Lab Alumni

Nelson Lab Alumni

Doctoral Degrees:

Joan Blom, PhD, 1992; Currently: Associate Professor of Biomedical Science, University of Modena, Italy  

Christopher Moffatt, PhD, 1994: Currently: Professor & Associate Chair of Biology, San Francisco State University 

Gregory Demas, PhD, 1998; Currently: Professor of Biology, Indiana University

Sabra Klein, PhD, 1998; Currently: Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins, School of Public Health 

Amy Wisniewski, PhD, 1999; Currently: Director of Research, Oklahoma University Medical Center

Lance Kriegsfeld, PhD, 1999; Currently: Professor and Associate Chair of Psychology and Neuroscience, UC Berkeley

Kelly Young, PhD, (Biochemistry) 2000; Currently: Professor of Biology and Director of Faculty Development, Cal State Long Beach

Deborah Drazen, PhD, 2001; JD, 2010; Currently: Senior Patent Counsel at Johnson & Johnson

Staci Bilbo smiling

Staci Bilbo, PhD, 2003; Currently: Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University

Gretchen Neigh, PhD, 2004; Currently: Professor of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University

Leah Pyter, PhD, 2006; Currently: Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Zachary Weil, PhD, 2008; Currently: Associate Professor of Neuroscience, West Virginia University

Joanna Workman, PhD, 2010; Currently: Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Albany

Abed Zubidat (co-advisor), PhD, 2012; Currently: Research Scientist, University of Haifa

Tracy Bedrosian, PhD, 2013; Currently: Principal Investigator for Genomic Medicine and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Ohio State University

James Walton, PhD, 2013; Currently: Research Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, West Virginia University 

Laura Fonken, PhD, 2013; Currently: Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas

John Morris smiling

John Morris, PhD, 2013; Currently: Medical Science Liaison at Aevi Genomic Medicine, NJ

Taryn Aubrechet smiling

Taryn Aubrecht, PhD, 2014. Currently: Health Program Specialist at NINDS

Jeremy Borniger, PhD, 2017. Currently: Assistant Professor, Cancer Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Yasmine Cisse, PhD, 2017.  Currently: Lecturer of Biology, Coppin State University

Jenn Smiling

Jennifer Liu, PhD, 2022. Currently: Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University

Hecmarie Meléndez-Fernández, PhD, 2023. Currently: Advisor, Eli Lilly & Company

Jacob smiling

Jacob Bumgarner, PhD, 2023. Currently: Scientist, Bristol Myers Squibb

Postdoctoral Fellows:

Stephen Gammie, PhD, 1998-2001; Currently: Professor of Integrative Biology; University of Wisconsin 

Silvana Chiavegatto, PhD, 1999-2001; Currently:  Professor of Neuroscience; University of Sao Paulo

Brian Prendergast smiling

Brian Prendergast, PhD, 1999-2003; Currently: Professor of Psychology; University of Chicago

Andrew Hotchkiss, PhD, 2001-2004; Currently: Supervisory Biologist, EPA, Research Triangle Park.

Lynn Martin, PhD, 2004-2007; Currently: Professor of Global and Planetary Health

Brian Trainor, PhD, 2004-2007; Currently: Professor of Psychology, University of California, Davis.

Kristen Navara, PhD, 2005-2007; Currently: Professor of Biology, University of Georgia

Noah Ashley, PhD, 2010-2012; Currently: Professor of Biology, University of Western Kentucky.

Tomoko Ikeno, PhD, 2012-2014; Currently: Research Scientist, University of Tokyo.

Matthew Hogan, DVM, 2013-2015; Currently: Senior Clinical Veterinarian at Massachusetts General Hospital

Kathryn Russart, PhD, 2016-2018; Currently: Assistant Professor, Minnesota State University, Moorhead

Surbhi Gahlot, PhD, 2016-2018; Currently: Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Michigan

Souhad Chbeir, PhD, 2014-2018; Currently: Mental Health Therapist, Headway

William Walker

William Walker, PhD, 2019 - 2023: Currently: Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, West Virginia University

Darius Smiling

Darius Becker-Krail, PhD, 2021-2022; Currently: Associate Medical Writer, Mozarc Medical