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Chanel Griggs

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Year Enrolled: 2012
Education: BS Chemistry (2012), Grinnell College BS Chemistry (2012), Grinnell College
Honors and Achievements:

1. UA College-Graduate Access Fellowship, 2012-13.
2. NIEHS Training Grant-Environmental Toxicology of Human Diseases, 2014 (34).
3. Institute of the Environment Travel Award, 2014.

Tiffanie Hargraves

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Dissertation Title: The Potential Role of a Novel Metformin-methylglyoxal Imidazolinone Metabolite (IMZ) in Alleviating Complications from T2DM
Year Enrolled: 2013
Email: hargraves@pharmacy.arizona.edu
Education: BS Forensic Science (2011), University of Tampa

Publications: 

1. Dzierlenga, A.L., Clarke, J.D., Hargraves, T.L., Ainslie, G.R., Vanderah, T.W., Paine, M.F., & Cherrington, N.J. (2015). “Mechanistic Basis of Altered Morphine Disposition in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.” Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 352(3), 462-470.
2. Kinsky, O.R., Hargraves, T.L., Williams, A.M., Tsaprailis, T., Monks, T.J. and Lau, S.S. “Sensitive Sites of Glycation of the Fibrinolytic System Protein Plasminogen and Implications in The Progression of Type 2 Diabetes Cardiovascular Complications.” (manuscript in preparation).
3. Kinsky, O.R., Hargraves, T.L., Anumol, T., Jacobsen, N., Snyder, S., Monks, T.J., and Lau, S.S. “Characterization of a Metformin-Methylglyoxal Cyclized Reaction Product.” (manuscript in preparation).

Argel Islas Robles

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Dissertation Title: Identification of Poly(ADP-ribose)-Associated Proteins and their Potential Role in ROS-Mediated Cell Death
Year Enrolled: 2013
Email: islasrobles@pharmacy.arizona.edu
Education: BS Biopharmaceutical Chemistry (2012), Universidad De Guanajuato,

Honors and Achievements: 

  • CONACyT(Mexican National Council for Science and Technology) doctoral scholarship, 2013-14.
  • CONACyT(Mexican National Council for Science and Technology) doctoral scholarship, 2014-15.
  • GPSC Travel Award, 2014-15.

Jessica Sapiro

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Year Enrolled: 2010
Email: sapiro@pharmacy.arizona.edu
Education: 
M.S. Nutrition (2008)
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minnesota
B.S. Nutritional Science (2006)
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

Research Interests: 

The focus of my research is to elucidate how the cellular stress response mediates all-trans-retinoic acid cytoprotection against reactive oxygen species-induced acute kidney injury.

Honors and Achievements: 

1. Mountain West Society of Toxicology Student Travel Award, 2011.
2. Society of Toxicology Graduate Student Travel Award, 2012.
3. SOT Award, Renal Toxicology Award, Mechanisms Specialty Section, 2012.
4. NIEHS Training Grant - Environmental Toxicology of Human Diseases, 2013, 2014 (33, 34).
5. Mary E. Caldwell Memorial Scholarship, 2013-14.
6. University of Arizona Graduate and Professional Student Council Travel Award, 2013-14.
7. SOT ToxScholar Award, 2013-14.
8. Mountain West Society of Toxicology Top Student Platform Presentation Award, 2013-14.
9. SOT Graduate Student Leadership Committee Leadership Award, 2014-15.
10. SOT Mechanisms Renal Toxicology Award 1st Place, 2014-15.
11. SOT Women in Toxicology Vera Hudson Elizabeth Weisburger Scholarship Award, 2014-15.

Publications: 

1. Sapiro, JM, Lord-Garcia, JL, Jia,Z, Gallegos, AG, Canatsey, RD, Monks, TJ, Lau, SS. All-Trans-Retinoic Acid Affords Cytoprotection Against Reactive Oxygen Species-Induced Renal Injury. Mountain West Society of Toxicology, September 8-9, 2011.
2. Sapiro, JM, Mashek, MT, and Mashek, DG. Fatty Acids Derived from Triacylglycerol Hydrolysis are a Significant Source of Ligands for Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Alpha (PPAR-α) in Rat Primary Hepatocytes. Experimental Biology, April 5-9, 2008. Abstract # 3636.
3. Sapiro, JM and Sunde, RA. The Effect of Dietary Selenium and Genotype on Growth and Selenoenzyme Activity in Wild Type and Glutathione Peroxidase-1 Knockout Mice. University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Research Symposium, April 29, 2006.
4. Sapiro, JM, Mashek, MT, Greenberg, AS, and Mashek, DG. 2009. Hepatic Triacylglycerol Hydrolysis Regulates Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α ActivityJ. Lipid Res. 50:1621-1629.

