Current Graduate Students
Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program
Sruthi Balaji
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2022
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Roberta Leonardi - View Lab
Research: My research focuses on elucidating the physiological role of NUDT8 and its role in brown adipose tissue thermogenesis.
Other Interests: Cooking, playing brain teaser games and puzzles, and gardening.
Thomas Bradley
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2019
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: David Smith - View Lab
Research: My research explores the function and biology of different proteasomal activators (i.e. PA200, and PA28gamma), as well as proteasome isoforms that are critical for spermatogenesis.
Brooke Brothers
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2022
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Wen-Tao Deng - View Lab
Research: My project entails the generation and characterization of two novel mouse lines modeling blue cone monochromacy, a severe X-linked disease involving color vision deficiency and daytime blindness. These models will then be used for the development and application of translational gene therapy techniques to improve daytime vision.
Other Interests: I love realism-style drawing and painting, as well as crocheting, learning languages, doting on my plants, playing piano, and writing short stories and novels.
Donald Dariano
Graduate Student
Program start: 2022
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Bradley Webb - View Lab
Research: I am currently researching how defects in a lysosomal amino acid transporter lead to retinitis pigmentosa through a combination of biophysical, cell, and animal models.
Other Interests: Outside of performing research, I like to spend time with my husband, our three cats (and two dogs) as well as play video games or cook.
Kristen Haggerty
Graduate Student
Program start: 2024
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Michael Robichaux- View Lab
Research: My research focuses on investigating the trafficking mechanism of rhodopsin through the inner segment to the outer segment in rod photoreceptor neurons. Specifically, I am looking at protein interactions between rhodopsin and SNARE proteins, such as STX3 and SNAP25 trying to identify other proteins involved in the membrane localization of rhodopsin.
Other Interests: Outside the lab I enjoy reading, playing video games, embroidery, and traveling.
Jasmine Harper
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2025
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Aaron Robart - View Lab
Research: My research focuses on Group II introns which are large catalytic RNAs. I aim to study their dynamic, complex structure and mechanism that enable their ability to integrate into a DNA target.
Other Interests: I enjoy gardening, cooking, and spending free time making art.
George "Aj" Holmes
Graduate Student
Program start: 2023
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Visvanathan Ramamurthy - View Lab
Research:
Other Interests:
Giovanni Howells
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2020
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: David Smith - View Lab
Research: I will utilize the novel single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) microscopy in order to understand the dynamic structure and functions of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins and its interactions with other synaptic proteins in the ribbon synapses. Malfunction of synaptic proteins in the ribbon synapses alter synaptic transmission by disrupting synaptic vesicle exocytosis leading to vision disorder causing severe blindness. smFRET allows super-resolved single-molecule images in real time to depict important intermediate conformations and map heterogeneous populations of conformational states lost in ensemble measurements due to averaging behaviors. Characterizing the normal ("healthy") conformational state of protein molecules allow us to decipher the mechanistic role of abnormal ("diseased") state of protein molecules, which will help develop future treatments and drug targets related to vision loss.
Other Interests: My hobbies outside the lab include traveling, snowboarding, playing video games and trying new foods. I also play soccer in my free time and played in college.
Md Qamrul Islam
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2023
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: David Smith - View Lab
Research: My research area is the molecular mechanism and therapeutic targeting of proteasome function in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. I specifically focus on the role of proteasome-activating nucleotidase (PAN), exploring its mechanism in protein substrate binding, unfolding through ATP hydrolysis, and its function as a molecular chaperone through its coiled-coil (CC) domains.
Other Interests: Outside lab work, I like hanging out with friends, listening to music, playing video games, traveling, and spending time in nature.
Bohye Jeong
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2019
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Peter Stoilov - View Lab
Other Interests: Hanging out with friends, playing the piano, hiking trails.
Shannon Lyons
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2021
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Michael Robichaux- View Lab
Research: My research focuses on mapping the localization of key regulators of rhodopsin trafficking, including rhodopsin itself, in the inner segment as well as characterizing the ER in rod photoreceptor neurons with the use of nanoscopy techniques.
Other Interests: Outside of lab, I enjoy traveling, finding new music and spending time with my Norwegian Elkhound - Rudy
Artjola Puja
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2022
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Jianhai Du - View Lab
Research: My research is focused on understanding the tissue-specific metabolism in healthy and retinal diseases. The ultimate goal is to target metabolism to develop therapies for retinal degenerative diseases to fight blindness.
Other Interests: I love traveling, exploring diverse cultures, and spending time in nature. My hobbies are meditation, reading books, photography, pilates, & aerobics.
Holly Shultz
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2023
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Aaron Robart - View Lab
Research: My research focuses on nucleic acid structures through X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, specifically examining the structures of catalytic nucleic acids like DNAzymes and RNA constructs.
Other Interests: Outside of science, I enjoy hiking, baking sourdough bread, and making and drinking coffee.
Sarah Starcovic
Graduate Student
Program Start: 2022
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Aaron Robart - View Lab
Research: I study large catalytic RNAs called Group II introns and am interested in their structures and catalytic mechanisms.
Other Interests: My hobbies include reading, fiber crafts like sewing and crocheting, and hanging out with my cat.
David Tacuma
Graduate Student
Program start: 2022
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: David Smith – View Lab
Research: My research focuses on the molecular mechanism and structural changes in the holoenzyme Proteasome associated with the activation-inhibition by aberrant proteins and mutations (in-vitro and in-vivo) in neurodegenerative diseases.
Other Interests: Besides research I enjoy botany, playing the cuatro, the bass and somehow playing with omic data.
Clinical and Translational Science
Nafisa Abedin
Graduate Student
Program start: 2025
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Visvanathan Ramamurthy - View Lab
Research: My research focuses on developing gene therapies for severe childhood blindness, conditions that cause rapid degeneration of the light-sensing photoreceptor cells in the retina. My work aims to improve the effectiveness and durability of these treatments to preserve vision in patients with early-onset retinal diseases.
Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences
James Mersch
Graduate Student
Degree: Ph.D. Candidate
Advisor: Yehenew Agazie - View Lab