Former Undergraduates
This page lists undergraduates that received some distinction, such as graduation with honors or publication. Many other undergraduates have also done research in the lab and, though not listed here, are not forgotten.
Graduation: May 2024
Distinction: Honors in Biology
Thesis: RING Finger Proteins in Crossover Designation and InterferenceMentors: Jeff Sekelsky and Susan McMahan Subsequent Positions:
- Graduate School, Case Western Reserve University
Graduation: May 2024
Distinction: Honors in Biology
Thesis: Changes in Chromatin Struture Affect Mitotic Recombination Frequency in Drosophila melanogasterMentor: Priscila Santa Rosa
Graduation: May 2024
Distinction: Honors in Biology
Thesis: Homologous Recombination during CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated DNA Double-Stranded Breaks in DrosophilaMentor: Evan Dewey Subsequent Positions:
- Graduate School, Wake Forest University
Graduation: May 2023
Distinction: Honors in Biology
Thesis: MAssessment of ATR/ATM Phospho-Regulation of Bloom Syndrome Helicase in DNA Repair and DevelopmentMentor: Evan Dewey
Graduation: May 2023
Distinction: Honors in Biology
Thesis: Mapping Meiotic Crossovers in Drosophila Using Combinatorial Indexing and Whole-Genome SequencingMentor: Carolyn Turcotte Subsequent Positions:
- EMT, Charlotte, NC
Graduation: May 2022
Distinction: Highest Honors in Biology
Thesis: Protein-Protein Interaction of Blm Helicase and Topoisomerase 3-alphaMentor: Evan Dewey Subsequent Positions:
- Postbac Researcher, National Institutes of Health
Blog post about Colleen's research at the Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias. - Graduate school, Johns Hopkins University
Graduation: May 2021
Distinction: Honors in Biology
Thesis: Investigating the effect of Mei-218 Phosphorylation on Interference and Crossover Rates in Drosophila melanogasterMentor: Susan Cheek Subsequent Positions:
- Postbac Researcher, UNC
Maggie Miller
Graduation:
May 2019
Mentor:
Publication:
- T. Hatkevich, D. Miller, C. Turcotte, , Sekelsky (2021) A pathway for error-free non-homologous end joining of resected meiotic double-strand breaks. Nucleic Acids Research 49: 879-890.
After leaving:
Physicians' Assistant Program
Medical University of South Carolina
Medical University of South Carolina
Evan Gales
Graduation:
Dec 2018
Mentor:
Publication:
- J. Carvajal-Garcia, , D. Ramsden, J. Sekelsky (2020) The Drosophila melanogaster ortholog of RFWD3 functions independently of RAD51 during DNA repair. G3: Genes, Genomes, and Genetics. DOI: 10.1534/g3.119.400903.
After leaving:
Laboratory Assistant
Caitlin Moffatt
Graduation:
May 2018
Distinction:
Honors in Biology
Thesis:
Altering substrate specificity of the nuclease GEN.
Mentors:
After leaving:
Postbac research at NIH (2018-2020)
PhD student, Harvard University (2020-)
PhD student, Harvard University (2020-)
Emily Buzhardt
Graduation:
May 2015
Distinction:
Honors in Biology
Thesis:
Drosophila Marcal1 in double-strand break repair by
synthesis-dependent strand annealing.
synthesis-dependent strand annealing.
Mentor:
After leaving:
Nurse practitioner
Deepti Shroff
Graduation:
Dec 2014
Mentor:
After leaving:
Harvard School of Dental Medicine (DDS 2018)
Residency, UNC School of Dentistry (Pediatric Dentistry)
Residency, UNC School of Dentistry (Pediatric Dentistry)
Chris Rota
Graduation:
May 2014
Distinction:
Highest Honors in Biology
Thesis:
Evaluating the role of rtel in synthesis-dependent
strand annealing in D. melanogaster.
strand annealing in D. melanogaster.
Mentor:
Publication:
H.K. Kuo, S. McMahan, , K.P. Kohl, and J. Sekelsky (2014)
Drosophila FANCM helicase prevents spontaneous mitotic crossovers generated by the MUS81 and SLX1 nucleases.
Genetics 198: 135-145.
After leaving:
Postbac research at National Cancer Institute (2014-16).