 

Hui Li

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Year Enrolled: 2013

Education: BE Pharmaceutical Engineering (2007), Tianjin University Chemical Engineering and Technology
ME Pharmaceutical Engineering (2009), Tianjin University Chemical Engineering and Technology
BE Pharmaceutical Engineering (2007), Tianjin University Chemical Engineering and Technology
ME Pharmaceutical Engineering (2009), Tianjin University Chemical Engineering and Technology

Honors and Achievements:

1. GPSC Travel Award, 2014-15.

Publications:

1. Fei Zhao, Scott W. Malm, Alyssa N. Hinchman, Hui Li, Connor G. Beeks, Walter T. Klimecki, Arsenite Induced Pseudo-Hypoxia Results in Loss of Anchorage-Dependent Growth in BEAS-2B Pulmonary Epithelial Cells, PLOSONE, Dec 16, 2014.

Erica Toth

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: The Effects of Gene-By-Environment Interactions of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Polymorphisms of Hepatic Xenobiotic Transporters on Drug Disposition and Toxicity
Year Enrolled: 2014

Education: BA Biochemistry (2012), Duquesne University PittsburghMS Forensic Science and Law (2013), Duquesne University Pittsburgh BA Biochemistry (2012), Duquesne University PittsburghMS Forensic Science and Law (2013), Duquesne University Pittsburgh

Eva Amouzougan

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: Chronic Exposure to Arsenite Enhances Influenza Virus Infection in Cultured Cells
Year Enrolled: 2014

Education: BS Biology Molecular Cellular Biology (2011), Boise State BA French BS Biology Molecular Cellular Biology (2011), Boise State BA French

Honors and Achievements:

  •  UA College-Graduate Access Fellowship, 2014-15.
  •  UA NIH Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) Graduate Study Award, 2014-15.

Publications:

1. Ivraj Sandhu, Nicholas James Maksim, Eva Alice Amouzougan, Bryce Wilson Gallion, Anthony L.J. Raviele, Aikseng Ooi. (2015) Sustained NRF2 Activation in Hereditary Leiomyomatosis and Renal Cell Cancer (HLRCC) and Hereditary  Tyrosinemia Type 1 (HT1). Biochemical Society, Received Feb 2015.

Xu Zhou

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Year Enrolled: 2014

Education: BM Clinical Medicine (2009), Tianjin Medical University
MS Ophthalmology (2012), China Medical University BM Clinical Medicine (2009), Tianjin Medical University
MS Ophthalmology (2012), China Medical University

Publications:

1. Mucin Deficiency Causes Functional and Structural Changes of the Ocular Surface. Floyd AM, Zhou X, Evans C, Rompala OJ, Zhu L, Wang M, Chen Y. PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e50704.
2. Modulation of airway epithelial antiviral immunity by fungal exposure. Zhu L1, Lee B, Zhao F, Zhou X, Chin V, Ling SC, Chen Y. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2014 Jun;50(6):1136-43.
3. Synergistic up-regulation of CXCL10 by virus and IFN γ in human airway epithelial cells. Oslund KL, Zhou X, Lee B, Zhu L, Duong T, Shih R, Baumgarth N, Hung LY, Wu R, Chen Y. PLoS One. 2014 Jul 17;9(7):e100978.

Ashley Knudsen

Degree: MS
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Education: BS Biochemistry/Biomedical Science (2011), University of Wisconsin-River FallsMS Pharmacology and Toxicology (2014), University of Arizona BS Biochemistry/Biomedical Science (2011), University of Wisconsin-River FallsMS Pharmacology and Toxicology (2014), University of Arizona

Year Graduated: 2014

Bo Ram Lee

Degree: MS
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: "Regulation of Mucin Gene Expression by Aspergillus Fumigatus Infection"

Education: BS Biochemistry (2011), Trinity University BS Biochemistry (2011), Trinity University

Year Graduated: 2014

Sejin Chung

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Year Enrolled: 2015

Education: BS (2014), University of California-Berkeley BS (2014), University of California-Berkeley
Research Interests:
Currently In Rotation

Magdalena Kedzior

Degree: MS
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Year Enrolled: 2015

Education: BS (2015), University of Arizona BS (2015), University of Arizona
Research Interests:

Currently In Rotation

Year Graduated: 2017

Jahaira Vera

Degree: MS
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Year Enrolled: 2016

Education: BS Veterinary Science (2016), University of Arizona. BS Veterinary Science (2016), University of Arizona.

