Lisa Weissenburger-Moser

PhD Student

Department of Epidemiology
University of Nebraska Medical Center
College of Public Health

Previous Educational Institutions and Degrees Earned

• Creighton University, Omaha, NE - BS (05/2008) - 2004-2008 - Chemistry, Math minor
• University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE - MPH (08/2012) - 2010-2012 - Epidemiology
• University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha NE - Ph.D 2012 – Epidemiology

Previous Work and Research Experience

• Teaching Assistant 07/05 - 05/10 - Chemistry - Creighton University - Steve Gross, PhD
• Chemistry Tutor 07/06 - 5/10 - Chemistry - Creighton University - Steve Gross, PhD
• Chemistry Teacher 07/08 - 2/10 - Chemistry - Peace Corps - Dan Evans
• Graduate Teaching Assistant 8/10 - 12/10 - Epidemiology - University of Nebraska Medical Center - Tricia LeVan, PhD
• Graduate Assistant 1/10 - present - Epidemiology - University of Nebraska Medical Center - Tricia LeVan, PhD

Current Dissertation Work (if known)

I am a broadly trained doctoral research student with experience in the fields of epidemiology and statistics. My research focuses on polymorphisms associated with COPD in agriculturally-exposed populations. I also have a developing project studying the effect of agricultural exposure on the lung microbiome of COPD patients. Elucidating whether inhalation of agricultural dust, composed of mostly bacteria, contributes to the lung microbiome, lung inflammation, and consequent COPD is the basis of a grant proposal that is currently pending a funding decision through the University of Nebraska Medical Center. To increase experience in this evolving field, I recently attended the Midwest Student Biomedical Research Forum for my poster presentation entitled, “Variants in Hedgehog Interacting Protein are Associated with COPD in a Rural Population.” Through attending this conference as well as the American Thoracic Society’s 2014 annual meetings, I will be able to confer with experts in the field and build a collaborative network of experienced investigators with which to draw on for advice and expertise while developing this research platform. I was recently selected to present my research at the International Student Research Forum in Denmark, 2014.