News, Achievements, and Upcoming Events

Dr. Henk Grenzier is featured in UA News for research on how the cardiac muscle protein titin controls muscle length.

Dr. Gene Alexander is featured in UA News for research on how brains have evolved to need exercise, utilizing the "'adaptive capacity model' for understanding, from an evolutionary neuroscience perspective, how physical activity impacts brain structure and function." 

Dr. Heddwen Brooks has received a $1.53 million grant from the National Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood to study postmenopausal hypertension!

Dr. Todd Vanderah in the news!  Check out this article in the UA News on the study he co-authors, utilizing green LED light to treat neuropathic pain, particularly fibromyalgia.

Dr. Zoe Cohen has been selected for the University of Arizona AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Teaching Excellence Award!  This award was granted by the STEM Education Project Teaching Awards Committee, announced on November 21, 2016.

Dr. Erika Eggers and Dr. Heddwen Brooks in the news! Check out this article on Dr. Eggers' research as the principal investigator of a $1.9 million project funded by the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health and the International Retinal Research Foundation, titled "Retinal Neuronal Signaling in Early Diabetes."  Dr. Eggers is also a recent recipient of a a NSF Career Grant.   

Dr. Jordan Lancaster, recent PhD graduate from our Program, wins $60,000 with a polished pitch in local "Shark Tank" competition with Avery Therapeutics, a company working toward commercializing a beating heart graft technology, originally developed by Jordan and his mentor Dr. Steve Goldman.  Dr. Lancaster and Dr. Goldman were also featured in a local news article regarding their accomplishments in the business world as well as the medical world.

Dr. Gene Alexander is leading the UA work in a Partnership with the University of Florida and University of Miami to improve cognition in older adults.

Dr. Janet Funk and her research on the effects of turmeric on arthritis. 

The Lab of Dr. Brooks:  The American Physiological Society published a review from the lab of Dr Brooks, highlighting sex differences in cardiovascular disease, using our UA patented menopause model (Dr Hoyer).  View the article on the American Physiological Society's website.

Current students' awards and achievements:

• Ike Chinyere: 2016 Honors College Alumni Legacy Grant Award (2016), Solutions Challenge (2016), InnovateUA: PitchFest (2016), Best Research Project by an Honors Student (2017), Pillar of Excellence Award (2017), First Place Presentation - Graduate Medical Education (2018), RA Williams Scholarship for Medical Students (2018)
• Claire DeLucia: NIH T32 Training Grant: Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research (2017-2018, 2018-2019)
• Michael Flood:  NIH T32 Training Grant: Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research
• Andrew Flores: Achievement Award for College Scientists (ARCS 2015-16, 2016-2017, 2017-2018)
• Gabriel Kelly:  NIH T32 Training Grant: Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research
• Matthew Klass: University Fellows Award (2016-2017), NIH T32 Training Grant: Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research (2017-2018)
• Alexander Pendleton: NIH T32 Training Grant: Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research (2017-2018), Achievement Award for College Scientists Award (2019-2020), Herbert E. Carter Travel Award (Fall 2019)
• Megan Sylvester:  MD-PhD Jeffrey-Bunt Scholarship (2017-2018), Medical Award of Excellence (2015-Current)
• Kate Smith: Achievement Award for College Scientists (ARCS 2015-16, 2016-2017, 2017-2018), NIH T32 Training Grant: Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research,
• Joshua Uhlorn: University Fellows Award (2016-2017), McGuire Entrepreneurship Program and received the Thomas R. Brown Distinguished Scholarship (2017), NIH T32 Training Grant: Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research (2017-2018), Herbert E. Carter Travel Award (Fall 2019)

Recently graduated students' awards and achievements:

• Matthew Bull: Achievement Award for College Scientists (ARCS 2015-16)
• Daniel Hill: ARCS Foundation Graduate Scholars Award (2018-2019)
• Maura Cotter: Herbert E. Carter Travel Award (2017), NIH T32 Training Grant: Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Research
• Nicole Jacobsen: American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship (2015-2017)
• Sarah Lehman: Sarver Heart Center Fellowship (2015-16), ARCS Eller Family Scholar Award (2016-2017), ARCS Lauber/Templin Foundation Scholar Award (2017-2018), APS Writing Skills Course Travel Award (2017)
• Melissa Lynn:  American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship (2015-2017)
• Dennis Pollow: Achievement Award for College Scientists (ARCS 2014-2015, 2015-2016), American Heart Association, PreDoctoral Fellowship (2014-16)
• Candy Rivas:  Porter Physiology Development Fellowship (2016-2017, 2017-2018), SACNAS (Society for the Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) Travel Award (2016), Minority Travel Fellowship from the APS, the Donald Sheer Research Award (2017)

• Lila Wollman: Herbert E. Carter Travel Award (2016), Donald Sheer Memorial Research Award (2017)

Stop by our booth at these graduate school fairs in the fall!  

• Northern Arizona University: Fall 2018 Career & Graduate School Expo September 28
• Michigan State University 
• University of Arizona
• Arizona State University
• ABRCMS

PS Fall 2020 Student Forums will be held via zoom from 11:00am-12:00pm. 

Fall 2020