I was raised in Columbus, Georgia and moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of North Florida. In 2018, I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a concentration in Biomedical Sciences. During my undergraduate studies, I discovered my passion for research in a Molecular and Cellular Biology Lab by studying the effects of the drug Taxol on a cancerous cell line. To further my research experience, I sought out a lab assistant position to investigate liver regeneration at The Mayo Clinic with Dr. Fatima Rehman. Following this internship, I worked under the guidance of Dr. Judith Ochrietor at the University of North Florida for a senior seminar research project. The project involved studying sex differences in mouse olfaction by measuring gene expression of the Basigin subset of the immunoglobulin superfamily in the olfactory bulb. After graduation, I matriculated into the Master of Science program in Molecular Biology at the University of North Florida under the continued guidance of Dr. Ochrietor. My thesis research entailed investigating the role of the cell adhesion molecule Basigin in the immune response within the retina. Moving forward, I would like to remain focused on cell signaling and its regulatory role of inflammation. I have a desire to study cellular interactions in different models of disease, specifically how cellular processes are regulated. I am intrigued by translational research centered around immunotherapy of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and antivirals. I strive to conduct research that has a large-scale impact on patient care.

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. I attended the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico where I graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science and Biotechnology. During my undergrad I had my first research experience in Dr Mateo’s lab. My project on this lab focused on the impacts of excessive consumption of the natural sweetener Stevia in the development and cognitive functions of C. elegans. I moved to Ohio in June 2019 to join the Discovery Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program at The Ohio State University. Through this program, in Dr Paul Janssen’s lab, I had the opportunity to work in a project that is focused on the quantification of calcium cycling proteins expression in human heart failure to detect if there are correlations between protein expression and excitation-contraction coupling impairment in different cardiomyopathies. These research experiences have fueled my desire to further develop my education in biomedical sciences research and continue to a career on this field. My research interests are extensive, but I am particularly interested in physiology and translational research. I am excited to pursue these interests and further my training as a researcher with the mentoring and education offered at The Ohio State University.

I was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. I attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NCA&T) in Greensboro, NC. Where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry in Spring 2021. My first research experience was a 5-week summer program following my freshman year. The Sophomore Immersion Program in Research and Academics (SIPRA), at North Carolina A&T in 2018. Because of this experience, I became certain of my desire to pursue scientific research as a career. While in SIPRA, I worked on a project under the mentorship of Misty Thomas, PhD that aimed to understand the mechanism of silver resistance in Escherichia Coli. After successful completion of the program, I was then invited to continue to work in the Thomas Lab for the remainder of my academic career. I also participated in the Summer Research Opportunities Program at The University of Michigan where I conducted research with Dr. Chritiane Wobus where I worked to establish in vivo and in vitro replication models for the Human Astrovirus by use of small animal models and human intestinal enteroids (HIEs). The opportunity to participate in these research experiences have played an integral role in shaping my future career plans. I look forward to my training here at The Ohio State University and developing into a biomedical researcher.

I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and earned a B.S. in Biochemistry from Baylor University in May 2017. After having worked in clinical neurology and wetlands filtration research in undergrad, I took a gap year to build my skills in immunology research at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. There I worked in the lab of Dr. Stephen Waggoner in the Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology. I studied natural killer cells in various murine and human contexts, mainly looking at their cytoxicity and migration into lymphatic tissue causing subsequent regulation of T and B cells during viral infection. Two other related projects I worked on included one using ChIP-seq on NK-like cell lines to understand risk loci associated with the transcription factor PU.1/SPI1 that cause a significantly increased risk of IBD and lupus and the other engineering CAR NKs targeting CD4 T cells in lupus patients. At OSU, I am interested in pursuing research that involves a combination of immunology, infectious disease, and zoonotic disease in a way that can translate into therapeutics for poverty-related diseases. I am excited to get the best training I can from my mentors and peers in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program and look forward to developing my skills these next few years

Mark Vater is a Cincinnati, Ohio native holding a BS degree in biology and environmental science from Northern Kentucky University, and a MS degree in biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. He has educational and professional experience in toxicology, epidemiology, statistics and bioinformatics. His research interests include building statistical and computational tools for prediction and treatment of complex diseases including cancers, neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases.

