Current Lab Members:
Jocelyn McDonald
Associate Professor
B.S. Marquette University
Ph.D. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
More about Dr. McDonald: McDonald Biosketch, 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, tumor invasion and metastasis
Yujun Chen
Postdoctoral Fellow
B.S. Hainan University, China
Ph.D. Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Research Interests: Serine-threonine Protein phosphatase complexes in border cells and collective migration, live imaging techniques, optogenetic tools
Emily Burghardt
Graduate Student
B.A. Northern Michigan University
Research Interests: Dynamic collective cell migration in a growing tissue, RNA-sequencing, genetic regulation of border cell motility
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
Jossie Coloma and Jaycee Stewart
Fly Food Prep ‘Chefs’
Biology Majors
Alumni in Reverse Chronological Order and by Training Stage (Kansas State University and Cleveland Clinic):
Graduate Students
Luke Messer (KSU Graduate Student 2017-2023, PhD 2023) – currently a Visiting Assistant Professor at St. Bonaventure University. He will be starting his tenure-track Assistant Professor position at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise in Fall 2024.
Nirupama Kotian (KSU Graduate Student 2016-2022, PhD 2022) – currently 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) – currently an Application Scientist and Lab Operations Manager at VedaBio, San Diego, CA.
George Aranjuez (CWRU Graduate Student 2010-2015, PhD 2015) – currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine.
Kelly Shibuya (Medical Student, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, 2014) – currently a practicing physician in Hawaii.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Pralay Majumder (Postdoctoral Fellow at Cleveland Clinic 2009-2013; Visiting Scientist at KSU 2016) – currently an Assistant Professor, Presidency University
Sushmita Mukherjee (Postdoctoral Fellow at Cleveland Clinic 2009-2011) – currently Director, Program Operations Hematology/Oncology, Regeneron, New Jersey.
Undergraduate Researchers
Caleb Kutz, JCRC Cancer Research Award (Spring 2022 & 2023), OURCI (Fall 2022), KSU Undergraduate Research Student (2021-2023). Planning to apply to PhD graduate programs.
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). Planning to study for a Masters and applying for medical school.
Sydney Tobis, K-INBRE Freshman Scholar 2021-2023, KSU Undergraduate Research Student (2021-2023). Currently 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). Currently applying to PhD graduate programs.
Juliet Her, KS-LSAMP RiPS Student 2021 (Virtual). Currently an undergraduate student at Donnelly College, Kansas City, KS.
Matthew Ho, Summer Intern (2021). Currently an undergraduate student and researcher at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
Hannah Coggeshall (Arts & Sciences Fellowship, OURCI Fellowship, JCRC Cancer Research Awardee, 2020, 2021, KSU Undergraduate Research Student, 2018-2021). Currently a medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS.
Manuel Garcia (KSU Undergraduate Research Student, 2018-2021). Currently 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 