Research Mentors
The UF HSC, with its six Health Science Colleges, provides excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary training through its large pool of potential mentors. Our mentor pool is large enough not only to provide the Scholar with a range of primary mentors, but also to have several co-mentors, which would enrich their dissertation research.
A primary mentor is defined as a faculty member who has a track record of training as a mentor and has departmental or grant funds to support the GS1-4 years of the Scholar’s MD-PhD Training. UF HSC also has a category of mentors-in-development for junior faculty who have not achieved the mentor criteria. A list of approved mentors has been drawn from the 284 faculty already formally identified as mentors on T Awards. These mentors, by definition, have agreed to commit time and effort to the mentoring of MD-PhD Scholars.
Clinical Mentors
The challenge of starting clinical training after graduate school will be lessened by the Scholar’s Clinical Mentor who will meet regularly with the Scholars in GS 1-4 for case presentations, review of the history and physical process, and other shadowing experiences. They will also advise and oversee the Scholar’s longitudinal clinical experience in the Equal Access Clinic.
Neuroscience Department
Jose Abisambra, PhD
Biological processes critical to neuronal function that converge with endoplasmic reticulum proteins
Oral Biology Department
Jacqueline Abranches, PhD
Bacterial adhesins’ role in systemic infections & diseases
Medicinal Chemistry
Jane Aldrich, PhD
Drug discovery & development, peptide medicinal chemistry, opioid & anticancer peptides
Materials Science & Engineering Department
Josephine Allen, PhD
Stem cell differentiation & engineering, cell material interactions, tissue engineering & regenerative medicine
Biomedical Engineering Department
Kyle Allen, PhD
Clinical translation of emerging diagnostics & amp; therapeutics for joint diseases
Physiology & Functional Genomics Department
Abdel Alli, MPH-PhD
Regulation of sodium transport mechanisms in the aldosterone-sensitive distal nephron as they contribute to hypertension
Aging & Geriatric Research Department
Stephen Anton, PhD
Lifestyle based & alternative treatment modalities for addressing obesity & Type 2 Diabetes
Ophthalmology Department
John Ash, PhD
Employing endogenously expressed cytokines to hinder retinal degeneration
Pathology Department
Mark Atkinson, PhD
Preventing or curing Type 1 Diabetes with gene therapy & amp; immunointerventions with self-antigens
Surgery Department
Scott Berceli, MD-PhD
Computational fluid dynamics, vascular adaptation, peripheral bypass graft & arteriovenous dialysis fistula
Department of Pediatrics- Infectious Diseases
Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh, MD-PhD
Epstein-Barr virus & amp; B cell interaction models cancer development & progression
Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics Department
Jiang Bian, PhD
Network science, consumer health informatics, big data analytics, social media, security & privacy, software engineering
Department of Medicine, Nephrology Division
Azra Bihorac, MD
Role of acute kidney injury in outcomes of severe trauma & sepsis
Neuroscience Department
Jennifer Bizon, PhD
Aging, memory, executive function, & plasticity
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
David Bloom, PhD
Regulation of Herpes Simplex virus latency & reactivation, & amp; novel therapies to treat HSV
Physiological Sciences Department
Donald Bolser, PhD
Neurogenesis of cough; brainstem cough network configuration
Neuroscience Department
David Borchelt, PhD
Alzheimer’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, ALS, neurodegeneration, & protein misfolding
Clinical & Health Psychology DepartmENT
Dawn Bowers, PhD
Neuropsychology of emotion, basal ganglia & amp; limbic functions in emotion, TMS, psychophysiology, laterality, forensic europsychology
Department of Pediatrics- Cellular & Molecular Therapy
Shannon Boye, PhD
Rationale design of adeno-associated viral vectors for gene therapy for retinal diseases
Department of Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care, & Sleep Medicine Division,
Mark Brantly, MD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease & role of inflammation in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency
Institute for Therapeutics & amp; Innovation Department
Ashley Brown, PhD
Antivirals & amp; pharmacodynamics
Biostatistics Department
Babette Brumback, PhD
Statistics in epidemiology, clinical trials, longitudinal data analysis, causal inference, & complex surveys
Pathology Department
Todd Brusko, PhD
Developing therapies to prevent and/or cure Type 1 Diabetes
Pharmacotherapy & Translational Research Department
Jurgen Bulitta, PhD
Time course modeling in pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamics
Neuroscience Department
Sara Burke, PhD
Uncovering mechanisms of age-related impairment in hippocampal-dependent sensory discrimination
Oral Biology Department
Robert Burne Jr., PhD
