Current Lab Members:
Jocelyn McDonald
Professor
B.S. Marquette University
Ph.D. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
More about Dr. McDonald: Faculty web site, ResearchGate, Google Scholar
Research Interests: Collective cell migration, cell adhesion, kinases and phosphatases in cell migration, non-muscle myosin II, tissue morphogenesis, mechanobiology, cell stress and homeostasis in migrating cells, tumor invasion and metastasis.
Rehan Khan
Graduate Student
B.Sc./M.Sc. (Integrated Master’s in Science), Biological Science. National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar, India
Research Interests: Stress response in collective cell migration, bioinformatics, RNA-sequencing, dynamic cell migration
Ben Lawrence
Undergraduate Researcher
Human Biochemistry Major, Microbiology Major
K-INBRE Semester Scholar Award, 2025-2026
K-INBRE Star Trainee Award, 2026-2027
Research Interests: LINC complex in nuclear and cell shapes during collective cell migration.
Kendra Visser
Undergraduate Researcher
Computational Biology Major
K-INBRE Freshman Scholar Award, 2025-2027
Research Interests: Ecdysone regulation during collective cell migration, evo-devo, bioinformatics.
Ella Hansen
Fly Stock Changer
Fisheries, Wildlife Conservation, and Environmental Biology (FWCEB) major
Alumni in Reverse Chronological Order and by Training Stage (Kansas State University and Cleveland Clinic):
Graduate Students
Emily Burghardt (KSU Graduate Student 2018-2024, PhD 2024) – now a Content Developer at Opentrons Labworks.
Luke Messer (KSU Graduate Student 2017-2023, PhD 2023) – now a tenure-track Assistant Professor at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
Nirupama Kotian (KSU Graduate Student 2016-2022, PhD 2022) – now a postdoctoral researcher at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI).
Ketki Sawant (CSU Graduate Student 2010-2015, PhD 2015, KSU Postdoctoral Fellow 2016) – now an Application Scientist and Lab Operations Manager at VedaBio, San Diego, CA.
George Aranjuez (CWRU Graduate Student 2010-2015, PhD 2015) – now an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine.
Kelly Shibuya (Medical Student, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, 2014) – now a practicing physician in Hawaii.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Yujun Chen (Postdoctoral Researcher at KSU 2016-2024) – applying for academic faculty positions in China.
Pralay Majumder (Postdoctoral Fellow at Cleveland Clinic 2009-2013; Visiting Scientist at KSU 2016) – now an Assistant Professor, Presidency University
Sushmita Mukherjee (Postdoctoral Fellow at Cleveland Clinic 2009-2011) – now Director, Program Operations Hematology/Oncology, Regeneron, New Jersey.
Undergraduate Researchers
Cierra Bookless, JCRC Cancer Research Award (Spring 2026), Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research Scholarship, Spring 2025, Biology Research Credit (Fall 2024, Fall 2025). Currently apply for optometry school programs.
Daysha Isaac, K-INBRE Summer Scholar (Summer 2023), Langston University.
Caleb Kutz, JCRC Cancer Research Award (Spring 2022 & 2023), OURCI (Fall 2022), KSU Undergraduate Research Student (2021-2023). Currently a PhD student at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Claire Richardson, Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research Award Fall 2021, JCRC Cancer Research Award Spring 2022, OURCI research award 2021, K-INBRE Semester Scholar 2022-2023. KSU Undergraduate Research Student (2021-2023). Currently a medical student at the University of Kansas.
Sydney Tobis, K-INBRE Freshman Scholar 2021-2023, KSU Undergraduate Research Student (2021-2023). Now a medical student at the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Gibson (Hoefgen) Shaver (OURCI Fellowship, K-INBRE Semester Scholar, KSU Undergraduate Research Student 2020-2022).
Juliet Her, KS-LSAMP RiPS Student 2021 (Virtual) from Donnelly College, Kansas City, KS.
Matthew Ho, Summer Intern (2021) from Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
Hannah Coggeshall (Arts & Sciences Fellowship, OURCI Fellowship, JCRC Cancer Research Awardee, 2020, 2021, KSU Undergraduate Research Student, 2018-2021). Now a medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS.
Manuel Garcia (KSU Undergraduate Research Student, 2018-2021). Now a medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS.
Carmen Del Real (KSU-LSAMP RiPS 2017, KSU-Bridges to the Future 2018, KSU Developing Scholar, JCRC Cancer Research Awardee 2020, K-INBRE Semester Scholar 2020-2021; KSU Undergraduate Researcher 2018-2021). Currently working in health care and applying for medical school.
Elijah Gardner (KSU-LSAMP RiPS 2019). Currently a PhD student in occupational therapy, University of St. Mary, KS.
Marissa Komp (KSU Undergraduate Research Student, JCRC Cancer Research Awardee, 2017-2019). Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2019-2023. Currently working as a DVM in Kansas City.
Loan Tang (KSU Undergraduate Researcher, K-INBRE Freshman Scholar, 2016-2018). Currently working as a consultant.
Adelina Parral (KSU Bridges/DSP student 2017-2018) – currently working after receiving a master’s of international human rights program at Denver University.
Lauren Knox (2016-2017 Undergraduate Research Student) – currently a medical student at Drexel University Medical School.
Heather Foy (Intern 2016) – currently working in healthcare.
Kristen (Hylen) Curren (2016 summer student K-State SUROP program: from Benedictine College) – currently working in health care.
Mouktika Ayyagari (2013 Undergraduate Researcher: from Case Western Reserve University).
Joanne Berry (2013 Visiting Undergraduate Volunteer: from Ohio Northern University).
Elizabeth Kudlaty (2010-2011 Undergraduate Researcher: from Northwestern University) – currently a medical resident at Northwestern University, Department of Medicine.
Derek McCalla (2011 Undergraduate Researcher: from Oakwood University) – currently a physician.
Emily Lewis (2010 Undergraduate Researcher: from Ohio State University) – received an M.S. in Plant Biology/Conservation from Northwestern University.
Connie Tzou (2008-2010 Undergraduate Researcher: from Case Western Reserve University) – received a PhD from University of Washington School of Public Health.
Nicole Molander-Barraza (2012 Undergraduate Researcher in Case Western Reserve University ACES program: from Florida International University).
Technicians and Lab Managers
Oshadhi Athukorala Arachchige (KSU Research Technician 2017-2018) – currently working in Sri Lanka.
Kevin Preuss (KSU Lab Manager 2017-2018) – currently Program Integrator at Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX.
Ashely Burtscher (Research Technologist at Cleveland Clinic 2011-2015) – currently a Research Technologist in the Department of Cancer Biology, Cleveland Clinic.
The McDonald Lab 