PhD, Harvard Medical School (2022).
Scientist, Flow Cytometry at Cerba Research.
PhD, Harvard Medical School (2022).
Scientist, Flow Cytometry at Cerba Research.
Salma Azam
Graduation:
May 2013
Distinction:
Highest Honors in Biology
Thesis:
Determining if Bloom helicase and Rad51 recombination
interact in Drosophila melanogaster.
interact in Drosophila melanogaster.
Mentor:
After leaving:
PhD student at UNC (PhD 2019).
Medical Writing and Clinical Submissions Manager, Viiv Healthcare.
Medical Writing and Clinical Submissions Manager, Viiv Healthcare.
Kathleen Wallace
Graduation:
May 2013
Distinction:
Honors in Biology
Thesis:
Investigating the ability of the Drosophila Holliday junction
resolvase GEN to dimerize in solution.
resolvase GEN to dimerize in solution.
Mentor:
After leaving:
Research in the laboratory of Dr. Jonathan Berg, MD, PhD.
Devin Holland
Graduation:
May 2012
Distinction:
Honors in Biology
Thesis:
A test of the hypothesis that Drosophila MEI-218
evolved to fill
the functional niche of MSH4-MSH5 in meiotic recombination.
the functional niche of MSH4-MSH5 in meiotic recombination.
Mentor:
After leaving:
Medical school at UNC School of Medicine (full scholarship!)
MD, 2016
Amber Beg
Graduation:
May 2011
Distinction:
Honors in Biology
Thesis:
The function of MUS312 in DNA repair promoted by the
Fanconi Anemia pathway.
Fanconi Anemia pathway.
Mentor:
After leaving:
Postbac research
National Institutes of Health / NHLBI
laboratory of Nasser Rusan
UAB School of Medicine, MD 2015.
National Institutes of Health / NHLBI
laboratory of Nasser Rusan
UAB School of Medicine, MD 2015.
Lewis Overton
Graduation:
May 2009
Distinction:
Honors in Biology
Thesis:
The role of common repair pathways in resolving
formaldehyde-induced DNA-protein crosslinks.
formaldehyde-induced DNA-protein crosslinks.
Mentor:
Publication:
After leaving:
Medical school at Medical College of South Carolina.
Residency at UNC Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
Lena Hyatt
Graduation:
December 2008
Distinction:
Goldwater Fellowship
Amgen Scholar
Highest Honors in Biology
Thesis:
BLM and its binding partners: A functional
and physical characterization in Drosophila melanogaster.
and physical characterization in Drosophila melanogaster.
Mentor:
After leaving:
Graduate school
International Max Planck Research School, Göttingen, Germany (MS, 2011)
The Rockefeller University (PhD, 2018) Postdoctoral Fellow
Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Postdoctoral Fellow
Junior Group Leader, Developmental Origins of Pediatric Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
International Max Planck Research School, Göttingen, Germany (MS, 2011)
The Rockefeller University (PhD, 2018) Postdoctoral Fellow
Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Postdoctoral Fellow
Junior Group Leader, Developmental Origins of Pediatric Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Sumreen Hussain
Graduation:
May 2007
Distinction:
Highest Honors in Biology
Thesis:
Understanding checkpoint response and DNA replication in Drosophila melanogaster:
Identifying genes that interact with E(mus304) and mei-41.
Mentor:
Publication:
J. LaRocque, D.L. Dougherty, , and J. Sekelsky (2007)
Reducing DNA polymerase α in the absence of Drosophila
ATR leads to P53-dependent apoptosis and developmental defects. Genetics 176: 1441-1451.
Award:
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (2006).
After leaving:
Medical school at UNC School of Medicine, M.D. May, 2011
Rob van der Vaart
Graduation:
May 2007
Distinction:
Honors in Biology
Thesis:
Analysis of DNA repair in okra mutant flies.
Mentor:
After leaving:
Medical school at Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Yuri Broze
Graduation:
May 2006
Mentors:
Publication:
M. McVey, S.L. Andersen, , and J. Sekelsky (2007)
Multiple functions of the Drosophila Blm helicase in maintaining
genome stability. Genetics 176: 1979-1992.
After leaving:
Travelled in search of Yuri Broze.
Graduate school for Music Theory, The Ohio State University.