Weakening the virulence of disease-inducing oral bacteria through molecular mechanisms
Child Health Research Institute Department
Barry Byrne, MD-PhD
Genetic therapies for cardiovascular disease, muscular dystrophies, & lysosomal storage disorders
Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics Department
Michelle Cardel, PhD
Nutrition, obesity, weight management, & health disparities
Neuroscience Department
Paramita Chakrabarty, PhD
Immune activation in elderly dementias, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s & tauopathies
Aging & Geriatric Research Department
David Clark, ScD
Optimizing mobility in the neurologically impaired, including the elderly & individuals recovering from a stroke or spinal cord injury
Clinical & Health Psychology Department
Ronald Cohen, PhD
Neuroimaging, age-associated cognitive & brain dysfunction, neurodegenerative disorders
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
Martin Cohn, PhD
Molecular control of external genital patterning in mammals
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
Patrick Concannon, PhD
Molecular control of external genital patterning in mammals
Epidemiology Department
Robert Cook, MPH-MD
Relation of alcohol & drug use to risky behavior & STD infection
Epidemiology Department
Linda Cottler, MPH-PhD
Epidemiology, addiction, community based research, interventions, health disparities, global health
Community Dentistry Department
Yenisel Cruz-Almeida, MSPH, PhD
Mechanisms involved in age-related pain perception & modulation in humans
Biostatistics Department
Somnath Datta, PhD
Applying biostatistical approaches to autism & spinal cord injury
Oral Biology Department
Mary Davey, PhD
Microbial genetics & biofilms, inter-species (P. gingivalis & oral streptococci) & host-microbe interactions
Infectious Diseases & Immunology Department
Rhoel Dinglasan, MPH-PhD
Human malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum & P. vivax, & Anopheles mosquito midgut
Anesthesiology Department
Sylvain Dore, PhD
Pioneering preventions to neuronal dysfunction resulting from stroke, TBI, Alzheimer’s Disease, & aging
Institute for Therapeutics & Innovation Department
George Drusano, MD
Mathematical modeling & pharmacodynamics of anti-infective chemotherapy
Surgery Department
Philip Efron, MD
Effect of aging on the myelopoietic response to trauma & sepsis
Physiology & Functional Genomics Department
Karyn Esser, PhD
Role of circadian rhythms & the molecular clock mechanism in skeletal muscle homeostasis & health
Neurology Department
Matthew Farrer, PhD
Application of genetic analysis to complex neurological disorders
Biomedical Engineering Department
Daniel Ferris, PhD
Biomechanics & neural control of human locomotion, both in health & disability
Biomedical Engineering Department
Thomas Foster, PhD
Biomechanics & neural control of human locomotion, both in health & disability
Pathology Department
Kristianna Fredenburg, MD-PhD
Pathogenesis of head & neck cancers among racial & ethnic groups in the United States
Oral Biology Department
Jorge Frias-Lopez, PhD
Complex human microbial systems & their interactions with the host
Physical Therapy Department
David Fuller, PhD
Neuroplasticity, spinal cord injury, control of breathing, neurophysiology & respiratory physiology
Neuroscience Department
Benoit Giasson, PhD
Cellular mechanisms & molecular interactions involved in neurodegenerative diseases
Neuroscience Department
Todd Golde, MD-PhD
Biologic, gene therapy based, & small molecule therapies for Alzheimer’s disease & other neurodegenerative diseases
Physical Therapy Department
Elisa Gonzalez-Rothi, PhD
Therapies to treat motor deficits following chronic spinal cord injury
Department of Medicine_Nephrology Division
Michelle Gumz, PhD
Regulation of sodium transport by the circadian clock in the kidney
Biomedical Engineering Department
Aysegul Gunduz, PhD
Neural markers of movement disorders; deep brain stimulation; closed-loop neuromodulation
Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics Department
Matthew Gurka, PhD
Biostatistical approaches to improved measurement of metaboli syndrome & cardiovascular risk
Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics Department
Christopher Harle, MD
Design, adoption, use & value of health information systems for patient-doctor communication & research
Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences Department
Karen Hegland, PhD
Mechanisms of normal & disordered airway protection
Department of Medicine_Hematology/ Oncology Division
Coy Heldermon, MD-PhD
Gene replacement & stem cell therapies to treat lysosomal storage diseases
Neurosurgery Department
Brian Hoh, MD
Biological mechanisms of cerebral aneurysm formation & rupture
Biomedical Engineering Department
Gregory Hudalla, PhD
Nanomaterials engineered to direct immune responses for disease prophylaxis, implants, and immuno-therapies
Department of Medicine_Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition Division
Christian Jobin, PhD
Establishing mechanisms controlling host-bacteria interaction in the intestine during health & disease