I was born and raised in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico. I obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at the University of Turabo at Gurabo, Puerto Rico. I worked under Dr. Sharon Cantrell’s mentorship for my last two years as an undergraduate on an NSF-LTER5 sponsored project, analyzing the effect of canopy opening and debris deposition on microbial diversity in green litter and soil. As an undergraduate researcher, this experience gave me the basic skills to do science. In 2016 I carried out a summer internship for one month at Barnard College at Columbia University in New York, under the supervision of Dr. Krista L. McGuire. We ran PCRs and agarose gels before Illumina sequencing for fungi and bacteria analysis in soil and litter samples. These experiences encouraged me to begin a Master of Science in Biotechnology in 2017 at PUCPR. I worked in an NIH funded project under the mentorship of Dr. Appleyard as a Research Technician at Ponce Health Sciences University-Ponce Research Institute, while completing my master’s degree. We subjected an endometriosis rat model to a controlled exercise protocol (voluntary wheel running) and examining its impact on the pathology of the disease under stress and non-stress conditions. I am interested in working in physiology, immunology and pharmacology-related biomedical fields, especially in the pathology of chronic inflammatory conditions and compromised immune systems. My goal is to work towards improvement of current treatments for health disparities by collaborating with experts in different fields.

I was born in Corvallis, OR, but soon moved to Simsbury, CT. I graduated from The University of Connecticut with a dual degree in Spanish and Structural Biology/Biophysics. I worked in two labs during my time at UCONN. The first focused cancer genetics. There I was a part of a pathway analysis project to categorize cancer patients and predict their outcomes based on RNA seq data from their tumors. In my other lab, I performed statistical analysis to study the microbiome. My projects with this group were diverse, ranging from placental samples from twins to oral samples from pediatric patients. I’m excited to learn more advanced computational techniques at OSU. My goal in my PhD is to study new applications for computers in healthcare.

I am Delaney Villarreal. I am originally from Omaha, Nebraska and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I obtained my BS in Microbiology. My current research interests focus on immunological responses and its various applications.

I was born and raised in Rochester, Minnesota, which is roughly an hour drive south of Minneapolis/St. Paul and home to the Mayo Clinic. I attended the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, where I studied biochemistry and biology, and will earn my Bachelor of Science degree in May 2017. In August 2015, I began work in the research lab of Dr. Nadia Carmosini, aiding her work with a major emphasis in environmental chemistry. Our most recent project has involved evaluating physical and chemical soil properties as potential risk factors in the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in localized regions of southern Wisconsin. Also during my time at UW-L, I had the pleasure of holding an internship position at Pharmaceutical Specialties Inc., a local company responsible for the production of VanicreamTM brand skin care products. I am very excited for the opportunity to share my unique experiences from such wide varieties of scientific fields with the talented faculty and students in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. The combined exposure to biochemical and analytical research at UW-L has sparked my interest in further pursuing an education in the field of immunology, particularly the combined study of the immune system and cancer biology.

I was born and raised in Columbia, Mo. I attended the University of Pennsylvania for undergrad, where I was a member of the Vagelos Scholars in Molecular Life Sciences. I graduated in 2016 with a double major in biochemistry and biology, as well as a master’s degree in chemistry. My interest in research began when I was in high school, where I worked in a lab at the University of Missouri’s Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology for four years doing research on ischemia reperfusion injury. At Penn, my interest shifted to lung cancer, more specifically the role the retinoblastoma protein pathway plays in tumorigenesis and whether it would prove to be a target for therapy. I thoroughly enjoyed utilizing molecular tools such as the CRISPR/Cas9 system to study the intricacies of the retinoblastoma protein pathway and the role each component plays in promoting tumorigenesis and metastases, but also wanted to see real-world applications in patients. My goal for my education is to learn what it means to be a physician-scientist that integrates the fields of research and medicine. Currently, my research focuses on small cell lung cancer and investigating new targeted therapeutics. When I’m not doing schoolwork or research, I enjoy cooking, hiking, games, tennis and generally doing nothing.

I am from Cleveland, TN. I attended Maryville College in Maryville, TN and will graduate in May 2021 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry with a minor in Psychology. I will be moving to Columbus in June 2021, and will be joining the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program in June as well. While at Maryville College, I researched blood protein interactions with the anticoagulant drug heparin. Our research focused on understanding the protein-protein interactions in the coagulation cascade, as well as protein-heparin interactions in order to develop a better understanding of the adverse reactions that are seen in patients who receive heparin treatment. My current research interests include protein interactions, microbiology, and immunology. Specifically, I am interested in how research in those fields can be translated for direct medical applications.

