Members of the participating faculty are Duke faculty members who are currently mentoring MSTP students, who previously mentored (within the last year) MSTP students, or who are on Duke MSTP committees.
Students may choose mentors from among the many Duke faculty members with appointments to the Graduate Faculty. Training in a wide range of areas is available to MSTP students, and interdisciplinary collaboration across department lines occurs frequently. When faculty members are chosen as mentors by MSTP students, they are added to the membership of the Duke MSTP participating faculty.
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Leah Acker, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology
Dedicated to creating non-invasive, drug-free neuromodulation technologies that enhance brain function post-surgery, particularly for older adults. Overall, the ACkER lab is wholly focused on creating technologies that aid in patient recovery following major surgical procedures.
leah.acker@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
R. Alison Adcock, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
To understand how brain systems for motivation support learning and to use mechanistic understanding of how behavior changes biology to meet the challenge of developing new therapies appropriate for early interventions for mental illness
alison.adcock@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Staci Bilbo, PhD
Haley Family Professor, Psychology & Neuroscience
Understand the important role of the immune system during brain development, and thereby the ways in which immune activation during early brain development can affect the later-life outcomes of neural function, immune function, mood and cognition.
staci.bilbo@duke.edu
Current mentee: Seneca Oxendine
Karl-Dimiter Bissig, MD, PhD
Chen Family Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Our group is interested in diseases of the liver, ranging from viral hepatitis to metabolic liver disorders and liver cancer. The lab specializes in human liver chimeric mice and created the first xenograft model for metabolic liver disease as well as a novel patient derived cancer model. We use these next generation humanized mouse models to develop new therapeutic approaches, such as metabolic pathway reprogramming - a CRISPR based gene therapy approach.
karldimiter.bissig@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Gerard Blobe, MD, PhD
Professor, Medicine (Oncology), and Pharmacology & Cancer Biology
The role of transforming growth factor beta in cancer biology and vascular biology
gerard.blobe@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Steering Committee
Diego Bohorquez, PhD
Assistant Professor, Medicine (Pathology)
Unveiling how the brain perceives what the gut feels, how food in the intestine is sensed by our body, and how a sensory signal from a nutrient is transformed into
an electrical signal that alters behavior
diego.Bohorquez@duke.edu
Current mentee: Peter Weng, Emily Alway
Recent mentee: Winston Liu
Catherine Bowes-Rickman, PhD
George and Geneva Boguslavsky Distinguished Professor of Eye Research, Professor, Ophthalmology
Interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Currently our studies are focused on development and studies of animal models of AMD, AMD pathogenesis and pre-clinical studies of novel therapies for AMD.
bowes007@duke.edu
Current mentee: Lindsey Chew
Alexa Bramall, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery
Research focuses on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways in the brain and the mechanisms by which hydrocephalus develops. In addition to intersecting every area of neurosurgery from pediatrics to trauma, abnormalities in CSF physiology have been implicated in a multitude of neurological diseases, from Alzheimer’s disease to depression.
alexa.bramall@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Daniel Buckland, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Development of medical devices for the diagnosis and treatment of medical issues that develop in remote environments ranging from outer space to rural America
dan.buckland@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Pranam Chatterjee, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
We develop diverse algorithmic modalities to discover, characterize, and engineer novel proteins for applications in genome editing, targeted protein modulation, and reproductive bioengineering.
pranam.chatterjee@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Jen-Tsan Ashley Chi, MD, PhD
Professor, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Genomic approaches to analyze biological systems and disease
jentsan.chi@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Ashutosh Chilkoti, PhD
Alan L. Koganov Professor and Chair, Biomedical Engineering
Biomolecular materials, genetically encoded synthesis, biotechnology, drug delivery, biological surface science, micropatterning of proteins and peptides, nanostructured materials and surfaces
ashutosh.chilkoti@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Current mentee: Rachael Putman, Aine O'Sullivan
Jorn Coers, PhD
Professor, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
Cytokine-induced cell-autonomous immunity and its role in infectious and autoimmune diseases
jorn.coers@duke.edu
Recent mentee: Stephen Kirchner
Leonor Corsino, MD, MHS
Associate Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Nutrition)
Research focuses on diabetes, obesity and related complications and health disparities with a particular interest in Hispanic/Latino populations
corsi002@mc.duke.edu
Steering Committee
Greg Crawford, PhD
Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics
Research involves identifying gene regulatory elements across the genome to help us understand how chromatin structure dictates cell function and fate.
