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MSTP Current Students
Students in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) at UW–Madison come from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. The program includes students from all over the United States.
We are committed to bringing diversity of interests and background to each incoming class. The training that our students receive and the personal and professional friendships that they make during their time in Madison should last a lifetime.
Learn more about our current students, including their research interests and publications.
MD-PhD Student Directory
Name | Year Joined | Grad Program | Mentor | Research Interest(s) | Research Links | Undergrad |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Naa Asheley Ashitey ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Cancer Immunotherapy, Tumor Immunology, CAR T Cells, Autoimmunity, Health Disparities in Cancer and Autoimmune Diseases, Cultural Pedagogy and Educational Advocacy | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Chicago |
Briah Barksdale ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Immunology, Reproductive Immunology, Microbiology | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Maryland-Baltimore County |
Mikayla Bull ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Cancer Immunology, Tumor Microenvironment, Oncology, Burn Wound Healing, Burn Wound Microenvironment | LinkedIn ORCID |
The Ohio State University |
Erin Clark ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Viral Pathogenesis, Virus-Host Interactions, Virology, Infectious Diseases, Microbiology | ORCID | Indiana University-Bloomington |
Ishani Gaidhane ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry | LinkedIn ORCID |
Central Michigan University |
Zoe Gardner ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Pediatrics, Developmental Biology, Embryology, Zebrafish Biology | LinkedIn ORCID |
Smith College |
Samantha Hoffman ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, Brain Injury, Neuroimaging, Neuromodulation | ORCID | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities |
Gabrianne Larson ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Cancer Biology, Oncology, Urology, Hormone Signaling, Metastasis, and Therapeutic Resistance | ORCID | Universty of Minnesota-Twin Cities |
Kaitlyn Lazorchak ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Cancer Biology, Immunotherapy, Hematology, Immunology of Transplant | ORCID | Davidson College |
Tatyana Lynn ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Reproductive Science, Immunology of Pregnancy, Immunology, Microbiology, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Organ Transplantation and Neonatology | LinkedIn ORCID |
Union College |
Cameron Schultz ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Neurodegeneration, Neuronal Protein Trafficking, Glial Cells | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of St. Thomas |
Jessica Schwartz ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Congenital Infection, Reproductive Immunology, Placental Physiology | ORCID | Gustavus Adophus College |
David Van Wazer ![]() |
2024 | TBD | Rotating Summer 2025 | Protein Design, Synthetic Biology, Immunology, Vaccinology, Biosecurity | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
Kailyn Anderson ![]() |
2023 | TBD | Barbara Bendlin, PhD, MA | Neuroscience, Dementia, Health Disparities, Neurodegeneration | ORCID | University of Minnesota - Morris |
Chris Carchi ![]() |
2023 | Neuroscience Training Program (NTP) | Douglas Dean, PhD | Brain Injury, Neuroregenerative Medicine, Neurodegeneration, Neuroimaging, Neuromodulation | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities |
Jordan Ewald ![]() |
2023 | TBD | Jacques Galipeau, MD | Pediatrics, Nephrology, Neuroendocrine Tumors, Radiation Biology and Oncology | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Iowa |
Sophie Karp ![]() |
2023 | TBD | Pending | Stem Cell, Organoid, Regenerative Medicine, Tissue Engineering | ORCID | Colgate University |
Ethan Willbrand ![]() |
2023 | TBD | JP Yu, MD, PhD | Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroimaging, Neuroanatomy, Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Neurodegenerative Diseases | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of California - Berkeley |
Andrea Lucia Alfonso ![]() |
2022 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP) | David Beebe, PhD | Biomedical Engineering (BME), Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials, Biomechanics, Patient-Specific Models | LinkedIn ORCID |
Cornell University |
Kellen Biesbrock ![]() |
2022 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | John Denu, PhD | Gut Microbiome, Microbe-Host Interactions, Systems Biology | LinkedIn ORCID |
The Ohio State University |
Jared Boyce ![]() |
2022 | Neuroscience Training Program (NTP) | Catherine Marler, PhD | Early life Trauma, Molecular Neurobiology, Epigenetics, Depression/PTSD | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
Dartmouth College; Brown University |
Jordan Bramble ![]() |
2022 | Biomedical Data Sciences (BDS) | Pallavi Tiwari, PhD | Statistics, Bayesian Analysis, Epidemiology, Infectious Disease | ORCID | University of Kansas |
Matthew Chrostek | 2022 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP) | Shuang (George) Zhao, MD | Cancer Biomarkers, Breast Cancer, Clinical Biomarkers, Targeted Therapies | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities |
Sophia Doerr ![]() |
2022 | Biomedical Data Science (BDS) | Matthew Churpek, MD, PhD, MPH | Clinical Informatics, Health Equity, Computer Vision, Systems Engineering | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
