Information for:

Graduate Program - Students

Current Students

Stephen Addo, PhD Student

Mentor: Gabor Csanyi, PhD

Research Project:

saddo@augusta.edu

Candee Barris, PhD Candidate

Mentor: Eric Belin de Chantemele, PhD

Research Project: Origin of Sex Differences in Mechanism of Obesity-associated Hypertension

Funding: NIH F31 Predoctoral Fellowship (2023-2026)

cbarris@augusta.edu

Publications

Peter Biggs, PhD Student

Mentor: Alexander Verin, PhD

Research Project: Investigating how histone deacetylases regulate endothelial barrier function and inflammation in acute lung injury

pbiggs@augusta.edu

Cody Bridgewater, PhD Candidate

Mentor: David Stepp, PhD

Research Project: Deletion of myostatin alters estrogen metabolism in the skeletal muscle and visceral white adipose in obese mice

cbridgewater@augusta.edu

Zach Brown, PhD Student

Mentor: David Fulton, PhD

Research Project: A Noval Viral Approach to Modeling Pulmonary Hypertension

Funding: AHA Predoctoral Fellowship (2023-2025)

zabrown@augusta.edu

Khalia Cummings, PhD Student

Mentor: Marco Orecchioni, PhD

Research Project: The Role of Olfactory Receptors in the Development and Progression of Atherosclerosis

khcummings@augusta.edu

Jaser Doja, PhD Candidate

Mentor: Joe Miano, PhD

Research Project: Interrogating Myocardin Regulation and Binding Targets

Funding:AHA Predoctorial Fellowship (2021-2024)

jdoja@augusta.edu

Publications

Chang Min Lee, PhD Student

Mentor: Jie Li, MD, PhD

Research Project: Role of the ufmylation system in the endothelium

clee8@augusta.edu

Publications

Beryl Khakina, PhD Student

Mentor: Eric Belin de Chantemele, PhD

Research Project: Role of HIV viral proteins and African ancestry on neuroinflammation, cognitive impairment and hypertension

bkhakina@augusta.edu

Ishara M.G. Menik, PhD Candidate

Mentor: Eric Belin de Chantemele, PhD

Research Project: Role of Leptin-mediated Activation of Aldosterone-Endothelial Mineralocorticoid Axis in Salt-sensitive Hypertension

Funding: AHA Predoctoral Fellowship (2025-2026)

imenikhitihamimu@augusta.edu

Delphine Okoye, PhD Student

Mentor: Ben Ogola, PhD

Research Project: Functional Role of Xist deletion in Vascular Smooth Cells

deokoye@augusta.edu

Hunter Sellers, PhD Candidate

Mentor: David Fulton, PhD

Research Project: A Model of Sustained Hyperphagia and Obesity in Mice using a Brain Targeting Adeno Associated Virus

Funding:NIH F31 Predoctoral Fellowship (2022-2025)

hsellers@augusta.edu

Mitchell Shivers, PhD Candidate

Mentor: David Fulton, PhD

Research Project: A Model of Sustained Hypertension Using Adeno Associated Viruses

Funding: AHA Predoctoral Fellowship (2025-2026)

mishivers@augusta.edu

Andrew Speese, PhD Candidate

Mentor: David Stepp, PhD

Research Project: Improving muscle health, a novel approach for the treatment of obesity-induced cerebral small vessel disease

aspeese@augusta.edu

Amritha Sreekumar, PhD Student

Mentor: Gabor Csanyi, PhD

Research Project: Decoding Aneurysm progression: A spatial Transcriptomic analysis of slow and fast progressing AAA.

Funding: AHA Predoctoral Fellowship (2025-2026)

amsreekumar@augusta.edu

Josue Zambrano-Carrasco, PhD Candidate

Mentor: Huabo Su, PhD

Research Project: RBX1-CRLs are essential for perinatal heart development by regulating Hippo-YAP signaling

Funding:AHA Predoctoral Fellowship (2025-2026)
AHA Predoctoral Fellowship (2023-2024)

jzambranocarras@augusta.edu

Alumni

2024

WonMo Ahn

Degree: PhD 2024 (With Distinction)

Advisor: Gabor Csanyi, PhD

Dissertation: “Activation of receptor-independent fluid-phase pinocytosis promotes foamy monocyte formation in atherosclerotic mice”

Suhib Alhusban

Degree: PhD 2024 (With Distinction)

Advisor: Brian Annex, MD

Dissertation: “Glucosamine Mediated Hexosamine Biosynthesis Pathway Activation Utilizes ATF4 to Promote “Exercise-Like” Angiogenesis and Perfusion Recovery in PAD"