greg.crawford@duke.edu
Current mentee: Makenzie Beaman
Lawrence David, PhD
Associate Professor, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Seeks to understand, predict, and manipulate how human microbiota behave over time
lawrence.david@duke.edu
Recent mentee: Brianna Petrone
Gayathri Devi, PhD
Professor, Surgery
Functional genomics, anti-cancer drug discovery and development, mechanisms of cancer cell signaling, tumor immunity and applications thereof for overcoming therapeutic resistance in cancer.
gayathri.devi@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Yarui Diao, PhD
Assistant Professor, Cell Biology
We are a functional genomics lab focusing on the fundamental gene regulation mechanism that control tissue repair and cancer development.
yarui.diao@duke.edu
Current mentee: Ashley Williams
Admissions Committee
Colin S. Duckett, PhD
Vice Dean for Basic Science, Professor, Pathology
Molecular mechanisms of cellular transformation of Hodgkin’s disease and anaplastic large cell lymphoma, regulation of apoptotic cell death and proliferation in cancer, characterization of the canonical and noncanonical NF-kappaB signaling pathways in normal and malignant cells and homeostatic regulation of intracellular copper in mammalian cells.
colin.duckett@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD
K. Kanga Rama Krishnan Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
How neuropsychiatric risk genes interact with environmental stress to modify neural circuits that underlie normal emotional and cognitive function.
kafui.dzirasa@duke.edu
Recent mentee: Dalton Hughes
Steven Eliades, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Head and Neck Surgery and Communication Sciences
Research in my group focuses on the neural basis of vocal communication. Communication is a dynamic process that encompasses both production and perception, occurring in an interactive and contextually-dependent fashion.
steven.edliades@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Mai El-Mallah, MD
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Control of breathing and pulmonary mechanics in murine models of several genetic diseases.
mai.elmallah@duke.edu
House Faculty Advisor
Cagla Eroglu, PhD
Professor, Cell Biology, Neurobiology
Understanding how central nervous system (CNS) synapses are formed.
cagla.eroglu@duke.edu
Current mentee: Helen Heo, Gabrielle Sejourne
Christine Eyler, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology
Understanding the genetic, epigenetic, and molecular characteristics of cancer cells that resist typical treatments and finding ways to treat them more effectively. Goal to apply this information to design personalized treatment strategies to effectively treat both sensitive and resistant tumor cells.
christine.eyler@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Peter Fecci, MD, PhD
Professor, Pathology
Brain Tumor Immunotherapy.
peter.fecci@duke.edu
Current mentee: Lucas Wachsmuth
Guido Ferrari, MD
Professor, Surgery, Associate Research professor, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
Independent basic research and immune monitoring studies. The research revolves around three main areas of interest: class I-mediated cytotoxic CD8+ T cell responses, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), gene expression in NK and T cellular subsets upon infection with HIV-1.
gflmp@duke.edu
Current mentee: Danielle (Rosenthal) Nettere
Don Fox, PhD
Professor, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology
Genomic extremes in organ development and repair.
don.fox@duke.edu
Current mentee: Jane Blackmer
Kevin Franks, PhD
Associate Professor, Neurobiology
Our research is driven by the idea that nervous systems evolved relatively simple neural circuit motifs to perform specific types of computational operations, and that these motifs are combined and repeated throughout the nervous system, using similar types of operations to solve different types of problems.
franks@neuro.duke.edu
Recent mentee: Carolyn Diaz
Johnna Frierson, PhD
Assistant Professor of the Practice of Medical Education, Assistant Dean for Graduate and Postdoctoral Diversity and Inclusion
johnna.frierson@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Rasheed Adebayo Gbadegesin, MD, MBBS
Associate Dean for Physician-Scientist Development, Wilbert C. Davison Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics
Molecular genetics of glomerular disease; Genetic risk factors for childhood onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.
