Students
Steven Ahrendt
B.S., Biology, Purdue
Member of Stajich Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2010; Klotz Memorial travel award, 2012. Poster award from the Genetics Society of America for poster presentation at the 27th Fungal Genetics Conference, 2013.
Ilva Cabrera
B.S. Molecular Cell Biology, California State University, Long Beach; B.A. Sociology, California State University, Long Beach
Member of Borkovich Lab
Currently I am investigating the role of regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins in heterotrimeric G protein signaling in the model filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa.
Awards: NSF-IGERT Fellowship in Video Bioinformatics; FASEB MARC travel award, 2011; AGEP travel award, 2010; Graduate Division Fellowship, 2009.
Publications: Carla J. Eaton, Ilva E. Cabrera, Jacqueline A. Servin, Sara J. Wright, Murray P. Cox and Katherine A. Borkovich (2012) The guanine nucleotide exchange factor RIC8 regulates conidial germination through Gα proteins in Neurospora crassa. PLOS ONE
Ritu Chaudhary
B.S., Microbiology, University of Delhi; M.S., Bioinformatics, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, India
Member of Kaloshian Lab
My area of interest is to identify potato aphid effector molecules that are delivered into the tomato host during feeding.
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship. Guru Gobind Singh Fellowship for 2011-2012.
Stephanie Coffman
B.S., Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cal State Fresno
Member of Ding Lab
Awards: Chancellor's Distinguished Fellowship, 2010. Video Bioninformatics IGERT Fellowship, 2011.
Jonathan Deans
B.S., Bioinfomatics, UC Santa Cruz
Member of Sladek Lab
Amruta Garud
B.S., Biological Sciences, UC Riverside
Member of Borkovich Lab
Awards: Chancellor's Distinguished Fellowship, 2010; Recipient of Klotz Memorial Travel Award for Neurospora Meeting, Asilomar, March 2012.
Publications:
1. Won, S., A. V. Michkov, S. Krystofova, A. V. Garud, and K. A. Borkovich. 2012. Genetic and Physical Interactions between G alpha Subunits and Components of the G beta-gamma Dimer of Heterotrimeric G Proteins in Neurospora crassa. Eukaryot Cell 11:1239-1248.
2. Kim, J., Schacht, P., and Garud, A.V. Heterotrimeric G proteins- Chapter Review (2013). Neurospora- Genomics and Molecular Biology. Caister Academic Press. In press.
Poster Presentation- Poster at Neurospora Meeting, Asilomar, March 2012: Genetic and Physical interaction between G alpha and G beta subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins in Neurospora crassa. Alexander Michkov, Amruta Garud and Katherine Borkovich.
Arit Ghosh
B.S., Biotechnology, West Bengal U.of Tech, India; M.S., University of Nebraska, Microbiology and Molecular Biology
Member of Borkovich Lab
My research revolves around the study of signal transduction pathways in the filamentous fungus – Neurospora crassa. Through my thesis, I would attempt to unravel the roles of different components of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and the G protein-signaling pathway in order to present an interactome level view of the signaling landscapes in Neurospora crassa.
Awards: Dean's Distringuished Fellowship, 2011. Klotz Memorial Travel Award 2013.
Raissa Green
B.S., Genetics, UC Davis
Member of White Lab
Awards: Dean's Distringuished Fellowship, 2011.
Ji Su Ha
B.S., Agriculture, Kyungpook National University, Korea
Member of Raikhel Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2011.
Amanda Hollowell
B.S., Genetics, UC Davis
Member of Sachs lab
Awards: Graduate Division Fellowship, 2009.
Meenakshi Kagda
B.S., Biotechnology, N.V. Patel College of Sciences, India; M.S., Biotechnology, BRD School of Biosciencesiology, India
Member of Judelson Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2010. Klotz Memorial Award for Travel (2013). Oomycete Molecular Research Collaboration Network (OMGN) travel award (2013).
Publications: Sourav Roy, Meenakshi Kagda, Howard S. Judelson (2013) Genome-wide Prediction and Functional Validation of Promoter Motifs Regulating Gene Expression in Spore and Infection Stages of Phytophthora infestans. PLoS Pathog 9(3): e1003182. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003182
Conferences attended and poster presented at: Fungal Genetics Conference (2013) in Asilomar. Oomycete Molecular Research Collaboration Network (OMGN) in Asilomar.
Samantha Lewis
B.S., Zoology, Oregon State University
Member of Hyman Lab
My research interests include molecular evolution, organelle genome architecture, the evolutionary origins of Phylum Nematoda, and the causes and effects of recombination in organelle genomes. I am currently studying gene order rearrangements in Plectid and Mermithid mitochondria with Dr. Brad Hyman of the Biology Department.
