Current Lab Members:
Jocelyn McDonald
Assistant 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 and faculty web site
Research Interests: Collective cell migration, cell polarity, kinases and phosphatases in cell migration, non-muscle myosin II, tissue morphogenesis, mechanobiology, tumor invasion and metastasis
Yujun “Eugene” Chen, Ph.D.
Yujun Chen
Research Associate (Postdoctoral Fellow)
B.S. Hainan University, China
Ph.D. Tongji University, Shanghai, China
Research Interests: Serine-threonine Protein phosphatases in border cells and collective migration
Nirupama Kotian
Graduate Student
B.Sc. KETs V G Vaze College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mumbai, India
M.Sc. KETs V G Vaze College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mumbai, India
Research Interests: Cell adhesion proteins, regulation of adhesion in collectives, applications to cancer
Luke Messer
Graduate Student
B.S. University of Alabama in Huntsville
Research Interests: Regulation of Rap1 activity in collective migration, tissue-collective interactions, signaling pathways in migration
Marissa Komp
Marissa Komp
Undergraduate Research Student
Life Sciences Major, Pre-Veterinary
Research Interests: Protein Phosphatase 1 interaction screens, applications to cancer
Carmen Del Real
Undergraduate Research Student, Bridges and Developing Scholars Programs
Biochemistry Major
Research Interests: Protein Phosphatase function, applications to cancer
Manuel Garcia
Undergraduate Research Student, Independent Study
Biology Major
Research Interests: Rap1 small GTPase function, applications to cancer
Hannah Coggeshall
Undergraduate Research Intern
Biology Major
Research Interests: Adhesion proteins in collective cell migration, applications to cancer
Alumni:
Loan Tang (Undergraduate Researcher, K-INBRE Freshman Scholar, 2016-2018). Finishing studies at KSU, interested in public health research and studies.
Oshadhi Athukorala Arachchige (Research Technician 2017-2018) – currently on leave from graduate school, University of Kansas Medical School, Kansas City, KS
Kevin Preuss (Lab Manager 2017-2018) – currently in business school, San Antonio, TX
Ketki Sawant (Graduate Student 2010-2015/Postdoctoral Fellow 2016) – currently a Research Scientist at Cellf-Bio, Winston-Salem, NC
George Aranjuez (Graduate Student 2010-2015) – currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida
Ashely Burtscher (Research Technologist 2011-2015) – currently a Research Technologist in the Department of Cancer Biology, Cleveland Clinic
Sushmita Mukherjee (Postdoctoral Fellow 2009-2011) – currently a Clinical Project Manager in the Oncology group at Quintiles, Inc.
Pralay Majumder (Postdoctoral Fellow at Cleveland Clinic 2009-2013; Visiting Scientist at KSU 2016) – currently an Assistant Professor, Presidency University
Kelly Shibuya (Medical Student 2014) – currently a fourth-year medical student in the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Adelina Parral (Bridges/DSP student 2017-2018) – currently doing research in science outreach at K-State
Carmen Del Real (RiPS Kansas Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program – Summer 2017) – currently a student at Dodge City Community College
Lauren Knox (2016-2017 Undergraduate Research Student) – currently taking classes in preparation for Medical School applications
Heather Foy (Intern 2016) – currently working in healthcare
Kristen Hylen (2016 summer student K-State SUROP program: from Benedictine College)
Mouktika Ayyagari (2013 Undergraduate Researcher: from Case Western Reserve University)
Joanne Berry (2013 Visiting Undergraduate Volunteer: from Ohio Northern University) – currently a research technician at Children’s Hospital Boston & Harvard Medical School (Carla Kim Lab)
Elizabeth Kudlaty (2010-2011 Undergraduate Researcher: from Northwestern University) – currently a medical student at Ohio State University
Derek McCalla (2011 Undergraduate Researcher: from Oakwood University) – currently a medical student at Loma Linda University
Emily Lewis (2010 Undergraduate Researcher: from Ohio State University) – received M.S. in Plant Biology/Conservation from Northwestern University
Connie Tzou (2008-2010 Undergraduate Researcher: from Case Western Reserve University) – currently a graduate student at University of Washington School of Public Health
Nicole Molander-Barraza (2012 Undergraduate Researcher in Case Western Reserve University ACES program: from Florida International University)