Zsuzsanna Bordan

Degree: PhD 2024

Advisor: David Fulton, PhD

Dissertation: “PDZ-Binding Kinase, a Novel Regulator of Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension”

Steve Haigh

Degree: PhD 2024

Advisor: David Fulton

Dissertation: “The Role of Galectin 3 in Pulmonary Artery Hypertension”

David Kim

Degree: PhD 2024 (With Distinction), MD current

Advisor: Neal Weintraub, MD

Dissertation: “Identification of human-specific novel long non-coding RNA in neointima formation”

Taylor Kress

Degree: PhD 2024

Advisor: Eric Belin de Chantemele

Dissertation: "Role of HIV-Derived Proteins Expressed by CD4+ T Lymphocytes and of the Integrase Inhibitor Dolutegravir in the Development of HIV-Associated Cardiometabolic Disorders"

2023

Brandee Goo

Degree: PhD 2023, MD current

Advisor: Neal Weintraub, MD

Dissertation: The Role of Histone Deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) in Adipose Tissue Dysfunction in Obesity and Aging

2022

Rebekah Tritz

Degree: PhD 2022

Advisor: Brian Stansfield, MD

Dissertation: Leveraging the Bioenergetic Profile in Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Kareem Abdelsaid

Degree: PhD 2022 (With Distinction)

Advisors: Masuko Ushio-Fukai, PhD and Tohru Fukai, MD, PhD

Research Project: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein stimulates macropinocytosis in murine and human macrophages

Caleb Padgett

Degree: PhD 2022/ MD Current

Advisor: David Stepp, PhD

Dissertation: The Roles of Circadian Disruption and Reactive Oxygen Species Overproduction in the Development of Obesity-Associated Cardiovascular Disease

2021

Tyler Benson

Degree: PhD 2021 (With Distinction)

Advisor: Neal Weintraub, MD

Dissertation: The Role of the Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC) in Ethnic Susceptibility to Cardiometabolic Disease

Alec Davila

Degree: MD/PhD 2021

Advisor: Zsolt Bagi, PhD

Dissertation: Microvascular dysfunction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

2020

Huiping Lin

Degree: PhD 2020 (With Distinction)

Advisor: Gabor Csanyi, PhD

Dissertation: Cell drinking: a closer look at how macropinocytosis drives cholesterol uptake in atherosclerotic vessels

Rodney Littlejohn

Degree: MD/PhD 2022

Advisor: Huabo Su, PhD

Dissertation: The Role of Neddylation in Early Cardiac Development

2019

Xueyi (Shirley) Li

Degree: PhD 2019

Advisor: David Fulton, PhD

Dissertation: Dissecting the Roles of Galectin-3 in pulmonary hypertension

Aluya Oseghale

Degree: PhD 2019

Advisor: Julia Brittain, PhD, & Betty Pace, PhD

Dissertation: Therapeutic reactivation of fetal hemoglobin in sickle cell disease: development of a novel prodrug AN-233

2017

Huijuan (Emily) Dou

Degree: PhD 2017

Advisor: Zsolt Bagi, PhD

Dissertation: ADAM17 and age-related vascular dysfunction

Esraa Shosha

Degree: PhD 2017 (With Distinction)

Advisor: Ruth Caldwell, PhD

Dissertation: Neurovascular degeneration following retinal ischemia reperfusion injury: Role of Arginase 2

Jian Peng Teoh

Degree: PhD 2017

Advisor: Il-man Kim, PhD

Dissertation: Beta-adrenergic receptor/Beta-arrestin-mediated microRNA maturation regulatory network: A new player in cardioprotective signaling

2015

Yusi Wang

Degree: PhD 2015

Advisor: David Fulton, PhD

Dissertation: Dissecting the Roles of Reactive Oxygen Species in Cardiovascular Disease

2014

Christine Gross

Degree: PhD 2014

Advisor: Steve Black, PhD

Dissertation: The role of the transcription factor, Sox18, in pulmonary endothelial barrier function

Shuiqing Qiu

Degree: PhD 2014

Advisor: David Stepp, PhD

Dissertation: Increasing muscle mass by deletion of myostatin improves metabolic and vascular function in obese (db/db) mice

Jutamas Suwanpradid

Degree: PhD 2014

Advisor: Ruth Caldwell, PhD

Dissertation: Roles of arginase in oxygen-induced retinopathy

Chintan Patel

Degree: PhD 2014 (With Distinction)

Advisor: Ruth Caldwell, PhD

Dissertation: Activation of arginase and the endothelin system in models of ischemic retinopathy