Graduate school for Music Theory, The Ohio State University.
Mathilde Sabourin Hutchings
Graduation:
May 2006
Distinction:
Research Commendation in Biology
Thesis:
Characterization of a mismatch repair mutant in Drosophila melanogaster.
Mentor:
Publication:
S.J. Radford, , S. McMahan, and J. Sekelsky (2007)
Meiotic recombination in Drosophila Msh6 mutants yields
discontinuous gene conversion tracts. Genetics 176: 52-63.
After leaving:
Masters in Public Health, Boston University (2010)
Public Health Program Manager at Ariadne Labs
Public Health Program Manager at Ariadne Labs
Grace Wallenborn
Graduation:
May 2005
Distinction:
Research Commendation in Biology
Thesis:
Investigating the mitotic role of rec in Drosophila melanogaster.
Mentor:
After leaving:
PhD, Envir. Sci. & Engineering, UNC School of Public Health
Postdoctoral research at Medical Univ. of South Carolina
MS, Medical University of South Carolina
Physcians' Assistant, Asheville, NC
Postdoctoral research at Medical Univ. of South Carolina
MS, Medical University of South Carolina
Physcians' Assistant, Asheville, NC
Gabi Radut Meyer
Graduation:
May 2005
Distinction:
Research Commendation in Biology
Thesis:
Genetic and molecular characterization of the Drosophila melanogaster
gene recombination defective (rec).
gene recombination defective (rec).
Mentor:
After leaving:
Medical school at Quillen College of Medicine, ETSU
University of Vermont Internal Medicine Residency
University of Vermont Internal Medicine Residency
Diana Dougherty
Graduation:
May 2005
Distinction:
Research Commendation in Biology
Thesis:
Characterization of genetic interactions between DNA repair
components and cell cycle checkpoints in Drosophila.
components and cell cycle checkpoints in Drosophila.
Mentor:
Publication:
J. LaRocque, , S. Hussain, and J. Sekelsky (2007)
Reducing DNA polymerase α in the absence of Drosophila
ATR leads to P53-dependent apoptosis and developmental defects. Genetics 176: 1441-1451.
After leaving:
MD, Drexel Univ. College of Medicine
Resident Physician, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Resident Physician, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Liz Veazey
Graduation:
May 2004
Mentor:
Liz Goley
Award:
Morris K. Udall scholarship (2002, 2003)
After leaving:
Environmental activism
Graduate school, University of Oregon
Graduate school, University of Oregon
Kim Baxter Decker
Graduation:
May 2003
Distinction:
Highest Honors in Biology
Thesis:
Processing of meiotic Holliday junction intermediates in Drosophila:
Does MEI-9 cut or does DmBLM unwind?
Does MEI-9 cut or does DmBLM unwind?
Mentor:
After leaving:
Postbac research, National Institutes of Health
PhD, Johns Hopkins University (2011)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Benaroya Research Institute
PhD, Johns Hopkins University (2011)
Postdoctoral Fellow, Benaroya Research Institute
Ben Kramer
Graduation:
May 2003
Distinction:
Highest Honors in Biology
Thesis:
A genetic analysis of mei-9 in repair pathways
to account for the milder symptoms of XP-F.
to account for the milder symptoms of XP-F.
Mentor:
Publications:
- Ö. Yιldιz, H. Kearney, , and J. Sekelsky (2004) Mutational analysis of the Drosophila DNA repair and recombination gene mei-9. Genetics 167: 263-273.
- Ö. Yιldιz, S. Majumder, , and J. Sekelsky (2002) Drosophila MUS312 protein interacts physically with the nucleotide excision repair endonuclease MEI-9 to generate meiotic crossovers. Molecular Cell 10: 1503-1509.
After leaving:
M.D. University of Washington (2007)
Opthamology residency, Univ. of Michigan
Fellow in Pediatric Ophthalmology, Medical Univ. South Carolina
Opthamology residency, Univ. of Michigan
Fellow in Pediatric Ophthalmology, Medical Univ. South Carolina
Tomeka Suber
Graduation:
May 2002
Distinction:
Honors in Chemistry
Mentor:
After leaving:
MD-PhD student, Johns Hopkins University
Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellow, University of Pittsburgh
Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellow, University of Pittsburgh
Shilvi Shah