Neuroscience
At a Glance
900 Walnut Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Leadership
Program Information
1020 Locust Street
M-46 JAH
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Current Students
The close-knit student body of the Graduate Program in Neuroscience is an integral part of the Jefferson Community and continues the time-honored tradition of scholarly exchange. Our interdisciplinary curriculum allows students from all departments to work collectively toward the common goal of progress in the field of neuroscience.
Current Students
Abneil Alicea-Pauneto
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2022
Thesis Advisor: Chang-Gyu Hahn, MD, PhD
Project: TBA
Victoria Baccini
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2018
Thesis Advisor: Matthew Dalva, PhD
Project: TBA
Andrea Berghella
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2022
Thesis Advisor: Elena Blanco-Suarez, PhD
Project: TBA
Bridget Boyle
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2020
Thesis Advisor: Elena Blanco-Suarez, PhD
Project: To study the spatiotemporal-dependent roles of Chrdl1 in ischemic stroke-driven GluA2-AMPAR distribution and its role in differential neuronal vulnerability to stroke.
Joseph Buchler
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2022
Thesis Advisor: Lin Guo, PhD
Project: TBA
Kerry Buckhaults
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Le Ma, PhD
Project: TBA
Laurence Busque
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Chang-Gyu Hahn, MD, PhD
Project: TBA
Debotri Chatterjee (MD/PhD)
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2021
Thesis Advisor: Richard Smeyne, PhD
Project: I'm interested in looking at the interplay of environmental toxins and viral infections in the etiology of Parkinson's disease.
Kallon Crowther
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2021
Thesis Advisor: Angelo Lepore, PhD
Project: TBA
Gabriela Daszewka-Smith
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Elena Blanco-Suarez, PhD
Project: TBD
Jesse Humenik
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2019
Thesis Advisor: Timothy Mosca, PhD
Project: 1) Identifying Cell Surface and Secreted Proteins used in synaptogenesis 2) The role of transcription factors in neurogenesis
David Jaffe (MD/PhD)
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2021
Thesis Advisor: Angelo Lepore, PhD
Project: TBA
Siddharth Karthikeyan (MD/PhD)
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2022
Thesis Advisor: Le Ma, PhD
Project: TBA
Kyle Kennedy
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Manuel Covarrubias, MD, PhD
Project: TBA
Nikolas Kinney (MD/PhD)
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2023
Thesis Advisor: Hristelina Ilieva, MD, PhD
Project: TBA
Thomas Kuret (MD/PhD)
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2023
Thesis Advisor: Scott Waldman, MD, PhD
Project: TBA
James Lim
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2021
Thesis Advisor: Mijail Serruya, MD, PhD
Project: TBA
Brianna Lisi
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2022
Thesis Advisor: Piera Pasinelli, PhD
Project: TBA
Adam Marc (MD/PhD)
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2021
Thesis Advisor: Chang-Gyu Hahn, MD, PhD
Project: TBA
Ivette Martorell Serra
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2021
Thesis Advisor: Davide Trotti, PhD
Project: TBA
Elizabeth Moese
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2020
Thesis Advisor: Le Ma, PhD
Project: I study how posttranslational modifications of neuronal microtubule associated proteins, MAP7 and tau, influence kinesin based transport and axon branching.
Msema Msackyi
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2020
Thesis Advisor: Chang-Gyu Hahn, MD, PhD
Project: TBA
Megan Muench
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2023
Thesis Advisor: Davide Trotti, PhD/ Marco Tigano, PhD (Co-Mentor)
Project: TBA
Linh Phuong Nguyen (MD/PhD)
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2022
Thesis Advisor: Manuel Covarrubias, MD, PhD/ Angelo Lepore, PhD (Co-Mentor)
Project: TBA
Tabitha Rodriguez
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2021
Thesis Advisor: Richard Smeyne, PhD
Project: TBA
Cyrus Rostami
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2022
Thesis Advisor: Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, PhD
Project: TBA
Katelyn Russell
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2016
Thesis Advisor: Aaron Haeusler, PhD
Project: TBA
Selin Seckin
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2022
Thesis Advisor: Gyorgy Hajnoczky, MD, PhD
Project: TBA
Benjamin Seitz
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2023
Thesis Advisor: Timothy Mosca, PhD
Project: TBA
Medha Sengupta
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Fall 2019
Thesis Advisor: Diane Merry, PhD
Project: TBA
Samantha Thomas (MD/PhD)
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2021
Thesis Advisor: Angelo Lepore, PhD
Project: Promoting circuit-specific synaptic reconnectivity after spinal cord injury
Alana Williams
[email protected]
Matriculation Term: Summer 2021
Thesis Advisor: Le Ma, PhD
Project: TBA
Recent Graduates
Tyler Alexander (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “Mechanism of short-term pre-synaptic plasticity in dorsal root ganglion neurons”
Advisor: Manuel Covarrubias, MD, PhD
Current Position: MD/PhD 7, JeffMD Phase 2, SKMC 3