rasheed.gbadegesin@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Bradley Goldstein, MD, PhD
Professor, Head & Neck Surgery and Communication Sciences, Neurobiology
bradley.goldstein@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Warren Grill, PhD
Edmund T. Pratt, Jr. School Distinguished Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Research employs engineering approaches to understand and control neural function. We work on fundamental questions and applied development in electrical stimulation of the nervous system to restore function to individuals with neurological impairment or injury.
warren.grill@duke.edu
Current mentee: Jahrane Dale
Jennifer Groh, PhD
Professor, Psychology and Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Computer Science
Research in my laboratory concerns how sensory and motor systems work together, and how neural representations play a combined role in sensorimotor and cognitive processing (embodied cognition)
jennifer.m.groh@duke.edu
Current mentee: Jesse Herche
Rana Gupta, PhD
Professor, Medicine - Endocrinology and Metabolism
Understanding the mechanisms governing mammalian cell differentiation and tissue remodeling under physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
rana.gupta@duke.edu
Current mentee: Ashley Truong
Gentzon Hall, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Medicine-Nephtology
My research is focused on defining the molecular underpinnings of podocyte injury and dysfunction in nephrotic syndrome (NS) with a primary focus on focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
gentzon.hall@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Brent Hanks, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Medicine - Oncology
We are interested in understanding the mechanisms that cancers have evolved to suppress the generation of tumor antigen-specific immune responses and how this knowledge can be exploited for the development of novel and more effective cancer immunotherapy strategies.
hanks004@mc.duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Amanda Hargrove, PhD
Professor, Chemistry
The Hargrove lab harnesses the unique properties of small organic molecules to study the structure, function and therapeutic potential of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs).
amanda.hargrove@duke.edu
Current mentee: Marek Zorawski
Zachary Hartman, PhD
Associate Professor, Surgery
Research interests encompass studies of immunity and inflammation in the context of developing and established cancers. These research interests involve studies of inflammation in the genesis and maintenance of specific cancer types (principally breast and ovarian), as well as the impact of inflammation on tumor metastasis and the tumor microenvironment.
zachary.hartman@duke.edu
Current mentee: John Wang
Stephen Harward II, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery
Epilepsy, brain tumors, medical student education
stephen.harward@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Bart Haynes, MD
Frederic M. Hanes Distinguished Professor, Medicine, Integrative Immunology
Studying host innate and adaptive immune responses to HIV, TB, and Influenza in order to find the enabling technology to make preventive vaccines against these three major infectious diseases.
hayne002@mc.duke.edu
Current mentee: Christopher Stringham
Nicholas Heaton, PhD
Associate Professor, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Genetic engineering of negative sense RNA viruses, particularly respiratory viruses such as influenza viruses.
nicholas.heaton@dm.duke.edu
Current mentee: Vishwas Rao
Joseph Heitman, MD, PhD
James B. Duke Professor and Chair, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis
heitm001@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Christopher Holley, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Medicine (Cardiology)
Focuses on the role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) in cardiovascular health and disease, with a special emphasis on snoRNA (small nucleolar RNA)
cholley@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Faculty House Advisor
Roarke Horstmeyer, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Develops microscopes, cameras and computer algorithms for a wide range of applications, from forming 3D reconstructions of organisms to detecting neural activity deep within tissue. Areas of interest include optics, signal processing, optimization and neuroscience.