Physical Therapy Department
Andrew Judge, PhD
Molecular signaling pathways leading to skeletal muscle atrophy caused by disuse, disease, sepsis & aging
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
Stephanie Karst, PhD
The interplay between enteric viruses, the intestinal microbiota, & the host mucosal immune system
Pharmacodynamics Department
Maureen Keller-Wood
Physiologic adaptations to pregnancy & effects of maternal physiology on fetal maturation & growth
Biomedical Engineering Department
Benjamin Keselowsky, PhD
Biomaterials & controlled release systems for vaccines, immuno-therapies & implants
Neuroscience Department
Habibeh Khoshbouei, PhD
Dopamine neuro-transmission regulation, pathogenesis of addiction, neurological & neuropsychiatric disorders
Pharmacodynamics Department
Eric Krause, PhD
Central nervous system’s coordination of behavioral & physiological responses to stress
Aging & Geriatric Research Department
Christiaan Leeuwenburgh, PhD
Biology of aging, free radicals, oxidative stress, & muscle atrophy
Oral Biology Department
Jose Lemos, PhD
Virulence mechanisms of the Gram-positive pathogens
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
Alfred Lewin, PhD
Applying RNA-mediated gene therapies to inherited & age-related retinal disease
Neuroscience Department
Jada Lewis, PhD
Generating constitutive & inducible model systems for the study of proteins & cellular pathways
Epidemiology Department
Catalina Lopez-Quintero, MD-PhD
Neurocognitive processes & sociocultural factors at the root of drug use & HIV/AIDS disparities
College of Nursing Dean’s Office Department
Debra Lyon, PhD
Symptom management in women with breast cancer
Health Education & Behavior Department
Mildred Maldonado-Molina, PhD
Reducing health disparities in alcohol use & alcohol-related consequences among minority children & adolescents
Aging & Geriatric Research Department
Todd Manini, PhD
Physical exercise to prevent disability in healthy & frail older adults; mechanisms leading to sarcopenia & functional decline
Clinical & Health Psychology Department
Michael Marsiske, PhD
Cognitive aging & behavioral interventions strategies; statistical modeling
Pharmacology & Therapeutics Department
Jeffrey Martens, PhD
Sensory neuropharmacology & cardiovascular pharmacology
Oral Biology Department
Luis Martinez, PhD
Mechanisms of fungal brain invasion & colonization; Host-pathogen interactions & immunology
Psychiatry Department
Carol Mathews, MD
Causes & neural underpinnings of OCD & anxiety spectrum disorders
Pathology Department
Clayton Mathews, PhD
Genetic factors expressed at the level of the pancreatic islet that provide resistance to autoimmune diabetes
Environmental & Global Health Department
Anthony Maurelli, PhD
Molecular genetics & pathogenesis of Chlamydia & Shigella
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
Lauren McIntyre, PhD
Statistical analysis of genomic, proteomic & other “omic” data
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Department
Matthew Merritt, PhD
Tracer based analysis of intermediary metabolism
Neurosurgery Department
Duane Mitchell, MD-PhD
Immunopathology, immunotherapy, & neuro-oncology
Physical Therapy Department
Gordon Mitchell, PhD
Respiratory motor neuron plasticity, intermittent hypoxia, spinal injury, ALS, inflammation
Surgery Department
Lyle Moldawer, PhD
Inflammation biology & the role of cytokines in burn, sepsis & wound healing
Infectious Diseases & Immunology Department
Julie Moore, PhD
Pathogenesis in malaria, & its effects on the placenta
Pathology Department
Laurence Morel, PhD
Molecular & functional characterization of genes affecting T cell effector functions & cellular mechanisms, B cell tolerance & functional differentiation
Child Health Research Institute Department
Eric Nelson, MD-PhD
Software & data collection techniques to facilitate translational research in pediatric infectious disease
Psychiatry Department
Sara Nixon, PhD
Addiction, aging, neurobehavior, neuro-physiology, sex differences, co-morbidities, & health disparities
Neurology Department
Michael Okun, MD
Non-motor basal ganglia brain features & the cognitive, behavioral, & mood effects of deep brain stimulation
Biomedical Engineering Department
Kevin Otto, PhD
Neural engineering, device-tissue interfaces & neurostimulation
Infectious Diseases & Immunology Department
David Pascual, PhD
Mucosal immunology & vaccines
Epidemiology Department
Thomas Pearson, MD, MPH, PhD
Epidemiology & prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences Department
Emily Plowman, PhD
Upper aerodigestive tract function in individuals with neurologic disease & the associated processes of speech, breathing and swallowing
Clinical & Health Psychology Department
Catherine Price, PhD
Adult neuropsychology, dementia, movement disorders, post-operative cognitive dysfunction, white matter & cognition
Epidemiology Department
Mattia Prosperi, PhD
Biomedical modelling & ‘big data’ mining focused on precision medicine & translational science
