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Corrine Ahrabi-Nejad
- Graduate Degree
- MD / PhD in Biostatistics in 2020 (Alumni)
- Graduate Program Advisor
- Dr. Christina Duncan
Corrine is in her third year of the Clinical Psychology PhD program in the child clinical track. This is her first year as a trainee on the training grant. She previously held the position as an associate scholar. Her research interests are broadly in the area of pediatric psychology with special interests in chronic illness management among children and their families. Corrine’s specific research interest focuses on the transition from pediatric to adult care among adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
Being a part of the Behavior and Biomedical Sciences program will give me the opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research and work with an integrated team of medical professionals and researchers. This opportunity will allow me to further develop my research skills within behavioral science and increase my knowledge of how research can inform public health initiatives.
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Molly Crowe, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience in 2016 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Steven Kinsey
- Research Project or Topic
- Endocannabinoid modulation of secretory and inflammatory causes of gastric pathology
- Current Position
- Postdoctoral, Gastrointestinal Physiology, Virginia Commonwealth University
Former BBS Trainee now a Postdoctoral Researcher in Physiology and Biophysics at Virginia Commonwealth University
The BBS Training Program has helped expand my research, provided necessary skills for future grant submissions, as well as advanced my development as a researcher. Being a T32 trainee opened up multiple opportunities to meet people outside of my department/program/college and make connections that otherwise would not have been made.
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Danielle Davidov, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Public Health Sciences in 2010 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Jeffrey Coben
- Research Project or Topic
- Mandatory Reporting in the Context of Home Visitation Programs
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Research and Grants Coordinator, WVU; Assistant Director of Education and Training, WVU
- Current Position
- Assistant Professor (tenure track), Dept of Social and Behavioral Sciences, WVU School of Public Health
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Danielle Doll, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Neuroscience in 2015 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- James W Simpkins
- Research Project or Topic
- Role of Mitochondria in TNF-alpha Neurotoxicity in Stroke
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Staff Research Scientist, Mylan Pharmaceuticals
- Current Position
- Medical Science Liaison, Sanofi
Danielle Doll received her PhD in Neuroscience from WVU in 2015. Danielle worked in Dr. Jim Simpkins lab and her work focused on the role of mitochondria in TNF-alpha neurotoxicity in stroke. After graduating, she worked at Mylan Pharmaceuticals for 2 years as a research and development scientist, where she developed cell-based assays and release test methods. Then she transitioned into her current role as a medical science liaison. She currently lives in West Virginia and covers the northern part of West Virginia and western part of the Pennsylvania as an MSL with Sanofi Genzyme. Her therapeutic area of interest is neurology.
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Termeh Feinberg, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Epidemiology in 2016 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Kim Innes
- Research Project or Topic
- An Exploration of the Relationships between Chronic Pain, Inflammation, and Herbal Medicine
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Postdoctoral, Univ of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine
- Current Position
- Postdoctoral, Yale University Center for Medical Informatics
Former BBS trainee now a Postdoctoral Researcher at Johns Hopkins University
The BBS T32 has helped my epidemiology training become more translational by enabling me the opportunity to do a clinical immersion and a lab rotation, in addition to my coursework. Additionally, it has allowed me the time to expand my dissertation health project to multiple medical clinics, strengthening my skills in primary data collection as a survey coordinator.
