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Recent Graduate Students

Emily Broderick

Undergraduate Institution: University of the Virgin Islands, BS Marine Biology

Degree: MS Biology

Advisor: Dr. Kim

Research Project: Investigated the relationship between the surface microbial communities on the Caribbean sea fan coral Gorgonia ventalina and overall coral health. Used a molecular technique called denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to determine shifts in microbial diversity on the surface of diseased and healthy corals in response to environmental stress.

Cara Crawford

Undergraduate Institution: Michigan State University, BA Psychology

Degree: MS Biology

Advisor: Dr. Schaeff

Research Project: Studied developmental stress in bottlenose dolphins via a technique called fluctuating asymmetry.

Erika Trovato

Undergraduate Institution: Catholic University of America, BS Biology

Degree: MS Biology

Advisor: Dr. Decicco-Skinner

Research Project: Conducted research at the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, testing the hypothesis that removal of the MAP3K8 gene activates compensatory mechanisms/pathways that induce inflammation, leading to tumorigenesis. Utilized techniques such as confocal microscopy, angiogenic arrays, inhibition assays, immunohistochemistry, and Western Analysis in order to effectively utilize transgenic mouse models.

Caroline Fortunato

Undergraduate Institution: American University, BA Environmental Science

Degree: MS Biology

Advisor: Dr. Bushaw-Newton

Research Project: My project focused on the micobial diversity of a freshwater estuary. Critical to the functioning of an estuary is the composition of the microbial community. Using chemical and molecular analyses I am assessed the temporal and spatial changes in microbial community diversity and nutrient concentrations of Jug Bay, a estuary of the Patuxent River, MD. This research allows for a greater understanding of the biogeochemical processes occurring within Jug Bay.

Recent Undergraduates

Andrew Herzek

is now a medical student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Abbe Labella

is a PhD student in the Marine Sciences Program at Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment.

Ashley Johnson

is teaching middle school science at Ideal Academy Public Charter School in DC.

Sean Burn

is attending medical school at the University of Connecticut.

Lindsey Nugent

is doing research in the National Eye Institute at the National Institutes of Health.

Andrew Frank

is Teaching for America in Connecticut.

Mobula Oyefule

is at Vanderbilt Medical School.

Anne Van Erp

is starting medical school in the Netherlands.

Erica Ford

is attending Howard University Dental School.

Clint Rice

is starting a PhD program in Biology at the University of Iowa.

Sean Flynn

has an IRTA assistantship to do research at the National Institutes of Health.