SKAGGS FELLOWSHIP AWARDEES
Priyanka Ghule - co-mentored by Carl Asche and Diana Brixner in Pharmacotherapy
Priyanka’s work will evaluate the effectiveness of the insulin co-pay cap legislation in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The overarching goal of this work is to contribute evidence-based insights that can inform various stakeholders like patients, providers, insurers, and policymakers regarding the effectiveness of the co-pay cap legislation. By evaluating the effectiveness of the co-pay cap legislation, this dissertation has the potential to contribute to future efforts toward equitable access to insulin and improved healthcare for T2DM patients.
Kaliana Veros - co-mentored by Karen Wilcox and Kristen Keefe in Pharmacology & Toxicology
Kaliana’s research involves the study of cell-type-specific adaptations in the dorsal striatum of habitual cocaine-seeking behavior. Excitatory synaptic function and plasticity following prolonged cocaine administration is likely contributing to the induction of behavioral states underlying habitual control of behavior. It is hypothesized that better understanding of excitatory synaptic transmission in the context of addiction will pave the way for therapeutic targets for the treatment of addiction.
Albebson Lim from Eric Schmidt’s lab in Medicinal Chemistry
Albebson's research involves identifying the molecular target of turnercyclamycins, anti-Gram-negative bacteria specific lipopeptides isolated from a shipworm symbiont, Teredinibacter turnerae. His work strives to address an ongoing global antimicrobial resistance crisis by utilizing ecology-driven approaches to antibiotic discovery.
Morgan Marsh from Shawn Owen’s lab in Molecular Pharmaceutics
Morgan’s project focus is engineering split protein switch systems for targeted drug delivery and disease diagnostics, with applications for autoimmune disease, cancer, and other diseases.
KURAMOTO FELLOWSHIP AWARDEE
Garrison Nikel from Katharine Diehl’s lab in Medicinal Chemistry
Garrison’s research explores the mechanisms of genetic regulation by histone lactylation. These experiments will increase foundational understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying histone lactylation post-translational modification, which is involved in gene expression, genome maintenance and various biological processes.
GEHLERT FELLOWSHIP AWARDEE
Georgia Morgan in Jaclyn Winter’s lab in Pharmacology & Toxicology
The hypothesis of Georgia’s research is that the unique chemistry produced by Great Salt Lake microbes can be applied to our understanding of environmental adaptation and will help develop tools for the sequestration of heavy metals in ground water and soil using gene bioaugmentation.