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Nick Felicione, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Psychology (In Progress)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Melissa Blank
- Research Project or Topic
- Characterizing effects of short-term abstinence in electronic cigarette users
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Richard Felix, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Neuroscience in 2011 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Albert Berrebi
- Research Project or Topic
- Encoding of Temporal Sound Features in the Rodent Superior Paraolivary Nucleus
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Postdoctoral, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Research Faculty, Washington State University @ Vancouver
- Current Position
- Clinical Neurophysiologist, SpecialityCare Intraoperative Neuromonitoring
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Joshua Gross, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Cellular and Integrative Physiology (In Progress)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- David P. Siderovski
- Research Project or Topic
- G protein signaling-dependent mechanisms of opioid and monoamine neurotransmission
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Postdoctoral at Duke University
- Current Position
- Postdoctoral at Duke University
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Rebecca Hagedorn
- Graduate Degrees
- PhD in Animal Food Sciences (In Progress)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Melissa Olfert
- Research Project or Topic
- Evaluating college food insecurity and promoting solutions for student well being
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Science Policy Fellow - American Society for Nutrition
- Current Position
- Science Policy Fellow - American Society for Nutrition
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Rolf Hansen, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Neuroscience in 2013 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- HanTing Zhang
- Research Project or Topic
- Functional characterization of Phosphodiesterase-4A in behavior and obesity
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Postdoctoral, University of Pennsylvania
- Current Position
- Medical Science Liaison at Teva Pharmaceuticals
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Rachel Hostetler
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Neuroscience (In Progress)
- Graduate Program Advisor
- Dr. Ariel Agmon
Rachel is in her second year as a trainee on the training grant. She is a fourth year PhD student in the Neuroscience Program, within the Biomedical Sciences Program. Her lab focuses on uncovering the structure, function and development of the cerebral cortex. Her projects focus on investigating the diverse roles of cortical somatostatin-containing inhibitory interneurons, and how changes in their activity underlie associative learning.
Being on the training grant will give me the opportunity to work with researchers outside of my field. As a student in a biomedical focused program, having the chance to work with those involved in behavioral research will allow me to gain a more well-rounded understanding of my own project and will help me answer my research questions on a multifaceted level.
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Shane Kaski
- Graduate Degrees
- MD/PhD in Cellular and Integrative Physiology (In Progress)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- David P. Siderovski
- Research Project or Topic
- Evaluation of G protein-biased kappa agonists as dose sparing adjuvants to opioid analgesics
- Current Position
- Returning to 3rd year MD curriculum (clinical clerkships) of the MD/PhD program
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Lindsay Lueptow, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Neuroscience in 2015 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- O’Donnell
- Research Project or Topic
- Behavioral Effects of Inhibition of Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterase 2 (PDE2) in Mice
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Postdoctoral, New York University
- Current Position
- Postdoctoral, UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
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Sylwia Mrowka, MD, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Neuroscience in 2016 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Bernard G Schreurs
- Research Project or Topic
- Cholesterol diet-associated changes in the hippocampus- a prelude to Alzheimer’s disease
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Deidre O'Dell
- Graduate Degrees
- PhD in Neuroscience (In Progress)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Bernard G. Schreurs
- Research Project or Topic
- Studying the role of the perineuronal net (PNN) in cerebellar learning and memory by using localized enzymatic degradation or drug repurposing to manipulate the PNN in the deep cerebellar nuclei.
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Erienne (Pedersen) Olesh, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Neuroscience in 2017 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Valeriya Gritsenko
- Research Project or Topic
- The Investigation of Motor Primitives During Human Reaching Movements and the Quantification of Post-Stroke Motor Impairment
- Current Position
- Associate Director, WVU Health Sciences Innovation Center
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Jenny Ozga-Hess, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Behavioral Analysis in 2019 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Karen Anderson
- Research Project or Topic
- Probability discounting of Lewis and Fischer 344 rats: Strain comparisons as baseline and following acute administration of d-amphetamine
- Current Position
- Postdoctoral Position at West Virginia University
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Keyana Porter
- Graduate Degrees
- PhD in Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences (In Progress)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- James W Simpkins
- Research Project or Topic
- In vivo assessments of over-expression or knockout of miRNA 34a on stroke severity, and functional recovery
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Paula Prentice, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2013 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Kevin Larkin
- Research Project or Topic
- Stress and Obesity: Facilitation of Neuroendocrine and Autonomic Nervous System Recovery from Stress while Eating Comfort Foods?
