Fellows

Rebecca Cox

• Ph.D., Biomedical Science, Cornell University
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular and Integrative Physiology 
• Mentor:  Dr. Scott Leiser

Research Interest: Rebecca is interested in the role of FMO-2 and neuropeptide pathways in a C. elegans model of dietary-mediated longevity.
rebeccco@umich.edu

Nathan Horrell

• Ph.D., Neuroscience, University of California – Riverside
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Michigan Neuroscience Institute
• Mentor:  Dr. Jacek Debiec

Research Interest:  Nathan is interested in the effects of electroshock treatment on fear conditioning behavior, neural activity and gene expression.
nhorrell@umich.edu

Molly Naylor

• Ph.D., Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Ophthalmology and Visual Science
• Mentor:  Dr. Jillian Pearring

Research Interest: Molly is interested in studying outer segment growth in photoreceptors. 
mttho@umich.edu

Ramiah Jacks

• Ph.D., Immunology, Loyola University Chicago
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular and Integrative Physiology 
• Mentor: Carey Lumeng, M.D., Ph.D

Research Interest: Ramiah is interested in the factors that shape our immune response in obesity, especially the relationship between adipose tissue T cells (ATTs) and the adipose tissue microenvironment.  
rdjacks@umich.edu

Vanessa Puñal

• Ph,D., Neurobiology, Duke University
• Postdoctoral Fellow,  Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB)
• Mentor: Eleanor J. “Josie” Clowney, Ph.D., 

Research Interest: Vanessa is interested in how neural networks are built and modified by experience, focusing on cellular, molecular, and/or genetic mechanisms driven the stochastic patterning of these olfactory associative learning circuitsin the developing Drosophila melanogaster.
vmpunal@umich.edu

Sonya Wolf-Fortune

• Ph.D., Immunology, University of Michigan
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular and Integrative Physiology
• Mentor:  Katherine Gallagher, M.D., Vascular Surgery

Research Interest:  Sonya is interested in the immune factors influencing diabetic wound healing,  examining the role of keratinocytes in shaping the macrophage inflammatory profile in diabetic wounds in order to develop novel targets for treatment. 
sonwolf@umich.edu

Lauren Jepsen

• Ph.D., Bioinformatics, University of Michigan
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Biomedical Engineering,
• Mentor: David Sept, Ph.D. 

Research Interest: Lauren is studying how the sequence of actin effects its structure and dynamics through the use of both accelerated and conventional molecular dynamics.  She is also interested in the consequences of point mutations within actin’s pathogenic helix (residues 1135-125).  
ljepsen@umich.edu

Elizabeth Duran

• Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Alabama
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Chemistry
• Mentor: Nils G. Walter, Ph.D.

Research Interest: Elizabeth is interested in characterizing protein-driven spliceosome rearrangements that govern splice site selection during mature RNA production.
elizabcd@umich.edu

Jennifer Judge
2017-2019
Regulatory Affairs Scientist,
Cook Myosite

Wylie Stroberg
2016-2020
Assistant Professor,
University of Alberta

Victor A Cazares
2016-2020
Assistant Professor,
Williams University

Holly Turula
2019-2020
Assistant Professor,
Western Michigan University

DeLawrence Sykes
2017-2020
Visiting Assistant Professor, Pomona College

Neda Nourabadi
2017-2020
QA Senior Associate
Amgen

Zoe Thompson
2017-2021
Assistant Professor
Utah Valley University