The Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute presented 137 students from the School of Medicine Basic Sciences with Dissertation Enhancement Grants, Professional Development and Training Grants, and Conference Travel Grants.
The GLI offers several funding opportunities to support students in a range of endeavors, from leading on-campus programming to pursuing professional development and training opportunities beyond Vanderbilt.
“We are grateful that our students can enhance their research and training through the financial support provided by the generous donors of the Russell G. Hamilton Graduate Leadership Institute,” said Walter Chazin, senior associate dean of biomedical research education and training. “This initiative, through a partnership with the Graduate School, provides our trainees with unique experiences that refine the tools in their toolbox and with opportunities to share their discoveries, build networks, and stand out as they progress in their careers.”
Dissertation Enhancement Grant
The Dissertation Enhancement Grant supports Ph.D. students with outstanding potential to accelerate progress on their research, adding depth or breadth to their work. This competitive award provides students with up to $2,000 for research expenses related to their dissertations and is designed to help them accelerate progress on their research or add depth or breadth to their work.
This year’s Basic Sciences recipients were:
- Perry Wasdin, Chemical and Physical Biology
- Allison Lake, Human Genetics
- Joseph Benthal, Human Genetics
Professional Development & Training Grant
The Professional Development & Training Grant supports graduate school students pursuing professional development and training opportunities to develop their academic and professional skills. These grants, which provide up to $1,000 for non-credit-bearing professional development and training opportunities, have helped support student attendance at workshops, short courses, specialized training, conferences, symposia, and meetings across the U.S. and the globe. Opportunities designed to broaden the applicant’s skill set beyond their academic field of study are encouraged.
This year’s Basic Sciences recipients were:
- Joseph Holden, Neuroscience
- Kimberly Bress, Neuroscience
- Jessica Collins, Biochemistry
- Minh Tran, Chemical and Physical Biology
- Natalie Favret, Molecular Pathology and Immunology
Graduate School Conference Travel Grant
The Graduate School Conference Travel Grant is designed to encourage graduate students to present their research at major regional, national, and international conferences. It provides up to $1,000 to cover fees associated with travel or other conference-related costs.
This year’s Basic Sciences recipients were:
- Hanna Abe, Human Genetics; American Society of Human Genetics
- Alexandra Abu-Shmais, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; Keystone Symposia Vaccinology During and After Covid
- Danielle Adank, Neuroscience; Alcohol and Nervous System Gordon Research Conference
- Verda Agan, Biochemistry; EpiCypher 2023 Conference
- Christin Anthony, Cell and Developmental Biology; Wnt Signaling Gordon Research Conference
- Jillian Armenia, Biochemistry; EMBO Workshop on DNA Topology and Topoisomerases
- David Aslaner, Cell and Developmental Biology; 2024 American Physiology Summit
- Elena Bagatales, Neuroscience; SfN
- Caroline Baggeroer, Neuroscience; Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
- Natalie Bennett, Cancer Biology; American Society for Bone and Mineral Research Annual Meeting
- Tomas Bermudez, Microbe-Host Interactions; AMS Microbe 2024
- Michael Betti, Human Genetics; ASHG Annual Meeting
- Wendy Bindeman, Cancer Biology; CNIO-CaixaResearch Frontiers: Metastasis
- Avery Bogart, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; American Thoracic Society International Meeting 2024
- Monica Brown, Cell and Developmental Biology; The Gastrointestinal Epithelium Conference: Interface with the Outside World
- Kaeli Bryant, Microbe-Host Interactions; Helicobacter pylori Genomics, Signaling and Carcinogenesis
- Jamal Bryant, Pharmacology; Wnt Signaling Gordon Research Conference
- Rebecca Buchanan, Neuroscience; XVI European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease
- Kennady Bullock, Pharmacology; American Association for Cancer Research
- Andrea Burgess, Neuroscience; Society for the Scientific Study of Reading
- Andreanna Burman, Cell and Developmental Biology; American Physiology Summit
- Stephanie Cajigas, Neuroscience; Winter Conference for Brain Research
- Darian Carroll, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; American Physiology Summit
- Anna Cassidy, Cell and Developmental Biology; American Society for Cell Biology – Cell Bio 2023