Johns Hopkins University |
Evan Dray ![]() |
2022 | Cancer Biology | Christian Capitini, MD | Pediatric Oncology, Pediatric Glioma, Neuroblastoma, Epigenetics, CAR T-Cells | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
Mariza Francis ![]() |
2022 | Neuroscience Training Program (NTP) | Ned Kalin, MD | Neuroscience, Neurodevelopment, Systems Neuroscience, Psychosocial Factors of Health | LinkedIn ORCID |
Tulane University |
Jin Komerska ![]() |
2022 | Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP) | Jason Peters, PhD | Microbial Genetics | LinkedIn ORCID |
Grinnell College |
Alissa Kunczt ![]() |
2022 | Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) | Anna Huttenlocher, MD | Neurodegenerative Disease, Drug Targeting, Drug Delivery | ORCID | University of Chicago |
Michaela Morhaus ![]() |
2022 | Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) | Judith Simcox, PhD | Metabolism, Mitochondria, Genetic Polymorphisms, Inborn Errors of Metabolism | ORCID | Washington University in St. Louis |
Kim Phan ![]() |
2022 | Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) | James Keck, PhD | Structural Biology, Protein Structure, Drug Discovery, Structural Mechanisms | ORCID | Augustana College |
John Shuster ![]() |
2022 | Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) | Judith Simcox, PhD | Aging, Orthopedics, Metabolism, Diabetes | Google Scholar ORCID |
Washington University in St. Louis |
William Stump ![]() |
2022 | Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology (MCP) | Marina Sharifi, MD, PhD | Cancer Biology, Cancer Immunology, Cell Signaling, Targeted Therapy | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Alabama in Huntsville |
Michael Fromandi ![]() |
2021 | Biomedical Data Science | Daniel Pimentael-Alarcon | Data Science, Neuroradiology, Genomics, Mathematics, Big Data | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Colorado - Boulder |
Nicholas Garcia ![]() |
2021 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | Anna Huttenlocher, MD | Immunology, Immunotherapy, Regenerative Medicine, & Adaptive Immunity | LinkedIn ORCID |
Indiana University |
James Haddad ![]() |
2021 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | Matthew Churpek, MD, PhD, MPH | Bioinformatics, Multi-Omics, Data Integration | ORCID | University of Pittsburgh |
Angela Hsu ![]() |
2021 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology (CMP) | Melissa Skala, PhD | Metabolism, T Cell Migration, Tumor Microenvironment, Hematology/Oncology | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Michigan |
Sidra Jabeen ![]() |
2021 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | F. Jeffrey Dilworth | Synaptic Plasticity, Neurodevelopment and Degeneration, Neuromodulation | ORCID | City University of NY - Queens College |
Dawid Maciorowski ![]() |
2021 | NIH OxCam | Jeffrey Cohen, MD Mark Howarth, PhD | Protein Design, Synthetic Biology, Vaccinology, Virology, Biosecurity | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
Loyola University Chicago |
Vivian H. Nguyen ![]() |
2021 | Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) | Johanna Elfenbien, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVIM | Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Bacterial Pathogenesis, Gut Microbiota | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Texas - Dallas |
Andrew Norton ![]() |
2021 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | Adam Bailey | Viral Pathogenesis, Infectious Diseases, Virology, Arteriviruses | LinkedIn ResearchGate ORCID |
University of Minnesota |
Jarron Roy ![]() |
2021 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | Rebecca Richards | Biomaterials and Drug Delivery | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
Leela Shah ![]() |
2021 | Neuroscientist Training Program | Douglas Dean, PhD | Pediatric Neuroimaging, Neurodevelopment, Neonatology, Perinatology | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Virginia |
Sophie Vrba ![]() |
2021 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | Zsusanna Fabry | Neuroimmunology, Immunology, Multiple Sclerosis, Tuberculosis | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Minnesota |
Monica I. Duran ![]() |
2020 | Neuroscience | Brittany Travers, PhD | Autism/ADHD, Neurodevelopment, Brain Structure, Neuroimaging (MRI; DWI), Behavioral Assessments | ORCID | University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras |
Ashley Holt ![]() |
2020 | Microbiology | Jeniel Nett, MD, PhD | Emerging Pathogens, Host-Microbe Interactions, Neutrophils, Microbiology | ORCID | Texas A&M University |
Rachel Kirchner ![]() |
2020 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Jane Churpek, MD | Telemere Biology Disorders, Rare Disease, Medical Genetics | LinkedIn ORCID |
The Ohio State University |
Ajinkya Limkar ![]() |
2020 | Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology | William Ricke, PhD | Immunology, Inflammation, Wound Healing, Urology, BPH | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Minnesota |
Gabriella Mamlouk ![]() |
2020 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | Ozioma Okonkwo, PhD | Sex Differences, Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Health Disparities, Neuroscience | LinkedIn ORCID |
North Carolina State University |
Eleanna Melcher ![]() |
2020 | Population Health Sciences | Amy Kind, MD, PhD | Health Disparities, Social Exposome, Alzheimer's Disease, Area Disadvantage, Population Health | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Pittsburgh |
Rodrigo Antonio Montoro ![]() |
