Recent Graduates

 

Alicia AwesAlicia Angell back to top
Hometown - Red Lodge, MT
BA Biology, The University of Montana, 2003
MS Neuroscience, The University of Montana, 2008
Research Advisor - Michael Kavanaugh
Thesis - "Novel Roles of the Endocannabinoid System in the Modulation of Synaptic Plasticity"
Description - Learning and memory formation are very important functions of the brain; however, little is known about how these occur on a molecular level. My research looks at the role of the endocannabinoid neurotransmitter system in shaping the molecular processes thought to be key for learning and memory. 

I am originally from Red Lodge MT. I came to Missoula after a brief stay in California because I wanted to come back to the mountains and attend a larger University. After graduating with my B.A. in biology from U of M I started working as a tech in Dr. Kavanaugh's lab and this introduced me to the Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences program. I became very interested in the glutamate transporter research that was taking place and decided to apply for the Neuroscience program. The friendly and encouraging environment makes U of M a fun place to work and study, and the excellent faculty and staff provide many opportunities to learn and be challenged. Living in Missoula and going to school is a perfect combination because there are so many ways to enjoy the community while still doing good science.

 

Shailesh AgarwalShailesh Agarwal back to top
Hometown - Pune, India
BPharm, Pharmacy, University of Puna (India), 1997
PhD Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Richard Bridges
Dissertation - "Pharmacological Modeling and Regulation of Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters (EAATs)"

Originally from Pune, India, it is the research work going on in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences that brought me to the University of Montana. I am particularly impressed by the opportunities a student get to learn while working with very cooperative and encouraging faculty and staff. The understanding and helpful nature of all students adds to the comfortable working environment. The opportunities for outdoor activities throughout the year makes Missoula a very fun place to be in. currently, I am working on the role the glutamate transporters play in excitotoxicity of the neurons. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders remains my long term goal.

 

Celeste BolinCeleste Bolin back to top
BA Chemistry, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA, 2001
PhD Toxicology, The University of Montana, 2008
Research Advisor - Fernando Cardozo-Pelaez
Dissertation - "Oxidative stress and the guanosine nucleotide triphosphate pool: Implications for a biomarker and mechanism of impaired cell function"
Description - My dissertation work is an extensive biochemical characterization of a novel endpoint of oxidative stress in cells with important implications for understanding mechanisms of diseases and toxins that affect the brain.

I moved to Missoula in the fall of 2001 after spending a summer working in Glacier National Park. Having just graduated in with a degree in chemistry from Whitman College, I was eager to participate in professional research. I started working as a research specialist for Dr. Fernando Cardozo-Pelaez in the spring of 2002 and was immediately taken with the field of Neurotoxicology. After working for two years for Dr. Cardozo-Pelaez, I decided to pursue a PhD with him acting as my advisor and challenge myself even further within this area of research. Currently, I am interested in investigating free radical-mediated damage to specific areas of the nervous system with a focus on the modulation of the second messenger cGMP. I am very at home in Montana and feel privileged to be able to conduct my graduate studies in the Missoula community.

 

CK ChaoCK Chao back to top
Hometown - Hualien, Taiwan
BS Pharmacy, China Medical College, 1991
MS Pharmaceutical Sciences, National Taiwan University, 1997
PhD Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2008
Research Advisor - Charles Thompson
Dissertation - "The vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT): heterologous expression, proteoliposome, computational and mass spectral studies"
Description - The research goal is to advance structural and functional understanding of neurotransmitter transporters (VGLUTs) for pharmacological studies and drug designs.

I am from Taiwan, a beautiful island - Formosa. Why I came here is because of the outstanding faculty, diverse research projects, and new research facilities. People in Missoula are friendly and helpful. In the department, we share resources and experiences with each other. It is a great place for graduate studies. Currently, I am working in the laboratory under Dr. Charles Thompson to develop analytical methods for protein identification with capillary liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. My long-term research interests focus on analytical biochemistry, proteomics, and bioinformatics. After graduation I will pursue a postdoctoral fellowship or scientist position in the industrial.

 

David CoxDavid Cox back to top
BS Biology, Central Washington University, 2002
PhD Toxicology, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Fernando Cardozo-Pelaez
Dissertation - "Regulation of DNA Repair by Glutathione & Nrf2: The New Sheriffs in Town"

I grew up in W. Washington as a Puget Sound nomad, residing everywhere from Whidbey Island to Tacoma and all the places in between. I earned a BS in Biology at Central WA University where my work focused on mitochondrial oxidative stress with Dr. Carin Thomas. I chose The University of Montana because of the local environment and the fledgling yet successful Toxicology program. My interests lie in neurotoxicology; specifically heavy metals and their effects on gene expression of DNA repair systems. Being a seasoned graduate student my opportunities have been unbound. Dr. Cardozo-Pelaez and I have numerous collaborations with in house and other well known labs both continental and international. I feel that the department biggest asset is the willingness and cooperation among investigators to tackle large scale health issues. There is no way to explain the atmosphere that resides here except to say come and experience U of M.

 

Tyler FortuneTyler Fortune back to top
Hometown - LaCrosse, WI
B.A. Chemistry, Saint Olaf College, Northfield, MN, 2005
MS Toxicology, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Diana Lurie
Dissertation - "Chronic Low Level Lead Exposure Affects the Monoaminergic System in the Mouse Superior Olivary Complex"
Description - Provided further evidence that lead can be harmful at levels below the CDC's acceptable blood lead level of 10ug/dL.

The next step in my life after graduation is to move to Minneapolis, MN, live with my wife and find a job in the toxicology field.

 

Chris GreilChris Greil back to top
Hometown - Missoula, MT
B.S. Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Montana State University, 2003
PhD Neuroscience, The University of Montana, 2008
Research Advisor - Sue Priola, Rocky Mountain Labs
Dissertation - "Acute cellular uptake of abnormal prion protein is cell type and scrapie strain independent"
Description - I have been studying disease/host interactions between cells and abnormal prion proteins during the early stages of infection. Understanding these interactions will help provide insight into the pathology of fatal neurodegenerative diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and mad cow disease.

I grew up in Missoula, and was privileged with the opportunity to come back to "zoo-town", to pursue an interest in neurodegenerative diseases. My particular interests are in transmissible spongiform encephalopathy diseases. This interest in "prions" led me to peruse acceptance in a recently established graduate partnership program between The University of Montana and Rocky Mountain Labs in Hamilton, MT. With academic guidance from the Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences faculty, and research guidance from Rocky Mountain Lab, I have found the program to be quite a joy.

 

Brian HallBrian Hall back to top
Hometown - Browning, MT
PharmD, The University of Montana, 2006
PhD Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2008
Research Advisor - Keith Parker
Dissertation - "Structure Activity Relationships for Intracellular Loop 2 of the 5HT1A Serotonin Receptor"
Description - My dissertation examines which part of the receptor protein is responsible for a message from outside the cell getting into the cell.

My home town is Browning Montana. I came to Missoula as an undergraduate and received my B.A. in Geography. I love Missoula so much that I wasn't ready to leave yet when I graduated, so I decided to apply to the Ph.D. program in the Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences department. I am also a second year pharmacy student working on my PharmD. I chose the school here because it allows a very flexible schedule, the people in the department are very friendly, and because Missoula is a great place to live. My current research interest is in studying the signal transduction system of the human 5-HT1A receptor.

 

Mary HassaniMary Hassani back to top
Hometown - Tehran, Iran
PhD Toxicology, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Howard Beall
Dissertation - "NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1)-directed lavendamycin antitumor agents: Structure-based design, molecular modeling and structure-activity studies"

I am from Iran. My hometown is Tehran, which is the capital of Iran. It is a very beautiful city located in northwest of Iran. I am in Toxicology program in UM and I think it is a very interesting program. The pharmacy graduate program of UM is a strong and qualified one. I think Missoula is a little quiet town, which is very appropriate place for living and studying. Also, it has lots of nearby places for hiking and camping. Therefore, it is a good place for those who are interested in both studying and sports. There is also a good chance of making friends with cute squirrels and deer.

 

Francisco LeyvaFrancisco Leyva back to top
Hometown - Lima, Peru
BS, MD, University of Peru Cayetano Heredia, 1995
PhD Toxicology, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Mark Pershouse/Andrij Holian
Dissertation - "The role of Silicates in Interstitial Lung Disease"

I am from Lima, Peru, The first time I heard about Dr. Andrij Holian was at Houston in 2000 just when he was coming to the University of Montana. My big interest is inflammatory lung disease, and after talking to him he encouraged me to apply to the Toxicology program at the Pharmacy Department. All my life I have been living in big populated cities, but after my arrival I realized how wonderful is living here, people are friendly in the university and the city. I am learning a lot of outdoors activities. I had made friends not only from the university but also from the community. My research of interest focuses on the signaling in inflammatory lung disease due to particle inhalation, and my long term goal is to control and revert the inflammatory process to prevent the development of pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema.

