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College of Medicine: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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  5. Student Highlight

Student Highlight

Student Highlights

Zijun Zhang

April 17, 2026 | Kathy

5th year, GPIBS-Biochemistry and Molecular Biology track Education University of Minnesota Twin Cities: B.S. Biochemistry University of Minnesota Twin Cities: M.S. Pharmacology Research My research focuses on investigating the function of CST6, a lysosomal protease inhibitor, in the multiple myeloma microenvironment. I focus on CST6’s immunosuppressive function in the microenvironment, as it has been shown […]

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Mason McCrury

February 19, 2026 | Kathy

Fifth year, GPIBS, Biochemistry Track Education King University, B.A. – Human Biology & Spanish (double major) Research My research centers on the apolipoprotein B mRNA editing catalytic polypeptide (APOBEC) family of nucleic acid deaminating enzymes, whose activity is the second leading known cause of mutagenesis in cancer. I study the processes by which the APOBEC […]

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GSA Honors

June 9, 2025 | Kathy

We’re excited to share highlights from the recent Graduate Student Association (GSA) Closing Ceremony, where several outstanding graduate students and staff members were honored for their leadership and dedication: Mrs. Kathy Carlson, Education Coordinator, received the Legacy of Service Award in recognition of her long-standing commitment and unwavering support of the Graduate Student Association (GSA) . […]

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Matthew Thompson

January 24, 2025 | Kathy

My research focuses on deriving mechanisms of a relatively understudied human helicase known as DNA Helicase B, or HELB for short.

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Haven Griffin

March 11, 2024 | Kathy

My research focuses on the melanocortin pathway in the brain which controls appetite, energy homeostasis, and glucose homeostasis.

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Jessica Lynn Kelliher

October 27, 2023 | Kathy

I am a 4th year student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education Arkansas Tech University – Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Arts in Music, Minor in Chemistry Research My graduate work aims to expand current knowledge on the regulation of the double stranded break response. Specifically, I study the histone H2AX and how […]

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Xiuqi Wang

September 13, 2023 | Kathy

I just started my sixth year in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D. program and will graduate in October. Education China Pharmaceutical University, B.S. in Pharmacy (Basic Pharmacy). Research I have two research interests: 1) Discovery and optimization of novel inhibitors of clinically relevant targets 2) PROTAC and its applications. I have been working on multiple […]

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Katherine “Katie” Bronson

June 6, 2023 | Kathy

Katie is a fifth year student in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ph.D program. She attended Liberty University where she completed a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a minor in chemistry Research Interest My research focus is on the conserved RNA-binding protein Musashi, the proteins it associates with, and the effect those associations […]

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Mason McCrury awarded NSF-GRFP

March 31, 2023 | akbyrd

Congratulations to Mason McCrury, a Ph.D. student in the lab of Dr. Samantha Kendrick, for receiving a NSF-GRFP. The Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports outstanding graduate students who have demonstrated the potential to be high achieving scientists and engineers. Mason’s project is entitled “Investigating DNA Secondary Structure Formation and Mutagenesis.”

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Lauren Clai Morehead

February 17, 2023 | Kathy

Clai is a 6th year MD/Ph.D student in her 4th year in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department in the laboratory of Dr. Alan Tackett and Dr. Isabelle Racine Miousse She has a BS in Chemistry from Southern Arkansas University Research Interest Statement Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy has drastically improved outcomes in treating cancer, particularly […]

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Binyam Belachew student highlight

April 1, 2021 |

Binyam is a GPIBS Ph.D. student in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology track. He is a 5th-year student in the laboratory of Dr. Kevin Raney. He graduated from Wingate University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Research Interest Statement Hepatitis C is an infectious disease caused by Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Currently, 71 million people […]

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Allie Schleiff highlighted by ASPET for work on meclofenamate bioactivation

