
Het Adhvaryu
HRAdhvaryu@uams.edu
B.S. in Biology – Molecular Biotechnology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Hometown: Surat, GJ, India
Mentor: Dr. Daniel E. Voth
Research: Defining Human Macrophage Metabolic and Stress Responses to Coxiella burnetii

Naiha Ahmad, M.Phil.
Fulbright Scholar
NAhmad@uams.edu
B.S. in Biotechnology, Forman Christian College, Lahore, Pakistan
M.Phil. in Molecular Pathology and Genomics, Forman Christian College,
Lahore, Pakistan
Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan
Mentor: Dr. Jia Liu
Research: Understanding the role of novel components of innate immunity during myxoma virus infection.

Tyler Appell
KTAppell@uams.edu
B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harding University
Hometown: Jackson, TN
Mentor: Dr. Roger D. Pechous
Research: Studying regulation of essential virulence determinants in Yersinia pestis

Mara Campbell
MJCampbell@uams.edu
B.A. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Hendrix College
Hometown: Little Rock, AR
Mentor: Dr. Mark Smeltzer
Research: The role of extracellular proteases and their regulation in the pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis

LeKivia Cobb
LCCobb@uams.edu
B.S. in Biology, University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff
Hometown: Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Mentor: Dr. Karl Boehme
Research: Pathogenesis of Mammalian orthoreovirus

Lucy Fry
Marie Chow Memorial Research Awardee
Training in Systems Pharmacology and Toxicology (SPaT) T32 NIGMS Fellowship
LFry@uams.edu
B.S. in Biochemistry, Florida State University
Hometown: Windermere, Fl
Mentor: Dr. Tiffany Weinkopff
Research: Host responses to Leishmania

Alison Gouch
ARGouch@uams.edu
B.S. in Biology (Minor in Chemistry), Cleveland State University
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Mentor: Dr. Jason Stumhofer
Research: Host immune response to Plasmodium parasites

Brandon Hogland
BHogland@uams.edu
B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Harding University
Hometown: Rowlett, Texas
Mentor: Dr. Jon Blevins
Research: Cyclic dinucleotide-dependent signaling and pathogenesis in the relapsing fever spirochete, Borrelia turicatae

Meghan Jones, M.S.
MDJones@uams.edu
B.S. in Biology, University of Arkansas
M.S. in Biology, University of Central Arkansas
Hometown: El Dorado, AR
Mentor: Dr. Jason Stumhofer
Research: Our lab focuses on the immune response to Plasmodium infection.

Clayton Matthews, M.S.
CTMatthews@uams.edu
B.S. in Microbiology, University of Oklahoma
M.S. in Microbial and Cellular Biology, Emporia State University
Hometown: Edmond, OK
Mentor: Dr. Karl Boehme
Research: Mammalian orthoreovirus pathogenesis

Miguel Mercado
American Association of Immunologists Careers in Immunology Fellowship
MMercado@uams.edu
B.S. in Biology, University of Central Arkansas
Hometown: Macau SAR, China
Mentor: Dr. Lin-Xi Li
Research: Immune responses to Chlamydia

Steven Murdock
SJMurdock@uams.edu
B.S. in Biology, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA
Hometown: Bryant, AR
Mentor: Dr. J. Craig Forrest
Research: Host Response to Gammaherpesvirus Infection

Katie Pierce, M.S.
KPierce@uams.edu
B.S. in Human Biology, Indiana University
M.S. in Biology, Louisiana Tech University
Hometown: Fishers, IN
Mentor: Dr. Daniel E. Voth
Research: Manipulation of Stress Signaling During Early Infection by Coxiella burnetii in Macrophages

Emily Robbs, M.S.
EJRobbs@uams.edu
B.S. in Biology, Auburn University of Montgomery
M.S. in Biology, University of West Florida
Hometown: Dothan, AL
Mentor: Dr. Matthew Jorgenson
Research: Investigating the bacterial surface using Escherichia coli to find new
ways to exploit its properties

Madeleine Scott
MScott@uams.edu
B.A. in French and Biology, Hendrix College
Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Mentor: Dr. Roger Pechous
Research: Our laboratory uses molecular tools to dissect the pathogenesis of pneumonic plague in detail by focusing on several primary areas: 1. Identification of bacterial factors that contribute to infection; 2. characterizing direct host/pathogen interactions in vivo during infection; and 3. characterizing host responses to pulmonary infection. Currently, I am investigating how integration of the EF-Tu-like GTPase BipA into the ribosome during infection impacts protein production and alters virulence.

Hayley Theriot
HTheriot@uams.edu
B.S. Louisiana State University
Hometown: Covington, LA
Mentor: Dr. Roger Pechous
Research: Pathogenesis of Yersinia pestis