At USC, postdoctoral scholars receive research training and professional opportunities
to help them build upon the foundation they developed in their doctoral training.
At the same time, these scholars provide great service to their academic communities,
enhancing research and educational programs throughout the university.
The USC Postdoctoral Association was formed in early 2014 to connect postdoctoral
fellows from every discipline, and provide opportunities for them to share their experiences
and learn from faculty and other mentors. Their mission is to support and improve
the postdoctoral training experience at USC by providing opportunities and resources
for networking, professional development, social interaction, research and teaching.
2023-2024 Executive Board
Dr. Snezana Milosavljevic received her Ph.D. in Neuroendocrinology from the University
of Bristol, United Kingdom. Prior to joining the University of South Carolina School
of Medicine, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at McMaster University, Canada. Her broad
research interests span the fields of neuroscience, cardiovascular science, endocrinology,
and cancer research. Currently, Dr. Milosavljevic is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the
laboratory of Dr. Ana Pocivavsek at the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and
Neuroscience. Her research focuses on investigating the role of kynurenine pathway
in sleep and cognition. She is dedicated to promoting exchange of ideas, networking
and collaboration in the USC PDA.
Dr. Kendall Deas specializes in education policy, law and politics. He received his
Ph.D in education policy from the University of Georgia’s Mary Frances Early College
of Education. He holds a BSFS degree in international politics and a Certificate in
Western European Studies from Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign
Service, a M.A. degree in globalization studies from Dartmouth College’s Frank J.
Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, a M.A. degree in political science
from Washington University in St. Louis, and a MSPP degree in public policy from the
Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Public Policy. Dr. Deas was an Alfred
P. Sloan Foundation Fellow in public policy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy
School of Government and the University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School
of Public Affairs. He was a Fulbright Scholar to Finland where he earned a Diploma
in International Trade Law from Turku International University’s School of Law and
was a one-year Visiting Student at Mansfield College, Oxford University where he studied
politics, philosophy, and economics. Dr. Deas is an Emerging Diversity Scholar and
a New Leadership Academy (NLA) Fellow for higher education leadership with the University
of Michigan’s National Center for Institutional Diversity. He is a member of the Faculty
Editorial Board for the academic journal Education Law & Policy Review and a member
of the National Association of Holmes Scholars. Dr. Deas’s research interests are
focused upon the politics of PK-12 education reform, eradicating the achievement gap,
examining the issue of education reform as it relates to critical race theory and
the implementation of a uniform equity curriculum, and exploring the transformational
capacities of education shaped by policies designed to achieve greater equity and
social justice for least advantaged populations.
Dr. Milene Tavares Fontes received a degree in Physical Education from the Federal
University of Sergipe in Brazil, Master's Degree in Health Sciences (UFS), and Ph.D.
at the Department of Human Physiology at the University of Sao Paulo (USP/Brazil)
under the direction of Dr. Luciana Venturine Rossoni. Dr Fontes research focuses on
understanding the damage in the perivascular adipose tissue in heart failure and the
ability of exercise to mitigate cardiac damage. Dr. Fontes and currently supervised
by Dr. Camilla Ferreira Wenceslau at the Cardiovascular Translational Research Center
at the USC School of Medicine and has diverse research interests related to vascular
and inflammatory responses in arterial hypertension. His main goal at the PDA is to
help postdoctoral students have the best opportunities at UofSC, as well as always
to create new perspectives that improve the quality of the science produced and stimulate
the career of researchers, regardless of their nationality, gender and race.
Dr. Tiago J. Costa is a Biologist and received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the
University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. As a Ph.D. candidate, he studies at the Autonomous
University of Barcelona and August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, both
in Spain, and participated in several commissions as a representative of graduate
students. Dr. Costa’s career has been dedicated to understating the mechanism underpinning
the protective effect of estrogen in the cardiovascular system and why women develop
cardiovascular disease ~ 10 years later than men. Dr. Costa developed a postdoc at
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine that studies the impact of estrogen on O-GlcNacylation
signaling, a line of research implanted in the UofSC School of Medicine. Dr Costa
is currently an American Heart Postdoctoral Fellow (AHA) mentored by Dr Cameron G.