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
Laura Ranum, PhD
Human genetics, genetic mapping, positional cloning, transgenic models
Department of Medicine_Rheumatology Division
Westley Reeves, MD
Regulatory cell populations in the regulation of innate & acquired immune responses
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
Rolf Renne, PhD
Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV), the leading cause of AIDS-associated cancer
Chemical Engineering Department
Carlos Rinaldi, PhD
Testing the interactions of magnetic nanoparticles with cells & tissues
Neurology Department
Diego Rincon-Limas, PhD
Defining the molecular pathways leading to neurodegeneration
Clinical & Health Psychology Department
Mike Robinson, PhD
Management of pain, experimental pain & psychophysics, rehabilitation, psychophysiology
Neurosurgery Department
Elias Sayour, MD-PhD
Training the immune system to fight cancer with lipid nanoparticles
Department of Pediatrics- Unassigned
Desmond Schatz, MD
Prediction, natural history, genetics, immunopathogenesis & prevention of Type 1 Diabetes
Department of Medicine_Nephrology Division
Mark Segal, MD-PhD
Cardiovascular disease in diabetics, patients with chronic kidney disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, & women with preeclampsia
Surgery Department
Ashish Sharma, MBBS-PhD
Molecular mechanisms of aortic aneurysm pathogenesis
Biomedical Engineering Department
Blanka Sharma, PhD
Interactions between stem cells & diseased/injured tissues, nanoparticle-based targeted drug/gene delivery systems & tissue engineering scaffolds
Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics Department
Elizabeth Shenkman, PhD
Reducing cancer-related health disparities for adults & children through implementation of evidence-based best practices for risk detection & treatment
Radiation Oncology Department
Dietmar Siemann, PhD
Improving cancer patient care with experimental approaches & treatment strategies
Clinical & Health Psychology Department
Glenn Smith, PhD
Cognitive aging & dementia
Department of Pediatrics- Cellular & Molecular Therapy
Arun Srivastava, PhD
Development of recombinant parvovirus vectors for human gene therapy
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
Maurice Swanson, PhD
Biology & therapy for RNA processing disorders
Pharmacology & Therapeutics Department
Hugh Sweeney, PhD
Molecular motors, muscle injury & disease, gene transfer into striated muscle, myofibrillogenesis
Neuroscience Department
Mariadelourdes Tansey, PhD
Neuroinflammatory & immune system responses in gene-environment interactions leading to neurologic disease
Surgery Department
Ryan Thomas, MD
Molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis & chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer
Neurosurgery Department
David Tran, MD-PhD
Mechanism of cancer metastasis and dormancy
Surgery Department
Jose Trevino Jr., MD
Pancreatic BMS Cancer Biology (Medicine), tumor signaling & chemoresistance
Surgery Department
Gilbert Upchurch, MD
How a complex cascade of injury & repair contributes to aortic aneurysms until inflammatory cells degrade the vessel walls
Applied Physiology & Kinesiology Department
David Vaillancourt, PhD
Motor control, motor disorders, neurological disorders, brain structure & function
Physical Therapy Department
Krista Vandenborne, PhD
Pathophysiology of muscle atrophy & muscle regeneration, viral mediated gene therapy in muscle rehabilitation
Department of Medicine_Infectious Diseases Division
Amy Vittor, PhD
Interface between vector-borne disease & land use
Health Outcomes & Biomedical Informatics Department
Walter Vogel, PhD
Analyses of intervention effects for Medicaid & VA cost, utilization, & outcomes in observational settings
Physiological Sciences Department
Christopher Vulpe, MD-PhD
Toxicity of chemicals & nanomaterials in aquatic ecosystems, genetic factors that influence iron status in mammals
Molecular Genetics & Microbiology Department
Eric Wang, PhD
Novel deep sequencing to study pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy & develop therapeutics
Biobehavioral Nursing Sciences Department
Diana Wilkie, PhD
Management of cancer pain & end-of-life issues
Clinical & Health Psychology Department
Adam Woods, PhD
Novel cognitive & neuro-inflammation neuroimaging biomarkers & intervention approaches
Biostatistics Department
Samuel Wu, PhD
Adaptive design of clinical trials & simultaneous statistical inference
Anatomy & Cell Biology Department
Maria Zajac-Kaye, PhD
Mechanisms of oncogenic transformation
Surgery Department
Ali Zarrinpar, MD-PhD
Ischemia/reperfusion injury as a source of organ damage in transplantation, myocardial infarction, stroke, & peripheral vascular disease
Epidemiology Department
Jinying Zhao, MD-PhD
Genetic epidemiology & statistical genetics for complex human diseases
Infectious Diseases & Immunology Department
Liang Zhou, MD-PhD
Transcriptional regulation of intestinal immune responses
Disclaimer:
The images on this page were taken prior to national guidelines of face coverings and social distancing.