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BIOCHEMISTRY and MOLECULAR BIOLOGY GRADUATE PROGRAM NEWS ITEMS

Dissertation and Thesis Defenses

Anita Ghosh (Kaja Laboratory) successfully defended her PhD dissertation on January 13,2022.
Dissertation title: "Molecular Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress-Induced Corneal Damage and the use of Antioxidants as Therapeutics"

Congratualations Anita!

 

Grace Hammack (Zeleznik-Le Laboratory) successfully defended her MS thesis on June 7, 2021.
Thesis title: "The Function of Mllt3 in Liver Metabolism"

Congratulations Grace!

 

Aleksandra Vuchkovska (Iwashima Laboratory) successfully defended her PhD dissertation on August 26, 2021.
Dissertation title: "Analysis of Regulatory Mechanisms for T Cell Activation"

Congratulations Saska!

 

Yi Wei Lim (Iwashima Laboratory) successfully defended her PhD dissertation on October 8, 2021.
Dissertation title: "Molecular Determinants of Fetal Tolerance and the Transition to Adult Immunity"

 Congratulations Wei!

 

Student Poster Presentations Winners

The annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retreat was held on September 11, 2021 at Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) and follow by an Architectural Boat Tour in downtown Chicago. The student poster presentation winners were 1st Ryan Mack (Zhang laboratory); 2nd Melissa Quintanilla (Beach laboratory); 3rd Greg Malnassy (Qiu laboratory). 

Congratulations to all the awardees!


Welcome New Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program students

The Biochemistry, Molecular and Cancer Biology program welcomes John Yap from the Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences (MD/PhD program).  John has joined the laboratory of Dr. Seth Robia.

 

The Biochemistry, Molecular and Cancer Biology program welcomes Claudia Rose Keating from the Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences (MD/PhD program).  Claudia Rose has joined the laboratory of Dr. Wei Qiu.

 

The Biochemistry, Molecular and Cancer Biology program welcomes Maggie Utgaard from the Integrated Program in Biomedical Sciences. Maggie has joined the laboratory of Dr. Jordan Beach.

 

The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology MS program welcomes Asia Paguntalan.Asia has joined the laboratory of Dr. Patrick Oakes.

 

The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology MS program welcomes Adam Thota. Adam hs joined the laboratory of Dr. Abby Kroken.

 


Comprehensive Exams

Sarah Kralicek (Hecht laboratory) successfully passed her Comprehensive Exam on June 23, 2021

Shreya Chandrasekar (Oakes laboratory) successfully passed her Comprehensive Exam on July 6, 2021.

Ryan Mack (Zhang laboratory) successfully passed his Comprehensive Exam on July 14, 2021.

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Publications, Presentation and Awards

Kanak Joshi (Zhang laboratory) was awarded an Arthur J. Schmitt Leadership Scholars Fellowship for the 2022-2023 academic year. 
Congratulations Kanak!

Kanak Joshi (Zhang laboratory) presented a poster at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA in December 2021.  The title of his poster was “Ripk3 Signaling Restricts the Development of Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma in Tet2 Deficient Mice”.
Kanak also won an ASH abstract achievement award for his abstract.  The award helped cover his travel and registration costs. Congratulations Kanak!

Kanak Joshi (Zhang laboratory) published a manuscript in the journal Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences entitled “RIPK3 signaling and its role in the pathogenesis of cancers”.  Cell Mol Life Sci. 2021 Dec;78(23):7199-7217.

Anita Ghosh (Kaja laboratory) published a manuscript in MDPI Pharmaceutics entitled “Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Nanoparticles Encapsulating the Prenylated Flavonoid, Xanthohumol, Protect Corneal Epithelial Cells from Dry Eye Disease-Associated Oxidative Stress”, August 2021. 
Congratulations Anita!

Anita Ghosh (Kaja laboratory) was awarded a travel grant for May 2021 by the Knights Templar Eye Foundation for her project entitled “Effects of chronic alcohol administration on the cornea in preclinical models”.  
Congratulations Anita!

Anita Ghosh (Kaja laboratory) was awarded a travel grant for the March 2021 AOPT biennial meeting by a NIH National Eye Institute R13 grant.  Her project was entitled “hiPSC-RPE cells for ophthalmic drug discovery: challenges and opportunities”. 
Congratulations Anita!

Greg Malnassy (Qiu laboratory) published a manuscript in Frontiers in Oncology entitled “The Epigenetic Regulation of Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma”.  Front. Oncol., 15 March 2021 https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.653037.