Graduate Student Association

Sushrut Shah
President
LinkedIn

Sushrut grew up in India before moving to the United States. He earned his BS in Biochemistry with a Computer Science minor from Temple University. After graduation, he joined Dr. Deepak Deshpande's lab, where he discovered his passion for research. Now entering his third year as an Molecular Physiology & Translational Medicine PhD student, Sushrut is dedicated to elucidating the effects of recently discovered novel allosteric modulators for β-adrenergic receptors, with the potential to revolutionize treatments for pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases.

If you could go on vacation, where would you go and what would you do?
I would like to visit Vancouver for the natural scenic views, historical tours, and culture. I'd cap that vacation off with hiking, kayaking, and camping across Banff National Park and other surrounding parks.

Kerry Buckhaults
Vice President of Career Development

Kerry grew up in East Meadow, New York. She earned her BA in Neuroscience and Psychology from the University of Scranton in Scranton, PA. She then moved to Philadelphia and received her MS in Experiemental Psychology from Villanova University. She is a second year PhD student in the Neuroscience program under the mentorship of Dr. Le Ma, studying the development of sensory nerve morphology and ion channel trafficking following injury.

What is your favorite hobby, and why?
I love watching any and all reality TV. I find this a good way to decompress after a long day in the lab, and have found it useful when meeting new people!

Gabriela (Gabi) Daszewska-Smith
Vice President of Academic Affairs

Gabriela is originally from Orlando, Florida, though she moved to England to pursue her BS in Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience at Royal Holloway, University of London. After completing her bachelor's degree, Gabi completed her master's degree at Georgetown University. She is a now a second year PhD student in Dr. Elena Blanco-Suarez's laboratory studying astrocytic contributions in ischemic stroke.

What is your favorite hobby, and why?
My favorite hobby is equestrian show jumping! I have two horses outside Philadelphia, and I spend most of my free time in the countryside with them. It is a wonderful way to spend time in nature and decompress from academic life.

Erin Gray
Treasurer

Erin grew up in Easy Greenwich, New Jersey. She earned her BS in Biochemistry from Rowan University in 2021, and then spent two years as a technician studying Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the lab of Vikram Paralkar at the University of Pennsylvania. Currently, Erin is a second year PhD student in the Genetics, Genomics, and Cancer Biology program. She is in Dr. Christine Eischen's lab, where she studies Lymphoma.

What is your favorite place to visit in Philly, and why?
In Philly, I spend a lot of time visiting the Schuylkill River Trail. I love to run and walk along the river, and take in the views of the city while being in nature.

Megan Keller
Social Media Coordinator

Megan grew up in Bel Air, Maryland. She graduated from Albright College with a BS in Biotechnology and a minor in Public Health before starting at Thomas Jefferson University. She is a second year PhD student in the Genetics, Genomics, and Cancer Biology program. She is studying immunology and vaccinology in Dr. Luis Sigal's lab.

What is your favorite activity to do in Philly, and why?
My favorite activity to do in Philly is attend sporting events with my friends. I love to support the Baltimore and Philly teams!

Shivani Khunt
Vice President of Social Affairs

Dr. Shivani Khunt is a current Masters student in the Clinical Research program. She holds her PharmD license from the Gujarat State Pharmacy Council in India. Dr. Khunt is an enthusiastic leader who is passionate about building a vibrant social atmosphere for graduate students. Her vision is to create a diverse social calendar catering to graduate students' interests, including: sporting events and social outings, networking opportunities with professionals, events with a service component, and collaborating with local charities.

Who is someone you admire, and why?
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. He was an Indian aerospace scientist and stateman who served as the 11th president of India from 2002-2007. Dr. Kalam has done remarkable work in the science and humanities fields. While working at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Dr. Kalam was the director of India's first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III), which successfully deployed the Rohini satellite in near Earth oribt in July 1980. He supported the advancement of science education, inspiring youth - including me - to become scientists. One question I would ask him is about his experiences of failing and how he dealt with them, knowing the failures eventually led to his success.

Megan Muench
Vice President of Internal Affairs

Megan grew up in Cherry Hill, NJ. She got her BS in Neuroscience from the University of Delaware where she worked in Dr. Jaclyn Schwarz's lab as an undergraduate researcher. After graduation, Megan moved to Philly and spent two years as a research technician at UPenn's Center for Neurodegenerative Disease in the Drug Discovery group with Drs. Virginia Lee and Kurt Brunden. Megan is a second year PhD student in the Neuroscience program, studying innate immunity in ALS in the Trotti Lab.

What is your favorite activity to do in Philly, and why?
My favorite activity to do in Philly is to cheer on all the Philly sports teams! I grew up in a big Philly sports household, so I love to watch the games with my family and friends - at home, at a restaurant or down at the stadiusm. Go Birds!

Joshua Okletey
Vice President of Community and Cultural Affairs

Originally born in Ghana, Joshua moved to the United States and resided in Rockville, Maryland. He earned his BS in Biology from Mount St. Mary's University, where his passion for research burgeoned. Following graduation, he moved to Philadelphia to pursue this passion and is a second year PhD student in the Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine program. Joshua is excited to develop a novel technology to elucidate genetic features that mediate mitochondrial dysfunctions, with precise single-mitochondria resolution.

If you could go on vacation, where would you go and what would you do?
Italy! I have never been and would love to visit. The food, the scenery, the history...did I mention the food?! All are on my bucket list.

Dominic Villalba
Secretary

Dominic grew up in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He completed his BA in Biology at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware; he then spent two gap years as student in the lab of Dr. Raymond Penn studying novel drug targets that can be targeted for asthma and other obstructive airway diseases. He decided to continue this research and is a fifth year PhD candidate in the Molecular Physiology & Translational Medicne program.

What is your favorite activity to do in Philly, and why?
My favorite thing to do in Philly is explore the restaurant scene and try new foods. There are so many diverse options that you could constantly eat in new places. The hardest part is usually picking just one restaurant.

Nathan Ryan
President Emeritus
LinkedIn

Nathan grew up in Vienna, Virginia. He earned his BA in Biology at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware, and spent a year as a technician in the lab of Dr. Wilfred Chen studying metabolic pathways of anaerobes. Nathan moved to Philadelphia in 2018 to pursue a master's degree in Microbiology & Immunology at Thomas Jefferson University. Upon graduating in 2020, Nathan took an opportunity to continue his master's research and is a fifth year PhD candidate in the Immunology & Microbial Pathogenesis program. He is currently studying parasite immunology in the Abraham Lab.

What is your favorite place to visit in Philly?
My favorite place to visit in Philly is Wissahickon Valley Park. I love going there year-round to hike the trails and eat at the Valley Green Inn.