‘Of value to others’
UF College of Medicine brunch honors master’s and doctoral graduates
May 14, 2019 — Graduates of the UF College of Medicine master’s and doctoral programs were honored May 3 with a brunch attended by students, faculty, friends and family in the George T. Harrell, M.D., Medical Education Building.
Thomas Rowe, Ph.D., associate dean for graduate education, greeted the attendees and offered recognition for the amount of hard work and perseverance required by each graduate to reach this end point.
“Today we’re celebrating the achievements of our graduates. They’re poised to change the future, to solve the current and ongoing problems in medicine,” Rowe said.
After thanking the faculty members who have served as mentors to the graduates as well as the graduates’ family members, Rowe offered a final thought for the graduates.
“Albert Einstein said, ‘Strive not to be successful, but to be of value to others,’” Rowe said. “Graduates, don’t forget to share your insights and gifts from over the years with others, so their lives might become richer.”
Each faculty mentor took turns speaking about the attributes and accomplishments of the graduate they mentored. Mavis Agbandje-McKenna, Ph.D., director for the UF Center for Structural Biology, shared her appreciation for her mentee, Nikea Pittman, Ph.D., who studied “Structure and Function Investigation of Anti-Tumor Parvoviruses” within the biochemistry and molecular biology concentration.
“Nikea is not just excellent at research; she’s an educator herself,” Agbandje-McKenna said. “Early on in our relationship, she asked for an undergraduate student to mentor. She’s always wanted to pay it forward.”
Clockwise from top left: Robert McKenna, Ph.D., Nikea Pittman, Ph.D., and Mavis Agbandje-McKenna, Ph.D., at the 2019 UF College of Medicine graduate brunch.
Photo by W. Charles Poulton
Pittman said she was inspired by the relationship she shares with Agbandje-McKenna to lend a hand in guiding young scientists toward achieving their individual goals.
“Dr. Mavis’s mentoring approach really considers the personality and personal interests of her mentees. When I’ve mentored undergraduate students, I’ve used what I learned from her about listening to what the students are passionate about,” Pittman said. “Mentoring is about empowering them to know what next steps to take to make their career goals happen.”
Joseph Fantone, M.D., senior associate dean for educational affairs, provided the closing remarks for the brunch.
“I want to thank you graduates for entrusting us to guide you through your professional and personal development,” Fantone said. “You’re an inspiration to our faculty, and to a large degree, you’re the lifeblood of the research program here at the UF College of Medicine.”
The students honored at the 2019 UF College of Medicine graduate brunch pose with their mentors.
Photo by W. Charles Poulton
Below is a complete list of the graduates honored at the May 3 brunch:
Biochemistry and molecular biology master’s degrees
Bihan Wang
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Thesis: Role of LSD 1 in Chemoresistant Colon Cancer
Thesis Chair: Suming Huang, Ph.D.
Thesis Co-Chair: Yi Qiu, Ph.D.
Gerontology master’s degrees
Tamura Freeman
Major: Medical Sciences – Gerontology
Non-Thesis Chair: Benjamin Bensadon, Ph.D.
Patrice Gosselin
Major: Medical Sciences – Gerontology
Non-Thesis Chair: Benjamin Bensadon, Ph.D.
Alexander Hawk
Major: Medical Sciences – Gerontology
Non-Thesis Chair: Benjamin Bensadon, Ph.D.
Alyssa Hunting
Major: Medical Sciences – Gerontology
Non-Thesis Chair: Benjamin Bensadon, Ph.D.
Ashley Jennings
Major: Medical Sciences – Gerontology
Non-Thesis Chair: Benjamin Bensadon, Ph.D.
Elizabeth Kessler
Major: Medical Sciences – Gerontology
Non-Thesis Chair: Benjamin Bensadon, Ph.D.
Medical physics master’s degrees
Mada Batayib
Major: Medical Sciences – Medical Physics
Non-Thesis Chair: Manuel Arreola, Ph.D.
Andrew Spencer
Major: Medical Sciences – Medical Physics
Non-Thesis Chair: Manuel Arreola, Ph.D.
Medical sciences master’s degrees
Ryanne Lehenaff
Major: Medical Sciences
Thesis: Periodontal Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Variations in the Subgingival Microbiome
Thesis Chair: Gary Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
Todd Sahagian
Major: Medical Sciences
Thesis: Age Related Changes in Cellular and Synaptic Physiology of the Rat Basolateral Amygdala
Thesis Chair: Charles Frazier, Ph.D.
Genetics and genomics doctoral degrees
Kia Fuller, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Examining the Roles of Genetics and Sociocultural Environment in Health: Investigating Complex Disease through a Biocultural Lens
Dissertation Chair: Connie Mulligan, Ph.D.