roarke.w.horstmeyer@duke.edu
Current mentee: Harvey Shi
Erich Huang, MD, PhD
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biostatistics & Bioinformatics
Breast cancer; research interest in solid-tumor gene-expression analysis; oncogenic pathway analysis; computational and systems biology
erich.huang@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Josh Huang, PhD
Duke School of Medicine Distinguished Professor, Neuroscience
Study the development and function of cortical circuits underlying motor control and cognitive processing. Our research program integrates multi-faceted approaches from genetic engineering to single-cell genomics, developmental neurobiology, imaging, electrophysiology, and behavioral analyses, and aims to link fundamental neuroscience to the understanding and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
josh.huang@duke.edu
Current mentee: Patrick Mulcahey
Kim Huffman, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology and Integrative Immunobiology)
Determining the role of physical activity in modulating health outcomes (Cardiovascular disease risk) in persons with rheumatologic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteoarthritis)
huffm007@mc.duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Ru-Rong Ji, PhD
William Maixner Professor, Anesthesiology; Distinguished Professor of Anesthesiology
Research focuses on molecular and cellular mechanisms of chronic pain, such as inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain, and cancer pain.
ru-rong.ji@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Ravi Karra, MD
Associate Professor, Medicine-Cardiology
The intersection of regenerative biology with cardiovascular disease.
ravi.karra@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Current mentee: Lauren Parker
Michael Kastan, MD, PhD
Executive Director, Duke Cancer Institute
William and Jane Shingleton Professor, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Pediatrics
Elucidating molecular mechanisms involved in cellular responses to DNA damage and other stresses
michael.kastan@duke.edu
Steering Committee
David G Kirsch, MD, PhD
Current mentee: Chang Su
Recent mentee: Jonathon Himes
Priya Kishnani, MD
Professor, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
A multidisciplinary approach to care of individuals with genetic disorders in conjunction with clinical and bench research that contributes
kishn001@mc.duke.edu
Recent mentee: Rebecca Gibson
Mary Klotman, MD
R.J. Reynolds Professor and Dean of Medicine
Molecular pathogenesis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) infection
mary.klotman@duke.edu
Dean, School of Medicine
Dennis Ko, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Human genetic variation regulating infection and inflammation
dennis.ko@duke.edu
Current mentee: Trisha Dalapati
Christopher Kontos, MD
Professor, Medicine (Cardiology)
Regulation of angiogenesis
cdkontos@duke.edu
MSTP Director
Admissions Committee
Steering Committee
Kevin LaBar, PhD
Professor, Psychology and Neuroscience
Cognition-emotion interactions in the human brain. The lab uses functional neuroimaging, psychophysiological, and behavioral methods in healthy adults and in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders.
klabar@duke.edu
Current mentee: Nimesha Gerlus
Andrew Landstrom, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Exploring the genetic and molecular causes of sudden cardiac death in children and young adults
andrew.landstrom@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Current mentee: Minu Tshyeto Bidzimou
Robert Lefkowitz, MD
James B. Duke Professor, Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine), Biochemistry
Signaling of G protein-coupled receptors
lefko001@receptor-biol.duke.edu
Steering Committee
Current mentee: Sunag Udupa
Giselle Lopez, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pathology
Brain Tumors
giselle.lopez@duke.edu
House Faculty Advisor
Micah Luftig, PhD
Professor, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
Viruses that cause cancer with an overarching goal of defining the basic molecular mechanisms underlying pathogenesis and leveraging these findings for diagnostic value and therapeutic intervention.
micah.luftig@duke.edu
Current mentee: Danielle Burner
Xunrong Luo, MD, PhD
Professor, Medicine (Nephrology)
Focuses on the induction and mechanisms of transplantation tolerance, using innovative donor-specific negative vaccination strategies to target the host machineries involved in clearance of cellular apoptotic debris in an immunotolerogenic manner.
xunrong.luo@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Cameron McIntyre, PhD
Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Neurosurgery
Research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of deep brain stimulation
cameron.mcintyre@duke.edu
Current mentee: Andreas Seas
Manoj Mohanan, PhD
Professor, Interim Dean, Sanford School of Public Policy
Global Health
manoj.mohanan@duke.edu
Current mentee: Christopher Behrer, Laura Stilwell
Ashley Moseman, PhD
Assistant Professor, Integrative Immunobiology
Understand central nervous system (CNS) immunity, with a specific focus on antimicrobial protection at the olfactory barrier.
ashley.moseman@duke.edu
Current mentee: Skye Tracey
Opeyemi Olabisi, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Medicine
Patient-stem cell-derived podocytes and reprogrammed mammalian cell lines as tools for uncovering disease mechanisms of APOL1 nephropathy.
