Ten-year anniversary: Ten trainee success stories from the School of Medicine Basic Sciences

In honor of the 10-year anniversary of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences, we are highlighting 10 remarkable Ph.D. students and alums who exemplify the body of stellar, hardworking trainees who are at the core of who our school is and who have graduated each year since the school was founded.

Follow along as we share more 10-item lists to celebrate our 10th anniversary throughout the months of April and May.

1. Katherine Clowes Moster, PhD’26: Clowes Moster, who graduated this year with a degree in biochemistry under the guidance of Chuck Sanders, exemplifies the scientific excellence and collaborative spirit of SOMBS trainees.
   During her graduate training, Clowes Moster conducted research at the intersection of structural biology, biochemistry, and translational medicine, contributing to efforts to better understand and potentially treat inherited cardiac disorders such as long QT syndrome. Her work helped identify a promising trafficking corrector that could improve the function of disease-associated ion channels, advancing new therapeutic possibilities for patients.

   “This work is exciting because it provides early evidence for a potential method to treat LQT1, a disease that impacts thousands of people across the world that currently has no treatment designed to target the underlying defects,” she said.

   In recognition of her research accomplishments, she received both the 2025 SOMBS Dean’s Award for Exceptional Achievement in Graduate Studies and the prestigious 2026 Dr. Anne Karpay Award in Structural Biology. These honors reflect not only the rigor and impact of her scientific contributions, but also her leadership and commitment to collaborative discovery.

   “Kate is a versatile scientist who is exceptionally devoted to rigor and reproducibility,” Sanders said. “She lives out her belief in the importance of service and is always willing to step up and help out!”

   Her trajectory highlights the strength of SOMBS in preparing trainees to bridge fundamental discovery science with research that has meaningful potential to improve human health.

2. Hannah Waterman, PhD’25: Waterman earned her degree in molecular physiology and biophysics and exemplifies the scientific rigor and collaborative spirit that define SOMBS trainees.

   Drawn to Vanderbilt for its strength in diabetes research and its deeply supportive community, Waterman said she immediately recognized an environment where “colleagues felt like family.” She credits her Vanderbilt training with providing a strong foundation in problem-solving, critical thinking, and scientific confidence. “It taught me not only how to rigorously evaluate data, but also how to ask meaningful questions and to be comfortable saying ‘I don’t know’ while remaining curious and open to discovery,” she said.

   

   Waterman credits mentors including Alan Cherrington and Dale Edgerton with helping shape her scientific independence and confidence. In 2025, she received the SOMBS Dean’s Award for Exceptional Achievement in Graduate Studies, an honor recognizing the originality, significance, and rigor of her dissertation research. “It was a meaningful moment that affirmed both my work and my place in science,” she said.

   She is now a postdoctoral associate at the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, where she is most excited about “the opportunity to translate complex physiological mechanisms into human studies” with the goal of improving understanding of disease progression and therapeutic strategies.

3. Logan Northcutt, PhD’24: Northcutt, who completed his Ph.D. training in cancer biology in 2024 under the co-advising of Marjan Rafat and Julie Rhoades, has built his scientific career around a commitment to advancing cancer research while supporting the next generation of scientists. During his time at Vanderbilt, Northcutt conducted research focused on cancer biology and translational science, contributing to efforts aimed at understanding disease mechanisms and improving therapeutic strategies.

   

   In a Vanderbilt profile, Northcutt reflected on the motivations behind his work, emphasizing both scientific impact and mentorship. “I’m definitely very interested in teaching. I love that feeling of helping someone who just doesn’t quite get it,” he said in the article. That commitment to community and mentorship became a defining part of his graduate experience, where he actively supported fellow trainees and fostered collaborative relationships across the research community.

   Northcutt’s accomplishments during his training earned recognition for both his scientific contributions and leadership potential. His trajectory reflects the kind of rigorous, collaborative, and mission-driven scholarship that SOMBS strives to cultivate in its scientists, who not only push research forward but also strengthen the communities around them.

