2011 Graduates

Gabrielle Armijo

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: UC San Diego, Human Development
• Research Mentor: Dr. Antonio De Maio
• Project Title: How Acute Phase Proteins Affect the Outcome of Sepsis

Soumaya Bader

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: Baylor University, Biology
• Research Mentor: Dr. Hemal Patel
• Project Title: Role of Caveolin Isoforms in C. Elegans Mitochondrial Function and Membrane Fluidity

Allegra Condiotte

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: Dartmouth College, Projected- Biology Modified with Anthropology
• Research Mentor: Dr. Antonio De Maio
• Project Title: Scavenger Receptors and the Outcome of Sepsis

Victoria Diaz

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: University of Texas at San Antonio, Biology
• Research Mentor: Dr. Toshitaka Yajima
• Project Title: Generation of the Plasmid that Can Express Replication-Defective, Double Stranded Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) RNA in Cultured Cells

Daisy Irra

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Biology and Chemistry with tracks in Biomedical Emphasis
• Research Mentor: Dr. Ju Chen
• Project Title: Understanding the Role of Nesprin 1 and Nesprin 2 in the Heart

Lauren McHenry

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: UCSD, Physiology and Neuroscience
• Research Mentor: Dr. Rolf Bodmer
• Project Title: Nitric Oxide Signaling in the Drosophila Heart

Malcolm Moise

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: Xavier University of Louisiana, Biology 
• Research Mentor: Dr. Neil Chi
• Project Title: Localization and Potential Role of UBIAD1 in Human Heart Tissue

Edson Mwakyanjala

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: Florida State University, Biological Science
• Research Mentor: Dr. Chris Glass
• Project Title: IncRNA Regulation of Inflammatory Responses 

Javier Otero

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Pre-Med
• Research Mentor: Dr. Farah Sheikh
• Project Title: A Novel Desmoplakin-CSN6 Interaction: Possible Role in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

Laura Padilla-Carrasquillo

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, Biology
• Research Mentor: Dr. David Roth
• Project Title: Inhibitory G-Protein Stimulation Enhances the Formation of Caveolae

Alexander Rand

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: Dartmouth College, Biology & English
• Research Mentor: Dr. Robert Ross
• Project Title: The Effect of Altered Caveolin-3 Levels on Integrin β1 Expression in the Murine Cardiomyocyte

Eliseo Rivas

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: UCSD, Biochemistry
• Research Mentor: Dr. JoAnn Trejo
• Project Title:The Role of Rab11b in PAR1 Trafficking

Amy Taylor

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: UCSD, Biology: Physiology & Neuroscience
• Research Mentor: Dr. Nicole Purcell
• Project Title: Inhibition of PHLPP and the Effects on Akt Phosphorylation

Alejandro Vargas

• Undergraduate Institution & Major: University of Notre Dame, Biological Science  
• Research Mentor: Dr. Francisco Villarreal
• Project Title: Inhibition of MMPs with Pro-Drug Hydroxypyridinone Inhibitor in Ex Vivo Physiological Model Confers Cardio-Protection Upon Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury