Ph.D. Students

Julia Altman
Adviser: J. Chuck Harrell, Ph.D.

Julia Altman
Adviser: J. Chuck Harrell, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, 2021
Year Entered: 2021

Holly Byers
Adviser: Senthil Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.

Holly Byers
Adviser: Senthil Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biology, Minor in Psychology, Virginia Tech, 2014;
M.A. in Science Education, Duke University, 2015
Year Entered: Fall 2019

Thomas Campbell
Adviser: Karolina Aberg, Ph.D.

Thomas Campbell
Adviser: Karolina Aberg, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, 2019 ;
B.S. in Physics, St. John's University, 2016
Year Entered: Fall 2021

Saeed Farajzadeh Valilou
Adviser: Brien Riley, Ph.D.

Saeed Farajzadeh Valilou
Adviser: Brien Riley, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biology-Animal Sciences, University of Tabriz, 2015;
M.S. in Human Genetics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, 2018
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Ailen Garcia-Santillan
Adviser: Paula Bos, Ph.D.

Ailen Garcia-Santillan
Adviser: Paula Bos, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biotechnology, Minor in Statistics, James Madison University, 2018
Year Entered: Fall 2021

Alison Gaynor
Adviser: Nicholas Johnson, M.D.

Alison Gaynor
Adviser: Nicholas Johnson, M.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Public Health Science, University of Maryland, 2018
Year Entered: Fall 2020

Julia Hartman
Adviser: Nicholas Johnson, M.D.

Julia Hartman
Adviser: Nicholas Johnson, M.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics

Nayyerehalsadat Hosseini
Adviser: Senthil Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.

Nayyerehalsadat Hosseini
Adviser: Senthil Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: M.S. in Genetics, Islamic Azade University, Mashhad Branch, 2018
Year Entered: Fall 2021

Maryam Jamil
Adviser: L. Ashley Cowart, Ph.D.

Maryam Jamil
Adviser: L. Ashley Cowart, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Bioinformatics, COMSATS University, 2013;
M.S. in Genetics, Iowa State University, 2016
Year Entered: Fall 2017

Ting-Xuan Lu
Adviser: Azeddine Atfi, Ph.D.

Ting-Xuan Lu
Adviser: Azeddine Atfi, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Year Entered: Fall 2020

Natalie Luffman
Adviser: Hisashi Harada, Ph.D.

Natalie Luffman
Adviser: Hisashi Harada, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biology, College of William & Mary, 2022
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Alexandra L. Marrero Quiñones
Adviser: Nicholas Johnson, M.D.

Alexandra L. Marrero Quiñones
Adviser: Nicholas Johnson, M.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biology, Minor in Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2013
Year Entered: Fall 2020

Lauren May
Adviser: Joseph W. Landry, Ph.D.

Lauren May
Adviser: Joseph W. Landry, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Molecular Biology, Lipscomb University, 2018
Year Entered: Fall 2019

Walker Rogers
Adviser: Michael Miles, M.D., Ph.D.

Walker Rogers
Adviser: Michael Miles, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biology, Columbus State University, 2016
Year Entered: Fall 2020

Shanwei Shen
Adviser: Charles Clevenger, M.D., Ph.D.

Shanwei Shen
Adviser: Charles Clevenger, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: M.B. in Medicine, Wuhan University, 2006; M.S. in Molecular Medicine, Fudan University, 2009
Year Entered: Fall 2020

Madhurbain Singh
Adviser: Mike Neale, Ph.D. and Roseann Peterson, Ph.D.

Madhurbain Singh
Adviser: Mike Neale, Ph.D. and Roseann Peterson, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, 2013;
Master of International Social and Health Policy, Oslo Metropolitan University, 2021
Year Entered: Fall 2021

Zachary Tatom
Adviser: Michael Miles, M.D., Ph.D.

Zachary Tatom
Adviser: Michael Miles, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Microbiology & Public Health, Auburn University Montgomery, 2014
Year Entered: Fall 2019

Philip Vinh
Adviser: Michael Neale, Ph.D.

Philip Vinh
Adviser: Michael Neale, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. Chemistry and B.S. Biology, University of Connecticut, 2020
Year Entered: Fall 2020

Carson Walker
Adviser: Rita Shiang, Ph.D.