opeyemi.olabisi@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Trudy Oliver, PhD
Professor, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology
Understanding the biology of under-studied subtypes of lung cancer, specifically squamous and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
trudy.oliver@duke.edu
Current mentee: Margaret Weber
Mark Palmeri, MD, PhD
Professor of the Practice, Biomedical Engineering
Ultrasonic imaging, specifically using acoustic radiation force to characterize tissue properties, and finite element analysis of soft tissue response to impulsive radiation force excitation
mark.palmeri@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Current mentee: Ouwen Huang
Anoop Patel, MD
Associate Professor, Neurosurgery
Using single-cell sequencing techniques to study intratumoral heterogeneity in malignant brain tumors.
anoop.patel@duke.edu
Current mentee: Aditya Mohan
John Pearson, PhD
Associate Professor of Practice, Biomedical Engineering
Application of machine learning methods to analysis of brain data and behavior. Special interest in neurobiology of reward and decision-making, particularly issues surrounding foraging, impulsivity, and self-control. More generally: computational principles underlying brain organization at the mesoscale, and work in lab studies phenomena that range from complex social behaviors to coding principles of the retina.
john.pearson@duke.edu
Current mentee: Daniela De Albuquerque
Ann Marie Pendergast, PhD
Anthony R. Means Professor, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology
Regulation of cellular signaling pathways by tyrosine kinases and adaptor proteins in normal development and pathological conditions, including cancer, immune deficiencies and neurological disorders
ann.pendergast@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Sudarshan Rajagopal, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Medicine (Cardiology), Biochemistry
Pulmonary hypertension; right heart failure
sudarshan.rajagopal@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Current mentee: Preston Anderson
John Rawls, PhD
Professor, Director, Duke Microbiome Center
Understand how the intestinal microbiome contributes to vertebrate physiology and disease.
john.rawls@duke.edu
Current mentee: Margaret Morash
Zachary Reitman, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Radiation Oncology
Radiotherapy for primary and metastatic tumors of the brain and spine. Interested in basic and translational research studies to develop new treatment approaches for pediatric and adult brain tumors. Uses genomic analysis, radiation biology studies, and genetically engineered animal models of cancer to carry out this research.
zjr@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Jatin Roper, MD
Assistant Professor, Medicine - Gastroenterology
Interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms of stem cell function in the normal intestine and in colorectal cancer using innovative three-dimensional organoid and in vivo platforms.
jatin.roper.duke.edu
Current mentee: Reuben Ryan Cano
Laurie Sanders, PhD
Associate Professor in Neurology
Research pursues the novel hypothesis that defective maintenance of genome integrity is an upstream mechanism contributing to the progressive neurodegeneration that occurs in Parkinson's disease
laurie.sanders@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Tatiana Segura, PhD
Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Neurology
We engineer therapeutic materials to promote wound healing and tissue regeneration (think Wolverine without the blades).
tatiana.segura@duke.edu
Current mentee: Sydney Jeffs
Mari Shinohara, PhD
Associate Professor, Integrative Immunobiology
Uses mouse models for infectious and autoimmune diseases to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of; pathogen recognition by PRRs in macrophages and DCs, initiation of inflammatory responses in the innate immune system, and the impact of innate immune inflammation on the development and regulation of T cell-mediated adaptive immune responses
mari.shinohara@duke.edu
Current mentee: Devon DiPalma, Jonathan Messerschmidt
Gustavo Silva, PhD
Associate Professor, Biology
Understand and be able to control how cells respond to stressful and harmful conditions, which are the underlying causes of many human diseases. Study cellular response to stress at the protein level and aim to characterize the different regulatory functions mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), essential machinery involved in modulating protein dynamics.
gustavo.silva@duke.edu
Current mentee: Austin Maduka
Dorothy Sipkins, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacology and Cancer Biology
Studies the molecular characteristics of tissue microenvironments, or “niches,” that regulate the migration, survival and regeneration of cancerous cells.