 

Flavia PereiraFlavia Pereira back to top
Hometown - Mumbai, India
BPharm, Pharmacy, University of Mumbai (India), 2001
PhD Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Howard Beall
Dissertation - "Role of Sodium Arsenite in Atherogenesis"

I'm a foreign student from Mumbai, India. I was basically interested in cardiovascular pharmacology. I got to learn more about the university and the department from the website. The research carried out here in the cardiovascular field interested me the most. Being from a foreign country, I had envisioned that I would have difficulties in adjusting myself to the school life and the weather here. This was my first time in the United States-a totally different culture. But I am really happy and eased by the comfortable atmosphere of the department, being amongst people who are always ready to help. Also, I like Missoula. It's a very beautiful place, and I prefer to live in small cities. I'm happy to be here. People are very friendly here. My long term interest is focused around cardiovascular diseases.

 

John PrinsJohn Prins back to top
Hometown - Riverside, CA
john.prins@umontana.edu
MS Chemistry, Monana State University, 2001
PhD Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2008
Research Advisor - Diana Lurie
Dissertation - "Chronic low-level Pb2+ exposure alters proteins involved in energy metabolism in auditory neurons of the brainstem"
Description/Significance - I have been studying the effects of chronic low level Pb exposure on proteins involved in energy metabolism in the mouse auditory brainstem. Altered protein expression in auditory neurons may be associated with auditory processing deficits caused by low-levels of Pb exposure.

I am originally from Riverside, California. I graduated from the California State University in San Bernardino in 1998 with a BS degree in Chemistry and received an MS degree in Chemistry from Montana State University in 2000. After leaving MSU, I worked as a Bioanalytical Chemist at Roche Pharmaceuticals and developed an interest in the Pharmaceutical Sciences. I decided on the University of Montana because of the diverse research opportunities as well as the outdoor recreation available in Montana. Missoula is a great place to live and I enjoy the relaxed working atmosphere of the department. My current and long-term research interests focus on Analytical Biochemistry and Pharmacology. After graduation I will be taking a post-doctoral position in Dr. Charles Thompson's lab here at The University of Montana.

 

Tom RauTom Rau back to top
PhD Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Steve Black
Dissertation - "The role of L-carnitine in preventing mitochondrial dysfunction after neonatal hypoxia-ischemia"

I am currently living in Hamilton, Montana. I applied to the Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Department because I felt it offered an extremely wide range of current research options to pursue. I enjoy living in Montana because it offers four distinct seasons, plenty of pine tree smell, and a relatively short drive to some beautiful, lonely country. My current area of research interest is neurotoxicology.

 

Cherokee RovaCherokee Rova back to top
Hometown - St. Paul, MN
MS Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - David Poulsen
Thesis - "AAV mediated transduction of sensory epithelia within the guinea pig cochlea"

I was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. I completed my undergraduate degree in 1990 at the University of Minnesota, Duluth majoring in Teaching Life Science. After working as a secondary science teacher for several years, I decided to pursue a career in biomedical research. I had visited Missoula regularly since my husband had to train here each summer for his work as a smokejumper. When he was looking to promote into management, I knew Missoula was the ideal place for both of us to realize our goals, while relocating our family to a beautiful place. Initially, I was drawn to the Heart and Neuroscience Institutes, though I quickly learned of other interesting areas as well. I am impressed by the facilities available at this school and the amount of collaboration among researchers. I enjoyed doing a rotation in Dr. Shepherd’s lab where I was able to learn about immunotoxicology while working with natural products. Currently, I am working in the Poulsen lab where the emphasis is on developing gene therapies for various diseases. I have decided to stay in this lab and focus my research specifically on the regeneration of hair cells in the mammalian cochlea.

 

Ava-Gaye RhuleAva-Gaye Rhule back to top
BS Chemistry and Food Chemistry, University of West Indies, 2001
PhD Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Jerry Smith/David Shepherd
Dissertation - "The effects of the medicinal herb, Panax notoginseng, on the fate and function of professional Antigen Presenting Cells"

After completing a degree in chemistry and food science in Jamaica my home country, I decided that I needed a change in environment for any future studies. Hours of internet research convinced me that University of Montana was one of the colleges I should apply to, as it offered areas of research I was interested in and the back drop of mountains would provide some similarity with the terrain in my country. I must also admit that their step by step application process made it easy for me to apply. Since arriving here I have found this step by step approach applied to many areas of studies making lectures understandable and interesting but still providing a challenge. This is just one of the things I love about UM, another that I must include is the friendly attitude of just about everyone I have met here. My future research interests include manipulating structures of natural product compounds with medicinal properties to provide synthetic derivatives. Presently I am researching compounds inhibiting the activity of COX-2 enzyme.