Graduate program in biomedical sciences doctoral degrees
Latoya Allen, Ph.D.
Concentration: Neuroscience
Dissertation: Neurochemical and Neuroanatomical Plasticity in Spinal Respiratory Motor Neurons following Cervical Spinal Cord Injury and Intermittent Hypoxia
Dissertation Chair: Gordon Mitchell, Ph.D.
Emily Brown, Ph.D.
Concentration: Genetics
Dissertation: Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the Retina: Implications for Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Dissertation Chair: John Ash, Ph.D.
Emily Dabe, Ph.D.
Concentration: Neuroscience
Dissertation: The Epigenomic Basis of Neuronal Identity
Dissertation Chair: Leonid Moroz, Ph.D.
Jess Dhillon, Ph.D.
Concentration: Neuroscience
Dissertation: Investigating the Strain Properties of Alpha-Synuclein: Implications for Pathogenesis
Dissertation Chair: Benoit Giasson, Ph.D.
Hunter Futch, Ph.D.
Concentration: Neuroscience
Dissertation: Immunotherapeutic Targeting of Corticotropin Releasing Factor in Alzheimer’s Disease
Dissertation Chair: Todd Golde, M.D., Ph.D.
Amani Harrandah, Ph.D.
Concentration: Cancer Biology
Dissertation: Exploring the Roles of MicroRNA and Oral Bacteria in Oral Carcinogenesis
Dissertation Chair: Edward Chan, Ph.D.
Jana Jenquin, Ph.D.
Concentration: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Dissertation: Small Molecule Approaches to Reduce the Effects of Toxic Repeat RNA in Myotonic Dystrophy Models
Dissertation Chair: Andrew Berglund, Ph.D.
Yue Jiang, Ph.D.
Concentration: Cancer Biology
Dissertation: Functional Properties of MYB-NFIB Gene and Novel Therapeutic Strategy Development in Human Adenoid Cystic Cancer
Dissertation Chair: Frederic Kaye, Ph.D.
Justin Kurian, Ph.D.
Concentration: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Dissertation: Identification and Characterization of Parvovirus Proteolytic Activity
Dissertation Chair: Robert McKenna, Ph.D.
Rachna Manek, Ph.D.
Concentration: Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Dissertation: Molecular Mechanisms in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1
Dissertation Chair: Edgardo Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Tyler McCullough, Ph.D.
Concentration: Genetics
Dissertation: Developing a Treatment for Autosomal Dominant Cone-Rod Dystrophy 6 Using AAV-CRISPR/Cas9
Dissertation Chair: Shannon Boye, Ph.D.
Nicole Nissim, Ph.D.
Concentration: Neuroscience
Dissertation: Neural Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Paired with Cognitive Training on Working Memory
Dissertation Chair: Adam Woods, Ph.D.
Nikea Pittman, Ph.D.
Concentration: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Dissertation: Structure and Function Investigation of Anti-Tumor Parvoviruses
Dissertation Chair: Mavis Agbandje-McKenna, Ph.D.
Anton Titov, Ph.D.
Concentration: Genetics
Dissertation: Metabolic Defects of CD4 T Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Dissertation Chair: Laurence Morel, Ph.D.
Tyler Wildes, Ph.D.
Concentration: Immunology and Microbiology
Dissertation: Immunologic Impact of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant and Adoptive Cellular Therapy on Malignant Gliomas
Dissertation Chair: Duane Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D.
Gabrielle Winters, Ph.D.
Concentration: Neuroscience
Dissertation: Molecular Mapping of the Octopus Brain
Dissertation Chair: Leonid Moroz, Ph.D.
Ye Zhou, Ph.D.
Concentration: Neuroscience
Dissertation: PMP22 Regulates Lipid Metabolism and Cholesterol Trafficking: The Implication for Hereditary Peripheral Neuropathies
Dissertation Chair: Lucia Notterpek, Ph.D.
Medical physics doctoral degrees
Michael Hermansen, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Optimizing Image Acquisition and Reconstruction for a Novel Robotic Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Imaging System
Dissertation Chair: Frank Bova, Ph.D.
Colin Paulbeck, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Advances in Organ and Fetal Dosimetry of Pregnant Survivors of the Atomic Bombings
Dissertation Chair: Wesley Bolch, Ph.D.
Nicholas Potter, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Feasibility Study of the Flattening Filter Removal Design for Conventional Treatments Using a Linear Accelerator
Dissertation Chair: Bo Lu, Ph.D.
Co-Dissertation Chair: David Gilland, Ph.D.
Michael Shang, Ph.D.
Dissertation: A Novel Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy Treatment Planning System to Optimize Laser Ablation Delivery to Brain Targets
Dissertation Chair: Frank Bova, Ph.D.