I was born, raised, and still call home the small town of Wooster, Ohio. For my undergraduate degree, I attended Cedarville University, just outside of Dayton. Here, I received my B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology with minors in Bioethics, Spanish, and Bible. Though I originally pursued clinical medicine, after exposure to various labs I found that research was what I loved. Under the guidance of Dr. Kaleb Pauley, my undergraduate research focused on characterizing the effects of aging on the THP-1 human monocytic cell line. During my undergraduate studies, I received the NASA-Ohio Space Grant Consortium Scholarship for which I did an independent study in immunology.  I also obtained my state and national EMT certifications.

When school was not in session, I worked as an intern at a Contract Research Organization, Charles River Laboratories. At Charles River, I worked in the Immunotoxicology Department to identify the possible effects of various compounds on the immune system. It was these combined academic, industry, and healthcare experiences that led me to pursue advanced training in biomedical research. The BSGP program gives me the opportunity to pursue my interest in applying academic knowledge and research with the hope that our findings may one day change lives. I am very excited to continue my education under the guidance of the world-class faculty at OSU.

I was born and raised in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, just outside of Milwaukee. I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Microbiology with a minor in Global Health in May of 2016. While completing my undergraduate degree I became interested in the field of immunology. After completing my studies I was fortunate enough to be offered a position at the Clinical Immunodiagnostic and Research laboratory at the Medical College of Wisconsin under the supervision of Dr. James Verbsky and Dr. Jack Routes. This position gave me the opportunity to learn about lymphoproliferative disorders in patients with primary immunodeficiencies. I then took a position in the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology at the University of California- Los Angeles under the direction of Dr. Michael Irwin. The research experience that I gained working there has been extremely advantageous because of the interdisciplinary nature of psychoneuroimmunology and exposure to a clinical research setting. Through my experiences I have an interest in pursuing research in immunology and cancer biology. I am eager to be joining the scientific community here at The Ohio State University.

I am from Cincinnati, Ohio, and moved to Columbus to attend Ohio State for a Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering Degree in 2012. While here, I worked to obtain a strong background in biology and computer programming, taking unrequired courses such as Microbiology, Pharmacology, and Modeling and Simulation. Shortly before graduation, I was hired as a Research Assistant in the Jayajit Das Lab at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I have worked here since graduation in 2016, utilizing computer modeling techniques to study biological systems. One project I’ve worked on has been to build a software package to determine single-cell signaling kinetics that arise from Natural Killer cell activation from time-stamped Mass Cytometry (CyTOF) data. I’ve also been building a mathematical model to describe Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection in vivo in cotton rats. My interests and skills lead me towards applying computational techniques to study complex biological systems, in particular immune system and viral dynamics, and I look forward to improving these skills during my time at Ohio State.

I was born in Pullman, Washington and lived in San Diego before I moved to Ames, Iowa where I was raised a Cyclone. I stayed in Ames during my undergraduate studies to attend Iowa State University where I will receive my BS in Microbiology in 2020 with a minor in Emerging Global Disease. I was able to be involved in the ISU Undergraduate Microbiology Club where I served as treasurer. My undergraduate research consists of studying protein-structure function of diterpene synthases in Dr. Reuben Peters’ lab. Mutating the bulky aromatic residues in the active sites of these diterpene synthases may increase the diversity of their diterpenoid natural product portfolio. With a strong background in microbiology and biochemistry, I am excited to shift my research focus to biomedically-focused questions and translational research at The Ohio State University.

I pursued a Bachelor’s of Science in Biomedical Sciences at Morehead State University, in Eastern Kentucky, graduating in May of 2015. I was a member of the George M. Luckey Jr. Academic Honors Program, which challenged me to be critically thinking, service minded, and well rounded. As a requirement for this scholarship, I began undergraduate research my freshman year with Dr. Janelle Hare, working on a DNA damage response mechanism in the bacterial genus Acinetobacter. This experience not only opened my eyes to research but gave me a passion for research. My four years as an undergraduate researcher and my interest in human medicine motivated me to pursue a career in medical research. I am excited for the opportunities The Ohio State University will provide for my Ph.D. training.

As an undergraduate I attended The Ohio State University, where I majored in Animal Sciences with a biological sciences specialization. As a senior I began working for Dr. Kichoon Lee in a functional genomics lab, using quail as a model species. After I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in 2016, I began a master’s program with Dr. Lee in the Animal Sciences department. My research focused on the identification of tissue specific genes and improving animal production through the use of these genes and transgenic technology. This work and experience is what motivated me to continue my education further through the Biomedical Science graduate program at The Ohio State University.

