Former Graduate Students
Our recent graduates have continued their training in postdoctoral positions or found careers in industry or with nonprofits. We congratulate them on their successes!
2024
Yihan Wang, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Enhancer Regulatory Networks Globally Connect Non-coding Breast Cancer Loci to Cancer Genes
Mentor: Dr. Gary Hon
Current position: Data Scientist, UT Southwestern Medical Center
2023
Daniel Armendariz, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Congenital Heart Defect-Associated Enhancers Shape Human Cardiomyocyte Lineage Commitment
Mentor: Dr. Gary Hon
Current position: 10x Genomics Scientist, Single Cell Discoveries
2022
Anne Cooley, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Single-cell Functional Genomics of Cervical Remodelin
Mentor: Dr. Gary Hon
Current position: Bioinformatics Scientist, Rancho Biosciences
Jeremiah Herbert, Ph.D.
Dissertation: β-globin Enhancers Regulate Bistable Gene Expression States
Mentor: Dr. Gary Hon
Current position: Area Director, Christian Medical and Dental Association
Aarin Jones, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Analysis of Interrelationships Among NAD+, PARP1, ADP-Ribosylation, and Splicing in Murine Embryonic Stem Cells
Mentor: Dr. W. Lee Kraus
Current position: Postdoc, Regeneron
Amanuel Tafessu, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Control of regulatory element function by histone H3.3
Mentor: Dr. Laura Banaszynski
Current position: Consultant, ClearView Healthcare Partners
2021
Boxun Li, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Building a Methodological Framework for Cell Fate Engineering
Mentor: Dr. Gary Hon
Current position: Postdoc, Duke University
Joel Liou, M.S.
Thesis: Reprogram-Seq 2.0: An Optimized Method for Finding Candidate Cell Reprogramming Factors
Mentor: Dr. Gary Hon
Current position: Senior Research Associate, PacBio
2020
Katelyn Doxtader Lacy, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Structures and regulation of the N6-methyladenosine methyltransferase METTL16
Mentor: Dr. Yunsun Nam
Current position: Senior Scientist, Ionis Pharmaceuticals
Alexander Partin, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Understanding Recognition of Primary MicroRNAs by Human Drosha/DGCR8
Mentor: Dr. Yunsun Nam
Current position: Scientist II, A2 Biotherapeutics
2018
John Tyler Piazza, M.S.
Mentor: Dr. W. Lee Kraus
Current position: Partnerships Director, Avalere Health
Melodi Tastemel, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Regulation of Transcription Through RNA Polymerase II Promoter-Proximal Pausing
Mentor: Dr. Laura Banaszynski
Current position: Postdoc, Ludwig Cancer Research
2017
Shino Murakami, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Molecular Mechanisms and Functions of Estrogen Receptor Enhancers in Hormone-Dependent Gene Expression
Mentor: Dr. W. Lee Kraus
Current position: Postdoc, Weill Cornell Medicine
Keunwoo Ryu, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Metabolic Regulation of Transcription Through Compartmentalized NAD+ Biosynthesis
Mentor: Dr. W. Lee Kraus
Current position: Postdoc, Sloan Kettering
Alexandra Willcockson, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Characterizing the Cervical Response to Inflammation During Infection-Mediated Preterm Birth
Mentor: Dr. Mala Mahendroo
Current position: Senior Medical Science Liaison, Travere Therapeutics
2016
Ziying Liu, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Modulation of Transcription Factor Chromatin Association and Gene Transcription Program in Embryonic Stem Cell and Triple Negative Breast Cancer by Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1
Mentor: Dr. W. Lee Kraus
Current position: Principal Software Engineer, Indeed
2015
Bryan Gibson, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Chemical genetic and genomic discovery of PARP-1-dependent mechanisms of transcriptional regulation
Mentor: Dr. W. Lee Kraus
Current position: Assistant Member, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
2014
Rui Li, M.S.
Mentor: Dr. W. Lee Kraus
Current position: Senior Research Scientist, Meta
2013
Xin Luo, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Regulation of Transcription by Poly(Adp-Ribose) Polymerase-1 in Adipogenesis and Inflammation
Mentor: Dr. W. Lee Kraus
Current position: Senior Principal Scientist, Amgen
Miao Sun, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of gene expression and growth in breast cancer cells
Mentor: Dr. W. Lee Kraus
Current position: Head of Computational Biology, Experimental Drug Development Centre
2012
Meredith Akins, Ph.D.
Dissertation: Dynamic Changes in Collagen Organization Modulate Cervical Remodeling During Pregnancy and Parturition: New Insights and the Potential for Improved Clinical Tools to Combat Preterm Birth
Mentor: Dr. Mala Mahendroo
Current position: Assistant Professor, Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine