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Current T-1 Scholars
George Campbell, B.S.
The microtubule-based motor proteins kinesin and dynein mediate the anterograde and retrograde active transport of cargos in axons, respectively. This transport is highly regulated and essential to axonal health and function. The importance of understanding vesicular transport mechanisms is furthermore highlighted, as there is evidence that disruptions in axonal transport could be involved in the initiation of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and prion diseases.
As a TL-1 trainee, George investigates how protein aggregates induced by infectious prions inside axons may lead to axonal blockages and to impairments in synaptic vesicle transport that can lead to neuronal dysfunction. Elucidating the mechanisms of how motor proteins regulate transport and how transport is specifically impaired in prion diseases will allow the design of therapies to directly target motor protein dysregulation and thus “dissolve” traffic jams created by prion aggregates. Thus, we will use knowledge gained from motor regulation in healthy neurons to treat motor dysfunction in prion and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Prior to his graduate studies at TSRI, George was awarded a B.S degree in both Biology and Chemistry at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2011. Previous research experiences include summer research in biochemistry and an undergraduate thesis in genetics.
Laurie Gay, B.S.
As a TL1 trainee, Laurie Gay investigates the role of coagulation in metastasis. There is both an opportunity and a critical need for breakthrough research in this field since the majority of cancer-related deaths are due to metastasis.
At TSRI, she established mouse models of experimental brain metastasis, and her work is now focused on the mechanisms of tumor cell brain colonization. Laurie is determining how intravascular tumor cells cooperate with the coagulation system during early stages of brain colonization. She hopes that her findings will identify targets for development of therapeutics to prevent cancer metastasis to the brain.
Laurie is a regular participant in oncology rounds at Scripps Health and attends tumor board meetings on patient cases.
Prior to coming to TSRI, Laurie Gay was a lab manager and research assistant at University of California, San Diego. She received a B.S. degree in biological sciences at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA; where she was a research assistant in the marine biology laboratory. She was also a research intern at Onyx Pharmaceuticals in Richmond, CA, and an ESL instructor at Epitech University in Paris, France.
Sarah LaMere, B.S.
Sarah LaMere is not new to The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) where she is a graduate student and participant in STSI’s TL1 program. After receiving the B.S. degree in 2000 at Texas A&M University in College Station, she was a research technician at TSRI for two years. Sarah then was a laboratory assistant in the immunology and virology department at San Diego Zoo’s Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES), before enrolling in Cornell University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, NY.
After receiving the D.V.M. degree in 2007, Sarah returned to CRES as a veterinary postdoctoral fellow in the Wildlife Disease Molecular Diagnostics laboratory, where she worked on a project in collaboration with SeaWorld to characterize retroviruses in delphinids. Her scholarly papers in veterinary medicine and research include:
- LaMere SA, St. Leger JA, Schrenzel MD, Anthony SJ, Rideout BA, Salomon DR. Molecular characterization of a novel gammaretrovirus in killer whales (Orcinus orca). 2009. J Virol. 83(24):12956-67.
- LaMere SA. Conservative management of a T6 compression fracture in a juvenile reindeer. 2006. Cornell University Library.
As a T-1 trainee, Sarah conducts research on transplant immuno-epigenomics. She has actively participated in collaborative efforts to develop a new high-throughput methodology for DNA methylation analysis based on using a complementary set of recombinant methylated chromatin binding proteins. She also is developing and troubleshooting methods for targeted high-throughput DNA methylation analysis based on a novel emulsion PCR and bisulfite sequencing to validate and complement these efforts.
In addition to conducting research, she participates in clinical rounds on internal medicine topics; coursework in ethics, clinical trials and statistics; and clinical mentorship entailing patient visits and case discussions.
Sarah LeBoeuf, B.S.
Characteristics of cancer cell metabolism that can directly affect the development of an invasive and metastatic phenotype result in changes to the cellular redox potential. A key component of the cellular redox potential is the ratio of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD+, to NADH. NAD+ is involved in redox reactions that participate in a broad spectrum of cellular processes, including signal transduction, gene transcription, DNA repair, and post-translational protein modifications.
As a TL-1 trainee, Sarah is investigating how changes in the cellular balance of NAD+ to NADH modulate tumor progression. She is determining what role the group of NAD+ dependent protein deacetylases called sirtuins have in cells with an altered NAD+/NADH ratio.
Before starting at TSRI, Sarah received her B.S. in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin. As an undergraduate, Sarah did research in the field of supramolecular analytical chemistry and completed her undergraduate thesis in developmental biology. In 2010 she was awarded a Dean’s Fellowship at TSRI. Sarah currently organizes the journal club for the biology program and serves on the graduate student committee.
Hope Mirendil, B.S.
Genomics and proteomics and their potential application to disease and therapy persuaded Hope Mirendil to participate in the T-1 program. As a trainee, she is investigating whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of the potent signaling molecule, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), provide a clue to the etiology of hydrocephalus, one of the most common developmental disabilities. In previous research with an animal model, her lab has shown that LPA delivered into the mouse fetal brain causes distinct morphological and cellular changes in postnatal mice that are similar to those occurring in human hydrocephalus.
Her current research involves frequent collaborations with Rady Children’s Hospital physicians who provide CSF samples from normal babies as well as human infants with hydrocephalus. In a laboratory at TSRI, she is measuring the samples’ LPA levels and continuing to use the mouse model in order to understand the possible role of viral-mediated increases in LPA in fetal hydrocephalus. She also plans to investigate the possibility that drugs targeting LPA receptors could prevent viral-mediated fetal hydrocephalus.
Hope was awarded the B.S. degree in biotechnology from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. As an undergraduate student, she was a summer research assistant in Calvin College’s Biology Department in 2005, 2006 and 2008. In 2007, she was a summer research assistant in the University of California at Los Angeles’ Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics Department.
Katie Podshivalova, B.S.
In the laboratory, TL 1 trainee Katie Podshivalova investigates the role of microRNAs in the regulation of the immune system’s activation and subsequent differentiation of the CD4 T cells that lead the body’s immune response against pathogens.
In the clinic, Kate participates in clinical rotations in immunology at Scripps Health. Observing the diagnosis and treatment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis and interacting with clinicians enriches her perspective as a bench researcher dedicated to translational science.
In turn, she has spoken about the role of microRNAs in immunity and autoimmunity at Scripps Rheumatology Clinical Conferences.
Intrigued by the overlap of RNA biology and immunology, Kate hopes to define how microRNAs influence the post-transcriptional regulation of CD4 T cell activation. She hopes that her findings will reveal novel regulatory elements important to the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune disease, immune deficiency as well as kidney transplant rejection.
Prior to her graduate studies at TSRI, Kate earned the B.S. degree in microbiology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and completed a two month research internship followed by a stint as a laboratory technician in TSRI’s Department of Immunology. In 2007-08, she was awarded TSRI’s Dean’s Fellowship. She is currently organizing the Biology Distinguished Lecturer Series sponsored by TSRI’s Kellogg School of Science and Technology.