Year Graduated: 2017

Alejandro Garcia Flores

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: The Role of MTK1 in Cell Migration and Extracellular Acidification
Year Enrolled: 2011

Education: BS Chemical Pharmaceutical Biologist (2011), Universidad De Guanajuato BS Chemical Pharmaceutical Biologist (2011), Universidad De Guanajuato

Honors and Achievements:

1. CONACyT(Mexican National Council for Science and Technology) doctoral scholarship, 2011- Present.

Year Graduated: 2017

Xiaoyu Fan

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: Function and Regulation of Intestinal P450s
Year Enrolled: 2018

Education:

Year Graduated: 2019

Veronica Gonzalez

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: “Defining the Role of Nucleolin on the Transcriptional Regulation of c-MYC through Modulation of the c-MYC NHE III1 Element”

Education:

Publications:

1. The C-Terminal of Nucleolin Promotes the Formation of the c-MYC G-Quadruplex and Inhibits c-MYC Promoter Activity. Biochemistry. Submitted. The c-MYC NHE III1: Function and Regulation. Verónica González and Laurence H. Hurley. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology. (2009) 50: 111-129.
2. Identification and Characterization of Nucleolin as a c-MYC G-quadruplex-binding proteinVerónica González, Kexiao Guo, Laurence H. Hurley, Daekyu Sun. Journal of Biological Chemistry. (2009) 284: 23622–23635.

Year Graduated: 2010
Employer: Post Doctoral Fellow, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Career Type: Academia

Academic & Professional Updates:

Advisor:  Dr. Hurley
My research at the University of Arizona focused on the identifiation of nucleonlin as a c-MYC G-quadruplex-binding-protein and showed thta nucleolin inhibits c-MYC promoter activity by inducing the formation of a G-quadruplex structure in the c-MYC promoter.
I am currently negotiating the terms of my postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley.

Alicia Bolt

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: “Arsenite Alters Lysosome-Mediated Degradation and the Autophagy Process Leading to Immunosuppression in Human B-Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines”

Publications:

1. Bolt AM, Zhao F, Pacheco S, Klimecki WT. 2012. Arsenite-induced autophagy is associated with proteotoxicity in human lymphoblastoid cells. In Review.
2. Bolt AM and Klimecki WT. 2012. Autophagy in Toxicology: Self-consumption in times of stress and plenty. Journal of Appl. Toxicology. Epub 2012 February 15.
3. Bolt AM, Douglas RM, Klimecki WT. 2010. Arsenite exposure in human lymphoblastoid cell lines induces autophagy and coordinated induction of lysosomal genes. Tox Letters: 199 (2): 153-159.
4. Bolt AM, Byrd RM, Klimecki WT. 2010. Autophagy is the predominant process induced by arsenite in human lymphoblastoid cell lines. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol:244 (3): 366-373.

Year Graduated: 2012

Employer: Postdoctoral Fellow at Lady Davis Institute, McGill University Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Career Type: Academia

Academic & Professional Updates:

My research focused on investigating the mechanism of arsenic-induced immunotoxicity using an in-vitro model of normal human B-cells.  I characterized the role of a novel cell degradation/turnover process, autophagy, in arsenic-induced cellular damage and how disruption of the autophagic process altered normal B-cell function.
I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at McGill University in Montreal Canada investigating the role of the metal tungsten in the development of pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Alejandro Lencinas

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: “Arsenite and Olfactomedin-1 Regulate Epithelial to Mesenchymal Cell Transition (EMT) in Heart Valve Development”

Education:

Honors and Achievements:

1. NIEHS Training Grant-in Toxicology and Toxicogenomics, 2007.
2. National Institute of Health Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity Graduate Study Award, 2010-11.
3. NIEHS Training Grant - Environmental Toxicology of Human Diseases, 2010 (30). 