McCarthy at the Cardiovascular Translational Research Center (CTRC), UofSC School
of Medicine, with a project that seeks to understand the mechanism of aging, aorta
stiffness, hypertension, O-GlcNAcylation and sex difference. Dr Costa's motives are
to identify the molecular mechanism of aging and cardiovascular disease in both sexes,
contribute to research at CTRC-UofSC and as PDA increase networking, and support the
new international postdoc.
Dr. Ahmed Dawood Mohammed is a post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Jason
L. Kubinak at the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, at the University
of South Carolina (UofSC). He obtained his Ph.D. in Biomedical Science at the UofSC
School of Medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Kubinak, specializing in mucosal immunology
and microbial pathogenesis. His dissertation research focused on identifying a novel
pathophysiological mechanism associated with mucosal antibody deficiency that may
be an important avenue for the development of alternative treatments for patients
with gastrointestinal disease. Currently, Dr. Mohammed's research focuses on understanding
the effect of dietary gluten on microbial ecology in the gut and characterizing the
anti-inflammatory effect of oral bile acid supplementation in inflammatory disease.
He is excited to contribute to the PDA as acting international officer.
USC Postdoctoral Association Advisors:
Faculty Advisor: Philip Brandon Busbee, Ph.D., Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine
Faculty Advisor: Kandy T. Velázquez, Ph.D., FACSM, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine
Staff Advisor: Lauren Clark, Ph.D., Office of the Vice President for Research
Past Executive Board Members
2021-2022 Executive Board
President: Alex Rutkovsky, PhD, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology,
School of Medicine
Dr. Alex Rutkovsky obtained a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at Appalachian State
University (ASU) in Boone, NC, where she began research under the mentorship of Dr.
Claudia Cartaya-Marin and Dr. Ece Karatan. Following, she completed a master’s degree
in Molecular and Cell Biology at ASU where she applied genetic and biochemistry techniques,
including gene deletion, mutation and expression, to characterize polyamine transport
and biofilm formation in V. cholerae, resulting in the identification of the first
norspermidine transporter. She then earned her doctorate in the Department of Pathology
and Laboratory Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston,
SC under the direction of Dr. Stephen Ethier and Dr. Robin Muise-Helmericks. Her
dissertation studied targeted interventions to treat breast cancer, with a focus on
genomic instability and functional genomics. Dr. Rutkovsky is currently mentored by
Drs. Mitzi and Prakash Nagarkatti at the UofSC School of Medicine, and has diverse
research interests related to immunology, biodefense, and complementary and alternative
medicine.
Vice President: Snezana Milosavljevic, PhD, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology
and Neuroscience, School of Medicine
Dr. Snezana Milosavljevic received her Ph.D. in Neuroendocrinology from the University
of Bristol, United Kingdom. Prior to joining the University of South Carolina School
of Medicine, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at McMaster University, Canada. Her broad
research interests span the fields of neuroscience, cardiovascular science, endocrinology,
and cancer research. Currently, Dr. Milosavljevic is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the
laboratory of Dr. Ana Pocivavsek at the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and
Neuroscience. Her research focuses on investigating the role of kynurenine pathway
in sleep and cognition. She is dedicated to promoting exchange of ideas, networking
and collaboration in the UofSC PDA.
Treasurer: Kendall Deas, PhD, African American Studies Program and Institute for African
American Research, College of Arts & Sciences
Dr. Kendall Deas specializes in education policy, law and politics. He received his
Ph.D in education policy from the University of Georgia’s Mary Frances Early College
of Education. He holds a BSFS degree in international politics and a Certificate in
Western European Studies from Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign
Service, a M.A. degree in globalization studies from Dartmouth College’s Frank J.
Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, a M.A. degree in political science
from Washington University in St. Louis, and a MSPP degree in public policy from the
Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Public Policy. Dr. Deas was an Alfred
P. Sloan Foundation Fellow in public policy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy
School of Government and the University of Texas at Austin’s Lyndon B. Johnson School
of Public Affairs. He was a Fulbright Scholar to Finland where he earned a Diploma
in International Trade Law from Turku International University’s School of Law and
was a one-year Visiting Student at Mansfield College, Oxford University where he studied
politics, philosophy, and economics. Dr. Deas is an Emerging Diversity Scholar and
a New Leadership Academy (NLA) Fellow for higher education leadership with the University
of Michigan’s National Center for Institutional Diversity. He is a member of the Faculty
Editorial Board for the academic journal Education Law & Policy Review and a member
of the National Association of Holmes Scholars. Dr. Deas’s research interests are
focused upon the politics of PK-12 education reform, eradicating the achievement gap,
examining the issue of education reform as it relates to critical race theory and
the implementation of a uniform equity curriculum, and exploring the transformational
capacities of education shaped by policies designed to achieve greater equity and
social justice for least advantaged populations.
Secretary: PJ Wisniewski, PhD, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology,
School of Medicine
Dr. PJ Wisniewski is an exercise physiologist who received his Ph.D. in Kinesiology
and Applied Physiology from Rutgers University in New Jersey. His doctoral work focused
on the anti-inflammatory aspects of endurance exercise in the preservation of colon
health in the context of diet-induced obesity. He currently works as a postdoctoral
research associate under the mentorship of Dr. Mitzi Nagarkatti in the Department
of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Wisniewski’s current research focus
is to elucidate the molecular and immunological processes through which dietary compounds
confer a therapeutic benefit in colitis. As such, he is most passionate about promoting
intestinal health and treating intestinal disorders through lifestyle interventions.
His primary goal in the PDA is to see its mission of service to fellow postdocs continued.
Outreach Committee Chair: Archana Saxena, PhD, Department of Pathology, Microbiology
and Immunology, School of Medicine
Dr. Archana Saxena received her Ph.D. in Immunology from Jawaharlal Nehru University
at New Delhi in India. Her doctoral work focused on understanding the therapeutic
mechanism(s) of selected diarylheptanoids against sepsis and malaria with special
emphasis on inflammatory targets. During her doctorate, she gained excellent training
in the immunology of inflammatory diseases. Currently, Dr. Archana is a postdoctoral
fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Philip Brandon Busbee in the Department of Pathology,
Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine. Dr. Archana’s current research focuses
on investigating the therapeutic mechanism of indole-3-carbinol in colitis and colitis-associated
colon cancer using in vitro and in vivo models of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. She
is most passionate to identify novel and safe therapeutic options for colitis patients.
Resource Development Officer: Sarah "Kitty" Tryon, PhD
Dr. Sarah Catherine Tryon is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Pharmacology,
Physiology & Neuroscience under the mentorship of Dr. Marlene Wilson. Dr. Tryon’s
current research focuses on mechanisms underlying individual differences in fear learning
and extinction. Her neuroscience interest began as an undergraduate at Furman University
researching neural repair and neurogenesis in Dr. David Hollis’ lab and her interest
in exercise’s effects on neural mechanisms developed while playing on Furman’s soccer
team. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and German Studies from
Furman, she received a Fulbright Student Grant to teach English in Germany. Following
the Fulbright, she pursued her Ph.D. in Exercise Science from the University of South
Carolina. Under Dr. David Mott’s mentorship, she studied how acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter
affected by exercise and stress, regulates the emotional circuit of the brain. After
earning her Ph.D. in 2019, she joined the School of Medicine as a postdoctoral researcher.
She is excited to promote the training experience and career advancement of her fellow
postdoctoral colleagues by serving as the Resource Development Officer.
Outreach and Resource Development Committee Members
Catherine HartmanPJ WisniewskiKendall Deas
International Officer Ahmed D. Mohammed, PhD, Department of Pathology, Microbiology,
and Immunology, School of Medicine
Dr. Ahmed Dawood Mohammed is a post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Jason
L. Kubinak at the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, at the University
of South Carolina (UofSC). He obtained his Ph.D. in Biomedical Science at the UofSC
School of Medicine under the mentorship of Dr. Kubinak, specializing in mucosal immunology
and microbial pathogenesis. His dissertation research focused on identifying a novel
pathophysiological mechanism associated with mucosal antibody deficiency that may
be an important avenue for the development of alternative treatments for patients
with gastrointestinal disease. Currently, Dr. Mohammed's research focuses on understanding
the effect of dietary gluten on microbial ecology in the gut and characterizing the
anti-inflammatory effect of oral bile acid supplementation in inflammatory disease.
He is excited to contribute to the PDA as acting international officer.
Faculty Adviser Kandy T. Velázquez, PhD, FACSM, Department of Pathology, Microbiology
and Immunology, School of Medicine
Dr. Kandy T. Velázquez is from Isabela, Puerto Rico. She did her bachelor’s degree
in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. Then, she pursued her master
degree in Medical Physiology at the Medical Sciences Campus-UPR under the tutelage
of Dr. Juan Carlos Jorge. For her thesis, she studied the role of 3-alpha androstanediol
on hedonic, reinforcing, and anxiety-like behaviors in rats. After receiving her PhD
in Exercise Science-Applied Physiology from the University of South Carolina investigating
the role of nutraceuticals on cancer cachexia under the mentorship of Dr. James A.
Carson, she joined the laboratory of Dr. Angela Murphy to pursue postdoctoral training
on obesity promoting cancer. Her graduate work was funded by RISE-program (UPR-MSC),
PREP-Program (USC), SLOAN Scholarship (USC), SEAGEP (USC), Diversity supplement (NIH-NCI),
ASPIRE (USC), Mentor/Mentee grant (SSMN), and a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award
(NIH-NCCIH). Dr. Velázquez’s lab focuses on investigating the neuro-immune mechanism
by which colorectal cancer and colitis promote visceral nociception (pain). In addition,
her lab studies the effects of an herbal formula as a new therapy to treat cancer
pain. Her life outside academia is concentrated in spending quality time with friends/family
and going on walks with her daughter Iyla Carolina and her baby boy Raiden Roy.
Faculty Adviser Philip Brandon Busbee, PhD, Department of Pathology, Microbiology
and Immunology, School of Medicine
Dr. Philip Brandon Busbee is a University of South Carolina alumni with a Bachelor
of Science degree in Biological Sciences from UofSC-Aiken and a Doctorate of Philosophy
in Biomedical Sciences from UofSC School of Medicine. After obtaining his BS in Biology,
Dr. Busbee spent two years working in industry at the pharmaceutical labs of GlaxoSmithKline
before enrolling as a Ph.D. student at UofSC School of Medicine. His dissertation
research, under the mentorship of Dr. Mitzi Nagarkatti, focused on investigating the
mechanisms associated with the anti-inflammatory properties of natural indole products
found in cruciferous vegetables (e.g. indole-3-carbinol, or I3C) against infection
with a bacterial superantigen, staphylococcal enterotoxin B. After obtaining his Ph.D.,
Dr. Busbee accepted a postdoctoral research position in the laboratory of Dr. Mitzi
Nagarkatti where he applied his previous knowledge of the anti-inflammatory properties
of the natural plant indole product I3C into mouse models of colitis and colitis-associated
colon cancer. In the latter half of his postdoctoral research position, he also served
as a program coordinator for two NIH-funded Centers directed by Dr. Prakash Nagarakatti
and Dr. Mitzi Nagarkatti, the COBRE Center for Dietary Supplements and Inflammation
(CDSI) and Center for Complimentary and Alterative Medicines. He currently is a tenure-track
Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology and
funded by the NIH CDSI COBRE as a Target Faculty PI. His research focuses on studying
the complex relationship between the immune system and the host gut microbiome during
colitis and colitis-associated colon cancer, with special emphasis on the role of
interleukin-22 in regulating host defense against pathogen-associated microbial dysbiosis.