- Shu-Ting Chou, Cancer Biology; American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024
- Brooke Christensen, Neuroscience; College on Problems of Drug Dependence
- Yunli Chu, Cancer Biology; Annual Meeting of American Association of Immunologists
- Jessica Collins, Biochemistry; EMBO workshop on DNA topology and topoisomerases in genome dynamics
- Alex Contreras, Human Genetics; Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
- Ela Contreras Panta, Cell and Developmental Biology; EMBO | EMBL Symposium: Organoids: modelling organ development and disease in 3D culture
- Amber Crabtree, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; American Society for Cell Biology – Cell Bio 2023
- Claire Cross, Chemical and Physical Biology; 47th Annual Course in Cytometry
- Christian de Caestecker, Cell and Developmental Biology; American Society for Cell Biology 2023
- Kacie Dunham, Neuroscience; International Society for Autism Research Annual Meeting
- Anna Eitel, Biochemistry; SfN Neuroscience 2023
- Nada Elsayed, Neuroscience; International Society for Stem Cell Research Cincinnati International Symposium
- Rebecca Embalabala, Neuroscience; Barriers of the CNS Gordon Research Conference and Seminar
- Lauren Emmerson, Chemical and Physical Biology; Annual Conference on Mass Spectrometry Imaging and Integrated Topics
- Megan Erwin, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; Immunology 2024
- Zahra Farabakhsh, Neuroscience; Research Society on Alcohol
- Olivia Feehan-Nelson, Cell and Developmental Biology; The American Society for Cell Biology – Cell Bio 2023
- Emilie Fisher, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer 2023
- Jamisha Francis, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; Society for Basic Urologic Research
- Margret Fye, Cell and Developmental Biology; American Society for Cell Biology 2023
- Casey Gailey, Cell and Developmental Biology; 2024 ceNeuro
- Hwi Gil, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies
- Sarah Glass, Cell and Developmental Biology; 18th International Congress of Immunology
- Azuah Gonzalez, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; The 19th International Winter Eicosanoid Conference
- Sarah Guagliardo, Human Genetics; ExDep Retreat
- Natalie Guzikowski, Neuroscience; Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology Gordon Research Conference
- Christopher Hansen, Pharmacology; Society for Reproductive Investigation 2024
- Emily Harriott, Neuroscience; Society for the Scientific Study of Reading
- Heather Hartmann, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; Wnt Signaling Gordon Research Conference
- Emely Henriquez Piller, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; American Association of Immunologists Conference
- Clinton Holt, Chemical and Physical Biology; European RosettaCon 2023
- Tyler Huth, Chemical and Physical Biology; American Society for Virology Annual Meeting 2024
- Mirazul Islam, Cell and Developmental Biology; Single-Cell Genomics Gordon Research Conference
- Matthew Jenkins, Pharmacology; American Society for Hematology Annual Conference
- Mariana Jimenez, Neuroscience; Cell Biology for the Neuron Gordon Research Seminar and Conference
- Gwenyth Joseph, Cancer Biology; American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
- Samika Joshi, Biochemistry; ASM Microbe
- Jeremy Kane, Cancer Biology; American Society of Bone and Mineral Research Annual Meeting 2023
- Breelyn Karno, Cancer Biology; American Association of Cancer Research Annual Conference 2024
- Sara Kassel, Cell and Developmental Biology; Wnt Signaling Gordon Research Conference
- Kyung Kim, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; Tennessee Rheumatology Society
- Hailey Kresge, Neuroscience; Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
- Ansley Kunnath, Neuroscience; SfN
- Han Noo Ri Lee, Cell and Developmental Biology; Endothelial Cell Phenotypes in Health and Disease Gordon Research Conference
- Samantha Lisy, Biochemistry; RNA Society 2024
- Matthew Loberg, Cancer Biology; ENDO 2024
- Taralynn Mack, Human Genetics; American Society of Human Genetics Meeting
- Leah Mann, Neuroscience; Organization for Human Brain Mapping 2023
- Cody Marshall, Chemical and Physical Biology; American Society of Mass Spectrometry
- Allison McCabe, Cancer Biology; Gordon Research Conference
- Kevin McCarty, Biochemistry; International Conference on Cytochrome P450
- Kathleen McClanahan, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; Keystone Regulation of Barrier Immunity
- Kara McNamara, Cancer Biology; Digestive Disease Week 2024
- Stephanie Medina, Cell and Developmental Biology; American Association of Immunologists Conference
