directly after PREP: Biomedical Sciences PhD program at the University of Buffalo
Gina Torres Matias
Undergraduate Institution: Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, B.S. Biomedical Sciences & Biotechnology
PREP Project: Calcium cycling proteins and heart failure
P.I.: Dr. Paul Janssen
Position Directly after PREP: Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (PhD) at The Ohio State University
Summer Fair
Undergraduate Institution: The Ohio State University, B.S. Neuroscience
PREP Project: Investigated the development of the neonatal cerebral cortex and the neurodevelopmental pathogenesis of various disorders, including epilepsy, neonatal abstinence syndrome and autism spectrum disorder, in human-derived models.
P.I.: Dr. Mark Hester
Position Directly after PREP: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Research Technician, applying to MD/PhD programs
Valerie Rodriguez
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico, B.S. Biomedical Sciences
PREP Project: Susceptibility of the placenta to Listeria infection
P.I.: Dr. Stephanie Seveau
Position Directly after PREP: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School PhD program in Biomedical Sciences
2018-2019
(Left to right) Wissam Osman, Emily Arzola, Juwan Copeland, and Sophia Villere
Emily Arzola
Undergraduate Institution: Texas State University – San Marcos, B.S. in Psychology
PREP Project: Study of mitochondrial occupancy in astrocytes and neurons in vivo
P.I.: Dr. Min Zhou
Position Directly after PREP: PhD program at Case Western University
Juwan Copeland
Undergraduate Institution: The Ohio State University, B.S. in Biochemistry
PREP Project: Optimized the knockdown of DUX4 for therapeutic benefit
P.I.: Dr. Scott Harper
Position Directly after PREP: PhD program in Biomedical Sciences at Baylor University
Sophia Villere
Undergraduate Institution: CUNY Medgar Evers College, B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: Studied synaptogenesis in the zebrafish model by focusing on Mauthner neurons and primary motor neurons.
P.I.: Dr. James Jontes
Position Directly after PREP: PhD program in Biomedical Sciences (Neuroscience specialization) at the University of Pennsylvania
Wissam Osman
Undergraduate Institution: The Ohio State University, B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences
PREP Project: Used PRMT5 to predict the clinical signs in Multiple Sclerosis
P.I.: Dr. Mireia Guerau-deArellano
Position Directly after PREP: Research Assistant at The Ohio State University, preparing applications to MD/PhD programs
2017-2018
(Left to right) Ivan Santiago, Ana Capati, Mariame Diabate, Nina Moore, Jorge Santini
Ana Capati
Undergraduate Institution: University of Guam – Yigo, B.S. in BiologyPREP Project: Role of MG53 autoantibodies in inflammatory myopathy
P.I.: Dr. Noah Weisleder
Position Directly after PREP: PhD program at the University of Florida
Ivan Santiago Marrero
Undergraduate Institution: Univ of Puerto Rico – Humacao, B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: Role of primary cilia in GPCR signaling in neurons
P.I.: Dr. Kirk Mykytyn
Position Directly after PREP: Biomedical Scientist Graduate Student (PhD) Case Western Reserve University
Jorge Santini
Undergraduate Institution: Univ of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez, B.S. in Industrial Biotechnology
PREP Project: Biophysical mechanisms of human heart failure
P.I.: Dr. Paul Janssen
Position Directly after PREP: Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student (PhD) at the University of Florida
Mariame Diabate
Undergraduate Institution: The Ohio State University, B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: Bioinformatic approaches to analysis of BRCA1 mutations
P.I.: Dr. Jeffrey Parvin
Position Directly after PREP: Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (PhD) at The Ohio State University
Nina Moore
Undergraduate Institution: DePauw University, B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: Molecular explanations of the connection between Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis
P.I.: Dr. Amy Lovett-Racke
Position Directly after PREP: Chemical and Biological Sciences Graduate Program (PhD) at the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla
2016-2017
2016-2017 Cohort
Amelia Cephas
Undergraduate Institution: Florida Atlantic University, B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavior
PREP Project: The role of maternal diabetes in congenital heart defects
P.I.: Dr. Vidu Garg
Position Directly after PREP: Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (PhD) at The Ohio State University
Diana Mukweyi
Undergraduate Institution: Southern Arkansas University, B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: Developing a mouse model of Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD)
P.I.: Dr. Scott Harper
Position Directly after PREP: Research Intern, The Ohio State University. Preparing applications for MD/PhD programs
Jenny Resiliac
Undergraduate Institution: Concordia College – New York, B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: The role of the microbiota and stress in colitis and behavior
P.I.: Dr. Michael Bailey
Position Directly after PREP: Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (PhD) at The Ohio State University
Juan Mercado del Valle
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras campus, B.S. in Molecular Biology
PREP Project: Novel effects of psalmotoxin on acid sensing ion channels
P.I.: Dr. Candice Askwith
Position Directly after PREP: Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program, Dartmouth (PhD)
Pedro Marte-Ortiz
Undergraduate Institution: Inter-American University of Puerto Rico - San German campus, B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: Analysis of the role of novel BRCA1 mutations on DNA binding
P.I.: Dr. Jeffrey Parvin
Position Directly after PREP: Research Assistant, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus Ohio
2015-2016
Michelle Jaldin
Undergraduate Institution: Trinity Washington University, B.S. in Biology
PREP Project: BRCA1 mutations and novel protein-protein interactions
P.I.: Dr. Jeffrey Parvin
Position Directly after PREP: Clinical Research Assistant at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Murtha Cancer Center
Sonam Lhamo
Undergraduate Institution: University of California - Santa Cruz, B.S. in Human Biology
PREP Project: Study of Proteins interacting with Acid Sensing Ion Channels
P.I.: Dr. Candice Askwith
Position Directly after PREP: Stem Cell Technician at Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
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