Staff Adviser: Lauren Clark, PhD, Office of the Vice President for Research
2019-2020 Executive Board
President Hasan Falah Kashef Alghetaa, VMD, MSc, PhD, Department of Pathology, Immunology
and Microbiology, School of Medicine
Dr. Alghetaa obtained his veterinary medical degree in 2001 from the College of Veterinary
Medicine, University of Baghdad, Iraq, followed by a master of science in theriogenology
in 2004 and a PhD in reproductive physiology in 2008 from same institution. He served
as Assistant Professor in Department of Veterinary Obstetrics and Surgery, University
of Baghdad. Through his clinical experiences, Dr. Alghetaa authorized and edited a
book entitled “Hormonal Causes Leading to Libido Loss in Iraqi Local Male Goats”,
published by Noor Publishing. In 2014, as a visiting scientist in biomedical sciences,
he joined the School of Medicine at the University of South Carolina, where he became
involved in toxicology fields, particularly immunotoxicology. Since then, he has presented
his work many times at SOT annual meetings as well as meetings of the American Association
of Immunology, the International Congress of Toxicology, the International Congress
of Immunology, and others. His presented poster was awarded as second honor place
by the Vice President for Research in University of South Carolina during 2018-Discover
USC event. Also, he has published many peer-reviewed papers related to different diseases
generated by toxicity effect of self-immune system. He focused mainly on studying
how the modulated epigenetic profile of immune cells and dysbiosis of microbiome are
leading to toxic effects of T cells and myeloid cells in different diseases like endometriosis.
Along with his duty as President of PDA-USC, Dr. Alghetaa was one of the founder of
Arab Toxicologist Association Known as ATA-SIG, which is established in 2019 under
a prestigious Society of Toxicology and served as Vice President-Elect in its executive
member board for 2019 – 2020.
Vice President Xueying YANG, BS, MD, Ph.D, Department of Health Promotion, Education,
and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health
Dr. Xueying Yang received her degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health from
The Chinese University of Hong Kong and a master’s degree from Peking Union Medical
College in Beijing, China. She also served as a public health practitioner in the
Chaoyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing. Dr. Yang’s research interests
focus on the health promotion of biomedical preventions for HIV infection (e.g. Antiretroviral
Therapy (ART), Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PreP)) through application of social and
behavioral sciences, especially among men who have sex with men. Dr. Yang’s current
research at CHQ focuses on the longitudinal studies related to HIV stigma and HIV-associated
comorbidities among people living with HIV/AIDS.
Secretary/Treasurer Kathryn Miranda, PhD, Department of Pathology, Immunology and
Microbiology, School of Medicine
Dr. Kathryn Miranda is an immunologist who studies the immunomodulatory effects of
cannabinoids in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. She earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical
Science from the University of South Carolina under the mentorship of Drs. Mitzi and
Prakash Nagarkatti. Her dissertation focused on the roles of epigenetics and microbiota
in endocannabinoid-mediated regulation of inflammation during high-fat diet-induced
obesity; and was supported by a SPARC graduate student research grant from the Office
of the Vice President for Research. Dr. Miranda has received multiple scientific achievement
awards from professional societies to which she holds active membership including
the American Association of Immunologists, Society of Toxicology, and International
Cannabinoid Research Society. Currently, she is performing research at the UofSC School
of Medicine aimed at elucidating the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of phytocannabinoids,
such as Cannabidiol, in macrophage-driven inflammatory disorders.
Outreach Committee Chair Jessica Chan, Ph.D., Department of Communication Sciences
and Disorders
Dr. Jessica Chan received her Ph.D. in Education from Queen’s University at Kingston
in Canada. Her research interests include children’s language and literacy development,
bilingualism, learning disabilities, and math cognition. Currently, Dr. Chan is a
SSHRC postdoctoral research associate under the mentorship of Dr. Suzanne Adlof in
the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Dr. Chan's goals are to understand
the factors that support children’s academic success to inform teaching, assessment,
and intervention. Dr. Chan is passionate about building community and supporting research
mentorship. Her goals in the PDA are to create a positive space to discuss topics
related to both professional and personal well-being.
Resource Development Committee Chair Kiesha Wilson, PhD, Department of Pathology,
Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine
Dr. Wilson was awarded her Ph.D in July 2019 from the Department of Biological Sciences
at the University of South Carolina. Her research focused on genomic and proteomic
evolution of bacteriophage that infect Caulobacter crescentus bacteria. From her PhD
training she has gained expertise in genomic data analysis, molecular biology, and
microbiology. She currently works as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Mitzi
Nagarkatti, where her overall focus is mechanisms of inflammation in different disease
models. Dr. Wilson is currently elucidating epigenetic mechanisms of neurodegeneration
in transgenic Gp120 mice, as well as studying the microbiota and epigenetic mechanisms
of colitis caused by antiCD40.