Ashlee Tipton

Degree: PhD 2014

Advisor: Jennifer Sullivan, PhD

Dissertation: Blood pressure impacts the renal T cell profile of male and female spontaneously hypertensive rats

2013

Krystal Brinson

Degree: PhD 2013

Advisor: Jennifer Sullivan, PhD

Dissertation: Sex differences in renal inner medullary nitric oxide synthase regulation and nitric oxide synthase contribution to blood pressure control in hypertension

Shawn Elms

Degree: PhD 2013

Advisor: Ruth Caldwell, PhD

Dissertation: Insights Into the Arginine Paradox and the Role of Arginase in Diabetic Retinopathy

2012

Wararat Kittikulsuth

Degree: PhD 2012

Advisor: Jennifer Pollock, PhD

Dissertation: Regulation of renal medullary endothelin B receptor function by angiotensin II: evidence of sex differences

Jin Qian

Degree: PhD 2012

Advisor: David Fulton, PhD

Dissertation: Physiological consequences of ENOS subcellular targeting

Frank Spradley

Degree: PhD 2012

Advisor: Jennifer Pollock, PhD

Dissertation: Mechanisms of Diet-Induced Hypertension and Vascular Disease Risk in Dahl Rats

2011

Saurabh Aggarwal

Degree: PhD 2011

Advisor: Steve Black, PhD

Dissertation: Vascular dysfunction in pulmonary hypertension: Role of protein kinase G-1α nitration

Deepesh Pandey

Degree: PhD 2011

Advisor: David Fulton, PhD

Dissertation: Post-translational regulation of NADPH oxidase 5 (Nox5) mediated via phosphorylation and SUMOylation

Jinling Yang

Degree: PhD 2011

Advisor: Ruth Caldwell, PhD

Dissertation: Signaling Mechanism of Blood-Retinal Barrier Regulation: Role of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

2010

Mohammed (Irfan) Ali

Degree: PhD 2010

Advisor: David Stepp, PhD

Dissertation: Peripheral insulin resistance mediates microvascular dysfunction in obese mice via increased NAD(P)H oxidase isoform one mediated superoxide production

Alexis Simpkins

Degree: MD/PhD 2010

Advisor: Edward Inscho, PhD

Dissertation: Soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibition attenuates vascular remodeling and is protective against cerebral ischemia

2009

Jan Foster

Degree: PhD 2009

Advisor: Jennifer Pollock, PhD

Dissertation: Regulation and actions of nitric oxide in the renal medullary thick ascending limb during type 1 diabetes mellitus

2008

Matthew Socha

Degree: PhD 2008

Advisor: Edward Inscho, PhD

Dissertation: SPARC mediates renal injury in angiotensin II-induced hypertensive mouse models

Joseph Poole

Degree: MD/PhD 2008

Advisor: Frank Treiber, PhD

Dissertation: Impact of genetic predisposition and environmental stress on measures of preclinical essential hypertension

Maninder (Marlina) Manhiani

Degree: PhD 2008

Advisor: Edward Inscho, PhD

Dissertation: The role of cytochrome P450 epoxygenase enzymes in renal injury and inflammation with salt sensitive hypertension

Pimonrat Ketsawatsomkron

Degree: PhD 2008

Advisor: Mario Marrero, PhD

Dissertation: The role of PTP-1B in vascular insulin resistance

2007

Vanessa Bundy

Degree: PhD 2007 (MD 2011)

Advisor: Paule Barbeau, PhD

Dissertation: From adipokines to atherosclerosis: The role of adipose tissue in inflammation and etiology of vascular disease

Kyu Tae Kang

Degree: PhD 2007

Advisor: Jennifer Pollock, PhD

Dissertation: Novel nitric oxide synthase-dependent mechanism of vasorelaxation in small arteries from hypertensive rats

Anuran Chatterjee

Degree: PhD 2007

Advisor: John Catravas, PhD

Dissertation: Hsp-90 inhibitors in sepsis and sepsis-induced acute lung injury

2006

Chunying Li

Degree: PhD 2006

Advisor: Richard Venema, PhD

Dissertation: Enos regulation by physophorylation and protein-protein interactions

2004

Elizabeth (Dabbs) Loomis

Degree: MD/PhD 2004

Advisor: Jennifer Pollock, PhD

Dissertation: Mechanisms of ET-1-mediated oxygen radical production in the rat aorta

Daniel Platt

Degree: PhD 2004

Advisor: Ruth Caldwell, PhD

Dissertation: Molecular mechanisms of high glucose -induced vascular endothelial growth factor expression in retinal endothelial cells