Awards: Chancellor's Distinguished Fellowship and Eugene Cota Robles Award, 2008; Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution Diversity Mentoring Award, 2007; AAAS/Science Magazine Program for Excellence in Science, 2009; NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, 2010-2013; Society of Nematologists Student Travel Award and Best Poster Award, 2012; Gordon Research Conference on Mitochondria and Chloroplasts--Carl Storm Minority Fellowship, 2012.
Principal Investigator, IIGB Deep Sequencing Seed Grant: "Multiplex sequencing of complete mitochondrial genomes on the Illumina platform."
Publications: Lewis, SC, Dyal, LA, Hilburn, CF, Weitz, S, Liau, WS, Lamunyon, CW, Denver, DR. 2009. Molecular evolution in Panagrolaimus nematodes: origins of parthenogenesis, hermaphroditism and the Antarctic species P. davidi. BMC Evol Biol. 9(1):15
Denver DR, Dolan P, Wilhelm LJ, Sung W, Lucas-Lledó JI, Howe DK, Lewis SC, Okamoto K, Thomas WK, Lynch M, Baer CF. 2009. A genome-wide view of Caenorhabditis elegans base-substitution mutation processes. PNAS 2009 106:16310-16314
Shaofang Li
B.S., Biology, Northeast Normal University; M.S., Genetics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Member of Chen Lab
Awards: Graduate Division Fellowship, 2009.
Yifan Lii
B.S, Biochemistry/Cell Biology, UC San Diego
Member of Jin lab
Awards: NSF-IGERT fellow.
Jinfeng Lu
B.S., Biological Science, Peking University
Member of Ding Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2010.
Maggie Lu
B.S., Biotechnology, UC Davis
Rotating
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2012.
Keira Lucas
B.S., Molecular Biology, Cal State Fresno
Member of Raikhel Lab
My research involves understanding the molecular mechanisms linked to female mosquito blood meal processes and reproductive events. In particular, I am investigating the role of both conserved and mosquito-specific microRNAs during the reproductive life stages of the female mosquito.
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2010.
Publications: Lucas, K.J. & Raikhel, A.S. (2013) Insect microRNAs: biogenesis, expression profiling and biological functions. Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 43(1):24-38. DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2012.10.009. Epub 2012 Nov 16.
Presentation: Lucas, K.J., Lui, S., Lui, Y., & Raikhel, A.S. The role of microRNAs during the reproductive life stages of the female mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Presented at: Second International Center for Disease Vector Research Symposium; 2012 September 29th - 30th; Riverside CA
Mitchell Lucas
B.S., Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, Cal State Fresno
Member of Close Lab
• Marker-Assisted Selection
• "Bead-assay" SNP Genotyping
• Association Studies
• Comparative Genomics
Awards: Chancellor's Distinguished Fellowship, 2010.
Michael Matson
B.S., Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia
Member of Judelson Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2012.
Alexander Michkov
B.S., Agrochemistry and Soil Science, Moscow Timiriazev Agricultural Academy; M.S., Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow Timiriazev Agricultural Academy, Russia
Member of Borkovich Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship.
Sarah Perry
B.A., Biology, Westmont College
Member of Ray Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2010.
Tusar Saha
B.S., Botany and M.S,. Biochemistry, University of Calcutta, India
Member of Alexander Raikhel Lab
Mosquitoes are vectors of numerous devastating human diseases such as malaria and Dengue fever. Mosquitoes transmit pathogens of these diseases because they require blood feeding for their egg development, which is controlled by alternating titers of two hormones: juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysone. The molecular basis of JH action in mosquito egg development is not understood. My research focuses on elucidation of this role of JH. I use functional genomics tools to identify JH target genes implicated in mosquito egg maturation. I utilize reverse genetics and microarrays to decipher how JH controls gene expression.
Award: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2008.
Divya Sain
B.S., Biotechnology, College of Engineering and Technology, India
Member of Stajich Lab
Evolutionary aspects of Fungal cell wall development.
Awards: Graduate Division Fellowship. 2011 Klotz Memorial Travel Award for attending the Fungal Genetics Conference in Pacific Grove, Asilomar, CA from 15th to 21st March 2011. 2012-2013 Guru Gobind Singh Fellowship. Received the Klotz Memorial Award award of $1000 and UCR GSA Travel Grant award of $300 to present research- ' A RNA-Seq directed functional genomics screen to identify novel cell wall genes in the hyphal tip of Neurospora crassa' at the 26th Fungal Genetics Conference at Asilomar, Pacific Grove, CA (12-17th March 2013).