International Committee Chair Nadia Al-Sammarraie, MBChB, MS, Ph.D., Department of
Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine
Dr. Nadia Al-Sammarraie received her Master and Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical
Science from University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Her master thesis focused
on elucidating the role of antidiabetic medicine, Metformin, in treatment of childhood
tumor (Neuroblastoma). Her doctoral dissertation focused on understanding the cell-type
specific role of Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGFβ) ligands in pathogenesis of
Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) and Calcific Aortic Valve Disease (CAVD). She currently
works as postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Dr. Swapan K. Ray in the department
of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology (PMI) at University of South Carolina School
of Medicine. Her current research focus is understanding the molecular and genetic
regulations of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) by Bone Morphogenic Proteins (BMPs) in Spinal
Cord Injury (SCI) and brain tumors.
Faculty Adviser Kandy T. Velázquez, Ph.D., FACSM, Department of Pathology, Microbiology
and Immunology, School of Medicine
Dr. Kandy T. Velázquez is from Isabela, Puerto Rico. She did her bachelor’s degree
in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. Then, she pursued her master
degree in Medical Physiology at the Medical Sciences Campus-UPR under the tutelage
of Dr. Juan Carlos Jorge. For her thesis, she studied the role of 3-alpha androstanediol
on hedonic, reinforcing, and anxiety-like behaviors in rats. After receiving her PhD
in Exercise Science-Applied Physiology from the University of South Carolina investigating
the role of nutraceuticals on cancer cachexia under the mentorship of Dr. James A.
Carson, she joined the laboratory of Dr. Angela Murphy to pursue postdoctoral training
on obesity promoting cancer. Her graduate work was funded by RISE-program (UPR-MSC),
PREP-Program (USC), SLOAN Scholarship (USC), SEAGEP (USC), Diversity supplement (NIH-NCI),
ASPIRE (USC), Mentor/Mentee grant (SSMN), and a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award
(NIH-NCCIH). Dr. Velázquez’s lab focuses on investigating the neuro-immune mechanism
by which colorectal cancer and colitis promote visceral nociception (pain). In addition,
her lab studies the effects of an herbal formula as a new therapy to treat cancer
pain. Her life outside academia is concentrated in spending quality time with friends/family
and going on walks with her daughter Iyla Carolina and her baby boy Raiden Roy.
Staff Adviser: Lauren Clark, Ph.D., Office of the Vice President for Research
President: Vancho Kocevski, Ph.D., Department of Mechanical Engineering
Vice President: Mohammad Rifat Haider, PhD, Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
Treasurer: LaDrea Ingram, PhD, South Carolina SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality
Secretary: Mrinmay Chakrabarti, PhD, Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy
Resource Development Committee Officer: Hasan Kashef Alghetaa, VMD, MSc, PhD, Department of Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology
International Officer Committee Chair:Tine Verreet, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences
Outreach Committee Chair: Evelyn Chukwurah, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences
Faculty Advisor: Ratanesh K. Seth, Ph.D., Department of Environmental Health Sciences
President: Ratanesh K. Seth, Ph.D., Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Vice President: Marpe Bam, Ph.D., Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Treasurer: Alexandra Kingston, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences
Secretary: Rachel Saylor, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
International Officer Committee Chair: Tine Verreet, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences
International Officer Committee Member: Vancho Kocevski, Ph.D., Department of Mechanical Engineering
Outreach Committee Chair: Alexandra Basilakos, Ph.D., Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Faculty Advisor: Sayward Harrison, Ph.D., Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior
President: Madison DeMello, Ph.D., College of Nursing
Vice President: Brielle Stark, Ph.D., Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Secretary/Treasurer: Sayward Harrison, Ph.D., Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, and
SC Smart State Center for Healthcare Quality
President:Amanda Sharko, Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience
Vice President:Jennifer Flynn, Exercise Science
Secretary/Treasurer:LeAnna Ledford, Earth and Ocean Sciences
Faculty Advisor:Claudia Benitez-Nelson, Earth and Ocean Sciences
Staff Advisor:Lauren Clark, Office of Research
Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.