Rachel Cain (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “”
Advisor: Matthew Dalva, PhD
Current Position: MD/PhD 7, JeffMD Phase 2, SKMC 3
Lara Cheslow (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “”
Advisor: Scott Waldman, MD, PhD
Current Position: MD/PhD 7, JeffMD Phase 2, SKMC 3
Haani Jafri (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “Elucidating the Role of Synaptic Nanomodules in Synapse Organization and Function”
Advisor: Mathew Dalva, PhD
Current Position: MD/PhD 8, JeffMD Phase 3, SKMC 4
Gabrielle Spagnuolo
Thesis Title: “Downregulation of the purinergic receptor P2Y1R promotes neuroprotection after ischemic injury in rats via non-cell-autonomous mechanisms”
Advisor: Lorraine Iacovitti, PhD
Current Position: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Dr. Iacovitti's Laboraotry
Joshua Barton (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “Regulation of the Gut-Brain Axis by Guanylyl Cyclase C”
Advisor: Scott Waldman, MD, PhD
Current Position: Resident (PGY-1), Duke University
Alison DePew
Thesis Title: “Presynaptic LRP4 directs synapse development and cytoskeletal organization at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction”
Advisor: Timothy Mosca, PhD
Layla Ghaffari
Thesis Title: “Neuronal excitation-driven gene expression in C9orf72-linked ALS/FTD”
Advisor: Aaron Haeusler, PhD
Jordyn Karliner
Thesis Title: “Investigating the molecular mechanisms of neurite loss in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy”
Advisor: Diane Merry PhD
Michael Aimino
Thesis Title: “Synaptic development in different olfactory neuron classes uses distinct temporal and activity-related programs”
Advisor: Timothy Mosca, PhD
Matthew Byrne
Thesis Title: “Interactions between genetics, protein, and inflammation in modeling synucleinopathies”
Advisor: Richard Smeyne, PhD
Bridget Curran
Thesis Title: “Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Guidance of Bifurcating Sensory Axons During Development”
Advisor: Le Ma, PhD
Vibol Heng (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “Neurobiological and Behavioral Characterization of Adult Male and Female Mice in Prolonged Social Isolation”
Advisor: Richard Smeyne, PhD
Elana Molotsky
Thesis Title: “THE IMPACT OF ANDROGEN RECEPTOR POLYGLUTAMINE EXPANSION ON THE MOTOR UNIT IN SBMA: NMJ PATHOLOGY, MOTOR UNIT VULNERABILITY, AND NEUROFILAMENT DYSREGULATION”
Advisor: Diane Merry, PhD
Andrew Nelson
Thesis Title: “Altered brain glucose metabolism drives disease in C9orf72-ALS/FTD”
Advisor: Davide Trotti, PhD
Eric Brown
Thesis Title: “Differential activation of pain circuitry neuron populations in spinal cord injury induced neuropathic pain”
Advisor: Angelo Lepore, PhD
Nicolette Heinsinger
Thesis Title: “Modulating EphBs in the dorsal horn attenuates neuropathic pain after cervical spinal cord injury”
Advisor: Angelo Lepore, PhD
Brandie Verdone
Thesis Title: “Understanding the consequences of dipeptide repeat protein formation in C9orf72 ALS/FTD”
Advisor: Piera Pasinelli, PhD
Current Position: PostDoctoral Fellow/ IRACDA Posdoctoral Scholar, Department of Biomedical Engineering/Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Brittany Charsar (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “Respiratory axon plasticity drives recovery of diaphragm function after spinal cord injury”
Advisor: Angelo Lepore, PhD
Current Position: PGY-3 Resident, Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Rogan Magee (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “Addressing Computational and Experimental Questions on tRNA-Derived Fragments (tRFs) to Define New Roles in Cell Behavior and Human Disease”
Advisor: Isidore Rigoutsos, PhD
Current Position: PGY - 3 Resident, Neurology, University of Pennsylvania
Sean O’Sullivan (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “The Effect of Alcohol and Opioid Withdrawal on Single-Cell Glia and Neuronal Gene Expression in the Visceral Emotional Neuraxis“
Advisor: James Schwaber, PhD
Benjamin Yang (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “Investigation of molecular mechanisms mediating MAP7 function in axon branching”
Advisor: Le Ma, PhD
Current Position: PGY-3 Resident, Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson
Jonathan Gorky (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “THE EMERGENCE OF CARDIOPROTECTION FROM THE BRAIN-GUT-HEART NETWORK”
Advisor: James Schwaber, PhD
Dante Merlino (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “Two distinct GUCY2C neuronal pathways in the hypothalamus and midbrain”
Advisor: Scott Waldman, MD, PhD
Tanziyah Muqeem (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: "The role of Kv3.4 channels in the neurotransmission of pain"
Advisor: Manuel Covarrubias, MD, PhD
Nathan Henderson
Thesis Title: "Trans-synaptic coordination of synapse development and plasticity: A focus on ephrin-B3 and PSD-95"
Advisor: Matthew Dalva, PhD
Lauren Rosenblum (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: "Alternative Pathway of EAAT2-Mediated Toxicity in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis"
Advisor: Davide Trotti, PhD
Thomas Westergard
Thesis Title: "Dipeptide Repeat Proteins Associated With C9ORF72 ALS/FTD: Understanding How They Are Made And How They Potentiate Disease"
Advisor: Davide Trotti, PhD
Jason You (MD/PhD)
Thesis Title: “Epigenetic regulation of hippocampal function and cognition in Alzheimer's disease”
Advisor: Jeannie Chin, PhD