I am from Dalian, Liaoning, China. I attended Reed College in Portland in August 2016 and transferred to the Ohio State University in January 2019. I will graduate in May 2021 with my Bachelor's of Science in Computer and Information Science. I joined Dr.Gao’s lab during my senior year. Our work is about deep learning and computer vision. We utilized machine learning for complex human diseases, such as glaucoma and Alzheimer’s. I gained very useful presentation abilities through regular lab and programmatic presentation opportunities. I will continue to do research in Dr.Gao's lab this summer. My personal research interests are using artificial intelligence to understand and prevent complex diseases.

I am an incoming graduate student seeking a philosophical doctorate in biomedical sciences with interests in immunology, and cellular/molecular physiology. I was born in Buffalo, New York, and then moved to Holly Springs, North Carolina at 11 years old. I later attended college at East Carolina University, earning a Bachelor of Science in engineering with a concentration in biomedical engineering. During my time as an undergraduate student I met Dr. Kymberly Gowdy who enticed me to pursue a graduate education. I continued my work in Dr. Gowdy’s laboratory to earn a Master of Science in biomedical engineering. While earning my Masters, I studied the role of a cholesterol transporter named high-density lipoprotein in the pulmonary immune system. With my work, I demonstrated that high-density lipoprotein can be supplemented into the circulatory system to protect the lungs from injury by dampening the pulmonary acute inflammatory response. After earning my Masters, I worked as a Research Associate at Lovelace Biomedical for two years, gaining experience managing pre-clinical research. I am now joining Dr. Gowdy’s laboratory once again at Ohio State University to earn a philosophical doctorate, enabling me to further elucidate the mechanisms of pulmonary immunology.

I was born in Japan and raised in Northern California. In my undergraduate years at Dr. Donald B. Kohn’s lab, I investigated cell culture methods to increase the transduction efficiency of a lentiviral vector carrying an anti-sickling gene cassette. After obtaining my Bachelor’s in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from UCLA, I worked for a pharmaceutical company called Acerta Pharma where I applied bioinformatic methods to flow cytometric data to research mechanisms of drug resistance. I feel grateful to be part of BSGP’s scientific community where I can challenge myself by pursuing my interest in bioinformatics.

I was born in and raised Ames, IA and earned a B.S. in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from Rice University on May 2016. During my undergraduate years, I always intended to go to medical school; however, throughout my undergraduate career I gained meaningful research experiences at the U.S.D.A.'s National Animal Disease Center, Rice University, and University of Iowa that instilled in me a love for research. These research experiences varied greatly and encompassed topics within virology, vaccine development, and synthetic biology. After graduation, I worked as a research assistant/lab manager in the Department of Biology at the University of Iowa in the lab of Dr. Douglas Houston where I studied cell signaling in the role of early development of Xenopus laevis. I then moved on to a new position as a research intern in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in the lab of Dr. Songhai Chen where I studied the role of WD40 scaffolding proteins in mediating G protein signaling in the context of hepatic carbohydrate/lipid metabolism. At the Ohio State University, I will continue to pursue cellular/molecular biology medical research and intend to explore my interests in neuroimmunology, cancer biology, and metabolism. I am grateful for the opportunity to train within the BSGP and look forward to learning from my many talented peers and mentors.

I was born in Anhui Province, China, and spent my primary school to high school here. Afterwards, I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Traditional Chinese Pharmacology program from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. To advanced study, I was admitted to master program from Pharmacology and Toxicology department in Wright State University in US, and successfully acquired Master degree. Thanked to Dr. Yutong Zhao, I had an excellent opportunity to work in his lab as a technician in The Ohio State University from 2018. During this time, I focused on the lung injury and fibrosis research, and participated some projects, such as Ubiquitin and De-ubiquitin effects in Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and etc. Given these experiences I decided to pursue PhD training in Dr. Zhao’s lab, and I am confident of it will greatly assistant me in BSGP program.

I was born in Montana, but grew up in Essex Junction, Vermont. I attended the University of Vermont and graduated in May 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. During my time as an undergraduate, I conducted research with Dr. Neil Sarkar using computational methods to investigate potential phytotherapies in biomedical literature. The coding-based research experience, in conjunction with my life science background, has steered my interest towards a career in biomedical informatics. I look forward to being trained by the dedicated and talented faculty at OSU and becoming more involved in the bioinformatics field.