4. Kellie Williford, PhD’23: Williford completed her Ph.D. in neuroscience in 2023 and has built a research career focused on understanding the neurobiology of addiction and decision-making. During her graduate training in the lab of Danny Winder (who is now at UMass Chan Medical School), she investigated the underlying neuronal mechanisms of stress responses and anxiety-like behaviors, work that laid the foundation for her long-term goal of understanding abstinence and relapse in addiction.

   

   Williford distinguished herself through both scientific achievement and leadership. During her time at Vanderbilt, she received numerous honors, including the prestigious HHMI Gilliam Fellowship, the Provost Graduate Fellowship, and the Vanderbilt Brain Institute Student Leadership Award. She also co-founded and served as co-president of the Graduate Students of Color Collective, reflecting her strong commitment to outreach and inclusivity in academia. “I firmly believe in the importance of scientists’ relationship with the communities in which we live and strive to integrate an aspect of community service and education into my work,” she said on LinkedIn.

   Following Vanderbilt, she pursued postdoctoral training studying brain-wide networks underlying drug craving at Duke University and now works at the University of Chicago in the lab of Stephanie Groman, where she investigates the intersection of disrupted decision-making and addiction.

5. Krystal Tsosie, PhD’22: Tsosie earned her Ph.D. in genomics and health disparities in 2022. From her time at Vanderbilt, she has built a career centered on ensuring that genomics research serves Indigenous communities ethically and equitably. “I entered the field of human genetics to ensure that, if genetics is going to be pursued with Indigenous people, it benefits Indigenous peoples first and foremost,” she said.

   

   Now an assistant professor at Arizona State University and the university’s first Indigenous geneticist on faculty, Tsosie leads the Tsosie Lab for Indigenous Genomic Data Equity and Justice. Her work focuses on Indigenous genomics, data sovereignty, and community-led research infrastructure. She also co-founded the Native BioData Consortium, the first Indigenous-led biobank and biological data repository for U.S. Tribal Nations. “We built it because the need was urgent and no one else was going to do it,” she reflected.

   At Vanderbilt, Tsosie developed an interdisciplinary approach that integrated genomics, public health, bioethics, and community engagement. She credits mentors and the broader Vanderbilt community with helping her find both her scientific voice and a network of Indigenous collaborators that continues to shape her work today.

6. Sarah M. Glass, PhD’21: Glass completed her Ph.D. training in biochemistry in 2021 and has successfully translated her graduate research experience directly into a career in the pharmaceutical industry. Trained in the lab of Fred Guengerich, Glass focused her dissertation research on understanding how specialized enzymes in the body process important molecules involved in skin health and metabolism, while also contributing to broader research projects related to protein analysis and hormone-processing enzymes.

   

   Following graduation, she moved directly into the pharmaceutical industry without a postdoctoral fellowship and is now a principal scientist at Johnson & Johnson, where she serves as a DMPK—drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics—project representative supporting small molecule drug discovery. Her work centers on designing mechanistic experiments, developing validated assays, and improving compound properties to help advance therapeutic candidates.

   During her time at Vanderbilt, Glass was recognized for both scientific excellence and leadership, receiving the Dean’s Award for Exceptional Achievement in Graduate Studies in 2020 and the Leon W. Cunningham Award for Excellence in Biochemistry in 2021. Her trajectory reflects the strength of the scientific training and translational mindset fostered at SOMBS.

7. Laura Powell, PhD’20: Powell, who completed her Ph.D. training in microbiology and immunology in 2020, has built a career at the intersection of science, strategy, and biomedical innovation. Having trained in the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center with James Crowe, her expertise in monoclonal antibody discovery and characterization has led her to successfully translate her research background into leadership roles supporting complex biomedical programs in both the public and private sectors.