March 11, 2021 |

Congratulations to graduate student Mary “Allie” Schleiff on her selection as the Drug Metabolism and Disposition Highlighted Trainee Author for February 2021. Allie is a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Dr. Grover Paul Miller.​ The Drug Metabolism and Disposition article that earned her selection as a Highlighted Trainee Author is titled “Significance of Multiple […]

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Mary “Allie” Schleiff Student Highlight

November 5, 2020 |

Allie is a GPIBS Ph.D. student in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology track. She is a fourth year student in the laboratory of Dr. Grover Paul Miller. She graduated from Henderson State University in 2017 with an Honors Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and a minor in Biology, and she received a regulatory sciences certification […]

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Duah Alkam Student Highlight

September 8, 2020 |

Duah is a GPIBS Ph.D. student in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology track. She is starting her 5th year in the laboratories of Dr. Mark Smeltzer and Dr. David Ussery. She has a B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a M.S. in Pharmacology from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Research Interest Statement Osteomyelitis, or bone infection, […]

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Brian Koss student highlight

July 9, 2020 |

Brian is a Ph.D. student starting his fifth year in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department in the laboratory of Dr. Alan Tackett. He has a B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Hendrix College. Research Interest Statement My doctoral work focuses on the dynamic interplay between the epigenetic and metabolic pathways used by T […]

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Megan Reed Student Highlight

May 16, 2020 |

Megan is a Ph.D. student in her 5th year in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department. She joined the laboratory of Dr. Robert Eoff for her research studies. She has a B.S. in Biology with a dual minor in Chemistry and Psychology from Henderson State University. Research Interest Statement My project involves elucidating various mechanisms […]

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Dustyn Barnette Student Highlight

January 21, 2020 |

Dustyn is a Ph.D. Student in his 5th year in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department. He joined the laboratory of Dr. Grover P. Miller for his research studies. He has a B.S. in Biology from Ouachita Baptist University with minors in chemistry and art. Research Interest Statement A major obstacle in drug development is […]

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Tresor Mukiza Recognized for Research Publication

December 17, 2019 |

Tresor Mukiza, a Ph.D. student at UAMS, received high honors for his first-author publication in the November issue of the journal Genetics. The editors selected the paper to be featured in a Highlight, and cover art for the article was displayed on the journal home page during the month of publication. “This is a notable accomplishment,” said Wayne […]

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Andrea Edwards Student Highlight

December 2, 2019 |

Andrea is a Ph.D. Student in her 5th year in the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Program. She joined the laboratory of Dr. Kevin Raney in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department for her research studies. She has a B.S. in Biology from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. Research Interest Statement I study G-Quadruplexes which […]

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Tresor O. Mukiza Student Highlight

October 12, 2019 |

Tresor is a Ph.D. Student in his fifth year in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department in the laboratory of Dr. Wayne Wahls. He has a B.A. in Biology with a Chemistry minor from Hendrix College. Research Interest Statement The wrong number of chromosomes, called aneuploidy, is the leading cause of spontaneous pregnancy loss, intellectual […]

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Graduate Student Explores Potential of Handheld DNA/RNA Sequencers in Outbreaks

September 13, 2019 |

Imagine there’s an outbreak of an infectious disease. Could health officials on the ground harness the power of new handheld DNA and RNA sequencers to monitor outbreaks in real-time and quickly contain them?

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Eugene Nyamugenda Student Highlight

August 30, 2019 |

Eugene is a Ph.D. Student in his 5th year in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department in the laboratory of Dr. Giulia Baldini. He has a B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Hendrix College. Research Interest Statement The hypothalamus plays a central role in maintaining healthy energy homeostasis. The arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the […]

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Brian Koss Receives Prestigious NCI Fellowship

March 6, 2019 |

March 6, 2019 | A prestigious fellowship from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) will allow UAMS Graduate School student Brian Koss to advance his melanoma research. The Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows (F31) will provide Koss with a three-year award of $124,851 to fund his research focusing on the protection of […]

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