 

Lisa SandovalLisa Sandoval back to top
Hometown - Portland, OR
BS History and Social Sciences, Portland State University, 1996
PharmD/PhD Program, Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research Advisor - Charles Thompson

I am originally from Portland, Oregon. My research focuses on detection of protein modifications due to a toxic exposure. Currently we are developing an immunologic method to detect covalent modifications to the enzyme acetylcholinesterase by organophosphate nerve agents. Upon completion of my training I plan to pursue an academic career blending teaching, basic research, and pharmacy practice.

 

Wesley SmithWesley Smith back to top
wesley.smith@umontana.edu
Hometown - Springfield, Mass
BS Biology and Philosophy, Bridgewater State College, 2000
PhD Pharmacology/Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Richard Bridges
Dissertation - "Elucidation of the Specificity of Neuroactive Steroids and Related Compounds at the Vesicular Glutamate Transporters"

After 23 years in Massachusetts, I decided it was time to heed the words popularized by Horace Greeley, “go west, young man”. While on the hunt for graduate programs, I discovered the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Montana. The department was appealing, because it had a blend of what I desired at the time: good scientific research in a removed, mountainous setting. After completing my dissertation on the pharmacology of the vesicular glutamate transporter with Dr. Richard Bridges, I completed a short postdoctoral position with Dr. John Gerdes and Dr. Chuck Thompson. While working for Drs. Gerdes and Thompson, I was involved in projects investigating SERT/NET pharmacology and acetylcholinesterase biochemistry. I will soon be heading further west for a postdoctoral position at the University of Washington with Dave Eaton to examine the toxicity of nanomaterials. Nonetheless, UM is great place to balance work/school duties with outdoor pursuits.

 

Sheetal ThakurSheetal Thakur back to top
sheetal.thakur@umontana.edu
Hometown - Mumbai, India
Bachelor of Pharmacy, Mumbai University (India), 2001
PhD Toxicology, The University of Montana, 2008
Research Advisor - Andrij Holian
Dissertation - “Role of Scavenger receptor MARCO in silica binding and inflammation”
Description - Occupational exposure to silica occurs during mining, construction. Prolonged exposure to silica leads to development of pulmonary disease such as silicosis (the lungs get inflamed, lesions and fibroids are formed) and also increases susceptibility to other microbial infections.  I am trying to understand the cellular processes involved in of development of these diseases.

Coming to UM has been a unique and rewarding experience for me. I am originally from Mumbai, India. The research work going on in the department attracted me towards this program. The department offers a strong academic program and many interesting research opportunities. The professors are encouraging as well as available. Facilities are excellent and regularly updated. It didn't take me very long to settle in a beautiful and peaceful town like Missoula. Currently I am working on elucidating mechanisms involved in silica induced respiratory toxicity. The area of cell signaling fascinates me and I plan to continue working in the same in future.

 

Jason WilhamJason Wilham back to top
Hometown - Helena, MT
BS Chemistry, Montana Tech, Butte, MT May 2003
PhD Toxicology, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Steve Black
Dissertation - "The Role of Zinc and Reactive Oxygen Species in the Regulation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase"

I was born in Helena, MT. From eighth grade through high school, I worked on several research projects with Dr. Doug Coffin at the
McLaughlin Research Institute, including a summer internship. Inspired to do more, I carried out three more summer internships at the NIH while working on my B.S. in Chemistry from Montana Tech. Having seen some of the nicest labs in the U.S., I believe The University of Montana, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences is no exception. The faculty members are so willing to lend help when needed.

 

Laura WilhamLaura Wilham back to top
Hometown - Divide, MT
BS Chemistry, Montana Tech, Butte, MT May 2003
MS Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, 2007
Research Advisor - Darrell Jackson
Thesis - "Mediation of Agonist-induced Down-regulation of M1 mAChRs"

I grew up on a small farm in Divide, MT. This year brought a lot of good changes. In May I graduated from MT Tech with a BS in Chemistry and married Jason Wilham the next day. We moved to Missoula after being accepted to the PhD programs. I chose Missoula for the exciting research and the helpful faculty. I am interested in teaching when I am done with school and I know this department will provide me the background and the tools that I need to accomplish my goals.