   

   Today, she serves as director at Everglade Consulting, where she leads multidisciplinary teams supporting preclinical and clinical development programs spanning vaccines, diagnostics, antibodies, and emerging biologic technologies. Her work involves helping organizations secure and manage major government-funded biomedical initiatives, guiding projects from early strategy and proposal development through execution and delivery.

   During and after her time at Vanderbilt, Powell has been actively engaged with trainee and career development initiatives, including through participation in ASPIRE on the Road and mentoring opportunities for graduate students exploring careers beyond academia. Her trajectory highlights the versatility of SOMBS training and demonstrates how scientific expertise can drive innovation not only at the bench, but also through leadership, collaboration, and strategic problem-solving across the broader biomedical ecosystem.

8. Wyatt McDonnell, PhD’19: McDonnell, who earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology in 2019, has built a career at the intersection of translational science, technology development, and entrepreneurship. He is the co-founder and CEO of Infinimmune, a biotechnology company developing therapeutic antibodies by directly screening human memory B cells to uncover new biology and treatment possibilities.

   

   Looking back, McDonnell said he was drawn to Vanderbilt’s collaborative culture, strong investment in next-generation sequencing and computational biology, and the close integration of research and clinical care. His training with mentors including John Koethe and co-advisors Simon Mallal and Ivelin Georgiev helped shape the approach he relies on today: combining clinical relevance with innovative technology development. “The point of the work is to reach patients, and you design experiments accordingly,” he said, reflecting on lessons from his Vanderbilt training.

   He also credits the highly collaborative nature of his graduate experience with preparing him to lead interdisciplinary teams in biotech. “We’ve assembled scientists who collectively know vastly more than I do, and they’ve built a platform and a pipeline together that will reach patients soon,” he said. “Assembling that team and seeing what they’ve accomplished is what I’m most proud of.”

9. Annabelle Manalo-Morgan, PhD’18: Manalo-Morgan earned her Ph.D. in cell and developmental biology in 2018, working with advisor David Bader. Before joining Vanderbilt’s Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, she first visited campus as a shadow student and immediately recognized something unique. “What immediately stood out to me was how much the basic sciences community felt like a family,” she said. “At the time, I was also a single mother, and I felt incredibly supported both personally and professionally.”

   

   Today, Manalo-Morgan leads her own company, Mighty Ventures, where she works with organizations and governments around the world to support scientific innovation, translational medicine, and regulatory strategy. She credits Vanderbilt with teaching her “how to balance life while pursuing ambitious goals” and giving her the confidence to lead while wearing many hats.

   Among her proudest accomplishments is her application of her scientific training to help her son recover after a devastating neurological diagnosis as an infant. “Vanderbilt became a foundational part of my journey—not only as a scientist, but also as a mother, mentor, author, and entrepreneur,” she said.

10. Andrea Belovich, PhD’17: Belovich completed two training programs while at Vanderbilt: a Ph.D. in pharmacology and the Neuroscience Program in Substance Abuse training program from the Vanderbilt Brain Institute. She has built a career centered on biomedical education, leadership, and student mentorship. Today, she serves as associate professor of pharmacology and vice chair of biomedical sciences at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, an institution founded in 2016 during a period of rapid growth in medical education.

    

    Belovich’s path reflects a strong commitment to shaping the next generation of physicians and scientists. Drawing on her Vanderbilt training, she has helped build curricula and academic programs at a relatively new medical school while mentoring students navigating rigorous biomedical training. In an Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine faculty spotlight feature, she emphasized the importance of helping students connect foundational science to patient care and clinical decision-making. “Watching students grow in confidence and develop into compassionate future physicians is incredibly rewarding,” she said.

    Her trajectory also highlights the broad impact of SOMBS alums beyond traditional research careers. Through leadership in medical education and academic program development, Belovich continues to apply the scientific foundations she developed during her Vanderbilt training to help shape the future of healthcare education.