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Monica Parker, who earned her Ph.D. in Cell Biology, was all smiles during commencement on Friday. Parker was mentored by Dr. R. Daniel Beauchamp. (photo by Dana Johnson)
Graduate students who made research discoveries in every corner of the Medical Center were honored at last week’s commencement ceremonies.
Thirty-five students earned doctor of philosophy degrees in biomedical sciences in August, December, or May. Nineteen of these students participated in the ceremony last week and received doctoral hoods — with dark blue velvet edging that signifies the Ph.D. degree — from their mentors or other departmental faculty members.
Graduate students interested in biomedical research enter the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP), and after a year of coursework and laboratory “rotations,” they choose research mentors and home departments. On average, students require about five years to earn the Ph.D. degree.
The majority of new graduates are continuing their research training as postdoctoral fellows.
Graduate students who received Ph.D. degrees:
May 2002
Dale Scott Edgerton, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Michael Scott Marlow, Molecular Biology
Lori Lynn McGrew, Pharmacology
Melanie Diane Ohi, Cell Biology
Robert Daniel Ott, Molecular Biology
Monica Alesia Parker, Cell & Developmental Biology
Stephanie Marie Sherck, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Molly Amelia Thoreson, Cancer Biology
Rebecca Ann Wagenaar Miller, Cancer Biology
Erica Kristen White-Grindley, Microbiology & Immunology
December 2001
Lauren Ashley Cowart, Biochemistry
John Charles Donaldson, Cell Biology
Gregory Lee Gerdeman, Pharmacology
Kevin Edward Gerrish, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Brenda Diane Hopkins, Molecular Biology
Kevin Robert Kozak, Biochemistry
Dina Carole Myers, Molecular Biology
David Tevis Pride, Microbiology & Immunology
Ian Scott Ramsey, Pharmacology
Brent Neil Rexer, Biochemistry
Paul James Ruest, Cell Biology
Michelle Sabourin, Biochemistry
Kathrin Rachel Sidell, Pathology
Andrew Ronald Tapper, Pharmacology
Amy Elizabeth Wiencken-Barger, Cell Biology
John Curlee Wilkinson, Molecular Biology
Adrienne Mican Woodside, Biochemistry
JianFeng Zhang, Cell Biology
August 2001
Casey Narrie Bassett, Pathology
Robert Paul Carson, Pharmacology
Jonathan Andrew Ewald, Molecular Biology
John Scott Moody, Biochemistry
James Benjamin Petro, Microbiology & Immunology
Deborah Joy Rexer, Cancer Biology
Arlene Denise Vinion-Dubiel, Microbiology & Immunology.