2020 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Laura Knoll, PhD | Obesity, Host-Pathogen Interactions, Toxoplasma gondii, Gut-Brain Axis, Gut Microbiome | LinkedIn Google Scholar ResearchGate ORCID |
Towson University |
Jenny Piciw ![]() |
2020 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Anita Bhattacharyya, PhD | Stem Cells, Down Syndrome, Neurodevelopment | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Richmond |
Ryan Risgaard ![]() |
2020 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Andre Sousa, PhD | Developmental Neuroscience | ORCID | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Erin Schaeffer ![]() |
2020 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | Giulio Tononi, MD, PhD | Temporal Interference, Brain Stimulation, Electroencephalography, Sleep, Mental Health | ORCID | Brown University |
Nicholas Arp ![]() |
2019 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Jing Fan, PhD | Metabolism, Immunometabolism, Macrophage, Mass Spectrometry | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
Wartburg College |
Austin Feeney ![]() |
2019 | Biomedical Engineering | Sean Palecek, PhD | Stem Cell Bioengineering, Cardiomyocyte Biomanufacturing, Single-Cell Sequencing, Heart Disease | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Anqi Gao ![]() |
2019 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | Huy Dinh, PhD | Cancer Immunology, Genomics, Tumor Microenvironment, Neutrophil Biology | LinkedIn ORCID |
Emory University |
Emma Graham ![]() |
2019 | Biomedical Data Science | Matthew Churpek, MD, PhD, MPH | Precision Medicine, Causal Inference, Clinical Informatics, Machine Learning | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
Yale University |
Margot Katz ![]() |
2019 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | James Gern, MD | Cell Death, Rhinovirus, Innate Immunity, Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia, Wheezing Illness | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
Colby College |
Tung H. Nguyen | 2019 | NIH OxCam | Pietro Sormanni, PhD | SARS-COV2, Evolution, Computational | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
Brown University |
Katrina Falk ![]() |
2019 | Biomedical Engineering | Paul Laeseke, MD, PhD | Histotripsy,Interventional Oncology, Cone-beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), Ultrasound, Translational Research | LinkedIn Google Scholar ResearchGate ORCID |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Jon Schrope ![]() |
2019 | Biomedical Engineering | David Beebe, PhD | Biomedical Engineering, Microfluidics, Cell Migration, Immunology | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Minnesota |
Mayra Betancourt Ponce ![]() |
2018 | Cellular and Molecular Pathology | Lisa Barroilhet, MD, MS | Ovarian Cancer, Cancer Immunology, Combination Therapy, Stress Response | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras |
Hailey Bussan | 2018 | Microbiology | Federico Rey, PhD | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Wisconsin-Madison | |
Daniel Y. Chu ![]() |
2018 | Neuroscience | Vivek Prabhakaran, MD, PhD | Neuroimaging, Epilepsy, Connectome, Focal Cortical Dysplasia, Diffusion Weighted Imaging | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of California - Santa Barbara |
Matthew Freeman ![]() |
2018 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | JD Sauer, PhD | Bacterial Pathogenesis, Metabolism, Cytosolic Pathogens, Innate Immunity | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Minnesota |
Jake Khoussine ![]() |
2018 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Mrinalini Hoon, PhD | Vision Neuroscience, Retinal Circuits, Retinal Physiology, Cellular Imaging, Adaptive Optics | ORCID | University of Oklahoma |
Jorgo Lika ![]() |
2018 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Jing Fan, PhD | Neutrophil, Metabolism, Immunometabolism, Innate Immunity | LinkedIn ORCID |
University of Wisconsin-Madison |
Angela Olvera | 2018 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Dawn Davis, MD, PhD | Diabetes, Beta-Cell Mass Dynamics | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Iowa |
Ashley Scott ![]() |
2018 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Kristyn Masters, PhD | Sex Differences, Tissue Engineering, Calcific Aortic Valve Disease, Biomaterials | University of Maryland Baltimore County | |
Ajay P. Singh
![]() |
2018 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | JP Yu, MD, PhD | Radiology, Genetics, Diffusion MRI, Neuropsychiatric Disease | ORCID | Harvard University |
Maya Amjadi ![]() |
2017 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Miriam Shelef, MD, PhD | Immunology, COVID-19, Antibody Response, Autoimmune Diseases | ORCID | University of Iowa |
Sarah M. Boutom ![]() |
2017 | Biomedical Engineering | Sean Palecek, PhD | Blood-Brain Barrier, Vascular Biology, Endothelial Cells, Stem Cells, Tissue Engineering | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Michigan |
Joseph Lalli ![]() |
2016 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Donna Werling, PhD | Human Genetics, Sex-Specific Differences, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Autism, Gene Regulation | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
Macalester College |
Tyler Reich ![]() |
2016 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Peter Lewis, PhD | Cancer Biology, Chromatin, Epigenetics | Google Scholar ORCID |
University of Pennsylvania |
Truman J. Do ![]() |
2015 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | Peter Lewis, PhD | Chromatin, Epigenetics, Histone Mutations, Cancer Biology | LinkedIn Google Scholar ORCID |
University of California - Los Angeles |