I was born and raised in Curitiba, Brazil. I completed my undergraduate studies at the Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR) and I graduated in August 2016 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition. After graduation, I was admitted to the Physiology Graduate Program at UFPR in August 2016 as a Master’s Degree student. My research focused on the effects of Mindfulness Meditation associated with Nutritional Orientation for the treatment of obese women. I completed my MS in August 2018 and I began working as a Nutrition Educator in private schools throughout Brazil until December 2020. I was then awarded a Fulbright PhD Scholarship and I chose The Ohio State University to pursue my graduate studies. My research interests are in Cardiovascular Physiology and genomic, and I look forward to learning state-of-the-art techniques.

I was born in Lincoln, Nebraska but spent most of childhood living about twenty minutes northwest of Columbus, Ohio. I attended the University of Dayton where I got my Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. While at Dayton, I spent three years, including one summer, conducting research in the Microbiology lab of Dr. Yvonne Sun. My projects focused primarily on the effects of short-chain fatty acids on the growth and pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes. In addition, I had the opportunity to spend one summer at the University of Iowa working under Dr. Gail Bishop. My project in Dr. Bishop’s laboratory looked at using a novel B cell Vaccine (Bvac) to treat Melanoma tumors. Through my undergraduate research experiences, I have developed a strong interest in medical research specifically within the fields of Microbiology and Immunology. I now look forward to a fulfilling graduate career working with the talented faculty at The Ohio State University.

My name is Ning Zhang, I was born in Chuzhou, Anhui. I attended college at AnQing Normal University (AQNU) and received my Bachelor’s degree in bioscience. I was joined in Dr. Heping Wei’s lab and started doing research in sophomore year. In Dr. Wei’s lab, I was trained to learn plant tissue culture technology, PCR, aseptic technique and so on. After graduation, I was trained in University of science and technology of China for two years. There, I did two projects about gastric cancer cells. The first project I did is about a new BET inhibitor, NHWD870. I detest its anti-tumor function in five gastric cancer cell lines and find its molecular mechanism, and compared NHWD870 with JQ1. I collaborated with one of my lab members in the second project. I have learned some basic biology experiment, such as PCR, WB, cell culture, FACS, IP, IHC. My research experience has motivated me to pursue a research career in cancer biology. I have strong passion for medical treatment, and I am excited to have the chance to join OSU.

I was born and raised in Changchun, a city located in northeastern China. I earned my B.S. in Pharmaceutical Engineering from Jilin University in July 2019. The reason why I choose this major is that I think only those scientific researches focused on fighting against diseases make sense to me. So during my undergraduate years, I mainly did research on various diseases. In the early spring of 2016, I worked with postgraduate and Ph.D. students for projects about the effect of ganoderma lucidum on lung cancer. Then in the second year of my undergraduate study, I tried a different topic on Alzheimer’s Disease, where I specifically study the neuro-protection of osthole. After completing this project, I devoted myself into lipoic acid-modified oligoethyleneimine-mediated miR-34a delivery for cancer gene therapy. In the summer of 2019, I was really lucky to have the chance to study in Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where I systematically learned cancer immunotherapy, and finally decided to pursue this as my lifelong research topic. I’m really excited to be a member of OSU, and I’m looking forward to having more experience about tumor microenvironment regulation and long-lived tumor-specific memory T cells’ generation. I’m sure I will get the best training from my mentor and peers in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.

I was born and raised in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. I completed my Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, a renowned public university of Bangladesh. From the very early of my undergrad, I was fond of computer programming and liked to solve real life problems. I like to learn through solving problems. I also like competitive environments. I participated in many programming and algorithmic contests with success including two ACM ICPC regional finals. During my undergrad thesis work, my interests in the field of Biomedical Science started to grow and eventually started my PhD in Bioinformatics at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis(IUPUI). I worked around two years at Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics in IUPUI as a research assistant. My research interests lie in Machine Learning, Text Mining and Information Retrieval in Electronic Health Record(EHR) Data, Natural Language Processing. I want to make to best use of my programming and computational knowledge in the field of Biomedical Science to solve real life problems.

I grew up in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. I attended Minnesota State University, Mankato and graduated with my Bachelor’s of Science in May 2020. At MNSU, I conducted undergraduate research in Dr. Michael Bentley’s lab looking at the biocompatibility of 3D-Printed metal alloy implants in terms of connective tissue infiltration and osseointegration. During the Summer of 2019, I had the opportunity to join Dr. Lichun Lu’s lab at Mayo Clinic as a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow, where I worked on a project looking at the degradation of hydrogels for tissue engineering applications. Prior to matriculating into BSGP in the Summer of 2021, I spent a year as a research assistant for Dr. Ajay Israni working on patient-centered outcomes research, specifically with organ transplantation. I am passionate about understanding human disease and I am excited to grow as a scientist at The Ohio State University!