dorothy.sipkins@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Joshua Snyder, PhD
Associate Professor, Surgery; Assistant Professor, Cell Biology
Determine how cancer cells adapt and grow before cancer is diagnosed.
joshua.snyder@duke.edu
Current mentee: Alejandra Patino
Kevin Southerland, MD
Assistant Professor, Surgery
My long-term research goal is to develop novel therapeutics for limb salvage. My strategy to accomplish this goal is to leverage functional genomics and molecular biology techniques to understand the cellular processes that drive tissue repair in the ischemic limb.
kevin.southerland@duke.edu
House Faculty Advisor
Bruce Sullenger, PhD
Joseph W. and Dorothy W. Beard Professor, Surgery, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology
Ribozymes (RNA enzymes) and RNA ligands (aptamers) in gene therapy
bruce.sullenger@duke.edu
Current mentee: Lyra Olson
Beth Sullivan, PhD
Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Research Training, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
Focused on chromosome organization, with specific emphasis on the genomics and epigenetics of the chromosomal locus called the centromere and the formation and fate of chromosome abnormalities that are associated with birth defects, reproductive abnormalities, and cancer. The centromere is a specialized chromosomal site involved in chromosome architecture and movement, kinetochore function, heterochromatin assembly, and sister chromatid cohesion.
beth.sullivan@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Neeraj K. Surana (Neil), MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Integrative Immunobiology
Research innovatively integrates gnotobiotic murine models, immunology, microbiology, and characterization of the microbiota with the ultimate aim of identifying specific commensal bacteria with immunomodulatory potential and subsequent characterization of their biologic effects.
neil.surana@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
David Tobin, PhD
Associate Professor, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology
Tuberculosis: mycobacterial pathogenesis and host susceptibility
david.tobin@duke.edu
Recent mentee: Colleen McClean
Henry Tseng, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Ophthalmology
The ultimate research goal is to develop novel therapies and techniques for earlier detection of glaucoma and neurodegeneration. Dr. Tseng's research investigates molecular and cellular functions of optineurin, which is a gene associated with glaucoma, brain neurodegeneration, and Paget's disease of the bone. He is uncovering common disease mechanisms that leads to cell death in the eye, brain, and bone.
henry.tseng@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Peter Ubel, MD
Madge and Dennis T. McLawhorn Professor, Marketing and Public Policy
Research and writing explore the quirks in human nature that influence our lives -- the mixture of rational and irrational forces that affect our health, our happiness, and the way our society functions
peter.ubel@duke.edu
Steering Committee
Warren Warren, PhD
James B. Duke Professor, Chemistry
Focuses on the design and application of what might best be called novel pulsed techniques, using controlled radiation fields to alter dynamics.
warren.warren@duke.edu
Recent mentee: Shannon Eriksson
Anne West, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Neurobiology
Molecular mechanisms of activity-dependent synapse development.
west@neuro.duke.edu
MSTP Associate Director
Admissions Committee
Steering Committee
Melodi Whitley, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Dermatology
Research focuses on understanding the drivers of cutaneous malignancy in this population using translational approaches.
melodi.whitley@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Marty Woldorff, PhD
Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Cognitive neuroscience of attention.
woldorff@duke.edu
Current mentee: Travis Larson
Kris Wood, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pharmacology & Cancer Biology
Develops state-of-the-art tools for large-scale, efficient, and information-rich mammalian functional genomics experiments
kris.wood@duke.edu
Current mentee: Christopher Delaney, Shane Killarney, Jude Raj, Michael Aiduk
Recent mentee: Christopher Bassil, Christian Cerda-Smith
Colleen Wu, PhD
Associate Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery
Studies how low oxygen tension (hypoxia), in the bone microenvironment influences bone homeostasis, hematopoietic development, and metastatic bone colonization.
colleen.wu@duke.edu
Admissions Committee
Jennifer Zhang, PhD
Professor, Dermatology
Gene regulation of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation, Keratinocytes as instigators of inflammatory responses, Ubiquitination enzymes in melanoma.
jennifer.zhang@duke.edu
Recent mentee: Stephen Kirchner