Carson Walker
Adviser: Rita Shiang, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Genetics, Genomics, and Biotechnology, Brigham Young University, 2020
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Madison Ward
Adviser: Senthil Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.

Madison Ward
Adviser: Senthil Radhakrishnan, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.A. in Biology and Spanish, Randolph-Macon, 2018;
M.S. in Biology, James Madison University, 2020
Year Entered: Fall 2020

Hope Wolf
Adviser: Timothy York, Ph.D.

Hope Wolf
Adviser: Timothy York, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Chemistry, Biochemistry Track, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2014
Year Entered: Fall 2017
M.S. in Human Genetics Students

Mahshid Arastonejad
Adviser: Timothy York, Ph.D.

Mahshid Arastonejad
Adviser: Timothy York, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: MEng in Electronic and Communication Engineering, University of Birmingham, 2010
Year Entered: Spring 2022

Noah Berley
Adviser: Brien Riley, Ph.D.

Noah Berley
Adviser: Brien Riley, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.A. in Psychology, University of Colorado Boulder, 2019
Year Entered: Fall 2020

Hannah Gatley
Adviser: Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI

Hannah Gatley
Adviser: Paul B. Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., FNAI
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biological Sciences, Human Emphasis, University of California, Merced, 2020
Year Entered: Fall 2020

Emile Kachouh
Adviser: Zheng Fu, Ph.D.

Emile Kachouh
Adviser: Zheng Fu, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Marina Provenzano
Adviser: Nicholas Johnson, M.D.

Marina Provenzano
Adviser: Nicholas Johnson, M.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2014
Year Entered: Fall 2021

Alissa Saverino
Adviser: Devanand Sarkar, Ph.D.

Alissa Saverino
Adviser: Devanand Sarkar, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. Biology, Salisbury University, 2021
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Mimansha Shah
Adviser: Rita Shiang, Ph.D.

Mimansha Shah
Adviser: Rita Shiang, Ph.D.
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biological Sciences, Texas A&M University- Kingsville, 2022
Year Entered: Fall 2022
M.S. in Genetic Counseling
Second-Year Students

Quinlyn Highsmith
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Quinlyn Highsmith
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S in Human Performance, Minor in Biology, Howard University, 2021
Year Entered: Fall 2021
M.S. in Genetic Counseling
First-Year Students

Sarah Alban
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Sarah Alban
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S in Biology, Concentration in Neuroscience, James Madison University, 2021
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Helen Anderson
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Helen Anderson
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology, Honors College Graduate, Western Washington University, 2019
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Molly Felix
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Molly Felix
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biology, Boise State University, 2020;
Certificate in Clinical Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2022
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Tess Murphy
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Tess Murphy
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biology, Minor in Psychology, Northeastern University, 2018
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Rachel Schaff
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Rachel Schaff
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biochemistry, B.A. in Philosophy, Rockhurst University, 2017
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Laura Schuetz
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Laura Schuetz
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S in Neuroscience, Minor in Bioethics, Michigan State University, 2019
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Ashley Smith
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Ashley Smith
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, 2021
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Jordana Weiss
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Jordana Weiss
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: MBA from Georgetown University, 2012;
B.S. in Commerce, University of Virginia, 2006
Year Entered: Fall 2022

Courtlyn Witte
Adviser: Tahnee Causey

Courtlyn Witte
Adviser: Tahnee Causey
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biology, Minors in Psychology and Genetic Counseling, University of Delaware, 2022
Year Entered: Fall 2022
Certificate in Clinical Genetics Students

Robert Kofi Riddick III
Adviser: Heather Creswick

Robert Kofi Riddick III
Adviser: Heather Creswick
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: B.S. in Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2020
Year Entered: Fall 2021

Alexzane Taylor
Adviser: Heather Creswick

Alexzane Taylor
Adviser: Heather Creswick
Department of Human and Molecular Genetics
Education: A.S. in General Studies with a Science Specialization, John Tyler Community College (Brightpoint Community College), 2018;
B.S. in Biology, Minors in Psychology & Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2021
Year Entered: Fall 2022