Poster presentations: "Studying Fungal cell wall evolution using comparative genomics and phylogenetics." 1st Annual SoCal Systems Biology Conference, UC Irvine, January 2011. Divya Sain and Jason E. Stajich. "Utilizing functional genomics in Neurospora crassa to identify cell wall genes." 26th Fungal Genetics Conference. Asilomar. March 2011.
Publications: Li-Jun Ma, H. Charlotte van der Does, Katherine A. Borkovich, ..Divya Sain,.. H. Corby Kistler, Martijn Rep. 2010. Comparative genomics reveals mobile pathogenicity chromosomes in Fusarium. Nature. 464, 367-373.
Patrick Schacht
B.S., Biochemistry, Biola University
Member of Borkovich Lab
Currently I am studying G protein signaling in the Borkovich lab. Using the model organism Neurospora crassa , I am examining proteins that regulate the G-protein signaling cascade through analysis of mutants and protein-protein interaction studies.
Awards: NSF-IGERT Fellow.
Patrick Schreiner
B.S., Biology and Bioinformatics, Loyola University
Member of Atkinson Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2012.
Sammy Sedky
B.S., Biological Sciences (Bioinformatics & Genomics), UC Riverside
Member of De Ley Lab
I'm interested in the endosymbiotic interactions between free-living nematodes and their intracellular bacteria. My research focuses on investigating the presence of Wolbachia in the nematode family Aphelenchoididae, a group of stylet-bearing nematodes which fungal feed in soil and in association with insects.
Awards: Graduate Division Fellowship, 2009. NemaSym RCN Travel Grant, 2010 & 2011. University Teaching Certificate, 2012.
Jolly Shrivastava
B.S., Life Sciences, Ch. Charan Singh University, India; M.S., Biology, University of North Carolina; M.S., Biology, Cal State Fullerton
Member of Judelson Lab
I am working on Phytophthora infestans, causal agent of late blight potato disease. I am using bioinformatics tools to answer questions pertaining to variation in P. infestans that will help us in understanding the pathogenicity of the organism and develop more resistant potato plants.
Awards: Chancellor's Distinguished Fellowship, 2011.
Publications: Judelson HS, Shrivastava J, Manson J (2012) Decay of Genes Encoding the Oomycete Flagellar Proteome in the Downy Mildew Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis.PLoS ONE 7(10): e47624. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0047624
Venkatesh Sivanandam
B.S., Biotechnology, School of Engineering & Technology, India
Member of Rao Lab
Analysis of molecular mechanisms regulating replication and packaging of satellite Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship.
Caroline Sjogren
B.A., Biology, UC Riverside
Member of Larsen Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2011.
Publications: Nezames CD, Sjogren CA, Barajas JF, Larsen PB. (2012). The Arabidopsis cell cycle checkpoint regulators TANMEI/ALT2 and ATR mediate the active process of aluminum-depenent root growth inhibition. Plant Cell (2) 608-21.
Eric Smith
B.A., Biology, University of Saint Thomas
Member of White Lab
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2012.
Tim Tran
B.S., Microbiology, UC Davis; M.S., Biomedical Lab Science, San Francisco State
Rotating
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2012; Summer Diversity Stipend, 2012.
Publications: Am J Transplant. 2012 Oct;12(10):2710-2718. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2012.04253.x.
A Peripheral Blood Diagnostic Test for Acute Rejection in Renal Transplantation.
Li L, Khatri P, Sigdel TK, Tran T, Ying L, Vitalone MJ, Chen A, Hsieh S, Dai H, Zhang M, Naesens M, Zarkhin V, Sansanwal P, Chen R,Mindrinos M, Xiao W, Benfield M, Ettenger RB, Dharnidharka V, Mathias R, Portale A, McDonald R, Harmon W, Kershaw D, Vehaskari VM, Kamil E, Baluarte HJ, Warady B, Davis R, Butte AJ, Salvatierra O, Sarwal MM.
Bo Zhao
B.S., Biology, Nankai University
Member of the Alexander Raikhel lab
The overall objective of my study is to expand on the development of the binary Gal4/UAS for the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. I utilized the promter of the carboxypeptidase gene (CP) to genetically engineer mosquito lines with the CP-Gal4 activator. By crossing these transgenic lines with UAS-EGFP responder transgenic mosquito lines, I will test whether CP-Gal4 driver leads to a high level of tissue-, stage- and sex-specific expression of the EGFP reporter in the midgut of CP-Gal4/UAS-EGFP hybrids during blood digestion of mosquito females. This system will be used on gene and microRNA function study. Hence, this study has opened the door for further refinement of genetic tools and gene function research in mosquitoes.
Awards: Dean's Distinguished Fellowship, 2009.