Pulsipher Lab

Mentor: Abigail Pulsipher, PhD abigail.pulsipher@utah.edu
Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery

Co-mentor: Fatemeh Zarei, u1497218@utah.edu

Research: Therapeutic and drug delivery systems development for chronic rhinosinusitis and locally advanced head and neck cancers

Mentee: Hailee Hunter, hhunter@arizona.edu
Arizona State University, Diné

Velayutham Lab

Mentor: Anandh Velayutham, Ph.D., anandh.velayutham@utah.edu
Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology

Co-mentor: Satheesh Bahu Adhini Kuppuswamy, PhD, u6024207@utah.edu

Research: investigates the vascular effects of blueberries and strawberries with special emphasis on the microbial metabolites of berry anthocyanins and the molecular signaling mechanisms involved

Mentee: Caleb Lameman, calebhlameman@gmail.com
Southern Utah University, Diné

Heaton lab

Mentor: Brenda Heaton, PhD, brenda.heaton@hsc.utah.edu
Associate Dean for Research, School of Dentistry

Co-mentor: Micheal Bingham, michael.bingham@hsc.utah.edu

Research: advanced oral health access and care through research, innovation, and evidence-based oral health practices and policy

Mentee: Asher Barnum bryantreyes41018@gmail.com 
University of Utah, Diné

O’Connell Lab

Mentor: Ryan M. O'Connell, PhD, ryan.oconnell@path.utah.edu
Assistant Professor - Human Genetics

Co-mentor: Claire Doherty, PhD Claire.Doherty@utah.edu

Research: employs an inter-disciplinary approach that incorporates immunology, microbiology, ecology and bioinformatics to understand how host-commensal     interactions influence disease.

Mentee: Jamie Manuel, manueljamieb@gmail.com
Pima Community College, Tohono O’ Odham

Welt Lab

Mentor: Corrine Welt, MD, cwelt@u2m2.utah.edu
Professor of Endocrinology/Diabetes Research

Research: Female reproductive disorders are devastating, and their underlying etiologies may present additional medical problems within and beyond the reproductive years

Mentee: Kyra Long, kyrallong@arizona.edu
University of Arizona, Diné

Drakos Lab

Mentor: Stavros Drakos, MD/PhD, Stavros.Drakos@hsc.utah.edu
Professor in Division of Cardiovascular Medicine

Co-mentor: Rana Hamouche, rana.hamouche@utah.edu

Research: focused on cardiac recovery associated with unloading and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in the chronic heart failure (HF) setting and the acute setting (i.e. acute HF/cardiogenic shock)

Mentee and MSTP Sponsored: Issac Francis, isaac.taber.francis@gmail.com
Northland Pioneer College, Diné

Blackwood Lab

Mentor: Erik Blackwood, PhD, erik.blackwood@utah.edu
Assistant Professor of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology

Research: focused on elucidating novel mechanisms whereby proteostasis machinery in the heart protects against chronic systemic diseases, such as HF and global metabolic syndrome, translating these discoveries into novel therapeutics, and evaluating their efficacy in preclinical models of HF.

Mentee: Blaine Goklish, datblaine@gmail.com
Fort Lewis College, Eastern Shoshone

Johnson Lab

Mentor: Erin Johnson, PhD Erin.P.Johnson@hsc.utah.edu
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Co-mentor: Naomi Riches, naomi.riches@hsc.utah.edu

Research: developing a valid and reliable measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) that can be used in both clinical and community settings to aid those institutions in their goal to improve the overall health and wellbeing of people with intellectual and developmental disorders

Mentee:  Jazmin Matalolo,  u1452213@utah.edu
University of Utah, Diné

Lai Lab

Mentor: Khanh Lai, Khanh.Lai@hsc.utah.edu
Associate Professor (Clinical) of Pediatric Pulmonology

Research: A retrospective study in children with history of prematurity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia which aims to understand the relationship between dysphagia, growth and severity of chronic lung disease of prematurity.

Mentee: Dakota Kinsel, dckinsel@wm.edu
College of William and Mary, Diné

Raphael Lab

Mentor: Kalani Raphael, MD, kalani.raphael@hsc.utah.edu
Professor of Nephology

Research: conducts observational research studies related to acid-base regulation in CKD and interventional studies testing the effect of sodium bicarbonate on patient outcomes in CKD

Mentee: Laura Innerebner, laura.innerebner@cornerstone.edu
Cornerstone University, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe

Kikuchi Lab

Mentor: Kara Kikuchi, kara.kikuchi@hci.utah.edu
Sr. Manager, Research in CTSI-Cmty & Stakeholder Engage

Co-mentor: Melissa Hall, PhD, melissa.hall@hci.utah.edu

Research: Improved health for all people with cancer. Implementation and dissemination of evidence-based interventions for cancer prevention and control. Behavioral interventions to reduce cancer risk (e.g., tobacco cessation, HPV vaccination)

Mentee: Taylor Long, tlong19@asu.edu
Arizona State University, Diné

Suorsa Lab

Mentor: Kristina Suorsa-Johnson, PhD, kristina.suorsa-johnson@hsc.utah.edu
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Co-mentor: Alex Brill, alexandra.britt@utah.edu

Research: specific clinical interests are in the delivery of psychoeducational and behavioral health services to children and adults with DSD, and their families. Her research interests include understanding and supporting patient and family decision making within DSD.