- Jia Mei, Microbe-Host Interactions; Essentials of Staphylococcal Genetics and Metabolism
- Haley Mendoza-Romero, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; European Molecular Biology Organization Workshop: Microglia in Health and Disease
- Jade Miller, Pharmacology; American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
- Adam Miranda, Cancer Biology; EpiCypher 2023: Biological and Clinical Frontiers in Epigenetics
- Katherine Moster, Biochemistry; Biophysical Society Molecular Biophysics of Membranes Conference
- Matthew Munneke, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; ClostPath 13
- Kateryna Nabukhotna, Biochemistry; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Microbial Pathogenesis and Host Response
- Bianca Nguyen, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Hypertension 2023
- Chiamaka Okoye, Microbe-Host Interactions; American Society for Microbiology Microbe 2024
- Dominique Parker, Cancer Biology; American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
- Alyssa Parker, Human Genetics; Gordon Research Conference
- Yash Pershad, Human Genetics; American Society of Human Genetics
- Nicholas Petersen, Neuroscience; International Brain Research Organization World Congress
- Yasminye Pettway, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; European Islet Study Group Meeting
- Jared Phillips, Pharmacology; Alzheimer’s Association International Conference
- Michelle Piazza, Neuroscience; SfN
- Alexis Pope, Chemical and Physical Biology; American Society of Mass Spectrometry Annual Conference
- Seth Reasoner, Microbe-Host Interactions; 2023 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference
- Jared Rhodes, Cancer Biology; Digestive Disease Week
- Abigail Rich, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; International Society for Experimental Hematology 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting
- Kyle Riedmann, Cell and Developmental Biology; American Physiology Summit 2024
- William Robb, Neuroscience; Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2023
- Kimberly Rogge-Obando, Neuroscience; Organization of Human Brain Mapping
- Jorge Rua-Fernandez, Biochemistry; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory meeting
- Anna Schwarzkopf, Cell and Developmental Biology; Wnt Signaling Gordon Research Conference
- Claire Scott, Cell and Developmental Biology; American Society for Mass Spectrometry Annual Conference
- Elizabeth Semler, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; RNA Modifications in Health & Disease
- Jennifer Silverman, Cell and Developmental Biology; American Society for Cell Biology
- Rachael Smith, Molecular Pathology and Immunology; Immunology2024
- Ty Sornberger, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; Antibody Biology and Engineering Gordon Research Conference and Seminar
- Jade Stanley, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; 84th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association
- Amy Stark, Pharmacology; Winter Eicosanoid Conference
- KayLee Steiner, Cancer Biology; Keystone Immunometabolism
- Aubrie Stricker, Cell and Developmental Biology; Collagen Gordon Research Conference
- Xiaopeng Sun, Cancer Biology; Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer
- Brandie Taylor, Cancer Biology; Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer
- Kimberly Thibeault, Neuroscience; Catecholamines Gordon Research Conference
- Megan Tigue, Cancer Biology; Myeloid Targeting Strategies for Cancer Treatment
- Minh Tran, Chemical and Physical Biology; 72nd ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics
- Sirena Tran, Microbe-Host Interactions; Helicobacter pylori Genomics, Signaling, and Carcinogenesis
- Logan Treat, Microbe-Host Interactions; Essentials of Staphylococcal Genetics and Metabolism Workshop
- Paige Vega, Cell and Developmental Biology; Gastrointestinal Epithelium Conference: Interface with the Outside World
- Steven Wall, Microbe-Host Interactions; Antibody Biology and Engineering Gordon Research Conference
- Hannah Waterman, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; American Physiology Summit 2024
- Abigael Weit, Neuroscience; SfN
- Mandy Westland, Microbe-Host Interaction; Helicobacter pylori Genomics, Signaling, and Carcinogenesis
- Michelle Wiebe, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; Molecular Genetics of Bacteria and Phage
- Melissa Wolf, Cancer Biology; Biology of Cancer: Microenvironment & Metastasis
- Rachael Wolters, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology; American College of Veterinary Pathologists Meeting
- Xiaoyu Yu, Biochemistry; The 37th Gibbs Conference on Biothermodynamics
- Sarah Zelle, Chemical and Physical Biology; American Society for Mass Spectrometry