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Medical Psychology Resident, Medical College of Georgia and Charlie Norwood VAMC
- Current Position
- Program and Project Manager, Director and Developer, Arts Council of Johnson County, Kansas City, MO
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Cameron Randall, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Psychology in 2017 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Daniel McNeil
- Research Project or Topic
- Fear of Pain and Dental Care-Related Fear: Associations with the MC1R Gene
- Current Position
- Senior Fellow, Department of Oral Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Dentistry
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Margeaux (Gray) Schade, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience in 2017 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Hawley Montgomery-Downs
- Research Project or Topic
- Effects of Systematic Sleep Fragmentation on Tolerance and Threshold in a Pressure Pain Task: Associations with Sustained Attention
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Postdoctoral, Biobehavioral Health at Penn State College of Health and Human Development
- Current Position
- Postdoctoral, Biobehavioral Health at Penn State College of Health and Human Development
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Lexie Schmidt
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Biology (In Progress)
- Graduate Program Advisor
- Dr. Sadie Bergeron
Lexie is in her second year as a trainee on the T32 and is about to begin her third year as a PhD student in the Department of Biology, emphasizing in neuroscience. Her lab studies specific genetic and environmental factors that regulate normal neural development and what occurs at molecular, neuroanatomical and behavioral levels when these factors are altered. Her research focuses on an early expressed homeobox gene relating to the development and function of visual neural circuits implicated in neurodevelopmental diseases, such as schizophrenia and autism.
Working along this training grant will allow me the opportunity to ask and improve on basic science related questions and learn to better communicate research across different disciplines. The training grant also offers the ability to be immersed in clinical and/or industry, in order to better prepare my future as a well-rounded researcher.
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Michael Seminerio, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences in 2012 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Rae Matsumoto
- Research Project or Topic
- Pharmacological Characterization of an Optimized Sigma Receptor Ligand
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Postdoctoral, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics, University of Chicago
- Current Position
- US Medical Lead (Migraine and Headache), Teva Pharmaceuticals
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Merideth Smith, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2012 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Amy Fiske
- Research Project or Topic
- Giving Support and Mental Health in Older Adults at Risk for Vision Impairment
- Current Position
- Staff Psychologist @ PSIMed, Behavioral Health Management Company
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Doug Thornton, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Health Services and Outcomes Research in 2017 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Nilanjana Dwibedi
- Research Project or Topic
- Combined use of SSRIs and platelet aggreg- ation inhibitors in those with co-occurring heart disease and depression or anxiety
- Current Position
- Assistant Professor (tenure track), University of Houston School of Pharmacy
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Kristen Trexler, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience in 2019 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Steven Kinsey
- Research Project or Topic
- Psychoactive properties of cannabinoid administration, behavioral effects of cannabinoid withdrawal
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Ryan Turner, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Neuroscience in 2015 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Charles Rosen
- Research Project or Topic
- Lessons in Modeling, Preventing, and Treating Neural Injury: Improving Bench-to- Bedside Translation
- Current Position
- Neurosurgery Resident, WVU
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Tricia Wilkins, PhD
- Graduate Degree
- PhD in Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy in 2013 (Alumni)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Usha Sambamoorthi
- Research Project or Topic
- Healthcare Quality and Expenditure Benchmarks along the Continuum of Care: The Role of Primary Care Use and Community Healthcare Resources
- Post Graduate Position Upon Graduation
- Project Officer and Pharmacy Advisor, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
- Current Position
- Director of Pharmacy Affairs, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy
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Desiree Williford
- Graduate Degrees
- PhD in Psychology (In Progress)
- Master of Public Health (MPH) (In Progress)
Training Program
- Training Program Advisor
- Dr. Christina Duncan
- Research Project or Topic
- Profile-based examination of youth and parent information management strategies and adolescent electronic cigarette use
The BBS Training Program is supported by a National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) sponsored predoctoral training grant (T32 GM132494).