Mentee: Tavin Benally, a02403296@aggies.usu.edu
Utah State University-Blanding, Diné

Joss-Moore Lab

Mentor: Lisa Joss-Moore, PhD, Lisa.Joss-Moore@hsc.utah.edu
Professor in the Department of Pediatric

Co-mentor: Westley Chidester, Wesley.R.Chidester@utah.edu

Research: the interplay between fatty acid signaling, epigenetics, and the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)

Mentee: Soma Freeman, 20soma12@gmail.com
Northern Arizona University, Dinè

Tristani-Firouzi Lab

Mentor: Martin Tristani-Firouzi, MD, Martin.Tristani@hsc.utah.edu
Professor of Pediatric Cardiology

Co-mentor: Natalia Torres, natalia.torres@utah.edu

Research: Using precision medicine and a vast array of techniques, our lab focuses on unravel the molecular basis of the increase in atrial fibrillation susceptibility present in individuals within families presenting Familial AF. We work with zebrafish, HL1 cells (an immortalized murine atrial cell line) and iPSC-CM (human induced pluripotent stem cells derived cardiomyocytes) to unveil the molecular mechanism behind this complex disease.

Mentee: Ethan Cornelius, erusscornelius@gmail.com
Brigham Young University, Apache

Peterson Lab

Mentor: Randall Peterson, PhD, randall.peterson@pharm.utah.edu
Dean of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Co-mentor: Teija Zhang, tejia.zhang@pharm.utah.edu

Research: utilize high-throughout screening technologies to discover new drug candidates for cardiovascular, nervous system, and metabolic disorders. Unlike conventional drug discovery programs that utilize simplified, in vitro assays, the Peterson lab screens using living zebrafish, ensuring that the drug candidates discovered are active in vivo.

Mentee: Darren Thomas, thomas.darren.lance@gmail.com
Oregan Institute Technology, Diné

Debbink Lab

Mentor: Michelle Debbink, MD/PhD, michelle.debbink@hsc.utah.edu
Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Co-mentor: Jenna Murray, Jennifer.Murray@hsc.utah.edu

Research: focuses on reproductive justice, in particular on understanding the community and neighborhood drivers of racial and ethnic disparities in perinatal outcomes such as low birthweight, infant mortality, and maternal mortality and morbidity using qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Mentee: Henry Natonabah, natonabah.h@northeastern.edu
Northern Eastern University, Diné

Summers Lab

Mentor: Scott Summers, PhD, scott.a.summers@health.utah.edu
Distinguished Professor of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology

Co-mentor: Heather Hamilos, u6061282@utah.edu

Research: to advance the idea that sphingolipids such as ceramides regulate nutrient homeostasis and contribute to the chronic diseases associated with obesity and dyslipidemia, including diabetes and its complications.

Mentee: Grace Dewyer, dewyerg@gmail.com 
Duke University, Diné

Boudina Lab

Mentor: Sihem Boudina, PhD, sboudina@u2m2.utah.edu
Associate Professor of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology

Co-mentors: Sophie Stephens, u1263448@utah.edu

Research: focused on understanding the pathogenesis of obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Particularly, her lab has pioneered research of cardiac metabolism in diabetes and redox-regulation of energy expenditure.

Mentee: Jessica Triplett, jmtriplett@arizona.edu
University of Arizona, Diné

Clardy Lab

Mentor: Stacy Clardy, MD, PhD, Stacey.Clardy@hsc.utah.edu
Associate Professor of Neuroimmunology

Co-mentor: Ka-Ho Wong, Ka-Ho.Wong@hsc.utah.edu

Research: research focus is in the field of autoimmune neurology, which encompasses the evaluation and management of both autoimmune and paraneoplastic disorders of the nervous system.

Mentee: Kate Yamashita, kateeyamashita@gmail.com
University of Oklahoma, Cherokee

Wilkins Lab

Mentor: Victoria Wilkins, MD, PhD, victoria.wilkins@hsc.utah.edu
Associate Professor (Clinical) of General Pediatrics

Research: She conducts multiple Fragile X treatment clinical trials, conducts other Fragile X research, and does outreach across the region for Fragile X awareness.

Mentee: Ashlyn Adakai, adakaiashlyn@gmail.com
University of Arizona, Diné