Year Graduated: 2012
Employer: MD Candidate, University of Arizona

Career Type: Academia

Academic & Professional Updates:

Advisor: Dr. Raymond Runyan

Tianfang Huang

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: "Mechanism of Arsenical Toxicity on TGFB Signaling and Genetic Regulation During Embryonic Heart Development"
Year Enrolled: 2010

Education: Bachelor of Engineering (2010)
China Pharmaceutical University Bachelor of Engineering (2010)
China Pharmaceutical University

Publications:

1. Huang T, Barnett JV, Camenisch TD (2014) Cardiac Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition is Blocked by Monomethylarsonous Acid (III). (Published on Toxicological Sciences).
2. Allison P, Huang T, Broka D, Parker P, Barnett JV, Camenisch TD (2013) Disruption of Canonical TGFβ-Signaling in Murine Coronary Progenitor Cells by Low Level Arsenic. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol pii: S0041-008X(13)00219-6. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2013.04.035.

Year Graduated: 2015
Employer: Post-doctoral fellow at Tufts University/Medical Center, Molecular Oncology Research Institute

Career Type: Academia

Ana Tula Sanchez

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: “Deciphering the Mechanisms of Resistance and Sensitivity to Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma"

Year Graduated: 2013
Employer: Postdoctoral Research Associate I, University of Arizona

Career Type: Academia

Mark Jimenez-Canet

Degree: PhD
Program: Pharmacology and Toxicology
Track: Pharmacology and Toxicology

Dissertation Title: "Coordinated Regulation of Hepatic and Renal Membrane Transporters in Experimental Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis"
Year Enrolled: 2009

Education: B.S, Molecular and Cellular Biology (2007)
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Minors in Chemistry and Mathematics B.S, Molecular and Cellular Biology (2007)
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Minors in Chemistry and Mathematics

Honors and Achievements:

1. Vice President- Postdoctoral Society, Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, 2015.
2. Mechanisms Specialy Section Renal Toxicology Mechanisms Student Poster Award-3rd Place, 2013-14.
3. NIEHS Training Grant - Environmental Toxicology of Human Diseases, 2012, 2013 (32, 33).
4. Graduate Track Awards: Academic Excellence, 2013-14.
5. Mountain West Society of Toxicology Senior Graduate Student Representative, 2012.
6. Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Student Representative, 2010.
7.  Science Foundation of Arizona Student Fellowship, 2009.

Publications:

1. Hardwick, R.N., Fisher, C.D., Street, S.N., Canet, M.J., Cherrington, N.J. (2011) Molecular Mechanism of Altered Ezetimibe Disposition in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Drug Metabolism and Disposition. 40(3), 405-460.
2. Hardwick, R.N., Fisher, C.D., Canet, M.J., Scheffer, G.L., Cherrington, N.J. (2011) Variations in ABC-Transporter Regulation During the Progression on Human Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Drug Metabolism and Disposition. 39(12), 2395-2402.
3. Hardwick, R.N, Fisher, C.D, Canet, M.J, Lake, A.D, Cherrington, N.J. (2010) Diversity in Antioxidant Response Enzymes in Progressive Stages of Human Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Drug Metabolism and Disposition. 38(12), 2293-2301.
4. Mark J Canet, Rhiannon N. Hardwick, April D Lake, Anika L, Dzierlenga, John D. Clarke, Nathan J. Cherrington (2014) Modeling Human Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis-Associated Changes in Drug Transporter Exdpression Using Experimental Rodent Models; Drug Metabolism and Disposition. 42(4); 586-95.
5. Nathan J. Cherrington, Teresa E. Estrada, Harrison A. Frisk, Mark J. Canet, Rhiannon N. Hardwick, Bohuslav Dvorak, Katie Lux, Melissa D. Halpern (2013) The Hepatic bile Acid Transporters Ntcp and Mrp2 and downregulated in Experimental Necrotizing Enterocolitis; American Journal or Physiology Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. 304(1); G48-56.
6. Mark J. Canet, Rhiannon N. Hardwick, April D. Lake, Michael J. Koplin, Walter T. Klimecki, George L. Scheffer, A. Jay Gandolfi, Nathan J. Cherrington (2012) Altered Arsenic Disposition in Experimental Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Drug Metabolism and Disposition. 40(9); 1817-24.

Year Graduated: 2014
Employer: Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Career Type: Academia

Academic & Professional Updates:

My long-term research interests are to better understand the complex association between liver, muscle and adipose tissue energy homeostasis in the setting of obesity and metabolic diseases. Specifically, my current goal is to functionally link the development of metabolic inflammation to peripheral insulin resistance. As a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan, I intend to expand my technical expertise to complement my current level of training so that I may make a successful transition into a career as an independent scientist.