G1 and G2
G1 Scholars
Natalia Batchenkova
(she/hers)- Education: BS, Biology, University of Arkansas
- Mentor: Dr. Stacey Gilk and Dr. Ted Hackstadt
- Research Interests: Endoplasmic reticulum's role in intracellular pathogenesis of Rickettsia (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever)
- Career Interests: Emerging pathogens and outbreak mitigation, with clinical specialization in emergency medicine.
- Highlights: PreHealth programming director and mentor at Project SHORT, which helps underserved students apply to graduate and professional programs.
- About Me: I foster cats, dogs, bunnies and any other critter that needs a temporary home while recovering from surgeries, car crashes or neglect and waiting for their forever families through the Humane Society.
Amanda Johnson
- Education: BS, Chemical Engineering, Physiology, Honors, University of Wyoming
- Mentor: Eric Peeples, MD, PhD
- Research Interests: Neonatal hypoxic ischemic brain injury, mechanisms of cellular injury, biomarkers
- Career Interests: Neonatology, pediatric genetics and radiation oncology; reducing the gap between quality of care in urban and rural settings by conducting research in fields applicable to rural and low resource populations.
- About Me: I was the largest breeder of registered Jersey Cattle in my home state.
Colman Freel
(he/him/his)
- Education: BS, Biology, Minors in Leadership & Global Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Mentor: Ann Anderson Berry, MD, PhD and Paras Mishra, PhD
- Research Interests: Molecular mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease risk in offspring of diabetic pregnancies
- Career Interests: Pediatric Cardioimmunology
- Highlights: E-Learning Funded Awards Program, Duke STAR-AM, Child Health Research Institute Mini-Grant
- About Me: I love barbecuing in the summer.
J. Cole Holderjano
(he/him/his)
Education: BA, Human Biology, Stanford University
Research Interests: Microbiology, Intracellular Bacteriology
Career Interests: Infectious Disease, Critical Care, Global Public Health, Microbiology, Therapeutic Development
About Me: I wanted to be a professional ballet dancer when I was younger. I've choreographed for a light opera company and danced in productions of "The Nutcracker," Copeland's "Billy the Kid," and with the Chocolate Heads Dance Band at Stanford University.
Wenxian (Wen) Zhou
(He/Him)
- Education: BS, Chemistry, University of Nebraska at Omaha
- Mentor: Geoffrey Thiele, PhD and Ted Mikuls, MD
- Research Interests: How post-translational modifications promote local inflammation and fibrosis, exacerbating rheumatoid arthritis complications.
- Career Interests: Rheumatology
- About Me: I enjoy baking and cooking Chinese food.
G2 Scholars
Taylor Burke
(She/Her/Hers)
- Education: BS, Creighton University
- Mentor: Paul Fey, PhD
- Research Interests: Bacterial Genetics and Bacterial Metabolism
- Career Interests: Infectious Disease
- About Me: I love exploring local tea shops.
Caroline Case
(She/her)
- Education: Biology, University of Miami
- Mentor: Michael A. (Tony) Hollingsworth, PhD
- Research Interests: Pancreatic cancer
- Career Interests: Oncology
- About Me: I have three bunnies.
Anna Kosmach
(she/her)
- Education: BS in Mathematics and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Mentor: Pooneh Bagher, PhD
- Research Interests: Vascular physiology and disease, calcium imaging
- Career Interests: Internal medicine and women's health.
- Highlights: 2022 Dr. Debra Romberger Dedicated Student Award
- About Me: I enjoy learning about the history of science, particularly in physiology and its techniques.
Rebekah Rapoza
(She/Her/Hers)
Education: BS, Biology, Creighton University
Mentor: Ann Anderson-Berry, MD, PhD
Research Interests: Maternal Nutrition, Perinatal Health Outcomes, Health Disparities, Biological Weathering
Career Interests: Pediatric Genetics, translational and clinical research in gene methylation, structural variants, and environmental factors
About Me: I grew up in rural Hawaii and was homeschooled K-12th grade. I am also strangely decent at back-in parking.