Fralin Life Science Institute

Fralin Graduate Fellowships

Exceptional incoming students working with Fralin Institute affiliated faculty are eligible for a Fralin Graduate Fellowship. These Fellowships provide tuition and a stipend to the graduate student for one year and are awarded by the graduate committee of the Fralin Scientific Advisory Committee.

Fralin Graduate Fellows for the 2008/2009 Academic Year:

Devdutta Deb:
Devdutta is a graduate student in the Molecular Plant Sciences program, working under the direction of John McDowell. She is studying the interaction between the model plant Arabidopsis and its downy mildew pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsis to understand how oömycete effectors manipulate plant cells.

Andrea Hartman:
Andrea is in the microbiology training program and studies under the mentorship of Dr. Steve Melville . Her research focuses on type IV pili (TFP)-mediated motility of Clostridium perfringens, which is the one of the first Gram-positive bacteria in which TFP has been documented. TFP is responsible for attachment and motility of the bacteria along muscle cells.

Saylem Ingalls:
Saylem is a graduate student in the microbiology training program and works under the direction of Dr. Ann Stephens. She is determining the effect of quorum sensing on virulence factors in Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

Casey Jakubowski:

Casey works in Dr. David Popham’s laboratory determining the proteins and enzymes that are involved in Bacillus anthracis spore germination. Her research will facilitate the design of effective spore decontamination methods.

Maryam Kamali:
Maryam works in Dr. Igor Sharakov’s laboratory and is studying the phylogeny of breakpoints in mosquito polytene chromosomes to understand speciation among Anopheles species.

Anne Michalenka:
Anne is a graduate student in the microbiology training program and works for Dr. Tom Inzana. Her research elucidates the mechanisms of infection and immune protection against Francisella tularensisto facilitate vaccine and other treatment development for this biowarfare and infectious disease agent.

Sharmistha Mitra:
Sharmistha works for Dr. Daniel Capelluto in the Department of Biology. Her research is determining the role of the Tollip CUE domain in innate immunity and inflammation.

William Wadlington:
Will is a graduate student in Molecular Plant Sciences and is currently doing his laboratory rotations. He is cloning reporter genes that are compatible for Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) into vectors with genes coding for Arabidopsis glutamate receptors during this rotation.

Xiao Yi:
Xiao works in the laboratory of Dr. Carla Finkielstein. He is studying the relation between circadian rhythm and tumorigenesis.